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No. 1 pick Fultz no longer sore, but will miss another 3 weeks

Mitchell Leff / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Help is on the way ... eventually.

Philadelphia 76ers rookie point guard Markelle Fultz is no longer experiencing soreness in his right shoulder, but he'll miss another three weeks for rehabilitation, the team announced Saturday.

Fultz appeared in just four games all season and was noticeably affected by the injury, as he avoided taking jump shots altogether. His agent even said he couldn't raise his arms above his shoulders, and that he needed a cortisone shot just to manage the pain.

He was ruled out indefinitely with a muscular imbalance in late October, then given a two-to-three-week timeline on Nov. 19. During this time, Fultz has been rehabbing in Kentucky with a shoulder specialist.

There's some confusion as to how he sustained the injury. The Sixers suggested Fultz might have injured himself trying to tweak his shooting motion, but his trainer refuted that claim.

Either way, the Sixers have gotten by just fine without their prized pick. Ben Simmons has overseen the majority of ball-handling duties, while T.J. McConnell has come on strong as a steady hand off the bench.

Fultz last played on Oct. 23.

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