2023-2024 Regular Season Game 75: Portland Trail Blazers (19-55) at Orlando Magic (43-31) - 7pm

[Skybox]

44-31 my favorite stat of the game.

Ayton and Scoot are going to be fun to watch long term.

Ayton is so tantalizing but also nearly as frustrating as Bamba.

He's clearly underperformed his deal, but I've pondered deals where we take him and Simons. Ayton could be GREAT but he's had as many awful nights as good. He's still maintained strong ppg/rpg...maybe just disappointing because of what he could/should be.

Just for kicks: (we'd let Harris, Okeke, Fultz, Goga walk for cap space), I think we could re-up Ingles - but could go if needed
ORL sends: WCJ, Cole, ORL 24 frp(draft night), DEN 25 frp
POR sends: Ayton, Simons

POR might even consider this an upgrade at two spots (starting C and 3rd G/6th man) for literally less than half the price. Also, if Time Lord comes back, he can back up and even play next to WCJ - something he can't do with Ayton. 2 frps are just cherry on top. They might actually be better...WCJ, Grant, Murray, Sharpe, Scoot...WCJ can spread the floor and open things up for Scoot-who is looking like less of a shooter, but still dynamic scorer. Entire frontcourt can shoot from distance.

ORL goes all-in on young, expensive players and hopes they got it right. If Ayton can buy into Mose's mentality, and accept the Bill Russell role...we have a dominant team for a decade. Expensive, Top-heavy, but potentially dominant.
Simons, Suggs, Franz, Paolo, Ayton with Isaac, Mo, Houstan, Jett, AB, Ingles(?) off the bench. Also, crazy big lineups with Paolo at 3, Isaac, Ayton frontcourt. As we get better and tighten the rotation, guys like Kevon or Trevelin are fine in the cheap seats on the bench...that's kind of the way we're heading anyway with extensions coming. Mo Wagner could be a cap casualty...we all like him, but $8m for a 8th or 9th man gets tough when you start adding better starters... Maybe cap hell, but intriguing.

Simons yes, Ayton no. I've seen enough to know he's not a fit for our team's culture. He does not stay engaged or try consistently. He's not been the same since the Suns lost to the Bucks in the finals, and even then he was inconsistent in effort.

Have to agree...he's worth a look, but that 34m per deal is crippling as we head into "extension time" with Suggs/Franz, followed by Paolo/Isaac.

[Magicman125]

Ok when do we start to panic about Paolo? It’s not just that he is playing bad but he is playing very lackadaisical. A couple really indefensible turnovers. Shot selection was tough. I keep saying this Paolo is not ready to lead this team into playoffs.

Panic about Paolo after he has some actual playoff experience and is in year 4 with a roster that compliments his skill set better than our current construction. Right now he's learning things young players have to learn and is in a bit of a slump. It happens. Let's hope he and Franz both take it up a notch in the playoffs, but really any success we have in this year's postseason is gravy.

[Rainwater]

44-31 my favorite stat of the game.

Ayton and Scoot are going to be fun to watch long term.

Scoot, Amen Thompson, Ausar, Jabari , Ivey... good reminders how dangerous rebuild through draft actually is, and how drafting for nothing but raw potential can easly lead toward nasty post draft hangovers.

Scoot needs to calm down ,let game come to him, pace himself, improve in just about everything to even become net neutral player.

Amen Thompson... Man... Man... He isn't playmaker. Like, he can't handle the ball even for average nba SF let alone point guard.

Ausar is even worst, guy has skillset or Kenneth Faried on offense ( with some nice defense at least).

I think Scoot will be fine, he just needs time. And Houston loves Amen, he has been playing well. And I feel Ausur will be fine as well just needs time. Jabari and Ivey aren’t superstars but will be decent role players.

Yes building through the draft is not 100% and is risky but it could work, it has worked for the magic.

[JoshuaPotter]

44-31 my favorite stat of the game.

Ayton and Scoot are going to be fun to watch long term.

Scoot, Amen Thompson, Ausar, Jabari , Ivey... good reminders how dangerous rebuild through draft actually is, and how drafting for nothing but raw potential can easly lead toward nasty post draft hangovers.

Scoot needs to calm down ,let game come to him, pace himself, improve in just about everything to even become net neutral player.

Amen Thompson... Man... Man... He isn't playmaker. Like, he can't handle the ball even for average nba SF let alone point guard.

Ausar is even worst, guy has skillset or Kenneth Faried on offense ( with some nice defense at least).

I think Scoot will be fine, he just needs time. And Houston loves Amen, he has been playing well. And I feel Ausur will be fine as well just needs time. Jabari and Ivey aren’t superstars but will be decent role players.

Yes building through the draft is not 100% and is risky but it could work, it has worked for the magic.

It is a mixed bag. This is attempt number 2 to build through the draft. Minus the Mcgrady + Hill era I cannot think of any other time Free Agency the Magic were relevant getting a top 5 talent. (Hill + Duncan at the time)

[Rainwater]

Scoot, Amen Thompson, Ausar, Jabari , Ivey... good reminders how dangerous rebuild through draft actually is, and how drafting for nothing but raw potential can easly lead toward nasty post draft hangovers.

Scoot needs to calm down ,let game come to him, pace himself, improve in just about everything to even become net neutral player.

Amen Thompson... Man... Man... He isn't playmaker. Like, he can't handle the ball even for average nba SF let alone point guard.

Ausar is even worst, guy has skillset or Kenneth Faried on offense ( with some nice defense at least).

I think Scoot will be fine, he just needs time. And Houston loves Amen, he has been playing well. And I feel Ausur will be fine as well just needs time. Jabari and Ivey aren’t superstars but will be decent role players.

Yes building through the draft is not 100% and is risky but it could work, it has worked for the magic.

It is a mixed bag. This is attempt number 2 to build through the draft. Minus the Mcgrady + Hill era I cannot think of any other time Free Agency the Magic were relevant getting a top 5 talent. (Hill + Duncan at the time)

I think when rebuilding/building the Magic have been more successful through the draft than free agency. The Magic’s biggest stars were gotten through the Draft; Shaq, Penny, Dwight, and now Paolo and Franz were all drafted. The problem for the Magic, however, was never drafting stars but keeping them.

I think the counter argument for many is that one doesn’t need to rebuild they can retool. In my opinion every team will have to rebuild at some point.

[Skybox]

I think Scoot will be fine, he just needs time. And Houston loves Amen, he has been playing well. And I feel Ausur will be fine as well just needs time. Jabari and Ivey aren’t superstars but will be decent role players.

Yes building through the draft is not 100% and is risky but it could work, it has worked for the magic.

It is a mixed bag. This is attempt number 2 to build through the draft. Minus the Mcgrady + Hill era I cannot think of any other time Free Agency the Magic were relevant getting a top 5 talent. (Hill + Duncan at the time)

I think when rebuilding/building the Magic have been more successful through the draft than free agency. The Magic’s biggest stars were gotten through the Draft; Shaq, Penny, Dwight, and now Paolo and Franz were all drafted. The problem for the Magic, however, was never drafting stars but keeping them.

I think the counter argument for many is that one doesn’t need to rebuild they can retool. In my opinion every team will have to rebuild at some point.

You build through the draft and, if successful, you reach a point and pivot to free agency/trade...look at Horace Grant, Hedo, Rashard Lewis as the pieces that took the young draftees to the next level of team success.

People pointing to BOS as building through the draft, but they followed this as well...draft a couple of stars & trade/sign the rest when they are ready to win. I think our guys, young as they are...are ready to compete with anybody - if they get the right complementary players around them. Why waste seasons of guys under rookie deals?

[ibraheim718]

Ok when do we start to panic about Paolo? It’s not just that he is playing bad but he is playing very lackadaisical. A couple really indefensible turnovers. Shot selection was tough. I keep saying this Paolo is not ready to lead this team into playoffs.

Panic about Paolo after he has some actual playoff experience and is in year 4 with a roster that compliments his skill set better than our current construction. Right now he's learning things young players have to learn and is in a bit of a slump. It happens. Let's hope he and Franz both take it up a notch in the playoffs, but really any success we have in this year's postseason is gravy.

If he can just get in the habit of making quick decisions with the ball he'll be fine. When he pounds the rock way too much he gets into problems especially at the top of the key. I would not have him bring the ball up anymore. I would have Franz bring the ball up more the way he did last year. The only exception is at the end of quarters.

[eyriq]

Why waste seasons of guys under rookie deals?

To allow AB and Jett time to develop. Look at what Paulo, Franz, and Suggs are doing as 21 and 22-year-olds. Patience is key and we have time to be patient.

[Rainwater]

It is a mixed bag. This is attempt number 2 to build through the draft. Minus the Mcgrady + Hill era I cannot think of any other time Free Agency the Magic were relevant getting a top 5 talent. (Hill + Duncan at the time)

I think when rebuilding/building the Magic have been more successful through the draft than free agency. The Magic’s biggest stars were gotten through the Draft; Shaq, Penny, Dwight, and now Paolo and Franz were all drafted. The problem for the Magic, however, was never drafting stars but keeping them.

I think the counter argument for many is that one doesn’t need to rebuild they can retool. In my opinion every team will have to rebuild at some point.

You build through the draft and, if successful, you reach a point and pivot to free agency/trade...look at Horace Grant, Hedo, Rashard Lewis as the pieces that took the young draftees to the next level of team success.

People pointing to BOS as building through the draft, but they followed this as well...draft a couple of stars & trade/sign the rest when they are ready to win. I think our guys, young as they are...are ready to compete with anybody - if they get the right complementary players around them. Why waste seasons of guys under rookie deals?

Yeah, I agree with this. I was more speaking about getting that star to build around. The Magic have had more successful getting that star through the draft than through free agency or trades. But once you have those stars you use whatever; trades, f/a, and draft, to build around them. Although, like you said, the draft is not the most optimal chose as rookies may not fulfill their potential.