NBA Trade Rumors: Markelle Fultz's Agent Denies Reports Of New Team

Markelle Fultz's agent Raymond Brothers has rubbished reports claiming the Philadelphia 76ers guard is after a new team.

It was reported Wednesday by the Athletic that Fultz was playing with a wrist injury on top of a lingering right shoulder injury. They also added he would "prefer a fresh start with a new team."

However, Brothers quickly denied the latter report later in the day.

“I have given no indication to [Sixers GM] Elton Brand or anyone else that Markelle would prefer to be traded," he told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. "My focus is to get Markelle healthy. End of story.”

The Athletic report added Fultz will be away from the team as he will have a specialist look at his shoulder next week. In addition, his recent wrist problem was "adversely" affecting his ability to shoot.

The 2017 No. 1 draft pick's shooting form has been a big topic during the 2018/19 NBA season. Earlier this month, he botched a free throw attempt against the Miami Heat while his overall three-point shooting has been poor, where in some cases, he elected to drive in for a lay up instead of attempting a wide-open three.

He currently averages 8.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 19 games and is shooting 41.9 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from beyond the arc.

While Brand was not informed of any trade request, his comments about Fultz abruptly going away to see a specialist seem to indicate they were not on the same page regarding the matter.

Meanwhile, Sixers head coach Brett Brown refused to comment on the trade rumors about Fultz.

In reality, the best option might be for Fultz to leave Philadelphia. The 20-year-old notably did not feature in the second half of Monday's win over the Phoenix Suns, with T.J. McConnell getting backup point guard responsibilities.

And while the Sixers claimed Jimmy Butler's arrival earlier this month would not affect Fultz's future, it will almost certainly affect his game time.

"I still think it's the best place for him [Fultz] to develop because we love him and we care," Brand said earlier this month. "He's with us. He's a part of us. If he goes somewhere else, I don't know what that looks like. But for him to develop, it may be the best place for him still. ... It would have been concerning if he didn't come back [from the botched free throw] and shoot three more shots and that they looked really fluid. I was actually proud that he came back, hit a shot and did what he did out there. Because he deals with a lot. He's 20 years old and very talented. It's my job to get the best out of him."

Despite the faith from Brand, it may be best if Fultz joined a low-profile team where the media attention on him will considerably drop and he can gradually develop.