ORLANDO, Fla. _ As expected, Markelle Fultz has been bumped out of the 76ers' starting lineup.
The Sixers (9-6) will start Jimmy Butler, Wilson Chandler, Joel Embiid, JJ Redick, and Ben Simmons against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night at the Amway Center. Fultz had started at shooting guard, with Redick coming off the bench, during the first 15 games of the season.
It was a foregone conclusion that Fultz would lose his starting position after the Sixers acquired Butler in a trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. The sharpshooting Redick provides much-needed floor spacing, as Butler and Simmons, the other two perimeter players, are not elite shooters.
Fultz has struggled to regain the shooting form that helped make him the first overall pick in the 2017 draft. Teams often sag 10 to 15 feet from him on the perimeter.
Sixers coach Brett Brown said that Fultz's role will sort of be what it was before. Despite Fultz playing the first five minutes at shooting guard, most of his minutes came as Simmons' backup at point guard.
"He's a point guard," Brown said. "I think when we all really study what he's done as a point guard and what he's done with his defense, then we'll probably get less hung up on his shot. He has been excellent in both of those areas, as a point guard and as an NBA defender."
Fultz is averaging 9.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 24.3 minutes. He's shooting 41.2 percent overall and 30.8 on 3-pointers.
The Sixers acquired Butler and Justin Patton from Minnesota for Robert Covington, Jerryd Bayless, Dario Saric, and a 2022 second-round pick.
