Markelle Fultz is yet to lace them up for the Orlando Magic, but his teammate Aaron Gordon believes he can have a huge impact for them next season.
"[Fultz] is a sleeper," Gordon said during an interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio. "If he wakes up and if he's awake and woken up, he's a monster. A monster. People are sleeping on him. That's what I mean by, 'He's a sleeper.' People are sleeping on him. He's going to be huge for our team.
"... He'd be huge for our team just with that point guard presence along with D.J. [Augustin] and Michael Carter-Williams," Gordon added.
🔊 "[Markelle Fultz] is a monster." - Aaron Gordon@EvCoRadio caught up with @OrlandoMagic PF @Double0AG at @TheNBPA Camp in NYC.
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) July 30, 2019
Hear the full interview on @SiriusXMNBA Radio! pic.twitter.com/nXeJQiXxH1
Fultz arrived in Orlando in a Feburary trade for Jonathon Simmons and two draft picks after a disappointing stint with the Philadelphia 76ers, who selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft.
The 21-year-old struggled with injuries and a hitch in his jump shot, limiting him to 33 total games over the past two seasons, with the Magic hoping he can take advantage of a fresh start in Orlando.
"[Fultz's] working hard, he's made great progress," Magic coach Steve Clifford told SiriusXM earlier this month. "You know, right now we don't have a timetable for when he'll be back, but he's really doing a great job."
"We don't have a timetable for when he'll be back, but he's really doing a good job." @OrlandoMagic HC Steve Clifford gives @TermineRadio and @Jumpshot8 the latest on Markelle Fultz pic.twitter.com/N8gTv7rh3j
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) July 15, 2019
The Magic finished last season with a 42-40 record, losing to the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the playoffs, their first appearance in the post-season since 2011-12.