I'm looking for a little info on your team

[ralphie9898]

Frye started 82 games for a team that nearly made the playoffs in the West, he is the Magic's highest paid player by nearly 4 million dollars. The guy is starting.

To add, this is a real sign that GM Hennigan projects Harris as a SF. And that Gordon A's role this year will be to learn behind Frye as a future PF. Frye's main locker-room job, I would project, is to teach Gordon A the training routines that are involved in improved shooting mechanics for a big.


Opening night:
(blue = major rotation; brown = deep bench; red = practice squad player that is not part of 12-man roster)
Oladipo/Payton/Ridnour
Fournier/Gordon-B/Green
Harris/Harkless/Marble
Frye/Gordon-A/Nicholson
Vučević/O'Quinn/Dedmon


At the All star break:
(Payton will be thrown into a starting role)
(Oladipo will shift to SG and get big minutes as a back-up PG)
(Harkless now has big minutes as a back-up SG to go with his back-up SF minutes)
(Nicholson and Gordon-A will have resolved who is the primary back-up PF at this point)
Payton/Ridnour
Oladipo/Fournier/Gordon-B/Green
Harris/Harkless/Marble
Frye/Nicholson/Gordon-A
Vučević/O'Quinn/Dedmon

I think Payton will be starting sooner than the all-star beak and very well could start right away. I Also think Gordon will be part of the rotation early as a backup 3 and 4 and towards the end of the year could really cut into the minutes Harkless is getting. If Gordon develops at least a decent 3 point shot then I think you put him at SF as he has more athleticism than Harris and is a better match up defensively for 3s. You throw in a decent shot along with all that athleticism and ball handling ability and his size and he could be an all-star SF. Not sure when or if that will happen as he does have a lot of developing to do and he doesn't appear to be as ready as Payton is but who knows.

[BadMofoPimp]

Not a chance Gordon starts. Harris or KOQ will get put in there as a starter before Gordon. He is a project and potential future of this team.

[drsd]

I think Payton will be starting sooner than the all-star beak and very well could start right away. I Also think Gordon will be part of the rotation early as a backup 3 and 4 and towards the end of the year could really cut into the minutes Harkless is getting. If Gordon develops at least a decent 3 point shot then I think you put him at SF as he has more athleticism than Harris and is a better match up defensively for 3s. You throw in a decent shot along with all that athleticism and ball handling ability and his size and he could be an all-star SF. Not sure when or if that will happen as he does have a lot of developing to do and he doesn't appear to be as ready as Payton is but who knows.

I have a hard time projecting Gordon-A as a future SF. The team does not seem to be assembled for him to have that role in a couple years. He has the shoulders to add 15-25 lbs. of muscle. After a couple years in the gym, he will physically look a lot like a PF. That is my expectation. As for this year, looking at the other comment, I agree that Gordon-A is a project is a long way from being a starter. Indeed, there is a large bottleneck ahead of him. Right now one must assume that Nicholson is ahead of Gordon-A in the depth chart. I cannot see another reasonable view of the chart.

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[Mad Guru]

I think Gordon is also due for a fair amount of minutes at SF this year before his body fills out.

I think it is good that he won't have to be relied upon very much his rookie season. The idea that Gordon should be out there carrying the team, is the antithesis of what I think his niche in the NBA projects to. He needs time and tutoring. He needs to take wide open shots a few times a game, and feel out where he plays best.

Payton on the other hand should be given as much of a workload as he can handle. I think he should be running the team and learning how to deal with double teams and pressure as much as possible. The less Oladipo has to play starting PG the better this year.

[MellowRose]

I think Gordon is also due for a fair amount of minutes at SF this year before his body fills out.

I think it is good that he won't have to be relied upon very much his rookie season. The idea that Gordon should be out there carrying the team, is the antithesis of what I think his niche in the NBA projects to. He needs time and tutoring. He needs to take wide open shots a few times a game, and feel out where he plays best.

Payton on the other hand should be given as much of a workload as he can handle. I want to get him running the team and learning how to deal with double teams and pressure as much as possible. The less Oladipo has to play starting PG the better this year.

Just like how Marion and Kawhi started out. I think Orlando is a great place for AG.

[tiderulz]

Frye started 82 games for a team that nearly made the playoffs in the West, he is the Magic's highest paid player by nearly 4 million dollars. The guy is starting.

To add, this is a real sign that GM Hennigan projects Harris as a SF. And that Gordon A's role this year will be to learn behind Frye as a future PF. Frye's main locker-room job, I would project, is to teach Gordon A the training routines that are involved in improved shooting mechanics for a big.


Opening night:
(blue = major rotation; brown = deep bench; red = practice squad player that is not part of 12-man roster)
Oladipo/Payton/Ridnour
Fournier/Gordon-B/Green
Harris/Harkless/Marble
Frye/Gordon-A/Nicholson
Vučević/O'Quinn/Dedmon


At the All star break:
(Payton will be thrown into a starting role)
(Oladipo will shift to SG and get big minutes as a back-up PG)
(Harkless now has big minutes as a back-up SG to go with his back-up SF minutes)
(Nicholson and Gordon-A will have resolved who is the primary back-up PF at this point)
Payton/Ridnour
Oladipo/Fournier/Gordon-B/Green
Harris/Harkless/Marble
Frye/Nicholson/Gordon-A
Vučević/O'Quinn/Dedmon

I think Payton will be starting sooner than the all-star beak and very well could start right away. I Also think Gordon will be part of the rotation early as a backup 3 and 4 and towards the end of the year could really cut into the minutes Harkless is getting. If Gordon develops at least a decent 3 point shot then I think you put him at SF as he has more athleticism than Harris and is a better match up defensively for 3s. You throw in a decent shot along with all that athleticism and ball handling ability and his size and he could be an all-star SF. Not sure when or if that will happen as he does have a lot of developing to do and he doesn't appear to be as ready as Payton is but who knows.

just because someone has more athleticism, doesnt mean they are the better player Paul Pierce is a good example of this. He wasnt super athletic the past decade or so, but still balls.

[drsd]

just because someone has more athleticism, doesnt mean they are the better player Paul Pierce is a good example of this. He wasnt super athletic the past decade or so, but still balls.

To add and agree with you, Paul Pierce was 21 his rookie year.

In two years time, I very much hope Gordon-A has 16 ppg season, which matches Pierce the NBA year he was 21 yo.


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[ralphie9898]

I think Payton will be starting sooner than the all-star beak and very well could start right away. I Also think Gordon will be part of the rotation early as a backup 3 and 4 and towards the end of the year could really cut into the minutes Harkless is getting. If Gordon develops at least a decent 3 point shot then I think you put him at SF as he has more athleticism than Harris and is a better match up defensively for 3s. You throw in a decent shot along with all that athleticism and ball handling ability and his size and he could be an all-star SF. Not sure when or if that will happen as he does have a lot of developing to do and he doesn't appear to be as ready as Payton is but who knows.

I have a hard time projecting Gordon-A as a future SF. The team does not seem to be assembled for him to have that role in a couple years. He has the shoulders to add 15-25 lbs. of muscle. After a couple years in the gym, he will physically look a lot like a PF. That is my expectation. As for this year, looking at the other comment, I agree that Gordon-A is a project is a long way from being a starter. Indeed, there is a large bottleneck ahead of him. Right now one must assume that Nicholson is ahead of Gordon-A in the depth chart. I cannot see another reasonable view of the chart.

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Yeah he may very well be able to add some muscle but that isn't going to prevent him from being a SF. Lebron is a prime example. Gordon has extremely good athleticism and I think that is why he very well ends up at the 3 because you need that kind of athleticism to guard the opposing 3s. If his shot improves than not only can he guard 3s but he should be able to score with the best. Opponents that have to respect his shot will find it tuff to guard him. Plus I think who you match up with defensively is the position that you get identified with. Plus like Harris he doesn't have ideal height for the PF spot. So I think he just ends up as SF with great height and muscle with the ability to be just as athletic. The question is if his shot will improve and his overall offensive game get to the level where he can be counted on at both ends.

[ralphie9898]

To add, this is a real sign that GM Hennigan projects Harris as a SF. And that Gordon A's role this year will be to learn behind Frye as a future PF. Frye's main locker-room job, I would project, is to teach Gordon A the training routines that are involved in improved shooting mechanics for a big.


Opening night:
(blue = major rotation; brown = deep bench; red = practice squad player that is not part of 12-man roster)
Oladipo/Payton/Ridnour
Fournier/Gordon-B/Green
Harris/Harkless/Marble
Frye/Gordon-A/Nicholson
Vučević/O'Quinn/Dedmon


At the All star break:
(Payton will be thrown into a starting role)
(Oladipo will shift to SG and get big minutes as a back-up PG)
(Harkless now has big minutes as a back-up SG to go with his back-up SF minutes)
(Nicholson and Gordon-A will have resolved who is the primary back-up PF at this point)
Payton/Ridnour
Oladipo/Fournier/Gordon-B/Green
Harris/Harkless/Marble
Frye/Nicholson/Gordon-A
Vučević/O'Quinn/Dedmon

I think Payton will be starting sooner than the all-star beak and very well could start right away. I Also think Gordon will be part of the rotation early as a backup 3 and 4 and towards the end of the year could really cut into the minutes Harkless is getting. If Gordon develops at least a decent 3 point shot then I think you put him at SF as he has more athleticism than Harris and is a better match up defensively for 3s. You throw in a decent shot along with all that athleticism and ball handling ability and his size and he could be an all-star SF. Not sure when or if that will happen as he does have a lot of developing to do and he doesn't appear to be as ready as Payton is but who knows.

just because someone has more athleticism, doesnt mean they are the better player Paul Pierce is a good example of this. He wasnt super athletic the past decade or so, but still balls.

Paul Pierce>Tobias Harris

I know very well that athleticism alone doesn't make you a better player but it doesn't hurt. You still have to have many other qualities but superior athleticism helps and there have plenty of examples of guys with great athleticism like Lebron and Kobe that have become great playes. I agree Pierce isn't a great athlete but he is a lot better player than Harris. I also never said that Harris can't be a SF. He very well could be but to compare him to Pierce is more wishful thinking at this point. We will have to wait and se but I am not ruling anything out. Gordon very well could end up at PF and Harris at SF. But only time will tell.

[tiderulz]

we are going to disagree. Tobias gets an unfair amount of hate and unfounded statements about his not being a defender and not being athletic. Prime Pierce might have been more athletic, but not the Pierce of the past decade, when he was still performing at a high level.

Everyone that keeps saying the Gordon or Harkless will develop this, or develop that. They seem to be discounting that Harris will be developing his game too.

[Orlwillbeback]

Gordon has much more potential offensively if he plays pf. If he plays sf then he is just an average ball handler and poor shooter for the position. I'am honestly not sure i see him being much better than Harkless if he plays sf.

[doct3r dr3]

Gordon has much more potential offensively if he plays pf. If he plays sf then he is just an average ball handler and poor shooter for the position. I'am honestly not sure i see him being much better than Harkless if he plays sf.

But he has neither the height, size, strength, nor post moves to be effective offensively against NBA PFs. And since he poses no outside threat, opposing PFs can just hang out in the paint and guard multiple positions. Even his backdoor lobs, I feel like, would be less fruitful against PFs, who are in better position to just foul him.

[Orlwillbeback]

Gordon has much more potential offensively if he plays pf. If he plays sf then he is just an average ball handler and poor shooter for the position. I'am honestly not sure i see him being much better than Harkless if he plays sf.

But he has neither the height, size, strength, nor post moves to be effective offensively against NBA PFs. And since he poses no outside threat, opposing PFs can just hang out in the paint and guard multiple positions. Even his backdoor lobs, I feel like, would be less fruitful against PFs, who are in better position to just foul him.

Well you posted stats before showing what a capable finisher he is close to the basket. I also see him filling out to about 235 or 240 while 6 foot 9 so imo he has potential as a face up 4 similar to josh smith. I also think that he is more likely to become a better midrange shooter than 3 point shooter. He will have to shoot more threes as a sf.

Overall iam not happy with the pick and find it rediculous that we have to rack our brains to figure out where to play gordon our prize for tanking last year. He is so ill equipped to contribute immediately we have no idea what kind of player he'll be in 5 years, at the age of 23.

[drsd]

Overall iam not happy with the pick and find it rediculous that we have to rack our brains to figure out where to play gordon our prize for tanking last year. He is so ill equipped to contribute immediately we have no idea what kind of player he'll be in 5 years, at the age of 23.

It seems that the intention of GM Hennigan was to gain Payton and Gordon-A as a package and this meant using the #4 on Gordon-A. (the press at the time was that GM Hennigan wanted to trade down from #4, which suggests that he thought Gordon-A would be available at lower slots).

Let us assume that GM Hennigan wanted nothing to do with Smart and Exum, and that a PF was targeted. Randle is today basically the player we all hope Gordon-A will develop into. But he does not have the athleticism to play above the rim in the same way as Gordon-A. And that Vonleh was drafted after Stauskas says a lot about GM skeptisism of Vonleh's upside. (indeed on could easily argue that Vonleh's game is behind Gordon-A's).

In the end GM Hennigan was drafting for the 2016/17 season. And we all need to accept that Gordon-A will not get the playing time that high draft picks usually end up with.


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[drsd]

Yeah he may very well be able to add some muscle but that isn't going to prevent him from being a SF.

Let's project the 2016/17 season when Harris is in his prime and Gordon-A has now developed. Neither player would be a true SF or a true PF. The Magic would simply play two forwards. They like many on the roster are versitile in that they can switch between varying roles.

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[ralphie9898]

Yeah he may very well be able to add some muscle but that isn't going to prevent him from being a SF.

Let's project the 2016/17 season when Harris is in his prime and Gordon-A has now developed. Neither player would be a true SF or a true PF. The Magic would simply play two forwards. They like many on the roster are versitile in that they can switch between varying roles.

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Gordon can still become everything you want in a SF. Harris too but to a lesser degree. And an ideal player anywhere is supposed to do a lot of things. And I don't thin You can lump Harris and Gordon together. They are different where s one is extremely athletic the other is more of an average NBA athlete. One has far more polished Offensive skills whereas one is probably better defensively. But we don't know what Gordon will be. But to be a SF you have to be more athletic(I.e. quicker and faster) than a PF, which Gordon is. But Gordon still has along way to go mentally and skill wise(offensively mostly) before e know where he ideally fits.

[drsd]

Gordon can still become everything you want in a SF. Harris too but to a lesser degree. And an ideal player anywhere is supposed to do a lot of things. And I don't thin You can lump Harris and Gordon together. They are different where s one is extremely athletic the other is more of an average NBA athlete. One has far more polished Offensive skills whereas one is probably better defensively. But we don't know what Gordon will be. But to be a SF you have to be more athletic(I.e. quicker and faster) than a PF, which Gordon is. But Gordon still has along way to go mentally and skill wise(offensively mostly) before e know where he ideally fits.

Under the scenario you outline, Gordon-A could be the SF on defense and the PF on offense. And vice versa for Harris. I think that that is reasonable. But in the end, I see Magic management having Gordon-A work on his strength and size. I suspect in 2 years he will look like the Hulk.


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[ralphie9898]

Gordon can still become everything you want in a SF. Harris too but to a lesser degree. And an ideal player anywhere is supposed to do a lot of things. And I don't thin You can lump Harris and Gordon together. They are different where s one is extremely athletic the other is more of an average NBA athlete. One has far more polished Offensive skills whereas one is probably better defensively. But we don't know what Gordon will be. But to be a SF you have to be more athletic(I.e. quicker and faster) than a PF, which Gordon is. But Gordon still has along way to go mentally and skill wise(offensively mostly) before e know where he ideally fits.

Under the scenario you outline, Gordon-A could be the SF on defense and the PF on offense. And vice versa for Harris. I think that that is reasonable. But in the end, I see Magic management having Gordon-A work on his strength and size. I suspect in 2 years he will look like the Hulk.


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I wasn't proposing any scenario. Just saying that we don' know what Gordon will be. He very well could be our SF on offense as well. Gordon doesn't have very good height for the PF spot. Whereas he would have great height for the SF spot. Having great Bulk doesn't preclude you from being a SF. Lebron and many others are prime examples. I just don't think Gordon makes for a good PF. He isn't a stretch four and his lack of height will hurt him down low. I think his position is SF where he is just as athletic as any SF out there. What precludes him right now from being any more than a defensive ace is his offensive game(shooting mostly). I he can shoot better from the free throw line and at least a respectable 3 point shot then I just think that makes him a better SF.