The Anthony Black Thread

[UCFJayBird]

I really hope he discovers Fultz/Banchero's hair braider. Black's loose hair is not on-a-path towards high-percentage shooting. Tie it back!

Less Anthony's hair-band style.

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[basketballRob]

Any video out there on Black and his offseason workouts? Would like to see if his shot mechanics have progressed at all, might make me feel better on him, lol. Right now I like his game except for that shot, and we've been burned so many times on guys who we just hope can develop a shot that it's beyond frustrating.

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Thanks, so basically still no lift on that shot, lol. Working with Steph's trainer I wonder if they've decided he doesn't need it? Seems odd.

Watch Haliburton shoot.

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[Knightro]

The more I think about it, the more I feel like this Anthony Black pick mirrors the Mo Bamba pick in 2018.

In both scenarios the Magic drafted a player at 6 when they already had a semi-entrenched and decent starter going into the last year of his contract looking to play his way into a large extension..

Hopefully there will be two key differences from the summer of 2019 to now...

1. Black won't suck and be a bust like Bamba was
2. The Magic won't block him by resigning Fultz

In my opinion if there's *any* possibility of signing Fultz to another long-term contract, then Black should not have been picked.

[basketballRob]

Hield started last season, and the #6 pick backed him up. Mathurin averaged 28.5 mpg. Let's see if AB gets that many minutes.



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[drsd]

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What amazed me about this was the body language. It genuinely looks like Weltman and Mosley think Orlando "won" the draft. If Orlando got the two players they wanted, then I guess I am ok with all this.

Reflectively, Black is Upside. So I guess I can get behind that at 6. Look at Isaac and Bamba also at 6: Black seen in that kind of lense. OK I guess.

[drsd]

Hield started last season, and the #6 pick backed him up.

Short of injuries I see no path for Black to be predominantly played as a starter. That is, I am confident that Black will start less than 20 games next season.

[basketballRob]

Hield started last season, and the #6 pick backed him up.

Short of injuries I see no path for Black to be predominantly played as a starter. That is, I am confident that Black will start less than 20 games next season.

As long as he gets 25+ mpg, I'll be happy.

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[KillMonger]

Hield started last season, and the #6 pick backed him up.

Short of injuries I see no path for Black to be predominantly played as a starter. That is, I am confident that Black will start less than 20 games next season.

As long as he gets 25+ mpg, I'll be happy.

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no matter who we picked at 6 they would be coming off the bench

[Knightro]

Hield started last season, and the #6 pick backed him up. Mathurin averaged 28.5 mpg. Let's see if AB gets that many minutes.

That's not the same thing though because Hield and Mathurin can play together. In fact, they played over 1000 minutes together last season.

Fultz and Black IMO cannot be on the floor at the same time.

[Skybox]

I don't care about the lift on his shot...he only needs to be able to punish teams that back off and dare him. We don't have that now. That's what Harris does...he doesn't hunt shots, he takes only what he's given...so he's efficient but not very impactful.

I want Black as our starting PG and we need Herro or Simons at SG next to him...Suggs and Anthony have clear lanes to playing time if their spot up shooting continues to improve. Fultz has a clear lane to another team, IMO. I assume Black's not ready to take over yet, so I'd guess Fultz has a very good season and is moved at the trade deadline as Black's very similar, but bigger and better at everything -even if shooting is a weakness for both. We need a vet scorer in FA/trade and we have the pieces to get one (particularly one who's value is presently in question like Simons and Herro). POR and MIA are targeting a big move and we have the cap space and picks to help facilitate-and grab what we want, in the process.

[Knightro]

As long as he gets 25+ mpg, I'll be happy.

If 20 of those 25 MPG (and to be clear I don't see him reaching 25 MPG unless there's a trade) come in an off-ball role where he's planted in the corner it's not gonna be all that beneficial to him.

Just my two cents.

[basketballRob]

I don't care about the lift on his shot...he only needs to be able to punish teams that back off and dare him. We don't have that now. That's what Harris does...he doesn't hunt shots, he takes only what he's given...so he's efficient but not very impactful.

I want Black as our starting PG and we need Herro or Simons at SG next to him...Suggs and Anthony have clear lanes to playing time if their spot up shooting continues to improve. Fultz has a clear lane to another team, IMO. I assume Black's not ready to take over yet, so I'd guess Fultz has a very good season and is moved at the trade deadline as Black's very similar, but bigger and better at everything -even if shooting is a weakness for both. We need a vet scorer in FA/trade and we have the pieces to get one (particularly one who's value is presently in question like Simons and Herro). POR and MIA are targeting a big move and we have the cap space and picks to help facilitate-and grab what we want, in the process.

They probably will, tho. They may give up outside shooting, but they'll be able to post up.

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[Skybox]

Hield started last season, and the #6 pick backed him up. Mathurin averaged 28.5 mpg. Let's see if AB gets that many minutes.

That's not the same thing though because Hield and Mathurin can play together. In fact, they played over 1000 minutes together last season.

Fultz and Black IMO cannot be on the floor at the same time.

Coincidentally, Mathurin may be ready to take over and Hield might be available to complement Black with 10 3pa's pg...just a scenario. I'd prefer a younger, more athletic version (under contract) like Simons or Herro.

[eyriq]

I don't think what happens with Fultz matters really, Black is going to beast. I suspect he earns the starting role his rookie year.

[Knightro]

I don't think what happens with Fultz matters really, Black is going to beast. I suspect he earns the starting role his rookie year.

It absolutely matters. Let's play a hypothetical game...

1. Fultz stays pretty healthy and plays 70+ games and averages about the same stats as last year.

2. Cole doesn't get traded, also plays 70+ games and averages about the same stats as last year.

3. Black plays mostly SG/SF and looks like a normal teenager rookie, some nice highs and plenty of yucky lows.

4. The Magic go 43-39 and at least reach the play in, perhaps even winning a game or advancing out of the play in before getting beat in 4 or 5 to the 1/2 seed.

Do you really think in that scenario Magic are going to just let Fultz walk and hand the keys over to a 20/21 year old who hasn't even gotten consistent backup PG minutes? Coming off a play in/playoff run with Fultz as the starter?

[eyriq]

I don't think what happens with Fultz matters really, Black is going to beast. I suspect he earns the starting role his rookie year.

It absolutely matters. Let's play a hypothetical game...

1. Fultz stays pretty healthy and plays 70+ games and averages about the same stats as last year.

2. Cole doesn't get traded, also plays 70+ games and averages about the same stats as last year.

3. Black plays mostly SG/SF and looks like a normal teenager rookie, some nice highs and plenty of yucky lows.

4. The Magic go 43-39 and at least reach the play in, perhaps even winning a game or advancing out of the play in before getting beat in 4 or 5 to the 1/2 seed.

Do you really think in that scenario Magic are going to just let Fultz walk and hand the keys over to a 20/21 year old who hasn't even gotten consistent backup PG minutes? Coming off a play in/playoff run with Fultz as the starter?

Not to mention rookies pretty much always suck out the gate. It'll be interesting for sure.

[VFX]

I don't think what happens with Fultz matters really, Black is going to beast. I suspect he earns the starting role his rookie year.

It absolutely matters. Let's play a hypothetical game...

1. Fultz stays pretty healthy and plays 70+ games and averages about the same stats as last year.

2. Cole doesn't get traded, also plays 70+ games and averages about the same stats as last year.

3. Black plays mostly SG/SF and looks like a normal teenager rookie, some nice highs and plenty of yucky lows.

4. The Magic go 43-39 and at least reach the play in, perhaps even winning a game or advancing out of the play in before getting beat in 4 or 5 to the 1/2 seed.

Do you really think in that scenario Magic are going to just let Fultz walk and hand the keys over to a 20/21 year old who hasn't even gotten consistent backup PG minutes? Coming off a play in/playoff run with Fultz as the starter?

With these new developments it would be very bad to extend Fultz now even more.

[eyriq]

With these new developments it would be very bad to extend Fultz now even more.

Adding two guards in the lottery feels like a move you make when you are about to blow up the backcourt. I just don't see how exactly they do it given the need to return value and balance competitiveness. How would you handle it?

[JoshuaPotter]

With these new developments it would be very bad to extend Fultz now even more.

Adding two guards in the lottery feels like a move you make when you are about to blow up the backcourt. I just don't see how exactly they do it given the need to return value and balance competitiveness. How would you handle it?

Fultz, G Harris, for 2nd picks into CASH CONSIDERATIONS.

[dsg2021]

What caught my eye was that every team is showing a trend to just go hard into BPA in the top 6 or so. Some of the collective world was starting to blink a little at the Thompson twins going 4-6 range, and the NBA teams didn’t. They really jumped into the twins 4-5. And POR sounded like they were even close to taking Amen 3.

Like if you have a 80% bust scenario but with a 20% All Star career scenario, congrats you were the #3 pick. The Magic were hard on that “BPA kool aid” too. And it’s becoming less and less of a wonder why every draft has some or most of its top 5 players drafted after #6.

Credit to ORL FO for taking one of them in Franz after Suggs. I’ll be hoping for the same in Jett after Black.