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

[j-ragg]

I think we should, there is no realistic replacement for him right now both on our team and in the nba in general. Question is if he wants to resign with us.
I predict we will trade AG to make room.for Evan.
When Isaac and Aminu are back and Okeke is fully unleashed we will have no space for Gordon. He is not vital to our success right now.

So resigning Fournier and trading Gordon leads to this starting roster next year (I am assuming Birch and Ennis are not resigned, and that Aminu opts-in to his 10M).

Fultz/Carter-Williams/Anthony
Fournier/Ross/xxxxx
Isaac/Bacon/Clark
xxxxx/Okeke/Aminu
Vučević/Bamba/xxxxx

In the mid-draft, Mr. BPA is likely to be a wing, so bench depth is met in the draft. A LLE Vet could be inked for deep bench depth at C.

That leaves a question as to which PF the Magic want to pick up by trading a PF. This is a challenging question as the trade of Gordon would not be to balance the roster, but change on roster slot's skill set. If Fultz develops an outside game, the Magic will not need shooting per se. So what, rebounding? Indeed trading Gordon in a scenario Fournier is resigned would be about lowering salary (resulting in a probable reduction in talent at the PF slot).

Fultz/Anthony
Fournier/Ross Bacon
Isaac/MCW/ Bacon/Clark
Aminu/Okeke Clark
Vučević/Bamba

I see it like this, perfectly balanced. After next year it could be Fournier/Isaac/Okeke wing/forward rotation. unless we trade for a star ofc.

So... Gordon at the 4 makes no sense. Slide Aminu the conqueror in there and it all of a sudden is perfectly balanced

At least I can admit to being a hater.

[JBSouthpaw]

So resigning Fournier and trading Gordon leads to this starting roster next year (I am assuming Birch and Ennis are not resigned, and that Aminu opts-in to his 10M).

Fultz/Carter-Williams/Anthony
Fournier/Ross/xxxxx
Isaac/Bacon/Clark
xxxxx/Okeke/Aminu
Vučević/Bamba/xxxxx

In the mid-draft, Mr. BPA is likely to be a wing, so bench depth is met in the draft. A LLE Vet could be inked for deep bench depth at C.

That leaves a question as to which PF the Magic want to pick up by trading a PF. This is a challenging question as the trade of Gordon would not be to balance the roster, but change on roster slot's skill set. If Fultz develops an outside game, the Magic will not need shooting per se. So what, rebounding? Indeed trading Gordon in a scenario Fournier is resigned would be about lowering salary (resulting in a probable reduction in talent at the PF slot).

Fultz/Anthony
Fournier/Ross Bacon
Isaac/MCW/ Bacon/Clark
Aminu/Okeke Clark
Vučević/Bamba

I see it like this, perfectly balanced. After next year it could be Fournier/Isaac/Okeke wing/forward rotation. unless we trade for a star ofc.

So... Gordon at the 4 makes no sense. Slide Aminu the conqueror in there and it all of a sudden is perfectly balanced

At least I can admit to being a hater.

You guys are forgetting the return for AG, probably would be impacting the roster somewhere.

[basketballRob]

I think we should, there is no realistic replacement for him right now both on our team and in the nba in general. Question is if he wants to resign with us.
I predict we will trade AG to make room.for Evan.
When Isaac and Aminu are back and Okeke is fully unleashed we will have no space for Gordon. He is not vital to our success right now.

So resigning Fournier and trading Gordon leads to this starting roster next year (I am assuming Birch and Ennis are not resigned, and that Aminu opts-in to his 10M).

Fultz/Carter-Williams/Anthony
Fournier/Ross/xxxxx
Isaac/Bacon/Clark
xxxxx/Okeke/Aminu
Vučević/Bamba/xxxxx

In the mid-draft, Mr. BPA is likely to be a wing, so bench depth is met in the draft. A LLE Vet could be inked for deep bench depth at C.

That leaves a question as to which PF the Magic want to pick up by trading a PF. This is a challenging question as the trade of Gordon would not be to balance the roster, but change on roster slot's skill set. If Fultz develops an outside game, the Magic will not need shooting per se. So what, rebounding? Indeed trading Gordon in a scenario Fournier is resigned would be about lowering salary (resulting in a probable reduction in talent at the PF slot).

Fultz/Anthony
Fournier/Ross Bacon
Isaac/MCW/ Bacon/Clark
Aminu/Okeke Clark
Vučević/Bamba

I see it like this, perfectly balanced. After next year it could be Fournier/Isaac/Okeke wing/forward rotation. unless we trade for a star ofc.

Looks like a top 25 defense.

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[zaymon]

Its balanced becouse there are minutes for everyone. Trading AG makes the most sense. Isaac is better, Aminu has no trade value and is cheaper while being better shooter, Okeke is on rookie contract. I dont hate any player but AG is the odd man unless we make some other less efficient moves

[jonbob17]

I am convinced AG’s defense is highly overrated. He looks great when he is focused like in a playoff series, but he disappears during the regular season. So far this year he seemed interested in game 1.

This team looks a lot like the post Isaac Jan-March team last year that was scoring the ball well but giving up a lot of points.

We are going to need more minutes from MCW and Bamba out there with the 2nd unit, and get AG engaged on the defense side of the ball. I would rather AG score 10 points a game and play good on ball defense than only focused on offense.

AG disappearing on defense is more frustrating than any effort issues from Bamba. We know AG is a capable defender, but he has to do it more often.

Why?

Because Bamba changes shots, and in doing so makes our opponents less efficient. If we play MCW as the defensive linchpin of the first unit and Bamba as the second, we always have a good defender on the floor.

[drsd]

Its balanced becouse there are minutes for everyone. Trading AG makes the most sense. Isaac is better, Aminu has no trade value and is cheaper while being better shooter, Okeke is on rookie contract. I dont hate any player but AG is the odd man unless we make some other less efficient moves

Yes. But Gordon would be traded for cap-space if Fournier was resigned.

[basketballRob]

Delete

[MasterGMer]

Cole's shot selection was a real problem. He kept attempting low percentage shots. Maybe that was even the concern before we drafted him. He needs to have that kind of understanding of the game especially being a PG

[Knightro]

Read on Twitter

[PrimeThyme]

Our starting lineup has a -26 net rating through 5 games. That's not going to cut it.

[j-ragg]

Isaac out. Bamba out. Okeke out. 3/4 of Weltman’s guys.

Taking the most underdeveloped/hurt prospects seems to be working out.

[Nyce_1]

JI out.
Okeke out for a while.
AG playing with a lingering hamstring injury.
Fournier gonna be battling back spasms.
Ross dealing with potential lingering hamstring injury.
Amin-who is still missing in action.

Just tank.

[basketballRob]

JI out.
Okeke out for a while.
AG playing with a lingering hamstring injury.
Fournier gonna be battling back spasms.
Ross dealing with potential lingering hamstring injury.
Amin-who is still missing in action.

Just tank.

Did you hear any news on Okeke?

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[basketballRob]

Chuma Okeke with a bone bruise. Doesn't sound as bad as i thought.

Read on Twitter

?s=19

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[j-ragg]

“Several weeks”

[basketballRob]

“Several weeks”

I was just reading about it and it could take months. It must be swollen and who knows when or if it'll ever be better.


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[RookieStar]

Swelling knee? Is that anything like a Meniscus Tear or ACL? Sorry all I hear is knee and I get flashbacks on those

[Def Swami]

JI out.
Okeke out for a while.
AG playing with a lingering hamstring injury.
Fournier gonna be battling back spasms.
Ross dealing with potential lingering hamstring injury.
Amin-who is still missing in action.

Just tank.

This was always the perfect season to do it. Short season. No fans. No Isaac. Great top 3 in the draft.

I just don't think this season will ever get bad enough for the team to do it. The Magic will beat up on bad teams and get crushed by the good ones, always keeping in the mix for a final playoff spot or play in spot. And the veil of injuries will be used to justify doing nothing.

[Bensational]

Our starting lineup has a -26 net rating through 5 games. That's not going to cut it.

Our SL with either one of Fournier or Gordon replaced with MCW has much better net rtg. Good excuse to trade one - and one of those will be a FA we can't afford to resign.

[Bensational]

JI out.
Okeke out for a while.
AG playing with a lingering hamstring injury.
Fournier gonna be battling back spasms.
Ross dealing with potential lingering hamstring injury.
Amin-who is still missing in action.

Just tank.

This was always the perfect season to do it. Short season. No fans. No Isaac. Great top 3 in the draft.

I just don't think this season will ever get bad enough for the team to do it. The Magic will beat up on bad teams and get crushed by the good ones, always keeping in the mix for a final playoff spot or play in spot. And the veil of injuries will be used to justify doing nothing.

It's going to take 30 or so games for records and seeding to start shaping up with the way teams are handling load management and covid early on. We've seen how easily this team can slip into a losing streak.