New York Knicks: Pros and cons of trading for Markelle Fultz

Con: His play since debuting

Fultz may be an upside play, but nothing since his NBA debut has provided a reason for optimism.

His rookie season started poorly, with four games that saw him cross double-digit points once. Then came the shoulder and shooting issues that kept him away from Oct. 23 to Mar. 26. By then, the Sixers were involved in the playoff hunt.

There was an opportunity to shine, but Fultz never established himself in a regular role. He had 7.0 points on 42.3 percent shooting and just one three-point attempt in nine games.

However, Fultz closed with a triple-double, which, after everything that happened afterward, feels like an eternity between.

Sixers head coach Brett Brown played the then-rookie just twice in the playoffs, but allowed him to start once 2018-19 arrived. Unfortunately, for Fultz, there were few signs of that triple-double form.

He started to take three-pointers and made a handful of them, which was a surprise. Though, that disappeared after Oct. 30 and saw his numbers torpedo downward to 41.9 percent shooting for 8.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.

While Fultz possesses upside, he last showed it in April and has done little to inspire confidence in his game this season. For the New York Knicks to trade someone for a player like this, it’s maybe too big of a gamble.