Bold Statements for 2015-2016 Magic Season

[magicaroni]

Here's my bold statements for this season:

- Aaron Gordon will finish in the Top 5 for Most Improved Player if he is given 30+ MPG. This kid reminds me so much of Shawn Marion its scary. The difference is, AG has a much more natural shot, and seems to possibly have better handles. His understanding for the game is very impressive for a 20 year old. If the Magic actually play at the high pace Skiles wants, AG could really see his numbers soar on broken plays created by Victor and Elfrid. I think AG has the potential to be a guy you can give the ball and clear out for (as he showed in Summer League), which is something Marion never really was. His shooting touch has improved tremendously after working with coach Love, and his FT shooting looks to be on the right track. The question comes down to whether or not he can hang in there and guard NBA 4’s. The Magic can only hope the ultimate question will be “Can NBA 4’s guard him?”

- Jason Smith will be a bust of a signing. I hated this signing when it happened, not because I don’t think Jason Smith can be a part of a winning team, but more because it makes a soft interior team even softer. His skills are redundant to both Channing and Andrew as a spread 4, and when he plays at the 5, he repeatedly gets pushed under the hoop and outmuscled. The smarter move was to bring back Kyle O’quinn, and use Frye off the bench backing up AG. The good news is, Smith carried a low price tag, but I feel he exacerbates our problem of weak interior play, especially on defense.

- Tobias Harris is what he is. I don't think he'll ever be a dominant go to guy, but he can exploit mismatches in the post, get to the line, and spread the floor. His shot looks like he has spent some time in the gym improving his consistency, which should help guys like Vuc in the post. He still has defensive quickness issues which are going to be a night to night problem depending on the opponent. I don’t think he’ll ever exceed an 18-8-3 ceiling.

- Devyn Marble could possibly get more minutes than Mario Hezonja this season. Now before you blow a gasket, remember the goal of the season is not to develop but to win. And as of this moment, Mario is no where close to where Marble is defensively. Add in the improved shooting RDM is showing in the pre-season, and his style of play matching what Skiles looks for, he could be seeing a lot of minutes next to Fournier on that second team. Could be a situation close to the Tobias/Mbah a Moute situation in Milwaukee when he was a rookie.

- Mario Hezonja is the best three point shooter on this team, hands down. Fournier has looked amazing in the preseason. Oladipo and Tobias have definitely improved their touches as well. However, the large frame high release point added to the jumping ability of Mario gives his pure stroke that much more of an advantage. His range is unbelievable due to his size and he can use his athleticism to create space quickly and rise over guys. I've notice in the preseason he has shied away from the ball, and has preferred to be a spot up shooter. This has to change if he is going to be a player worthy of that 5th pick we spent on him. He can't be deferring to CJ Watson and RDM with 7 seconds on the shot clock. They don't have the natural skills he possesses. This is up to Skiles to instill that confidence in him. This is a bit worrisome as Skiles has not been known to show patience with young guys.

- Dewayne Dedmon will be the most important big man off the bench. His energy and defense are going to be important in holding 2nd units under control. We don’t have any other shot blocking big men on the roster outside of Double D. With O’quinn gone, Dedmon is going to have the opportunity to play his way into the heart of Skiles with his hustle and defense. Dedmon could become a Bo Outlaw like player for this team, who is so sorely needed. The odd-men-out come middle of the season could well be Smith and Nicholson.

- The Magic will finish in the 9th seed. This might be more optimistic than some, but if the team stays healthy, I see the offseason improvements of Oladipo, Payton, and Gordon being the difference makers. I feel that the bench backcourt has improved tremendously with the additions of Watson, Napier, and Hezonja, and the improvements shown in Marble and Fournier. The weak part of this team lies in the plethora of weak/soft big men stockpiled on the bench. Hennigan has really failed in securing the paint. The East has improved no doubt, but so has this team through maturation and hard work in the offseason. The beginning of our schedule is absolutely brutal, so don’t get discouraged if we start out 1-7. It’s not only possible, it’s highly probable. I’ll say we finish 38-44, and hit our stride late. There’s no excuses to not be better than teams like Brooklyn, Boston, Detroit, New York and Milwaukee. Making or Missing the playoffs will come down to whether or not we are better than Indiana or Charlotte.

[the_hobo]

Here's my bold statements for this season:

- Aaron Gordon will finish in the Top 5 for Most Improved Player if he is given 30+ MPG. This kid reminds me so much of Shawn Marion its scary. The difference is, AG has a much more natural shot, and seems to possibly have better handles. His understanding for the game is very impressive for a 20 year old. If the Magic actually play at the high pace Skiles wants, AG could really see his numbers soar on broken plays created by Victor and Elfrid. I think AG has the potential to be a guy you can give the ball and clear out for (as he showed in Summer League), which is something Marion never really was. His shooting touch has improved tremendously after working with coach Love, and his FT shooting looks to be on the right track. The question comes down to whether or not he can hang in there and guard NBA 4’s. The Magic can only hope the ultimate question will be “Can NBA 4’s guard him?”

- Jason Smith will be a bust of a signing. I hated this signing when it happened, not because I don’t think Jason Smith can be a part of a winning team, but more because it makes a soft interior team even softer. His skills are redundant to both Channing and Andrew as a spread 4, and when he plays at the 5, he repeatedly gets pushed under the hoop and outmuscled. The smarter move was to bring back Kyle O’quinn, and use Frye off the bench backing up AG. The good news is, Smith carried a low price tag, but I feel he exacerbates our problem of weak interior play, especially on defense.

- Tobias Harris is what he is. I don't think he'll ever be a dominant go to guy, but he can exploit mismatches in the post, get to the line, and spread the floor. His shot looks like he has spent some time in the gym improving his consistency, which should help guys like Vuc in the post. He still has defensive quickness issues which are going to be a night to night problem depending on the opponent. I don’t think he’ll ever exceed an 18-8-3 ceiling.

- Devyn Marble could possibly get more minutes than Mario Hezonja this season. Now before you blow a gasket, remember the goal of the season is not to develop but to win. And as of this moment, Mario is no where close to where Marble is defensively. Add in the improved shooting RDM is showing in the pre-season, and his style of play matching what Skiles looks for, he could be seeing a lot of minutes next to Fournier on that second team. Could be a situation close to the Tobias/Mbah a Moute situation in Milwaukee when he was a rookie.

- Mario Hezonja is the best three point shooter on this team, hands down. Fournier has looked amazing in the preseason. Oladipo and Tobias have definitely improved their touches as well. However, the large frame high release point added to the jumping ability of Mario gives his pure stroke that much more of an advantage. His range is unbelievable due to his size and he can use his athleticism to create space quickly and rise over guys. I've notice in the preseason he has shied away from the ball, and has preferred to be a spot up shooter. This has to change if he is going to be a player worthy of that 5th pick we spent on him. He can't be deferring to CJ Watson and RDM with 7 seconds on the shot clock. They don't have the natural skills he possesses. This is up to Skiles to instill that confidence in him. This is a bit worrisome as Skiles has not been known to show patience with young guys.

- Dewayne Dedmon will be the most important big man off the bench. His energy and defense are going to be important in holding 2nd units under control. We don’t have any other shot blocking big men on the roster outside of Double D. With O’quinn gone, Dedmon is going to have the opportunity to play his way into the heart of Skiles with his hustle and defense. Dedmon could become a Bo Outlaw like player for this team, who is so sorely needed. The odd-men-out come middle of the season could well be Smith and Nicholson.

- The Magic will finish in the 9th seed. This might be more optimistic than some, but if the team stays healthy, I see the offseason improvements of Oladipo, Payton, and Gordon being the difference makers. I feel that the bench backcourt has improved tremendously with the additions of Watson, Napier, and Hezonja, and the improvements shown in Marble and Fournier. The weak part of this team lies in the plethora of weak/soft big men stockpiled on the bench. Hennigan has really failed in securing the paint. The East has improved no doubt, but so has this team through maturation and hard work in the offseason. The beginning of our schedule is absolutely brutal, so don’t get discouraged if we start out 1-7. It’s not only possibly, it’s highly probable. I’ll say we finish 38-44, and hit our stride late. There’s no excuses to not be better than teams like Brooklyn, Boston, Detroit, New York and Milwaukee. Making or Missing the playoffs will come down to whether or not we are better than Indiana or Charlotte.

Are these bold because they are unpopular opinions, or because the font is indeed bold?

Seriously though many of these are spot on, but I'll be bolder and say magic do make playoffs.

[BadMofoPimp]

BadMofoPimps assessment of the 2015/16 season for the Orlando Magic:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCXPde0rNo8[/youtube]

[magicaroni]

Are these bold because they are unpopular opinions, or because the font is indeed bold?

Seriously though many of these are spot on, but I'll be bolder and say magic do make playoffs.

Hah! We'll go with unpopular opinions for $800 Alex.

I hope you're right about the playoffs, but I see it being a struggle with Indiana, Charlotte, Milwaukee and Detroit all improving.

If we get off to a slow start as well, that is very deflating for a young team. There's a lot of pressure on Skiles to start strong, which is tough when you look at the schedule.

[Patrick1978]

Here's my bold statements for this season:

- Aaron Gordon will finish in the Top 5 for Most Improved Player if he is given 30+ MPG. This kid reminds me so much of Shawn Marion its scary. The difference is, AG has a much more natural shot, and seems to possibly have better handles. His understanding for the game is very impressive for a 20 year old. If the Magic actually play at the high pace Skiles wants, AG could really see his numbers soar on broken plays created by Victor and Elfrid. I think AG has the potential to be a guy you can give the ball and clear out for (as he showed in Summer League), which is something Marion never really was. His shooting touch has improved tremendously after working with coach Love, and his FT shooting looks to be on the right track. The question comes down to whether or not he can hang in there and guard NBA 4’s. The Magic can only hope the ultimate question will be “Can NBA 4’s guard him?”

- Jason Smith will be a bust of a signing. I hated this signing when it happened, not because I don’t think Jason Smith can be a part of a winning team, but more because it makes a soft interior team even softer. His skills are redundant to both Channing and Andrew as a spread 4, and when he plays at the 5, he repeatedly gets pushed under the hoop and outmuscled. The smarter move was to bring back Kyle O’quinn, and use Frye off the bench backing up AG. The good news is, Smith carried a low price tag, but I feel he exacerbates our problem of weak interior play, especially on defense.

- Tobias Harris is what he is. I don't think he'll ever be a dominant go to guy, but he can exploit mismatches in the post, get to the line, and spread the floor. His shot looks like he has spent some time in the gym improving his consistency, which should help guys like Vuc in the post. He still has defensive quickness issues which are going to be a night to night problem depending on the opponent. I don’t think he’ll ever exceed an 18-8-3 ceiling.

- Devyn Marble could possibly get more minutes than Mario Hezonja this season. Now before you blow a gasket, remember the goal of the season is not to develop but to win. And as of this moment, Mario is no where close to where Marble is defensively. Add in the improved shooting RDM is showing in the pre-season, and his style of play matching what Skiles looks for, he could be seeing a lot of minutes next to Fournier on that second team. Could be a situation close to the Tobias/Mbah a Moute situation in Milwaukee when he was a rookie.

- Mario Hezonja is the best three point shooter on this team, hands down. Fournier has looked amazing in the preseason. Oladipo and Tobias have definitely improved their touches as well. However, the large frame high release point added to the jumping ability of Mario gives his pure stroke that much more of an advantage. His range is unbelievable due to his size and he can use his athleticism to create space quickly and rise over guys. I've notice in the preseason he has shied away from the ball, and has preferred to be a spot up shooter. This has to change if he is going to be a player worthy of that 5th pick we spent on him. He can't be deferring to CJ Watson and RDM with 7 seconds on the shot clock. They don't have the natural skills he possesses. This is up to Skiles to instill that confidence in him. This is a bit worrisome as Skiles has not been known to show patience with young guys.

- Dewayne Dedmon will be the most important big man off the bench. His energy and defense are going to be important in holding 2nd units under control. We don’t have any other shot blocking big men on the roster outside of Double D. With O’quinn gone, Dedmon is going to have the opportunity to play his way into the heart of Skiles with his hustle and defense. Dedmon could become a Bo Outlaw like player for this team, who is so sorely needed. The odd-men-out come middle of the season could well be Smith and Nicholson.

- The Magic will finish in the 9th seed. This might be more optimistic than some, but if the team stays healthy, I see the offseason improvements of Oladipo, Payton, and Gordon being the difference makers. I feel that the bench backcourt has improved tremendously with the additions of Watson, Napier, and Hezonja, and the improvements shown in Marble and Fournier. The weak part of this team lies in the plethora of weak/soft big men stockpiled on the bench. Hennigan has really failed in securing the paint. The East has improved no doubt, but so has this team through maturation and hard work in the offseason. The beginning of our schedule is absolutely brutal, so don’t get discouraged if we start out 1-7. It’s not only possibly, it’s highly probable. I’ll say we finish 38-44, and hit our stride late. There’s no excuses to not be better than teams like Brooklyn, Boston, Detroit, New York and Milwaukee. Making or Missing the playoffs will come down to whether or not we are better than Indiana or Charlotte.

I think the odd man out will be channing frye.smith will be a good back up for the rotation

[magicaroni]

I think the odd man out will be channing frye.smith will be a good back up for the rotation

Smith has looked very pedestrian at best in the pre-season. He's missed a ton of jumpers, and last night he was getting pushed around by future D-Leaguer Joshua Smith. Just because he's 7'0" doesn't mean he's good for the team at the 5.

Smith will have his games, and he seems to work hard for the ball on rebounds, but he has physical limitations.

Again, there's nothing he can do that Channing Frye can't do.

[Patrick1978]

I think the odd man out will be channing frye.smith will be a good back up for the rotation

Smith has looked very pedestrian at best in the pre-season. He's missed a ton of jumpers, and last night he was getting pushed around by future D-Leaguer Joshua Smith. Just because he's 7'0" doesn't mean he's good for the team at the 5.

Smith will have his games, and he seems to work hard for the ball on rebounds, but he has physical limitations.

Again, there's nothing he can do that Channing Frye can't do.

Yes smith rebounds good and he also makes good passes.he is a better defender than frye.my opinion.
It is also possible that both of them get beat out by nicholson.
My favorite player for the post was biyombo.he would be very good for the magic

[magicaroni]

I think the odd man out will be channing frye.smith will be a good back up for the rotation

Smith has looked very pedestrian at best in the pre-season. He's missed a ton of jumpers, and last night he was getting pushed around by future D-Leaguer Joshua Smith. Just because he's 7'0" doesn't mean he's good for the team at the 5.

Smith will have his games, and he seems to work hard for the ball on rebounds, but he has physical limitations.

Again, there's nothing he can do that Channing Frye can't do.

Yes smith rebounds good and he also makes good passes.he is a better defender than frye.my opinion.
It is also possible that both of them get beat out by nicholson.
My favorite player for the post was biyombo.he would be very good for the magic

Would have rather had Biyombo than Smith to be honest. We let O'Quinn walk which was the dumbest move. New York got one of the best bargains. KO was built for playoff basketball and was a real leader in the locker room. It's hard to find guys like that in this league now a days.

Watch, KO is going to have a nice season in New York, while Smith straggles along in Orlando.

[BadMofoPimp]

Henny failed big time in giving away KOQ and Harkless for absolutely nothing or garbage in return.

[OrlandoNed]

Henny failed big time in giving away KOQ and Harkless for absolutely nothing or garbage in return.

Harkless is garbage, that's why we got garbage for him.

[magicaroni]

Henny failed big time in giving away KOQ and Harkless for absolutely nothing or garbage in return.

Harkless is garbage, that's why we got garbage for him.

True story.

Harkless has an awkward shot, and subpar handles. He's not going anywhere in this league.

I do give Henny credit for grabbing Shabazz for nothing.

[Last Guardian]

Smith is the opposite of soft. He goes after any shot around the rim and throws his body around. He may bust but it won't be because he is soft. The guy pushing him around was 350lbs. Not a lot you can do about that.

[magicaroni]

Smith is the opposite of soft. He goes after any shot around the rim and throws his body around. He may bust but it won't be because he is soft. The guy pushing him around was 350lbs. Not a lot you can do about that.

Kyle O'quinn wouldnt have gotten abused like that. Smith is a 4 masquerading around on the court as a 5 because of his height.

He might work hard, but he isn't strong enough to play the 5 in this league.

[BadMofoPimp]

Shabbazz and Smith are more garbage as players than KOQ or Harkless by far. I think the delusion of High Expectations for KOQ and Harkless has warped a players actual value. Harkless and KOQ are doing very well with their new teams. How is Smith and Napiers doing? I understand how the "Henny is God" people can't believe he could actually make mistakes n all, but he can.

[tiderulz]

Shabbazz and Smith are more garbage as players than KOQ or Harkless by far. I think the delusion of High Expectations for KOQ and Harkless has warped a players actual value. Harkless and KOQ are doing very well with their new teams. How is Smith and Napiers doing? I understand how the "Henny is God" people can't believe he could actually make mistakes n all, but he can.

wow, so KOQ has a good game against the Wiz and some team from Brazil in preseason, and he is some super steal huh? Harkless had to move, he had a head thing here he couldnt get past. He had opportunities and couldnt cash in on them.

[tooler]

Bold statement:

Polar Pop stays cold longer than any other soft drink.

[zuppafly]

I agree with all statements from magicaroni except the one with Marble getting more minutes then Mario. IMO Mario is not a "regular" rookie as he comes from playing in top euro team for some time, so while he'll definitely get some bad games, some time to get used to the rotations, the pace of the game, he'll end up getting a ton of minutes during the season.

Bold statement: Elf will not improve his shooting percentages. Not FG%, not FT% nor 3pt %. Not this year. And half of this board will ask for his head on a stick and say that we'll never win with him at PG.

[Orlwillbeback]

Joshua smith will move anybody around though....

[Orlwillbeback]

Henny failed big time in giving away KOQ and Harkless for absolutely nothing or garbage in return.

Go back to the pistons forum!

[BadMofoPimp]

Shabbazz and Smith are more garbage as players than KOQ or Harkless by far. I think the delusion of High Expectations for KOQ and Harkless has warped a players actual value. Harkless and KOQ are doing very well with their new teams. How is Smith and Napiers doing? I understand how the "Henny is God" people can't believe he could actually make mistakes n all, but he can.

wow, so KOQ has a good game against the Wiz and some team from Brazil in preseason, and he is some super steal huh? Harkless had to move, he had a head thing here he couldnt get past. He had opportunities and couldnt cash in on them.

I bet they will both be decent rotation players in this league.