Official 2025 Offseason Thread 2.0

[JoshuaPotter]

It would be super if AB has a breakout year like Tmac in Toronto, however he might also never be much better than Markelle Fultz.
His current role on the Magic is “backup combo guard that can’t pass, shoot, or create but can play at least average or better defense.

Serious face on. You had the correct take and then fumbled at the end. I want Black to "prove em wrong" so to speak, but to say his defense is "average or better" is a huge misread. He is considered poor man Suggs and in many cases more flexible then Suggs as a defender because we have seen him guard 1-5.

[Knightro]

What will happen is start Bane and Suggs with Black as backup SG and Tyus as backup PG. That was the plan all along.

Of course.

We're only discussing this because it seems like Suggs may not be ready for the start of the season.

[basketballRob]

Every time I see Suggs working out, he's making cuts. He may not have had physical contact yet.

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[BadMofoPimp]

I think Suggs will be ready for the start of the season and will provem all wrong!

[cedric76]

https://youtu.be/imKJ_VzG_10?si=-W8ktRXdqNQo1f5V

Beast mode incoming

[basketballRob]

I'm a little concerned about the backcourt defense if it's Bane and Jase in the starting lineup. I think players like Cade will eat them up. Maybe they'll prove me wrong.

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[tiderulz]

I'm a little concerned about the backcourt defense if it's Bane and Jase in the starting lineup. I think players like Cade will eat them up. Maybe they'll prove me wrong.

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Bane is a good defender. But Orlando also has team defense. You do the best you can vs the top players.

[cedric76]

Franz or ab would défend cade

[tooler]

We're going to have short players out there this season. Everyone is going to need to work through their anxiety about that. The goal is to free up the offense and shoot more 3s. That means we don't need to live or die on a single defensive possession or rebound.

[ORLMagicGirl15]

We're going to have short players out there this season. Everyone is going to need to work through their anxiety about that. The goal is to free up the offense and shoot more 3s. That means we don't need to live or die on a single defensive possession or rebound.

We got shorter where most teams got bigger. I’m not sure how sound that was, even with needing offense. It’s going to be an interesting year, especially with some short guards.

[eyriq]

A little thought exercise to see how nicely players fit into standard roles

Point guard: Suggs
Combo guard: Tyus
Shooting guard: Bane
Swingman: AB
Small forward: Franz
Combo forward: TDS
Power forward: Paolo
Combo big: JI
Quick center: WCJ
Power center: Goga

This isn't bad at all.
Backcourt combos all work nicely:
Suggs|Bane
Tyus|Bane
AB|Bane
Tyus|Suggs
AB|Suggs
Tyus|AB

Three guard lineups won't be the end of the world, either.

[ORLMagicGirl15]

A little thought exercise to see how nicely players fit into standard roles

Point guard: Suggs
Combo guard: Tyus
Shooting guard: Bane
Swingman: AB
Small forward: Franz
Combo forward: TDS
Power forward: Paolo
Combo big: JI
Quick center: WCJ
Power center: Goga

This isn't bad at all.
Backcourt combos all work nicely:
Suggs|Bane
Tyus|Bane
AB|Bane
Tyus|Suggs
AB|Suggs
Tyus|AB

Three guard lineups won't be the end of the world, either.

Suggs is a combo guard.

[drsd]

Suggs is a combo guard.

And Desmond Bane is a 5apg guy. Between him and Suggs, there should be 8.5apg, where neither leads the offence. That's the job of the two forwards.

[Optimus_Steel]

We're going to have short players out there this season. Everyone is going to need to work through their anxiety about that. The goal is to free up the offense and shoot more 3s. That means we don't need to live or die on a single defensive possession or rebound.

We got shorter where most teams got bigger. I’m not sure how sound that was, even with needing offense. It’s going to be an interesting year, especially with some short guards.

How did we get shorter?

[RookieStar]

We're going to have short players out there this season. Everyone is going to need to work through their anxiety about that. The goal is to free up the offense and shoot more 3s. That means we don't need to live or die on a single defensive possession or rebound.

We got shorter where most teams got bigger. I’m not sure how sound that was, even with needing offense. It’s going to be an interesting year, especially with some short guards.

How did we get shorter?

The only think I could think of is we replaced 6'6 KCP with 6'5 Bane and also with 6'3 Cole with 6'0 Jase?

Other than that.... dunno

[Skybox]

We got shorter where most teams got bigger. I’m not sure how sound that was, even with needing offense. It’s going to be an interesting year, especially with some short guards.

How did we get shorter?

The only think I could think of is we replaced 6'6 KCP with 6'5 Bane and also with 6'3 Cole with 6'0 Jase?

Other than that.... dunno

Jase's wingspan is bigger than Cole's - just fyi...we were already one of the biggest teams in the league, a little regression in height for the sake of not having a bottom 5 offense is a happy sacrifice...especially when you consider the versatile long defenders off the bench in Isaac, Penda and AB, who can be deployed when needed. Basically, you could just sic one or more of them on someone and neutralize nearly anyone.

[ORLMagicGirl15]

We're going to have short players out there this season. Everyone is going to need to work through their anxiety about that. The goal is to free up the offense and shoot more 3s. That means we don't need to live or die on a single defensive possession or rebound.

We got shorter where most teams got bigger. I’m not sure how sound that was, even with needing offense. It’s going to be an interesting year, especially with some short guards.

How did we get shorter?

Our guards.

[basketballRob]

We got shorter where most teams got bigger. I’m not sure how sound that was, even with needing offense. It’s going to be an interesting year, especially with some short guards.

How did we get shorter?

The only think I could think of is we replaced 6'6 KCP with 6'5 Bane and also with 6'3 Cole with 6'0 Jase?

Other than that.... dunno

Cole is 1.5" taller than Jase. Jase has a 3.5" higher standing reach, and Jase has a 1.5" longer wingspan. I think Jase will appear bigger than Cole because of his substantially higher standing reach. Cole has sloping shoulders.

Jase is the same size as Sexton.

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[Orlando Dawg]

So did Anthony Black and Jett Howard get their 4th years guaranteed or not?

[basketballRob]

So did Anthony Black and Jett Howard get their 4th years guaranteed or not?

Probably not until 10/31

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