Official Speculation Thread I

[KillMonger]

what's our pick situation in 2014? i know we'll at least have a top 10 pick but don't we have others from previous trades?

[Nyce_1]

what's our pick situation in 2014? i know we'll at least have a top 10 pick but don't we have others from previous trades?

We also have the worse pick between Nuggets and Knicks so we root hard for both to fail next season.

[KillMonger]

what's our pick situation in 2014? i know we'll at least have a top 10 pick but don't we have others from previous trades?

We also have the worse pick between Nuggets and Knicks so we root hard for both to fail next season.

is that a first rounder?

[Nyce_1]

is that a first rounder?

yes.

Dream scenario is both implode (Nuggets half way there) and we all end up in top 3.

[meatwad4343]

what's our pick situation in 2014? i know we'll at least have a top 10 pick but don't we have others from previous trades?

We also have the worse pick between Nuggets and Knicks so we root hard for both to fail next season.

is that a first rounder?

yes. probably early to mid 20s since the knicks won't be that bad even if the nuggets are.

[MagicTownBaller]

Does anyone else have a feeling that Oladipo is our PG of the future and not our SG of the future? I just keep thinking of Russell Westbrook. He was drafted and projected as a SG in the NBA and he played PG and IMO is the best PG in the league. I think Oladipo compares more to him then being the next D-Wade. All he needs to do is improve his ball handling and passing and we will be fine. If we suck next year, we could either have one of these four lineups, I'm fine with any of them.

IF WE GET #1 PICK NEXT YEAR
PG: Victor Oladipo
SG: Maurice Harkless
SF: Andrew Wiggins
PF: Tobias Harris
C: Nikola Vucevic

IF WE GET #2 PICK NEXT YEAR
PG: Victor Oladipo
SG: Maurice Harkless
SF: Jabari Parker
PF: Tobias Harris
C: Nikola Vucevic

IF WE GET #3 PICK NEXT YEAR
PG: Marcus Smart
SG: Victor Oladipo
SF: Maurice Harkless
PF: Tobias Harris
C: Nikola Vucevic

IF WE GET #4 PICK NEXT YEAR
PG: Victor Oladipo
SG: Maurice Harkless
SF: Tobias Harris
PF: Julius Randle
C: Nikola Vucevic

In the 2014-15 season, we will be fighting for a playoff spot. Heck, I think if we keep most of our squad in tact, we could be #6-#7 seed this year.

[meatwad4343]

Harris is our 2nd option, Vucevic 3rd, Harkless and Oladipo 4th. We just need a first option or an option 2b and a free agent who can score

that's what i'm thinking. i really hope we don't overachieve next year. we need a top 3 pick. wiggins would be nice obviously but i think jabari parker would a great no 1 option in the carmelo role and i honestly think marcus smart can be as good as chris paul. i'm still kicking myself that smart decided not to come out this year. he would have fell right into our laps.

[KillMonger]

I got to say Julius Randle is a beast man, can't believe i'm saying this but i was watching some ballislife highlight and in one instance there was a guy who got the defensive rebound pushed it full speed and cocked it back and dunked it. He looked big and strong, and he was wearing a headband so for a split second i thought it was lebron because i only saw the back view but it was Randle. I would love a number 1 pick next season but i think if we get top 5 or even top 8 we'll be getting a very talented prospect. That being said let's see if their dominance can translate to the college level and then we'll see who separates themselves from the pack

[rcklsscognition]

If Rondo goes to another east coast team, like the Pacers, there will be 3 superteams out there.

[scoobs07]

Sorry, didn't realize you guys are that high on Tobias Harris. How about a revised version of the deal?

Magic get: Bledsoe and Butler

Clippers get: Aldridge, Afflalo and Withey

Blazers get: Jordan, Nicholson, 2014 Orlando 1st (top 13 protected), 2017 Clippers 1st (unprotected) and 3 million cash (Clippers)

You get the PG that you covet in Bledsoe. You have two first round picks in 2014, you would just have to send Portland the worse of those picks and it would still be lottery protected. You also save money by aquiring Butler's expiring contract. Your team would look like this:

PF-Harrington/Turkoglu/O'Quinn
SF-Harris/Harkless/Osby
C-Vucevic/Davis
PG-Bledsoe/Nelson
SG-Oladipo/Butler/Moore/Lamb

Looks like a pretty good young team, and then you would have the potential to get Andrew Wiggins in the 2014 draft. In addition to that, Butler and Turkoglu's contract expire just in time for the summer of 2014. The future would look bright for the Orlando Magic after that trade IMO.

I wouldn't be willing to do Afflalo Nicholson and a pick for Bledsoe and definitely not a 2014 pick even if it's the
worse of the two we have. He just hasn't shown enough to be worth that much and Butler doesn't add value as anything more than contract filler.

I'm sorry, I was under the impression that the Orlando Magic are interested in trading for Eric Bledsoe. I don't think Bledsoe/Butler for Afflalo would be enough to get it done. I think Orlando would have to add more value to such a trade. How about you just keep Afflalo and you trade use the worse of your 2014 picks (which will likely be in the 20s) and Nicholson? Does that sound like a good compromise?

[InFlames]

I got to say Julius Randle is a beast man, can't believe i'm saying this but i was watching some ballislife highlight and in one instance there was a guy who got the defensive rebound pushed it full speed and cocked it back and dunked it. He looked big and strong, and he was wearing a headband so for a split second i thought it was lebron because i only saw the back view but it was Randle. I would love a number 1 pick next season but i think if we get top 5 or even top 8 we'll be getting a very talented prospect. That being said let's see if their dominance can translate to the college level and then we'll see who separates themselves from the pack

Yep, Randle is a monster. Big, athletic, fast, can shoot, has good ball-handling. Hes probably my favorite player in that class.

[InFlames]

Sorry, didn't realize you guys are that high on Tobias Harris. How about a revised version of the deal?

Magic get: Bledsoe and Butler

Clippers get: Aldridge, Afflalo and Withey

Blazers get: Jordan, Nicholson, 2014 Orlando 1st (top 13 protected), 2017 Clippers 1st (unprotected) and 3 million cash (Clippers)

You get the PG that you covet in Bledsoe. You have two first round picks in 2014, you would just have to send Portland the worse of those picks and it would still be lottery protected. You also save money by aquiring Butler's expiring contract. Your team would look like this:

PF-Harrington/Turkoglu/O'Quinn
SF-Harris/Harkless/Osby
C-Vucevic/Davis
PG-Bledsoe/Nelson
SG-Oladipo/Butler/Moore/Lamb

Looks like a pretty good young team, and then you would have the potential to get Andrew Wiggins in the 2014 draft. In addition to that, Butler and Turkoglu's contract expire just in time for the summer of 2014. The future would look bright for the Orlando Magic after that trade IMO.

I wouldn't be willing to do Afflalo Nicholson and a pick for Bledsoe and definitely not a 2014 pick even if it's the
worse of the two we have. He just hasn't shown enough to be worth that much and Butler doesn't add value as anything more than contract filler.

I'm sorry, I was under the impression that the Orlando Magic are interested in trading for Eric Bledsoe. I don't think Bledsoe/Butler for Afflalo would be enough to get it done. I think Orlando would have to add more value to such a trade. How about you just keep Afflalo and you trade use the worse of your 2014 picks (which will likely be in the 20s) and Nicholson? Does that sound like a good compromise?

So we already give up the best player in the deal with Afflalo and you want us to add Nicholson and a first rounder?! That deal is so bad it's almost offensive.

Wait I'm sorry I didn't see that you wanted us to keep Afflalo and add the pick instead. I think we would much rather trade Afflalo tbh. Nicholson + late first is better but we really want to trade Afflalo to give Deepo more time and so we can lose more games.

[jjohns828]

Sorry, didn't realize you guys are that high on Tobias Harris. How about a revised version of the deal?

Magic get: Bledsoe and Butler

Clippers get: Aldridge, Afflalo and Withey

Blazers get: Jordan, Nicholson, 2014 Orlando 1st (top 13 protected), 2017 Clippers 1st (unprotected) and 3 million cash (Clippers)

You get the PG that you covet in Bledsoe. You have two first round picks in 2014, you would just have to send Portland the worse of those picks and it would still be lottery protected. You also save money by aquiring Butler's expiring contract. Your team would look like this:

PF-Harrington/Turkoglu/O'Quinn
SF-Harris/Harkless/Osby
C-Vucevic/Davis
PG-Bledsoe/Nelson
SG-Oladipo/Butler/Moore/Lamb

Looks like a pretty good young team, and then you would have the potential to get Andrew Wiggins in the 2014 draft. In addition to that, Butler and Turkoglu's contract expire just in time for the summer of 2014. The future would look bright for the Orlando Magic after that trade IMO.

I wouldn't be willing to do Afflalo Nicholson and a pick for Bledsoe and definitely not a 2014 pick even if it's the
worse of the two we have. He just hasn't shown enough to be worth that much and Butler doesn't add value as anything more than contract filler.

I'm sorry, I was under the impression that the Orlando Magic are interested in trading for Eric Bledsoe. I don't think Bledsoe/Butler for Afflalo would be enough to get it done. I think Orlando would have to add more value to such a trade. How about you just keep Afflalo and you trade use the worse of your 2014 picks (which will likely be in the 20s) and Nicholson? Does that sound like a good compromise?

What I'm trying to say is that I'd personally be willing to add either Nicholson or one of our extra draft picks from the Howard trade for a draft other than 2014, but not both. In my mind this new deal doesn't work either I'm not willing to give up one of our young prospects and a draft pick for Bledsoe period.

[scoobs07]

I know, it is actually addition by subtracton if you guys were able to unload Afflalo, thats why maybe it would be worth it to include Nicholson and the pick(projected to be in the 20s). It is obvious that you guys (or Orlando front office) i should say has interest in Bledsoe. I also know that you guys are thinking about going into tanking mode, which is the opposite of what we are doing, so we would be good trade partners. My main objective is to collect some more assets to send over to Portland for Aldridge. There has to be some kind of compromise to get something done, it just makes to much sense for both teams.

[InFlames]

I know, it is actually addition by subtracton if you guys were able to unload Afflalo, thats why maybe it would be worth it to include Nicholson and the pick(projected to be in the 20s). It is obvious that you guys (or Orlando front office) i should say has interest in Bledsoe. I also know that you guys are thinking about going into tanking mode, which is the opposite of what we are doing, so we would be good trade partners. My main objective is to collect some more assets to send over to Portland for Aldridge. There has to be some kind of compromise to get something done, it just makes to much sense for both teams.

Are you saying you want us to trade Afflalo, Nicholson and a 1st for Bledsoe and Butler? That is god awful and there is no way on earth we would make that trade. Afflalo is a better player than Bledsoe.

We have been in tank mode since last year.

[T-Rob]

I know, it is actually addition by subtracton if you guys were able to unload Afflalo, thats why maybe it would be worth it to include Nicholson and the pick(projected to be in the 20s). It is obvious that you guys (or Orlando front office) i should say has interest in Bledsoe. I also know that you guys are thinking about going into tanking mode, which is the opposite of what we are doing, so we would be good trade partners. My main objective is to collect some more assets to send over to Portland for Aldridge. There has to be some kind of compromise to get something done, it just makes to much sense for both teams.

Afflalo isnt a player you just unload though, its not like it would be a relief to get rid of Afflalo. Afflalo is an asset that you get as much as possible for without the inclusion of other pieces. Clippers want to unload Bledsoe as bad as the Magic want to unload Afflalo, Bledsoe is not a better player at this point in his career.

[jjohns828]

I know, it is actually addition by subtracton if you guys were able to unload Afflalo, thats why maybe it would be worth it to include Nicholson and the pick(projected to be in the 20s). It is obvious that you guys (or Orlando front office) i should say has interest in Bledsoe. I also know that you guys are thinking about going into tanking mode, which is the opposite of what we are doing, so we would be good trade partners. My main objective is to collect some more assets to send over to Portland for Aldridge. There has to be some kind of compromise to get something done, it just makes to much sense for both teams.

Personally I can't see any way that I'd personally give more then what I outlined in my last post. But then again I'm one of the Magic fans that aren't sure whether a Bledsoe/Oladipo backcourt would work well together and see trading for Bledsoe as giving him a one year audition before he's due a pay raise. Looking at it like that it doesn't make sense to offer anything more.

[magicman123]

I think we'll be lucky to end up with a top 5 pick, @6-9 seems likely

[scoobs07]

I know, it is actually addition by subtracton if you guys were able to unload Afflalo, thats why maybe it would be worth it to include Nicholson and the pick(projected to be in the 20s). It is obvious that you guys (or Orlando front office) i should say has interest in Bledsoe. I also know that you guys are thinking about going into tanking mode, which is the opposite of what we are doing, so we would be good trade partners. My main objective is to collect some more assets to send over to Portland for Aldridge. There has to be some kind of compromise to get something done, it just makes to much sense for both teams.

Are you saying you want us to trade Afflalo, Nicholson and a 1st for Bledsoe and Butler? That is god awful and there is no way on earth we would make that trade. Afflalo is a better player than Bledsoe.

We have been in tank mode since last year.

I guess we are just not seeing things the same way. I see it like this:

1. You get the expiring contract of Butler in exchange for the 3 years/23 million remIning on Afflalo's deal. This aspect of the trade alone allows you to acomplish multiple things. First, it saves your team 23 million dollars on a bench player. You invested the 2nd pick in the draft on Oladipo and you are in rebuilding mode, I don't think you
drafted him to come off the bench, so AA would be relegated to the bench. Second, Butler is less talented then Afflalo, which helps you win less games during the 2013-2014 season. You guys are tanking right? Third, you get Eric Bledsoe, who your front office supposedly covets. You give up a mid to late first round pick and you give up Nicholson who is just ok...You know what, how about you keep Nicholson and absorb Joel Freeland and his 2 years/6 million remaining. Would you be willing to do that?

Magic get: Bledsoe(point guard you covet), Butler(tanking mode) and Freeland(allows you to keep Nicholson)

Clippers get: Aldridge, Afflalo and Withey

Blazers get: Jordan, 2014 1st round pick (the worst of your 2 picks), 2017 1st round pick (Clippers) and 3 million cash (Clippers)

Hey, I was willing to compromise on this one, i hope it makes sense to you! If not, good luck finding somebody to take Afflalo (I know he is not somebody you just unload, but it would be in your best interest to do so, if your goal is to get a high lottery pick). Also, good luck in finding a point guard! We are such good trade partners, I don't think there would be too much posterior going on between front offices.

[magicsanta]

I think we'll be lucky to end up with a top 5 pick, @6-9 seems likely

With the team as it is right now? Maybe even a little worse, no? 9th-14? I think it is quite probable that we see more changes before next season though