Philadelphia 76ers point guard Markelle Fultz is expected to miss some time again until he sees a shoulder specialist in New York early next week, according to a report by The Athletic's David Aldridge. As a result, Fultz will not participate in team practices or games until after the the specialist has had a chance to evaluate him.
Fultz, the 2017 #1 overall pick by the Sixers, missed most of his rookie season with a shoulder injury and his struggles shooting the ball have been well documented over the course of his young NBA career. Sixers head coach Brett Brown benched Fultz in favor of TJ McConnell during Monday night's 119-114 victory against the Phoenix Suns, as Fultz finished with zero points on 0-of-2 shooting in just seven minutes of action.
After the Sixers' third straight victory on Monday night, Fultz reiterated that the main goal is to win games, whether it's him or McConnell out there on the floor.
"Our relationship is more than teammates," Fultz said, per ESPN. "We both want to see each other do well, and we want to see the team win, so anytime one of us step on the court, we are probably rooting for each other more than most people. That's how it is.
"You definitely want to go out there and compete ... I'm a competitor. But, at the end of the day, coach made a decision to do that, so I have to live with it. My mindset is just, when I step on the court, go out there and play. But while T.J. is out there, I'm rooting for him.
"It's not like I'm sitting on the bench pouting or anything. I want to be out there, but I'm going to root for my teammates."
The Sixers, 12-7, are currently sitting in fourth place in the Eastern Conference.