Official Spec Thread: Regular Season

[drsd]

Are we really several days away from new season and NOBODY grew up 6 inches in offseason?

Come on, let's make at least 1 rumor.
RJ Hampton is not 7'3 and will play center for Miami.

Gotta keep summer-BS-rumors-growth tradition alive.

Didn't you read that Bol Bol will win the DPOY award ???

..

[pepe1991]

Once Harris and Ingles are gone you want to upgrade those positions by adding actual value. Replacing them with players with no experience won't really help you become better team short term.

Also there isn't person in a world that could talk me into beliving Jett Howard in nba can play shooting guard.

Also if you resign Fultz on new, 4 years contract, what's the point of keeping Black or Suggs or Cole ( or both tbh) ?

In that situation in particular, you are desparate for high volumen sharpshooting SG capable of playing offball. Non of them gives you that.

[JBSouthpaw]

Once Harris and Ingles are gone you want to upgrade those positions by adding actual value. Replacing them with players with no experience won't really help you become better team short term.

Also there isn't person in a world that could talk me into beliving Jett Howard in nba can play shooting guard.

Also if you resign Fultz on new, 4 years contract, what's the point of keeping Black or Suggs or Cole ( or both tbh) ?

In that situation in particular, you are desparate for high volumen sharpshooting SG capable of playing offball. Non of them gives you that.

I believe your offense dictates how good your defense has to be. There are plenty of bad defensive players who get lots of minutes. You just have to be able to out-score your matchup. Howard did show the volume shooting in college.
I need to see more of Howard with actual NBA players to make an informed opinion on him.

[JBSouthpaw]

I don't really bang on the FO, because they do this as their job, but these past responses is exactly what they are doing wrong.
IF you take 2 lotto picks, you should develop them
IF you are going for the playoffs, don't waste picks/roster spots on players who won't see the floor.
we are doing both while doing neither. by drafting the 2 lottos, then parking them behind players who may or may not be here next year.
I was really surprised we signed our guys to their deals so quickly after the draft, feels like they could have been used in a trade.
I just don't understand the direction, it's just so muddled.

Beyond what the Magic did: draft two BPAs (by their depth chart), really what you are arguing is that Orlando should have traded out of the draft. I agree that that is what should have happened. But it did not. So here we are.

Howard will be developed slowly, in a timeline as Redick was developed. And he is probable to log more Osceola minutes than Orlando minutes in doing so.

As to Black, there are some precedents for talking it slow with PG lotto picks: Dyson Daniels, Kira Lewis, and (interestingly) Kris Dunn.


When I look at recent NBA PGs, Black is really starting to scream "the next Frank Ntilikina or Cameron Payne" to me. I hope I am wrong.

..

No, what I was arguing was, I wanted the Magic to make a decision. I could live with either, but now we are in the battle of "play the vets vs. play the rookies" when someone has a bad game, it's going to be "so & so should be getting more minutes".

[JBSouthpaw]

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/38528462/nba-training-camp-2023-roster-battles-extensions-storylines#orl
Interesting depth chart from ESPN's Bobby Marks (I believe):
Orlando Magic Projected Depth Chart
PG
M. Fultz
J. Suggs
C. Anthony

SG
A. Black
G. Harris
C. Houston
K. Harris

SF
F. Wagner
J. Ingles
J. Howard

PF
P. Banchero
C. Okeke
J. Isaac

C
W. Carter Jr.
M. Wagner
G. Bitadze

[jonbob17]

While Boston gets Jrue for peanuts, we get new throwback jerseys!

So pathetic

And what exactly were we going to do with Jrue on a non contending team for $37m? He would be another defensive minded, none shooting guard. Not sure if you notice but we have 2 to 3 of those.

Non shooting??

The Jrue disrespect around here has been crazy

Jrue's 3 point percentage has been better than Dame's the last three years. Granted it on a little more than half the volume, but but 38-41% on 6 attempts a game is nothing to sneeze at. Lillard is clearly one of the best ever offensively at the position and big upgrade on that side, Jrue is still very good.

I am not entirely convinced Milwaukee is going to be a better team after this trade. We'll see how the rest of the Milwaukee defense looks like without Jrue stopping the point of attack. They were arguably the best defensive team last year, at least one of the top.

Milwaukee should be incredible on offense.. The top 4 should really create a lot of problems.

[Fortune Teller]

So training camp is about to start and the Magic did nothing to consolidate the roster. Weltman is a one-trick pony. He's like a hoarder who never gets rid of anything and sleeps beneath a pile of old newspapers and boxes.

[Skybox]

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/38528462/nba-training-camp-2023-roster-battles-extensions-storylines#orl
Interesting depth chart from ESPN's Bobby Marks (I believe):
Orlando Magic Projected Depth Chart
PG
M. Fultz
J. Suggs
C. Anthony

SG
A. Black
G. Harris
C. Houston
K. Harris

SF
F. Wagner
J. Ingles
J. Howard

PF
P. Banchero
C. Okeke
J. Isaac

C
W. Carter Jr.
M. Wagner
G. Bitadze

I really hope that's not from Bobby Marks...I want to still respect him. Black as starting SG next to Fultz?

[3ddman23]

Does anyone know what time media starts and where it will be shown?

[JBSouthpaw]

Does anyone know what time media starts and where it will be shown?

Read on Twitter

[thelead]

Does anyone know what time media starts and where it will be shown?

Read on Twitter

https://www.youtube.com/live/tznw_Sq6mdo?si=KNhJ_4MzFjPkuG0c

[fendilim]

Does anyone know what time media starts and where it will be shown?

Read on Twitter

Is it just me or she has too much botox?

[thelead]

Kendra is WAAYYYYY better than listening to Dante. I appreciate Dante but I’m impressed with Kendra.

[ChosenSavior]

Kendra is WAAYYYYY better than listening to Dante. I appreciate Dante but I’m impressed with Kendra.

Same

[eyriq]

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/38528462/nba-training-camp-2023-roster-battles-extensions-storylines#orl
Interesting depth chart from ESPN's Bobby Marks (I believe):
Orlando Magic Projected Depth Chart
PG
M. Fultz
J. Suggs
C. Anthony

SG
A. Black
G. Harris
C. Houston
K. Harris

SF
F. Wagner
J. Ingles
J. Howard

PF
P. Banchero
C. Okeke
J. Isaac

C
W. Carter Jr.
M. Wagner
G. Bitadze

At least he has Black in the rotation!

[eyriq]

Kendra is WAAYYYYY better than listening to Dante. I appreciate Dante but I’m impressed with Kendra.

Same! Really enjoying her approach and style. She comes prepared and is very eloquent and expressive.

[VFX]

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/38528462/nba-training-camp-2023-roster-battles-extensions-storylines#orl
Interesting depth chart from ESPN's Bobby Marks (I believe):
Orlando Magic Projected Depth Chart
PG
M. Fultz
J. Suggs
C. Anthony

SG
A. Black
G. Harris
C. Houston
K. Harris

SF
F. Wagner
J. Ingles
J. Howard

PF
P. Banchero
C. Okeke
J. Isaac

C
W. Carter Jr.
M. Wagner
G. Bitadze

If true, completely ridiculous lineup.

We were told for two seasons that Suggs cannot start next to Fultz because there would be no shooting. Now we see Black start ahead of Gary Harris in year 1 next to Fultz. Suggs taking Cole’s spot at backup point guard?

I’d expect Cole to be moved soon if this is true. They aren’t paying him real money to get 8-12 mpg.

[IllMagic04]

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/38528462/nba-training-camp-2023-roster-battles-extensions-storylines#orl
Interesting depth chart from ESPN's Bobby Marks (I believe):
Orlando Magic Projected Depth Chart
PG
M. Fultz
J. Suggs
C. Anthony

SG
A. Black
G. Harris
C. Houston
K. Harris

SF
F. Wagner
J. Ingles
J. Howard

PF
P. Banchero
C. Okeke
J. Isaac

C
W. Carter Jr.
M. Wagner
G. Bitadze

At least he has Black in the rotation!

No way on earth that's the rotation. Finding minutes at all for Black is going to be really tough. He certainly isn't going to be starting.

[eyriq]

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/38528462/nba-training-camp-2023-roster-battles-extensions-storylines#orl
Interesting depth chart from ESPN's Bobby Marks (I believe):
Orlando Magic Projected Depth Chart
PG
M. Fultz
J. Suggs
C. Anthony

SG
A. Black
G. Harris
C. Houston
K. Harris

SF
F. Wagner
J. Ingles
J. Howard

PF
P. Banchero
C. Okeke
J. Isaac

C
W. Carter Jr.
M. Wagner
G. Bitadze

At least he has Black in the rotation!

No way on earth that's the rotation. Finding minutes at all for Black is going to be really tough. He certainly isn't going to be starting.

Black has become my favorite player and he hasn't even played a game for us haha

[IllMagic04]

At least he has Black in the rotation!

No way on earth that's the rotation. Finding minutes at all for Black is going to be really tough. He certainly isn't going to be starting.

Black has become my favorite player and he hasn't even played a game for us haha

I'm wasn't a fan of the pick, but I look forward to see what he can do. Just don't know how we will get to see it this year unless there's injures. The guard rotation is just way too dep. I wasn't a fan of the Franz pick ad has become of my favs so we shall see.