The NBA season is now a week old, yet we already have our first major trade drama of the season. Following the Phoenix Suns firing of head coach Earl Watson on Sunday, starting point guard Eric Bledsoe seemingly requested a trade on Twitter and Phoenix is already discussing a trade with a number of teams. However, there is plenty more going on around the league. Here's everything you need to know in today's NBA Rumors Roundup:
76ers won't shut down Markelle Fultz
Philadelphia 76ers rookie guard Markelle Fultz, the top overall pick in the draft, has struggled so far this season due to a sore right shoulder. He had fluid drained from the shoulder yesterday, which had been hampering his play and will cause him to miss the next three games.
“There’s no doubt that it factors into what people question right now about his shot. There’s no doubt,” head coach Brett Brown said. “You don’t just walk a certain way for a long period of your life, and then all of the sudden, start to limp.
“(Fultz) doesn’t let on much. He doesn’t want to let on much, but nobody’s hiding anything. It’s just, none of us can dismiss that it doesn’t factor into some of the shooting concerns that he might have."
Despite those concerns, Brown said the team isn't worried about Fultz's health long-term. The team has no plans to shut him down for an extended period of time.
“I’m advised mostly by the medical people — that’s what I get worried about the most. And nobody has any fears,” Brown said. “Like we’ve said to Markelle, this is not going to define him. This first season is not going to define him.
“He’s so compliant. When you really dig in deeper, and not get tricked by just statistics, he’s been good. He really has been good.”
Fultz is averaging 6.0 points with 2.3 rebounds in 19.0 minutes through Philadelphia's first four games of the year.
DeMarcus Cousins says he "was a fool" for not leaving Kings sooner
New Orleans Pelicans big man DeMarcus Cousins is in his first full season with the team and seems to be liking his new franchise. He was traded to the Pelicans from the Kings last season after spending the first six and a half years of his career in Sacramento, and told ESPN's Marc J. Spears that he "was a fool" to stay with the Kings that long.
Cousins is averaging 31.3 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks per game so far this season.
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Brandon Ingram on Marcin Gortat's comments: Lakers "didn't take it so well"
There has been plenty of hype surrounding tonight's matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Wizards due to a back-and-forth between LaVar Ball and Wizards center Marcin Gortat.
Ball, whose son, Lonzo, was the No. 2 overall pick in the draft for the Lakers, said earlier this week that Washington "better beware because Lonzo ain't losing again [this week]." Gortat responded to those comments by saying that Wizards All-Star point guard John Wall would "torture" Lonzo Ball in their game.
man..... pleaseeeeee!!! @JohnWall will torture him for 48min
— Marcin Gortat (@MGortat) October 23, 2017
Gortat's comments are not sitting well with the rest of the Lakers players.
"Yeah, of course we [saw it]," Ingram said about the situation. "Everyone has social media, definitely saw it. The competitor in Lonzo, of course he didn't take it so well and, with his teammates behind him, we didn't take it so well."
For his part, Lonzo tried to downplay the situation.
"I don't pay no mind to it" he said. "I already know my teammates have my back, so we're going to go out there, we're going to play and hopefully get a win."
However, LaVar's comments apparently got Wall fired up as well as Gortat.
"Nah, no mercy," Wall told The Washington Post about playing Ball. "Certain matchups you really get up for. Like when you play [Golden State Warriors guard] Steph [Curry], you definitely want to have a good game. I'm playing against [Ball]. [Gortat] said what he said about me. I didn't say anything. His dad has been talking ... that makes me want to go out there and lead my team and play the best I can play."
Ball is averaging 13.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game so far this season.
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