Official Speculation Thread '20-'21 VI: "I like this team"

[Bensational]

This might be an unpopular opinion/thought especially with the selection of talent this draft will have...

I actually am ok that we will finish in the 5th-8th seed again this season especially if :

1.) Fultz ( as someone said ) competes for the MIP title
2.) Cole competes for the ROY title
3.) Chuma competes for the ROY title

We might be hyping up WAS, ATL, CHA be better than us but sadly you all underestimate the advantage you have with playing with the same team/scheme over a hastily assembled team who is learning on the fly... well unless it is the " Give Trae/WB/Hayward the ball and scram away " offense for the full 48minutes. So yeah, we MIGHT not be as bad as you all think

We had roster continuity last season and got worse. We actually beat fewer .500 teams last season than the season before.

Roster continuity is overrated without good talent on it.

True BUT TBF, we actually didn't finish the last season so who knows what would be our record then. Would be the same as before where we continued to beat the tanking teams (lol) or.. who knows. Plus, last season clearly shows in the modern NBA we can't play AG and JI together as both forwards. We lack offense especially in the 3pt line. This year where AG knows he is the only legit PF we have... again who knows

I don't know why people think AG and Isaac can't play together. They can. But if you're relying on either to be a 20ppg scorer then they likely won't give you that.

But if they were both on Portland playing alongside Lillard and CJ, or in Houston playing with Harden, or Dallas playing with Luka - they would crush it.

Our problem is that we're counting on Fultz to become one of those guys whilst letting Evan pretend he is one. That's where roster continuity is letting us down because we have yet to add one significantly positive impact player under WeHam other than Isaac.

[Xatticus]

CBS's take on the Magic's 29th ranked offseason:

"Orlando's most promising player tore his ACL in the bubble, and some organizations would have taken this opportunity to have a gap year: Move all the vets, bottom out and add another core player in a stacked draft.

This is not what the Magic did. They'll probably be a bit worse offensively with a 20-year-old rookie in the spot that was previously occupied by a 33-year-old floor general, but they'll be disciplined, get stops and, health permitting, be in the mix for a lower-rung playoff spot. Excited?"

Who in the hell ranked 30th? I was sure we had the worst offseason.

My guess is the Knicks? Maybe Cavs.

The Pistons. They had an awful offseason, completely incoherent.

[Furinkazan]

Ya'll are in for a rude awakening this year. There's a 10% chance we finish top 9 in the East. Atlanta got much better, Washington got a healthy player in Westbrook to pair with Beal & Bertans. Cliff is going to ride the breaks off of Vuc AG & Fournier that one will get injured for month or so and we'll look like an AAU team during that span.

who is Ya'll?? Don't think anyone is expecting top 8.

Read this thread maybe?plenty of people here believe we are better than Wizards and Hawks
I think post was mainly about them

[Furinkazan]

Btw roster continuity won’t do sht ...I ve seen it last year and I was amazed plenty of teams with half or more of their rosters changed played better than us...it’s about talent not continuity of any sort

[VFX]

Btw roster continuity won’t do sht ...I ve seen it last year and I was amazed plenty of teams with half or more of their rosters changed played better than us...it’s about talent not continuity of any sort

Absolutely. And +100

[SOUL]

It matters when you're building it from the ground up and seeing how certain young players may play with each other but yeah, when it's people's 5th/6th/7th seasons with each other there's not many stones you haven't unturned.

[MartinsIzAfraud]

Ya'll are in for a rude awakening this year. There's a 10% chance we finish top 9 in the East. Atlanta got much better, Washington got a healthy player in Westbrook to pair with Beal & Bertans. Cliff is going to ride the breaks off of Vuc AG & Fournier that one will get injured for month or so and we'll look like an AAU team during that span.

who is Ya'll?? Don't think anyone is expecting top 8.

The same 4 posters who have applauded everything the FO has done. They know who they are lol

[Skybox]

Continuity may also provide an additional roadblock for the new guys to get a clean slate shot at minutes.

[basketballRob]

I think AG breaks out and will contend for an allstar selection this season.

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[EAS Law]

I think AG breaks out and will contend for an allstar selection this season.

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Lol we’ve all been waiting for that for quite some time... he always shows flashes, but I think without a true “Nash/Amaré” to team up with, even Shawn Marion comparisons of the past look kind of like long shots.

[CZ Eddie]

At this point, if Gordon finally has a break-out year, it'll be because of his situation and not because he's suddenly an All-Star capable player.

With that said, he's a good player and has been a good player.
Need to stop expecting him to turn into a top ten power forward.

[Max Power]

I think I’d accept a low seed playoff year too if we saw major leaps from guys like Fultz. I think Markelle’s going to be better this year, so ultimately I’ll be happy with him. I think the Aaron Gordon breakout argument is tired and not worth having at this point. AG is a good starting level NBA player, but he’s not going to be Blake Griffin, and he’s not going to be Shawn Marion. He’s Aaron Gordon and he’s a guy who’s capable of being an major contributor for this team and has played well for us. But he’s not a the biggest piece of the puzzle and never will be.

I think if we’ve hit on these rookies we’ll be a playoff team, and all I mean by that is that they come in and contribute immediately. If Cole Anthony can give us the same level of play we got from DJ straight away we should all be thrilled. If Chuma finds a nice play in the lineup and is consistent, the Magic certainly won’t have a bare cupboard

[Dub_Sax]

Not counting on breakout year from AG, but Evan.. in a contract year... I'm just saying.. (See Vooch and T Ross)

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[OrlChamps2030]

This might be an unpopular opinion/thought especially with the selection of talent this draft will have...

I actually am ok that we will finish in the 5th-8th seed again this season especially if :

1.) Fultz ( as someone said ) competes for the MIP title
2.) Cole competes for the ROY title
3.) Chuma competes for the ROY title

We might be hyping up WAS, ATL, CHA be better than us but sadly you all underestimate the advantage you have with playing with the same team/scheme over a hastily assembled team who is learning on the fly... well unless it is the " Give Trae/WB/Hayward the ball and scram away " offense for the full 48minutes. So yeah, we MIGHT not be as bad as you all think

If those qualifiers came true, then yeah I wouldn’t mind that.

But if this team just out-health’s everyone else and gets the sub .500 8th seed behind contract year Fournier, focused AG, consistent TRoss and all star Vucevic.. just smh

[RookieStar]

We had roster continuity last season and got worse. We actually beat fewer .500 teams last season than the season before.

Roster continuity is overrated without good talent on it.

True BUT TBF, we actually didn't finish the last season so who knows what would be our record then. Would be the same as before where we continued to beat the tanking teams (lol) or.. who knows. Plus, last season clearly shows in the modern NBA we can't play AG and JI together as both forwards. We lack offense especially in the 3pt line. This year where AG knows he is the only legit PF we have... again who knows

I don't know why people think AG and Isaac can't play together. They can. But if you're relying on either to be a 20ppg scorer then they likely won't give you that.

But if they were both on Portland playing alongside Lillard and CJ, or in Houston playing with Harden, or Dallas playing with Luka - they would crush it.

Our problem is that we're counting on Fultz to become one of those guys whilst letting Evan pretend he is one. That's where roster continuity is letting us down because we have yet to add one significantly positive impact player under WeHam other than Isaac.

Yeah you are right but I think I am talking about our situation with our team. I mean we don't have the CJ and Lillard on our team to space the floor. Heck we can't even rely on Fultz and Evan to be true outside threats to space the floor.

[Bensational]

Not counting on breakout year from AG, but Evan.. in a contract year... I'm just saying.. (See Vooch and T Ross)

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He had a career and contract year last season. Do you think he'll find another level this season? Would be nice if he did, but it just won't happen. He's already playing well beyond his capabilities, to the detriment of the team.

[RookieStar]

This might be an unpopular opinion/thought especially with the selection of talent this draft will have...

I actually am ok that we will finish in the 5th-8th seed again this season especially if :

1.) Fultz ( as someone said ) competes for the MIP title
2.) Cole competes for the ROY title
3.) Chuma competes for the ROY title

We might be hyping up WAS, ATL, CHA be better than us but sadly you all underestimate the advantage you have with playing with the same team/scheme over a hastily assembled team who is learning on the fly... well unless it is the " Give Trae/WB/Hayward the ball and scram away " offense for the full 48minutes. So yeah, we MIGHT not be as bad as you all think

If those qualifiers came true, then yeah I wouldn’t mind that.

But if this team just out-health’s everyone else and gets the sub .500 8th seed behind contract year Fournier, focused AG, consistent TRoss and all star Vucevic.. just smh

Yup, I am in the glass half-full/optimist looking right now. We in the middle again BUT with our younguns blowing it up then I'm all in overlooking the talent of this draft class. But if we spectacularly fail and compete for the 3 Jalens in this draft plus Cade and etc etc then it's a win-win.

But yeah, if we place in the middle again because of Evan's contract year, or other same reason we got stuck there fpr the past 2 seasons.. then yeah we failed.... especially because I think the 12-18th pick are composed of big men in the draft.

[nicnac215]

Not counting on breakout year from AG, but Evan.. in a contract year... I'm just saying.. (See Vooch and T Ross)

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He had a career and contract year last season. Do you think he'll find another level this season? Would be nice if he did, but it just won't happen. He's already playing well beyond his capabilities, to the detriment of the team.

Hopefully he does keep up the improved play so we can trade him at the deadline for something of value

[basketballRob]

Not counting on breakout year from AG, but Evan.. in a contract year... I'm just saying.. (See Vooch and T Ross)

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AG got a gorgeous girlfriend this year, plus his own shoe, and a couple rap songs. I think he's feeling like this is his year. Also he's 25, the same age as many other stars broke out, like Kemba and Dipo

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[Dub_Sax]

Not counting on breakout year from AG, but Evan.. in a contract year... I'm just saying.. (See Vooch and T Ross)

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He had a career and contract year last season. Do you think he'll find another level this season? Would be nice if he did, but it just won't happen. He's already playing well beyond his capabilities, to the detriment of the team.

I agree he tries to do more than he can. But do I see a world where he handle the ball less, Fultz handles the ball more and puts him in more catch and shoot situations?

I do.

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