How Much Value Did Sixers Get In Return For Trading Fultz?

With less than 30 minutes until the NBA Trade Deadline, on Thursday the 76ers traded Markelle Fultz to the Orlando Magic for Wing-Defender Jonathan Simmons, 2020 First Round pick via Oklahoma City (which is top-20 protected), and the Cavaliers 2019 second-round pick.  The 2017 NBA Draft First Overall Selection had only played 33 games since being drafted by the Sixers as Fultz has been dealing with a Shoulder Issue that has been the subjective of scrutiny and controversy.  After signing a Three Year, 20 Million Dollar deal with Orlando in July 2017, Jonathan Simmons has been a disappointment for the Magic as he was unable to parlay his success as a major role player for the Spurs into being a productive starter the last two seasons.  Simmons only compiled 11.3 Points Per Game in 110 Games for the Magic after he posted 16.3 Points Per Game for the Spurs in three starts versus the Warriors after Kawhi Leonard was injured in the 2017 NBA Playoffs.

Yahoo Sports NBA and RealGM Contributor Keith Smith joined Mike Gill on Thursday with analysis of the Markelle Fultz to Orlando trade:

"(Sixers) did the best they could....(trading Fultz) for something of really great value.  So the reality is you got Jonathon Simmons, who’s a playoff tested guy; He’s somebody who should help in the rotation towards the back end. - (Sixers) got a first round pick, it’s a protected first round pick but it’s gonna convey this year barring Oklahoma City completely falling apart, so you’re gonna get that pick and that’ll be a nice pick for them to have going forward to flesh out the rotation a little bit. So the challenge with Fultz is a lot of people want to say what if he made it back and was scared? Well what if he never made it back? Then you’re not getting anything for him and then at that point he just becomes a salary albatross sitting on the books.  I think Elton Brand did as good as he could here, it’s kind of a sad ending to Fultz’ tenure but on the flip side, you got to feel good for him because he’s now gonna get this opportunity here in Orlando to really be the guy.  He is outside of any sort of spotlight; I live in Orlando and I’ve probably asked maybe 100 people here and maybe five really care.  It’s going to be good for him because he’s going be able to just focus on getting healthy and playing basketball.”

Checkout what Smith had to say about the Sixers acquisition of Tobias Harris, perspective on the Sixers standing in the Eastern Conference post-Trade Deadline, and more