Poll: Is Orlando going to make this season's playoffs?

[thelead]

The more the build up of excitement takes hold, the increasingly level of enthusiasm I have for this roster.

Payton/Augustin/Watson
-> A top 15 starter at PG coupled to perhaps the best bench PG and an amazing 3rd stringer.

Fournier/Wilcox/Meeks*
-> A top 10 starter at SG. Weakness on the bench met by depth at SF. Orlando needs Meeks to get healthy.

Gordon/Hezonja
-> A top 15 starter at SF with amazing depth on the bench and and an ability to rotate with the PF slot.

Ibaka/Green
-> A top 5 starter at PF with a very, very deep ability to rotate within the SF and C slots.

Vučević/Biyombo/Zimmerman
-> A top 10 starter at C with perhaps the best bench C in the league.



(looking at the above, Orlando could use a combo SG/SF as its 14th member.)



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I know I'm a homer but I can't see this team being any worse than top 10 in the league.

That is a VERY optimistic/homer view on the starter rankings. The only one that might be right is Fournier but that position isn't looking great around the league... And even then, top 10 is a reach.

PER isn't everything but it's a good general start:
http://insider.espn.com/nba/hollinger/statistics/_/position/pg

[Blue_and_Whte]

Why do other posters feel the need to go on the Orlando board and say how they don't think we'll do well?

Maybe we won't but it's just odd how many come here to speak negatively. Cool, thanks for the opinion lol.

Meanwhile if we go to the general board and say we think the Magic made some good moves and question some other teams, we're giving Magic fans a bad name.

Its is a little homerish to say we'll be a top 5 team, which people have done. But I haven't seen a single person accuse others of giving Magic fans a bad name just because they think the Magic made some good moves. Seem like hyperbole.

[amkyka1956]

The talk of Elfrid being some kind of "weak link" is a joke. When dude is on he's one of our BEST players, period. Whatever. They'll see.

The most inconsistent starting player is indeed the "weak link"! He will be given every opportunity to succeed with our new coach. Excuses made in his defense were injuries and lack of confidence and or motivation. I might buy the injury thing but NEVER lack of confidence/motivation! Time for replacement when that occurs! If our team gels (as in playing together) and Elf overcomes his shortcomings there is no reason (imho) for not making the playoffs!

[rusoopE]

The more the build up of excitement takes hold, the increasingly level of enthusiasm I have for this roster.

Payton/Augustin/Watson
-> A top 15 starter at PG coupled to perhaps the best bench PG and an amazing 3rd stringer.

Fournier/Wilcox/Meeks*
-> A top 10 starter at SG. Weakness on the bench met by depth at SF. Orlando needs Meeks to get healthy.

Gordon/Hezonja
-> A top 15 starter at SF with amazing depth on the bench and and an ability to rotate with the PF slot.

Ibaka/Green
-> A top 5 starter at PF with a very, very deep ability to rotate within the SF and C slots.

Vučević/Biyombo/Zimmerman
-> A top 10 starter at C with perhaps the best bench C in the league.



(looking at the above, Orlando could use a combo SG/SF as its 14th member.)



..

Man i think you are too confident about our team, i would place 5 slots back in every category but Vuc, who i believe he's a top 10

[rusoopE]

The talk of Elfrid being some kind of "weak link" is a joke. When dude is on he's one of our BEST players, period. Whatever. They'll see.

The most inconsistent starting player is indeed the "weak link"! He will be given every opportunity to succeed with our new coach. Excuses made in his defense were injuries and lack of confidence and or motivation. I might buy the injury thing but NEVER lack of confidence/motivation! Time for replacement when that occurs! If our team gels (as in playing together) and Elf overcomes his shortcomings there is no reason (imho) for not making the playoffs!

There are a lot of weak links in this team. EP is absolutely one, when he's on he can be our best or 2nd best player, but when he's off he can be the worst starting PG, not doubt bout that. Also the lack of offensive power, spacing, shooting and ball movement (what we lacked all these rebuilding years) will be an issue, and we should see how a starting AG and the backcourt gels.

[NavalAviator94]

I think we have a ton of talent on this team and the roster flexibility to match anyone. The most difficult thing for the coach(and all of us) is really getting a sense of who is going to play well together. Will there be consistency from our players, especially our younger guys that the coach can utilize in various line-ups.

It's really going to be fascinating to watch because there are so many combinations. I think that's what really makes it so difficult to figure out. I think we are a playoff team if our coach can figure that all out. And I'll say this...If we are a team that begins to figure it out and continually get better going into the playoffs, we are going to be dangerous.

[Blue_and_Whte]

I think we have a ton of talent on this team and the roster flexibility to match anyone. The most difficult thing for the coach(and all of us) is really getting a sense of who is going to play well together. Will there be consistency from our players, especially our younger guys that the coach can utilize in various line-ups.

It's really going to be fascinating to watch because there are so many combinations. I think that's what really makes it so difficult to figure out. I think we are a playoff team if our coach can figure that all out. And I'll say this...If we are a team that begins to figure it out and continually get better going into the playoffs, we are going to be dangerous.

I dont think we're dangerous at all even if we do figure it out. I mean if by dangerous you mean we may win a game againsta better club then ok.

Sent from my D6708 using RealGM mobile app

[Orlwillbeback]

The more the build up of excitement takes hold, the increasingly level of enthusiasm I have for this roster.

Payton/Augustin/Watson
-> A top 15 starter at PG coupled to perhaps the best bench PG and an amazing 3rd stringer.

Fournier/Wilcox/Meeks*
-> A top 10 starter at SG. Weakness on the bench met by depth at SF. Orlando needs Meeks to get healthy.

Gordon/Hezonja
-> A top 15 starter at SF with amazing depth on the bench and and an ability to rotate with the PF slot.

Ibaka/Green
-> A top 5 starter at PF with a very, very deep ability to rotate within the SF and C slots.

Vučević/Biyombo/Zimmerman
-> A top 10 starter at C with perhaps the best bench C in the league.



(looking at the above, Orlando could use a combo SG/SF as its 14th member.)



..

I know I'm a homer but I can't see this team being any worse than top 10 in the league.

That is a VERY optimistic/homer view on the starter rankings. The only one that might be right is Fournier but that position isn't looking great around the league... And even then, top 10 is a reach.

PER isn't everything but it's a good general start:
http://insider.espn.com/nba/hollinger/statistics/_/position/pg

shh just remember this is the same guy who thought we were gonna win 54 games two years, thought Oladipo was the next Wade and thought we had 6 all stars on the team two years ago and justified his belief that Elfrid Payton was as good as John Wall based on his physical measurements.

[drsd]

shh just remember this is the same guy who thought we were gonna win 54 games two years, thought Oladipo was the next Wade and thought we had 6 all stars on the team two years ago and justified his belief that Elfrid Payton was as good as John Wall based on his physical measurements.

If you mean me, I had Orlando winning up to 48 games.

And there was a lot of "Oladipo was the next Wade" comments over last Summer, but I for one thought that would take time to develop (i.e. not happen in one year).

..


The Homer in me again has Orlando winning winning up to 48 games. Realistically, I would be disappointed if the Magic again has a losing season: so let's call it a 42-40 expectation.


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[Orlwillbeback]

shh just remember this is the same guy who thought we were gonna win 54 games two years, thought Oladipo was the next Wade and thought we had 6 all stars on the team two years ago and justified his belief that Elfrid Payton was as good as John Wall based on his physical measurements.

If you mean me, I had Orlando winning up to 48 games.

And there was a lot of "Oladipo was the next Wade" comments over last Summer, but I for one thought that would take time to develop (i.e. not happen in one year).

..


The Homer in me again has Orlando winning winning up to 48 games. Realistically, I would be disappointed if the Magic again has a losing season: so let's call it a 42-40 expectation.


..

No I wasnt referring to you, I was referring to basketballrob

[basketballRob]

shh just remember this is the same guy who thought we were gonna win 54 games two years, thought Oladipo was the next Wade and thought we had 6 all stars on the team two years ago and justified his belief that Elfrid Payton was as good as John Wall based on his physical measurements.

If you mean me, I had Orlando winning up to 48 games.

And there was a lot of "Oladipo was the next Wade" comments over last Summer, but I for one thought that would take time to develop (i.e. not happen in one year).

..


The Homer in me again has Orlando winning winning up to 48 games. Realistically, I would be disappointed if the Magic again has a losing season: so let's call it a 42-40 expectation.


..

No I wasnt referring to you, I was referring to basketballrob

I guess you could say Oladipo is Wade-lite.

As far as the all-star comment. Their was a lot of talk about having no all-stars on this team, and I said, it was too early to determine whether or not we had all stars or not. Potentially a few of these guys could be all stars, they just need to mature.

[basketballRob]

Interesting, we're 10th in team salaries compared to being 27th last season. We don't have any players in the top 30 salaries and we have a few rookie scale contracts.

Analytically speaking, we should have much more depth and be more competitive this season.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/

[drsd]

Analytically speaking, we should have much more depth and be more competitive this season.

[Tayswagzzz]

We're a weird team to judge. Totally new identity. I just want to see it on the court!

[rusoopE]

shh just remember this is the same guy who thought we were gonna win 54 games two years, thought Oladipo was the next Wade and thought we had 6 all stars on the team two years ago and justified his belief that Elfrid Payton was as good as John Wall based on his physical measurements.

If you mean me, I had Orlando winning up to 48 games.

And there was a lot of "Oladipo was the next Wade" comments over last Summer, but I for one thought that would take time to develop (i.e. not happen in one year).

..


The Homer in me again has Orlando winning winning up to 48 games. Realistically, I would be disappointed if the Magic again has a losing season: so let's call it a 42-40 expectation.


..

If a team has a top 15 in every position, and even a top 5 as you said, it should win AT LEAST 60 games

[OrlandoDream]

We're a weird team to judge. Totally new identity. I just want to see it on the court!

Yup. This is difficult team to predict the outcome. This collection of players can flourish to be the eastern Cinderella or blow up in our faces.
My prediction for next year is that were going to be like last year's Hornets. Nobody expected them to breakout.
II see Ibaka playing a similar role on our team like Batum did for the Hornets.

[wise1-2]

Since 2010, roughly 90% of the ten best defensive teams each season, made the play offs.

[Xatticus]

Interesting, we're 10th in team salaries compared to being 27th last season. We don't have any players in the top 30 salaries and we have a few rookie scale contracts.

Analytically speaking, we should have much more depth and be more competitive this season.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/

Absent any other information about your roster, that is precisely how you don't want to spend your money. The best bargains (or best return on investment) in the NBA almost exclusively fall into the categories of max contract and rookie scale. That's not an endorsement for handing out max contracts for players that aren't deserving, but you are going to have a very difficult time constructing a winning team when you are paying your players their market value.

[drsd]

If a team has a top 15 in every position, ...

A top-15 player is "average starter."

I do not see Orlando has having starters that are marginal.



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[Orlwillbeback]

If a team has a top 15 in every position, ...

A top-15 player is "average starter."

I do not see Orlando has having starters that are marginal.



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Oh really? You think theyre good? Or better? All Stars?