Official Speculation Thread ‘19-'20 I: Big decisions on the horizon

[NotACat]

Wonder if Isaiah Thomas is still on our radar after bringing him in and supposedly offering him a contract last year. Dude should be healthy now and we're technically a winning team currently. He seems like a good back-up plan to D'Lo for a year or two until we for sure know what we have in Fultz.

He'd also be the "closer" we need to give Vuc some relief (if we re-sign Vuc).

IT/DJ/Fultz
Fournier/Fultz/#16
Isaac/Iwundu/#16
Gordon/Martin
Vuc/Bamba

Decent starting line-up. Bench relies a lot on DJ to get points and for Bamba to improve, Fultz to be healthy, or #16 to produce right away.

DJ is better than IT right now. IT is a chucker and simply can't score like he used to before his injury, he also can't create for others anymore. No point bringing him here.

And how did you come to this conclusion?Where did you see him play after injury to make these claims may I ask?

He played for Denver this year...

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/thomais02.html

34% from the field, 28% from 3. 1:1.5 assist to turnover ratio. It was ugly.

[swarlesbarkley]

DJ is better than IT right now. IT is a chucker and simply can't score like he used to before his injury, he also can't create for others anymore. No point bringing him here.

And how did you come to this conclusion?Where did you see him play after injury to make these claims may I ask?

He played for Denver this year...

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/thomais02.html

34% from the field, 28% from 3. 1:1.5 assist to turnover ratio. It was ugly.

I think I'd still take a chance on him regaining his form over DJ. 15 minutes per game in 12 games last year off the bench is not really enough to know. Obviously he'd have to nail his workout with us. He'd be low risk/high reward right now and that's the type of guy we need if we want to keep moving forward with our lack of cap space.

[BadMofoPimp]

And how did you come to this conclusion?Where did you see him play after injury to make these claims may I ask?

He played for Denver this year...

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/thomais02.html

34% from the field, 28% from 3. 1:1.5 assist to turnover ratio. It was ugly.

I think I'd still take a chance on him regaining his form over DJ. 15 minutes per game in 12 games last year off the bench is not really enough to know. Obviously he'd have to nail his workout with us. He'd be low risk/high reward right now and that's the type of guy we need if we want to keep moving forward with our lack of cap space.

He was soo bad that Denver benched him at the end of the season. I would sign him to backup DJ, but he wouldn't beat out DJ anytime soon as he is a shadow of his former self.

[OrlandO]

Ahh yes, the master plan... let Vuc and Ross walk, so we can overpay backup Bobby Portis

I think it's more likely he's viewed as an option for MLE.

[swarlesbarkley]

He played for Denver this year...

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/thomais02.html

34% from the field, 28% from 3. 1:1.5 assist to turnover ratio. It was ugly.

I think I'd still take a chance on him regaining his form over DJ. 15 minutes per game in 12 games last year off the bench is not really enough to know. Obviously he'd have to nail his workout with us. He'd be low risk/high reward right now and that's the type of guy we need if we want to keep moving forward with our lack of cap space.

He was soo bad that Denver benched him at the end of the season. I would sign him to backup DJ, but he wouldn't beat out DJ anytime soon as he is a shadow of his former self.

Nuggets are my 2nd favorite team so I watch them pretty often. IT wasn't benched for anyone. He never even started. He wasn't ready to play until February and the Nuggets already had their chemistry and roster for the playoffs.

He almost had a full year between playing in an NBA game so it's probably not even worth looking at his time in Denver based on his lack of playing time and the Nuggets not really needing him.

All that being said, he could absolutely be trash and not better than DJ. But at 2-4mil a year, I think it'd be worth a look.

[OrlandO]

Conley was pretty cheap for the Jazz. Basically Crowder who fell off a cliff after leaving boston and is expiring, a late first in a weak draft, and possibly another late first down the line.

[magicman112]

He played for Denver this year...

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/thomais02.html

34% from the field, 28% from 3. 1:1.5 assist to turnover ratio. It was ugly.

I think I'd still take a chance on him regaining his form over DJ. 15 minutes per game in 12 games last year off the bench is not really enough to know. Obviously he'd have to nail his workout with us. He'd be low risk/high reward right now and that's the type of guy we need if we want to keep moving forward with our lack of cap space.

He was soo bad that Denver benched him at the end of the season. I would sign him to backup DJ, but he wouldn't beat out DJ anytime soon as he is a shadow of his former self.

I'm in a Magic fan group on Facebook and someone there canceled their season tickets before last season because they didn't sign him lol.

[VFX]

Conley was pretty cheap for the Jazz. Basically Crowder who fell off a cliff after leaving boston and is expiring, a late first in a weak draft, and possibly another late first down the line.

Probably because it’s a lot of salary to take on for a player that’s been injured almost every season at age 31.

[MartinsIzAfraud]

The year is 2022 and Orlando still is surrounding AG JI and Bamba with a 29+ year old guard and a MCW fill in

[MoMM]

Conley was pretty cheap for the Jazz. Basically Crowder who fell off a cliff after leaving boston and is expiring, a late first in a weak draft, and possibly another late first down the line.

Probably because it’s a lot of salary to take on for a player that’s been injured almost every season at age 31.

Well, it's for one year only, because probably he will opt-out next season.

[magicman112]

Conley was pretty cheap for the Jazz. Basically Crowder who fell off a cliff after leaving boston and is expiring, a late first in a weak draft, and possibly another late first down the line.

Probably because it’s a lot of salary to take on for a player that’s been injured almost every season at age 31.

Agreed, he's a talented player when healthy and that's not been very often. I guess they figure worst case they'll make it through a season and a half and then he'll have value as a large expiring contract.

[p0peye]

He played for Denver this year...

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/thomais02.html

34% from the field, 28% from 3. 1:1.5 assist to turnover ratio. It was ugly.

I think I'd still take a chance on him regaining his form over DJ. 15 minutes per game in 12 games last year off the bench is not really enough to know. Obviously he'd have to nail his workout with us. He'd be low risk/high reward right now and that's the type of guy we need if we want to keep moving forward with our lack of cap space.

He was soo bad that Denver benched him at the end of the season. I would sign him to backup DJ, but he wouldn't beat out DJ anytime soon as he is a shadow of his former self.

Beat out DJ? FFS, he wouldn't beat out Grant. He's done.

[Furinkazan]

DJ is better than IT right now. IT is a chucker and simply can't score like he used to before his injury, he also can't create for others anymore. No point bringing him here.

And how did you come to this conclusion?Where did you see him play after injury to make these claims may I ask?

He played for Denver this year...

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/thomais02.html

34% from the field, 28% from 3. 1:1.5 assist to turnover ratio. It was ugly.

ok but 12 game and 15 mins a game in a crowded backcourt of Nuggets isnt a very good sample size

[pepe1991]

in 7 out 12 seasons Conley played at least 70 games.
Year ago he only played 12 but i think most of it was " slow down cowboy, tank is in place".

[ezzzp]

You don’t acquire a 27mpg starting caliber player / sixth man for a decent amount of money if you plan on resigning Vuc and Ross, while also expecting Bamba to take a bigger role. He provides something completely different than Birch and Martin. There wouldn’t be enough minutes to go around and wouldn’t make sense to spend that money at that position instead of the back court if it didn’t mean they were looking for Vuc alternatives.

Vucevic and Ross are unrestricted, the FO "can plan to sign them" and offer them more $ than anyone and still not get them. The FO researching options for all possible scenarios is their job.

Also, Portis turned down an extension with the Bulls earlier this season and is said to be seeking a deal worth $16MM annually. LOL.

He played 27mpg last season. He gets nowhere near that with Cliffords rotation of Ross coming off the bench with a staggered Isaac/AG. The point is that inquiring about Portis without solving other more glaring issues says they might have bigger plans in place.. that’s it. Portis isn’t replacing Vuc.. Bamba is.

Bamba literally had stress fractures because his body couldn't yet handle playing 15mpg vs bench units. He's still rehabbing and you think he's going to be an NBA starter in 3-4 months ?

[Skybox]

I'd give IT a look and a physical for vets min...if he's close to healthy, he'll make the Human Torch look cold-even just for a few mins a game. No illusions or desire for him to beat out DJ (Fultz?!?)...just heat off the bench if we lose Ross

[pepe1991]

People who want Bamba to start care more about being right on internet than his health, or team.
Guy played 18 mpg and had to be DNPed from half of a season due fracture in leg, non conctact injury due overuse.

[ezzzp]

And how did you come to this conclusion?Where did you see him play after injury to make these claims may I ask?

He played for Denver this year...

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/thomais02.html

34% from the field, 28% from 3. 1:1.5 assist to turnover ratio. It was ugly.

ok but 12 game and 15 mins a game in a crowded backcourt of Nuggets isnt a very good sample size

He also played 400 minutes for Cleveland and 485 minutes for the Lakers. In both situations he was terrible. Its sad, but the guy's career is probably over. Last attempt to fix issue was surgery in March 2018...a year of rehab later when he suited up in Denver it was clear that he still hadn't regained even half of explosion and completely lost range and off-the-bounce ability with his shot. I hope he makes it back as he deserves it...but at 31, its not a very promising outlook.

[swarlesbarkley]

He played for Denver this year...

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/thomais02.html

34% from the field, 28% from 3. 1:1.5 assist to turnover ratio. It was ugly.

ok but 12 game and 15 mins a game in a crowded backcourt of Nuggets isnt a very good sample size

He also played 400 minutes for Cleveland and 485 minutes for the Lakers. In both situations he was terrible. Its sad, but the guy's career is probably over. Last attempt to fix issue was surgery in March 2018...a year of rehab later when he suited up in Denver it was clear that he still hadn't regained even half of explosion and completely lost range and off-the-bounce ability with his shot. I hope he makes it back as he deserves it...but at 31, its not a very promising outlook.

I might have the timeline wrong but wasn't his time in Cleveland and LA before the surgery to fix his hip?

[VFX]

People who want Bamba to start care more about being right on internet than his health, or team.
Guy played 18 mpg and had to be DNPed from half of a season due fracture in leg, non conctact injury due overuse.

What exactly do you think I want to be “right” about? Bamba doesn’t have to be starting right away this season, but you’d fully expect the #6 draft pick to be able to play starters minutes eventually. Birch can play and so can Portis. It still doesn’t absolutely mean Vuc has to be resigned because he wasn’t entirely capable last season to take ALL the minutes.