We all know the Warriors need another piece right now. Hopefully that comes in the form of Lauri. In that hypothetical deal, Podz would go. Which means the Warriors need another guard. So as a way to bring in high level talent without spending much, I am proposing that Golden State brings in Markelle Fultz. When healthy, Markelle is the type of player who can lift a team from mediocre to contending worthy.

Look no further than his 22/23 season, where he played 60 games and was at his peak physically. Here’s some fun facts highlighting his excellent 2022-23 season:

  1. Markelle is having a career best year in scoring, field goal %, three point %, assists per game, steals per game, and rebounds per game.
  2. Removing his initial minutes restriction, Orlando is 22-19 with Fultz on the season. (44 win pace). Without him they are 5-16 (18 win pace.)
  3. Fultz is shooting 52.1% within 5-9 FT min 70 attempts, which is 7th among guards, and also is a higher percentage than Steph Curry.
  4. Markelle shoots 57.1% (!!) percent from the field in the 4th quarter. He is the Magic’s best crunch time player.
  5. Fultz has a better assist ratio (27.6) than Darius Garland and Lamelo Ball.
  6. Fultz shoots 50.6% from the field, which is higher than fellow guards like Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, and Damian Lillard.
  7. Fultz shot 29/30 (96.6%) from the line in the month of February, which was tied for the highest percentage in the league.
  8. Fultz in his last 15 games is averaging 16/5/5 on 53% field goal shooting.
  9. Fultz has anchored the perimeter defense of the #5 ranked defense in the league since the All-star break: he averages 1.5 steals per game, which is more than Marcus Smart, Jrue Holiday, and just .1 below Chris Paul.
  10. Speaking of steals, Fultz ranks 9th in the league in steal percentage at 2.5%.
  11. Fultz has a better VORP than Tyrese Maxey, Anfernee Simons, and Marcus Smart.
  12. Fultz ranks higher in Defensive Win Shares than Lu Dort and Patrick Beverley.

Unfortunately, he responded to this great year with a down 23/24 campaign. But this was simply because for the entire season, he played with a fracture in his knee. This wasn’t even revealed to the public until a YouTube video posted on his channel in April 2024.

This just shows how tough fultz is as a player. He’s willing to sacrifice everything to win. If he joins the Warriors, you all will quickly discover that. His teammates and front office revere him. No glaze, he genuinely has the work ethic of all time greats like Bron or Jordan. It’s just that neither of the two goats had to deal with something as debilitating as Fultz’s shoulder injury (TOS). The fact Fultz has survived what should’ve been a career ending injury is a testament to his mental fortitude.

Fultz loves Steph, and would learn much under the GOAT point guard. He’s just 26 and has so much potential. And he can be brought in for a minimum, considering he is still unsigned.

How do teams become true contenders? By taking risks and tapping on untapped potential. Signing Fultz would be one of the most forward thinking intelligent moves Golden states new front office has done. Make it happen.