Game 7: Orlando Magic @ Oklahoma City Thunder, 8:00 PM EST

[swarlesbarkley]

The crazy thing to me is we are running back the same squad as last year for what I assumed was to get a jump on teams that were still working on chemistry. Well, our SL of DJ/Evan/AG/JI/Vuc was terrible to start the year so that game plan backfired. Then we put Fultz in the SL after 5 games (rightfully so) almost completely negating the "edge" we had with consistency vs other teams.

Why does our original starting 5 look like they've never played together? That was supposed to be a strength to make-up for some of our shooting woes. Sure we've gotten good looks most nights but the ball movement we saw in the last 3rd of the season last year is basically gone.

[Knightro]

Well there’s obviously nothing to do about it now... that’s the plan they’ve stuck to.

Let’s ask this instead : Does Orlando decide to make a bigger move / blow it up this season should they continue on this path? If so, how many games does this take to decide?

The only way I see this roster actually panning out is if Fultz/JI hit another level entirely offensively and Vuc returns to last season form. Otherwise, fire up the trade machine...

I think the front office will give this roster every single bit of a chance to get things turned around.

If the trade deadline rolls around and the Magic are something like 20-35 or 15-40, then yeah you heavily shop all the veterans.

But if they're hovering near or just below .500, they're gonna push for the playoffs for sure.

[VFX]

Well there’s obviously nothing to do about it now... that’s the plan they’ve stuck to.

Let’s ask this instead : Does Orlando decide to make a bigger move / blow it up this season should they continue on this path? If so, how many games does this take to decide?

The only way I see this roster actually panning out is if Fultz/JI hit another level entirely offensively and Vuc returns to last season form. Otherwise, fire up the trade machine...

I think the front office will give this roster every single bit of a chance to get things turned around.

If the trade deadline rolls around and the Magic are something like 20-35 or 15-40, then yeah you heavily shop all the veterans.

But if they're hovering near or just below .500, they're gonna push for the playoffs for sure.

Do you believe that it would be a mistake pushing for the playoffs with a sub .500 record and this roster in the East? Obviously they wouldn’t push the panic button soon-ish, but it doesn’t look good when you can’t blame a new coach, personnel, or growing pains/ continuity this time around.

[Knightro]

Do you believe that it would be a mistake pushing for the playoffs with a sub .500 record and this roster in the East? Obviously they wouldn’t push the panic button soon-ish, but it doesn’t look good when you can’t blame a new coach, personnel, or growing pains/ continuity this time around.

Not to completely sit on the fence, but every situation is different and should be judged accordingly.

The Magic were 10 games under .500 at last year's deadline, obviously decided to not sell and it worked out well.

If they're only 1-5 games under .500 this year and within a couple games out of 8th, I think they're going to push to make it again regardless of whether or not I think it's a good idea.

If they're 15 under, they should sell.

[Rainwater]

Did he get a hundred millions doe?!

The guy has kinda been here for 6 years and has the 3rd or 4th largest contract on the team. He kinda the problem as well.

No he’s not, he’s just the easiest to pick out of the bunch to pin it on. The actual problem is the inability to land elite talent, particularly scoring talent, and changing coaches every other year. This is the most stability this team has had from a coaching perspective in awhile.

I did not mean to say AG is the problem, i meant to say he is definitely part of the problem. While I do agree that the magic are lacking elite talent on the offensive end (and in the past I did say that the magic do need at at least 2 all-stars to go along with their current roster), you can't tell me that AG stats are worth his contract. I think he is making, on avg, 21 a year. Additionally, you can't have two non shooters in AG and JI playing side by side in today's nba. You need a real shooter/SF. One has to go.

[Rainwater]

Do you believe that it would be a mistake pushing for the playoffs with a sub .500 record and this roster in the East? Obviously they wouldn’t push the panic button soon-ish, but it doesn’t look good when you can’t blame a new coach, personnel, or growing pains/ continuity this time around.

Not to completely sit on the fence, but every situation is different and should be judged accordingly.

The Magic were 10 games under .500 at last year's deadline, obviously decided to not sell and it worked out well.

If they're only 1-5 games under .500 this year and within a couple games out of 8th, I think they're going to push to make it again regardless of whether or not I think it's a good idea.

If they're 15 under, they should sell.

I see where you are coming from as you did say whether or not its a good idea but that screams treadmill. If they do this they will be lacking foresight.

[dsg2021]

The whole offense secretly revolved around Vooch. Even with his poor performance, he’s at a 18 PER, and the Vooch that goes 5 assists, 20 ppg is the kind that gives our team an inside-out, crafty passing offense.

That's the thing, this season the offense doesn't seem to be revolving around him as much at all, other than his screens and gravity trying to draw C's out of the paint. He has runs where they'll feed him in the paint for a few plays, but for the most part he's been pretty selfless and passing out of plays - and pretty early on, too.

Cliff seems to do that for Vuc, Gordon, Fournier and Ross, he just lets the team run sets for that one player for like 4-5 plays until they go cold, or show they are cold.

He looks rattled though. Looks like playoff Vuc, rushing shots, not using that footwork and soft touch he has. It will just get waved off as a conspiracy theory/agenda/hot take/panic opinion, but I think Gasol and the playoffs might have given Vuc a bit of a mental hurdle he will have to work through. And prior to last season, mental fortitude was never considered one of his strengths. It's worth monitoring.

I completely agree with your post. I meant to say that last year’s Vooch was much more the lynchpin and Jokic-lite for our offense, and it actually worked pretty well. And this year they’re not giving Vooch that opportunity to do it again. My rushed, poor posting strikes again. It’s a plus and minus thing too, bc he’s not really 1st option for a title contender (maybe last reg season Vooch, but not 1st time experience, playoffs Vooch). So I don’t know if its worth it to reinvolve him. I rporbably for the sale of short term win hunting, than slowly try to integrate Fultz with more and more minutes with the SL over 2-3 months.