Can the Magic win a championship with Paolo and Franz as #1 and #2 options?

[Skybox]

Paolo could be a real #1 but, IMO, that's assuming some real development of the things that he was expected to show but hasn't yet (not a knock-just a rook). He was said to have exceptional court vision, so perhaps he develops into a unique ballhandling PnR nightmare...like a super athletic version of Jokic (to a degree, I know)...it would require a system built around his uniqueness and that starts with shooters. Nobody as big as Paolo handles and jukes on the perimeter like he does. He generally gets around guys but there's always the Giannis/Lebron-like threat of him flat out running right over anyone in the league not named Steven Adams. Paolo is very hard to categorize because he has little man skills in a big man's body. Kerr had him at Center - not sure if that exposes his lack of big man skills or enables him to torment similar sized opponents with no chance of moving with him. We'll also have to see if he's got that Jordan/Mamba Mentality to expect to dominate and destroy everyone on the court...so far, it does look like he's showing signs of that.

He's pretty unique and I think if a system and supporting cast develops that is uniquely built for him - he could be MVP. He could also easily deteriorate into a Julius Randle-type that gets empty stats and doesn't make his teammates better while he iso's all night.

[JoshuaPotter]

Someone said 2030 and I think that is realistic.

Is it enough? Sure. Is what we have besides P+F enough? Doubtful at least if we evaluate their talent as their floor today.

Fultz is going to be the messy answer today. Black might be the answer 3+ years from now.
Harris is the answer today, Howard might be the answer 3+ years from now.
Cole Anthony may be the answer to six man today - but Suggs will be like 1-2 years from now.

You can interchange how the outcome is with our backcourt. I am not married to it, nor should you be.

WCJ is not bad, but we do need more rebounding and defending from that position then what he quietly and effectively gets us. But he is also a baby.

[Optimus_Steel]

I say yes but with the caveat that they are both a long ways away from getting to that point but they have the opportunity to get there due to their skillset, size, and mindset.

[eyriq]

I'm shocked 32% of Magic fans don't believe we can win a chip with Paolo and Franz as #1 & #2 options.

It's not a question of how probable it is. It's a question of whether it is reasonably probable. 32% say no? Yikes.

Paolo as a #2 and Franz as a #3 would give me confidence. Outside of them, I think we have a good supporting cast, but we don't have a bonafide #1.

If this is the view then we'd need to go hard after a #1 option via a trade or free agency. Probably at the expense of Franz, and probably in sequence with Paolo's extension.

While the organic build wouldn't have produced our franchise player it would at least have provided the trade capital to acquire them... hopefully.

[jonbob17]

I am not sure how good Paolo is going to be, i want to believe he can be a top 15 or so guy...but even if not...I feel like if all these young guys improve at a reasonable rate, I want to say this team could be one of those rare teams that go really far with out one of the top 10 players in the league. Franz is just such a good basketball player, not sure he will ever ascend to the "best players in the league level'". If Suggs can be our Jrue light, and WCJ continues to overachieve defensively. Black could be the guy that just makes everybody better.

I don't know, i just have the feeling that the core of Suggs, Black, Franz, Paolo, and WCJ, could be very good defensively and deep enough on offense that we don't need an all-time player. If all 5 are top 70 guys in the league in the next couple of years that might be good enough to overcome some of these teams built around 2 players.

I know it doesnt' happen often...Pistons I guess were the last team...obviously a lot of projection with all 5 guys above, but if they all develop their peaks should be close enough together and the money shouldn't be crazy. Toss in a Cole as 6th man, JI as a 4/5 menace, and a couple of tall 3/D shooters Howard and Houstan. It's kind of an interesting build...