Court Vision: Sixers aren't being fair to Fultz

Welcome to Court Vision, a weekly video-breakdown column on emerging trends around the NBA that you might have missed.

Sixers must decide what they want from Fultz

The Philadelphia 76ers need to decide what they're aiming for this season because they're hanging Markelle Fultz out to dry in the meantime. Are they making a real push for The Finals or is this another developmental campaign?

If they're serious about competing, then Fultz should return to the bench. The starting lineup doesn't have a reliable perimeter scorer without JJ Redick, and Fultz is making the problem worse by holding the ball too long. Philadelphia's starting five with Redick posted the highest net rating in the league last season (min. 300 minutes) and there's no reason to break that up. Based on merit alone, Fultz should be battling T.J. McConnell for a sixth-man role instead of starting to keep up appearances.

But if the goal is to develop, then the Sixers need to show patience and make an actual commitment to Fultz instead of yanking him from the starting lineup after halftime. And since Fultz's confidence was already shattered last season, getting reamed out by teammates (in this case, Joel Embiid) for making mistakes isn't helping:

Player development comes with a cost, and the Sixers will need to take some lumps if they want long-term results. The restructured front office must get everyone on the same page, as Brett Brown's half-hearted compromise of giving Fultz token starts isn't productive. Either expect less from the former No. 1 overall pick, or live with the mistakes.

Is Marc Gasol ... washed?

It's difficult to assess how much of the drop-off in Gasol's performance can be attributed to his situation. The Grizzlies pulled a Sam Hinkie-level tank job last season - which included lowlights such as losing by 61 points to the Charlotte Hornets - so it's understandable that Gasol didn't give his best.

But it's hard to overlook just how much he's declined since being named first-team All-NBA in 2015. At this point, Gasol's rebounding is borderline anemic and he settles for mid-range jumpers whenever the going gets tough. The Grizzlies posted a worse defensive rating with him on the floor last season, which would have been unthinkable in the past for the former Defensive Player of the Year.

In Wednesday's season opener, Gasol shot 2-for-11 as the Indiana Pacers smashed the Grizzlies by 28 points - even with a healthy Mike Conley back in the lineup. Many of Gasol's recent issues cropped up, including the mid-range jumpers and his lack of rebounding. Check out his non-effort during this possession:

There's no reason a 7-footer who exclusively sits in the paint should post a similar rebounding percentage to Michael Beasley (14.0 for Gasol, 13.9 for Beasley) unless it's due to a lack of motivation or genuinely diminished ability. Either way, it's a problem for the Grizzlies.

Valanciunas expanding his game

Valanciunas told Zach Lowe of ESPN last season that his "life was better" after then-assistant coach Nick Nurse modernized Toronto's offense.

Not only was Valanciunas given the green light to try his luck on open 3-pointers, but the enigmatic center was actually allowed to hold the ball and make plays for the first time in his career (he'd previously been limited to simple pick-and-rolls and putbacks). The newfound freedom translated to his most efficient season yet.

Valanciunas' life on the court should only keep improving now that Nurse has replaced Dwane Casey as head coach. The center is already showing an increased willingness to put the ball on the floor, and he's thrown a handful of brilliant dimes out of the post, including this gorgeous delivery to OG Anunoby in Toronto's home opener:

However, overzealous Valanciunas fans should know by now that more freedom doesn't necessarily mean more minutes for the Lithuanian. If anything, Serge Ibaka's overdue transition to being a full-time center (he came off the bench in the opener) creates even more competition for playing time.

Bagley needs dose of reality

Questioning the coach after just one professional appearance is a usually bold move for a rookie, but it's par for the course when it comes to the Sacramento Kings.

Marvin Bagley III, the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft, was unhappy with coming off the bench and logging just 12 minutes in his regular-season debut, so he sent a message to head coach Dave Joerger after the game:

It's an asinine move by Bagley for many reasons, but mostly because he doesn't want to hear the truth - specifically, that he's not good enough to warrant extended minutes. The Kings were outscored by 14 points in the rookie's short stint on Wednesday, and it's not as if Bagley (six points on 3-of-6 shooting) was lighting the world on fire. Meanwhile, the starting frontcourt of Willie Cauley-Stein and Nemanja Bjelica combined for 41 points on 27 shots.

Never mind that Bagley is a strictly left-handed post scorer with questionable range - his playing time will always be limited if he remains a disinterested sieve on defense. His focus should be on self-improvement, not blaming his shortcomings on his coach.

The most satisfying stop in basketball

Everyone loves an emphatic block (see Jarrett Allen's second spine-tingling rejection of Blake Griffin within a week), but there's nothing quite as hilarious or satisfying as successfully pulling the chair while being backed down in the post. It's the basketball equivalent of a prank. Well done, Jimmy Butler: