Run it back again?!?!?!

[yoyojw17]

I get the frustration... but when you step back and look at the big picture... there is no need to make large moves until the path has been made clearer. Their first 2 lotto picks were high upside picks which would take time to develop before the fruits of the pick really affect the team. Their bodies had to mature to a certain level before they became true impact players. We could have seen that major step forward with isaac (stupid injuries) and hope to see the same from bamba as well this season now that his body has mature (stupid covid). Then they took a player in Okeke who has lottery talent but his value was marred by an injury that would keep him out for a year. THose were mainly upside picks that though they were made... was not going to make much of an impact immediately... and this was known and was done by design.

So.... while these players mature... they kept players that would help establish and maintain a competitive environment... and they did so.... keeping most of the players on solid contracts.... contracts that would be of value when the time is right and foundations are solidified.

They are more cautious and methodical than most... and that might rub people the wrong way... but that does not mean that they are doing it incorrectly. They just aren't wetting our lips as often as most of us will like. With our cap situation... going out and adding certain talent via free agency might not be a good financial idea when you are trying to reup on two of your core players in the next season. So... ain't no need to make any significant additions... especially the ones that might take away time from the younger core.

And if you're in the camp that doesnt see the possible futures of Fultz, Isaac and bamba... then i can see why one think that they are doing a horrible job... etc etc etc. No movement will occur till certain things fall into place... otherwise for them holding onto particular assets might be better than going all in. So yes... i have been and will continue to believe that players like fournier, gordon and vuc would be used in trades to acquire players that will fit the style of play and values.

A player like Anthony could become a spark plug for our team and our rebuilding efforts. Isaacs injury has definitely been a setback, but this could have been the year that the magic took a hugeeeee step forward.

The more i attempt to see it all from their point of view... the more I fell like i can envision what they are trying too do.

we will see!

Under the 5 stage Kubler-Ross model for coping with loss they call this stage denial

Maybe we are in acceptance ?

Last year we basically lost all of our lottery players
How can anyone evaluate our ceiling without knowing the outcomes of Isaac, Bamba, Okeke, Anthony and Fultz ?
Jokes about Fournier and Vucevic are funny to some extent but its glaring that Weltman builds around younger players.
No bad long term contracts, cheap reclamation projects, high risk draft prospects.

1. If we lose a lot we should trade Fournier and Gordon, maybe even Vucevic at the deadline for future assets
2. If we win a lot, we should try to consolidate players/ picks
3. If we hang around 8-10 we should make decisions on our veterans depending on young core evaluation.

I dont really know what type of advantage forcing Fournier, Gordon, Vucevic trade right now gives us.

Exactly. Free agency might not be as kind to us. But as we know what Fultz, JI, Bamba, Okeke, Anthony are projecting to be... we can utilize those players and turn them into proper fits and not blindly shuffling in and out talent... talent that may even lose value just by coming to us because they just didn't fit or move the needle appropriately. So yes... stand pat if they see nothing that for sure is an upgrade. I wouldn't be surprised if this team surpasses expectations even though everyone talks bout us taking a step back because of JI. Growth across the board can supplant and fill in a void of an important player.

Imagine if Okeke and Cole turn out to be on a path that we were hoping for... and bamba becomes the best back up big with his swoleness and addition of his best friend... AG and fournier's roles become more define as Fultz's training wheels are removed... vuc just keeps getting more efficient. all of those are just as possible as the "Half glass empty" choices.

[Rainwater]

Personally, I think that the Magic are just going to run with this core through 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. If there isn't a reason to keep this group together at that point, it's a perfect time to blow everything up. The Magic would only have Ross and Vucevic under contract at that point and I assume they'd easily be tradeable. Then you could either try to make a splash in free agency, tank or something else.

I just have this feeling that there is some underlying plan to all of these short-term moves.

Out of all the long term plans I have heard this seems to make the most sense to me. But if it's truly the plan the GM needs to get fired, you can't get paid to sit on your hands and play the middle. If you are going to take the wait and see approach, why not just rebuild, trade for assets, and get higher draft picks while not hurting your long term cap flexibility? It's pretty obvious the current core is not leading you anywhere.

[Rainwater]

I get the frustration... but when you step back and look at the big picture... there is no need to make large moves until the path has been made clearer. Their first 2 lotto picks were high upside picks which would take time to develop before the fruits of the pick really affect the team. Their bodies had to mature to a certain level before they became true impact players. We could have seen that major step forward with isaac (stupid injuries) and hope to see the same from bamba as well this season now that his body has mature (stupid covid). Then they took a player in Okeke who has lottery talent but his value was marred by an injury that would keep him out for a year. THose were mainly upside picks that though they were made... was not going to make much of an impact immediately... and this was known and was done by design.

So.... while these players mature... they kept players that would help establish and maintain a competitive environment... and they did so.... keeping most of the players on solid contracts.... contracts that would be of value when the time is right and foundations are solidified.

They are more cautious and methodical than most... and that might rub people the wrong way... but that does not mean that they are doing it incorrectly. They just aren't wetting our lips as often as most of us will like. With our cap situation... going out and adding certain talent via free agency might not be a good financial idea when you are trying to reup on two of your core players in the next season. So... ain't no need to make any significant additions... especially the ones that might take away time from the younger core.

And if you're in the camp that doesnt see the possible futures of Fultz, Isaac and bamba... then i can see why one think that they are doing a horrible job... etc etc etc. No movement will occur till certain things fall into place... otherwise for them holding onto particular assets might be better than going all in. So yes... i have been and will continue to believe that players like fournier, gordon and vuc would be used in trades to acquire players that will fit the style of play and values.

A player like Anthony could become a spark plug for our team and our rebuilding efforts. Isaacs injury has definitely been a setback, but this could have been the year that the magic took a hugeeeee step forward.

The more i attempt to see it all from their point of view... the more I fell like i can envision what they are trying too do.

we will see!

Under the 5 stage Kubler-Ross model for coping with loss they call this stage denial

hahahahaha!!!! Hate you. jk

eh.... everyone has different views. this is just mine and it makes sense. Crossing fingers and toes that it wall works out for the best!

Very true point and I love the optimism.

[Xatticus]

I get the frustration... but when you step back and look at the big picture... there is no need to make large moves until the path has been made clearer. Their first 2 lotto picks were high upside picks which would take time to develop before the fruits of the pick really affect the team. Their bodies had to mature to a certain level before they became true impact players. We could have seen that major step forward with isaac (stupid injuries) and hope to see the same from bamba as well this season now that his body has mature (stupid covid). Then they took a player in Okeke who has lottery talent but his value was marred by an injury that would keep him out for a year. THose were mainly upside picks that though they were made... was not going to make much of an impact immediately... and this was known and was done by design.

So.... while these players mature... they kept players that would help establish and maintain a competitive environment... and they did so.... keeping most of the players on solid contracts.... contracts that would be of value when the time is right and foundations are solidified.

They are more cautious and methodical than most... and that might rub people the wrong way... but that does not mean that they are doing it incorrectly. They just aren't wetting our lips as often as most of us will like. With our cap situation... going out and adding certain talent via free agency might not be a good financial idea when you are trying to reup on two of your core players in the next season. So... ain't no need to make any significant additions... especially the ones that might take away time from the younger core.

And if you're in the camp that doesnt see the possible futures of Fultz, Isaac and bamba... then i can see why one think that they are doing a horrible job... etc etc etc. No movement will occur till certain things fall into place... otherwise for them holding onto particular assets might be better than going all in. So yes... i have been and will continue to believe that players like fournier, gordon and vuc would be used in trades to acquire players that will fit the style of play and values.

A player like Anthony could become a spark plug for our team and our rebuilding efforts. Isaacs injury has definitely been a setback, but this could have been the year that the magic took a hugeeeee step forward.

The more i attempt to see it all from their point of view... the more I fell like i can envision what they are trying too do.

we will see!

This is a rationalization. The idea that focusing on the short term will benefit you in the long term is a fallacy. They are not one and the same. You will invariably be forced to make decisions that will come at the expense of one or the other. If you refuse to accept this, you will do nothing. Attempting to navigate the middle ground leaves you in no man's land, which is precisely where we are.

The here and now sucks and the future appears bleak. If we chose one direction or another, it would be easy to improve our outlook through one lens or the other. We've hired a win-now coach and marginalized our young talent for what exactly? You can't argue that it is to focus on the here and now. Consider, Russell Westbrook hasn't played on a team as bad as our high-water mark (42-40) since his rookie season. We could improve our chances of reaching the playoffs this season simply by taking back a contract that it seems nobody in the NBA wants. I'm not advocating that we do this, but this must make one question what it is that we are holding on to. Even in making these short-sighted decisions, we aren't trying all that hard to actually win games.

I do not buy the argument that our young players will benefit from watching the veterans on this roster fail time and again. You don't teach someone accountability by telling them to stand in a corner and observe. I don't want to get into another debate about tanking. The fact is, there is one path that we know for certain doesn't work and we are on it. We know this from a lot of first-hand experience.

I had an epiphany when I was much younger. I wondered why the world was the way it was when someone as young and ignorant as myself could see so many obvious ways to improve it. The epiphany was in realizing that there is little will for change from the self-interested individuals that run the world. It's much easier to understand the actions when you understand the motivations of the actors. This just seems to me a classic example of the Peter Principle. Weltman has been elevated to a position beyond his capabilities and he wants to keep it. The status quo is very appealing to someone that has been given a job that they aren't capable of performing. Stay the course, attempt to exude competence, and hope you figure it out at some point. You can tie yourself in knots trying to explain what we are doing or you can just accept that the obvious explanation is the correct one.

[CPBalla2003 n da 863]

I kind of been playing this scenario in my head and I'm hoping this is the case and Weltman and Hammond are playing it this way. Milwaukee was in the middle for awhile... between 2015-2018 and one of those years, they missed the playoffs. They got a lottery pick and although it was Thon Maker, the Odds are even better this time around to snag a lottery pick, they also drafted Malcolm Brogdon that year.

Which like others stated, at the trade deadline, one of these contenders is going to look for some additional shooting, so hopefully we can snag another pick for Evan or some young prospect. Isaac getting injured make them stand pack or run it back. If Okeke is for real, well next year, AG is an expiring and that's another asset. I know it's hard to be patient, but Bucks were mediocre for awhile. Yeah, I'm aware that the great equalizer is Giannis, but he was put into playoff situations. I'm glad Fultz got a run in the playoffs last year and get a taste of postseason hoops. A lot of teams in the East got better and I'll be surprised if Orlando makes it to the playoffs. So I'm rooting for player development (Fultz, Anthony, Okeke and Bamba) and have them be put in competitive situations. It'll be interesting to see how this front office plays with their expiring assets (Fournier this season, AG the following season)

Hopefully there's agreement between Clifford and Weltham to focus on player development. This team spacing is pretty good compare the last few seasons for sure, defense may take a hit though.

They stumbled across Giannis. Just remove him from equation and you get Bucks epic 2013-14 roster with Monta Ellise, Brandon Jennings, Ilaysova, Dunleavy,Sanders hooked on weed...
Hennigan stole Tobias Harris from them because they played career 6,4 ppg Luc Mbah a Moute and Mike Dunleavy who was 32 at times over him .

Hammond and Wetlman "sucess" is nowhere near as impressive as it was presented.

Hammond is one Giannis lucy draft away from being one of worst long term GMs out there. His team NEVER won first round of playoffs. Ever!

Weltman was guy that worked with Ujiri. But when Raptors made complete overhaul of roster? Execlly in season Weltman was moved and Webster took over. Over year and half what was Derozan- Lowry- Valenchunas- Carroll - Ibaka starting 5 turned into: Lowry- Green- Kawhi- Marc Gasol - Siakam starting 5.

4 started changed over 1 year.

Does anybody even know or care who drafted Lebron?
Does anybody know who is Tim Connelly ?

I hear what you are saying, but it seems like they are taking that approach and try to get a lottery pick, I don't think they will come flat out and say that, the message they are sending is try to remain competitive and get to the playoffs. The same thing happen with the Raptors, stuck in the middle until they use their assets and draft picks to build a contender. The lottery format has change and who knows what could happen now. That's why I said that the great equalizer is Giannis and he turned out to be a superstar. Maker didn't pan out, but Brogdon is a solid pro. I'm more curious to see what they do with Evan and AG since they are both expiring this year and the next.

[VFX]

Under the 5 stage Kubler-Ross model for coping with loss they call this stage denial

Maybe we are in acceptance ?

Last year we basically lost all of our lottery players
How can anyone evaluate our ceiling without knowing the outcomes of Isaac, Bamba, Okeke, Anthony and Fultz ?
Jokes about Fournier and Vucevic are funny to some extent but its glaring that Weltman builds around younger players.
No bad long term contracts, cheap reclamation projects, high risk draft prospects.

1. If we lose a lot we should trade Fournier and Gordon, maybe even Vucevic at the deadline for future assets
2. If we win a lot, we should try to consolidate players/ picks
3. If we hang around 8-10 we should make decisions on our veterans depending on young core evaluation.

I dont really know what type of advantage forcing Fournier, Gordon, Vucevic trade right now gives us.

Exactly. Free agency might not be as kind to us. But as we know what Fultz, JI, Bamba, Okeke, Anthony are projecting to be... we can utilize those players and turn them into proper fits and not blindly shuffling in and out talent... talent that may even lose value just by coming to us because they just didn't fit or move the needle appropriately. So yes... stand pat if they see nothing that for sure is an upgrade. I wouldn't be surprised if this team surpasses expectations even though everyone talks bout us taking a step back because of JI. Growth across the board can supplant and fill in a void of an important player.

Imagine if Okeke and Cole turn out to be on a path that we were hoping for... and bamba becomes the best back up big with his swoleness and addition of his best friend... AG and fournier's roles become more define as Fultz's training wheels are removed... vuc just keeps getting more efficient. all of those are just as possible as the "Half glass empty" choices.

Huh?

Next year is a wash without our best defensive player in Isaac and the rest of the east getting exponentially better. That’s not due to Orlando laying down, but because of injury and inaction on the FO part.

Even if you think Cole and Okeke turn out to far exceed expectations, you aren’t factoring in Clifford and his minute distribution.

I understand you’re optimistic, but the whole idea that “standing pat” as the best option is wrong. This FO has been “standing pat” since they’ve taken over. We've had the same offense since Hennigan. You are simply rationalizing their decision, or indecision, because of their title and perceived lack of options. You and I don’t know 100% what is being offered to them, but what I DO know is that they have absolutely sacrificed draft position simply to claim “playoffs”... which means nothing.

Don’t be confused, choosing not to move assets from a middle of the road team is also as detrimental as trading players for bad lopsided trades. Why? Because players age, markets change, and contracts become harder to move. The draft matters to organizations like Orlando.

What’s funny is that Orlando wouldn’t even be in this predicament if they bit the bullet and built their own team from upon their initial hiring. They chose to play it safe and now where are we? They couldn’t possibly paint themselves into a corner further if they tried.

I like that you’re optimistic about our prospects. The issue with running it back has nothing to do with them and everything to do with the minute distribution and mismanagement of salaries elsewhere. This is a rebuild year and honestly the team should be blown up.

[zaymon]

You guys cant decide if we stagnated as 8th seed or got outrun by Hawks, Wizards, Bulls, Hornets.
If we are still playoff team that means all those teams dug their own grave with big veteran signings. If they are better than us we will pick in lottery in good draft. Whats that bad in our position ? We just replaced our ball handlers with two kids. I dont think you can ask for more. And dont tell me they need to play on ball all the time, thats how you produce divas like Westbrook or Harden. Playing off ball is important.

[CPBalla2003 n da 863]

You guys cant decide if we stagnated as 8th seed or got outrun by Hawks, Wizards, Bulls, Hornets.
If we are still playoff team that means all those teams dug their own grave with big veteran signings. If they are better than us we will pick in lottery in good draft. Whats that bad in our position ? We just replaced our ball handlers with two kids. I dont think you can ask for more. And dont tell me they need to play on ball all the time, thats how you produce divas like Westbrook or Harden. Playing off ball is important.

Agreed, If we make it to the Playoffs and some of our young guys shows growth and promise, let them learn in a playoff environment. If no growth is shown, then play the odds in the lottery and try to get a pretty good pick.

I mean, we see Isaac is a difference maker on the defensive end and this Magic looks completely different with him out there. Hopefully he's ready to go by next season and he comes back to a team with some young talent that displays growth or snag a lottery pick and whatever asset we snag for Evan's expiring (if the FO makes that move)

[D12VCMagic]

One of the most overrated thoughts I see around the NBA is that just making the playoffs is good experience for players. Maybe if you are actually giving your opponent all you can handle it can help it some ways, but getting your teeth kicked in by a clearly superior team in a playoff series doesn’t make any young players better or anything.

[pepe1991]

One of the most overrated thoughts I see around the NBA is that just making the playoffs is good experience for players. Maybe if you are actually giving your opponent all you can handle it can help it some ways, but getting your teeth kicked in by a clearly superior team in a playoff series doesn’t make any young players better or anything.

Imo most overrated thing in nba is " shot creator" narrative.
It's just player taking contested shot instad of letting offense set a proper play for somebody



But i agree, making playoffs for "experience" doesn't really mean whole lot. You can prepare team for playoffs by forcing them to play half court offense and defense, it's menagable to do it during regular season against better teams.

[Skybox]

On a positive note...even if we don’t make another move, we have TWO mid-first picks coming in

[yoyojw17]

I get the frustration... but when you step back and look at the big picture... there is no need to make large moves until the path has been made clearer. Their first 2 lotto picks were high upside picks which would take time to develop before the fruits of the pick really affect the team. Their bodies had to mature to a certain level before they became true impact players. We could have seen that major step forward with isaac (stupid injuries) and hope to see the same from bamba as well this season now that his body has mature (stupid covid). Then they took a player in Okeke who has lottery talent but his value was marred by an injury that would keep him out for a year. THose were mainly upside picks that though they were made... was not going to make much of an impact immediately... and this was known and was done by design.

So.... while these players mature... they kept players that would help establish and maintain a competitive environment... and they did so.... keeping most of the players on solid contracts.... contracts that would be of value when the time is right and foundations are solidified.

They are more cautious and methodical than most... and that might rub people the wrong way... but that does not mean that they are doing it incorrectly. They just aren't wetting our lips as often as most of us will like. With our cap situation... going out and adding certain talent via free agency might not be a good financial idea when you are trying to reup on two of your core players in the next season. So... ain't no need to make any significant additions... especially the ones that might take away time from the younger core.

And if you're in the camp that doesnt see the possible futures of Fultz, Isaac and bamba... then i can see why one think that they are doing a horrible job... etc etc etc. No movement will occur till certain things fall into place... otherwise for them holding onto particular assets might be better than going all in. So yes... i have been and will continue to believe that players like fournier, gordon and vuc would be used in trades to acquire players that will fit the style of play and values.

A player like Anthony could become a spark plug for our team and our rebuilding efforts. Isaacs injury has definitely been a setback, but this could have been the year that the magic took a hugeeeee step forward.

The more i attempt to see it all from their point of view... the more I fell like i can envision what they are trying too do.

we will see!

This is a rationalization. The idea that focusing on the short term will benefit you in the long term is a fallacy. They are not one and the same. You will invariably be forced to make decisions that will come at the expense of one or the other. If you refuse to accept this, you will do nothing. Attempting to navigate the middle ground leaves you in no man's land, which is precisely where we are.

The here and now sucks and the future appears bleak. If we chose one direction or another, it would be easy to improve our outlook through one lens or the other. We've hired a win-now coach and marginalized our young talent for what exactly? You can't argue that it is to focus on the here and now. Consider, Russell Westbrook hasn't played on a team as bad as our high-water mark (42-40) since his rookie season. We could improve our chances of reaching the playoffs this season simply by taking back a contract that it seems nobody in the NBA wants. I'm not advocating that we do this, but this must make one question what it is that we are holding on to. Even in making these short-sighted decisions, we aren't trying all that hard to actually win games.

I do not buy the argument that our young players will benefit from watching the veterans on this roster fail time and again. You don't teach someone accountability by telling them to stand in a corner and observe. I don't want to get into another debate about tanking. The fact is, there is one path that we know for certain doesn't work and we are on it. We know this from a lot of first-hand experience.

I had an epiphany when I was much younger. I wondered why the world was the way it was when someone as young and ignorant as myself could see so many obvious ways to improve it. The epiphany was in realizing that there is little will for change from the self-interested individuals that run the world. It's much easier to understand the actions when you understand the motivations of the actors. This just seems to me a classic example of the Peter Principle. Weltman has been elevated to a position beyond his capabilities and he wants to keep it. The status quo is very appealing to someone that has been given a job that they aren't capable of performing. Stay the course, attempt to exude competence, and hope you figure it out at some point. You can tie yourself in knots trying to explain what we are doing or you can just accept that the obvious explanation is the correct one.

They didn't NOT play certain players over the youth... just because.... they just didn't put the pressure on players that were developing physically. They probably knew this drafting them and had a plan. Okeke and Cole are much different than Isaac and Bamba... and I'm much more confident in them getting time from the beginning. They would probably treat everyone dependent on their capabilities. and in doing so... they had no problem holding onto particular players to float the team.

there are many roads to success and failure... and it seems as though they have made their decision on how to handle it and mitigate. And either direction could lead to success and failure as well. Since I have no pull in basketball operations I will never get "what I want"... which is going to be different or variation of what any fan wants to see.... so I just try to understand their stance and hope it works... leading the magic to such success.

[jonbob17]

You guys cant decide if we stagnated as 8th seed or got outrun by Hawks, Wizards, Bulls, Hornets.
If we are still playoff team that means all those teams dug their own grave with big veteran signings. If they are better than us we will pick in lottery in good draft. Whats that bad in our position ? We just replaced our ball handlers with two kids. I dont think you can ask for more. And dont tell me they need to play on ball all the time, thats how you produce divas like Westbrook or Harden. Playing off ball is important.

Because picking at 13 and picking at 5 are very different outcomes.

[j-ragg]

We just replaced our ball handlers with two kids. I dont think you can ask for more.

The expectations are incredibly low, especially for such an experienced (and expensive) front office.

[Xatticus]

You guys cant decide if we stagnated as 8th seed or got outrun by Hawks, Wizards, Bulls, Hornets.
If we are still playoff team that means all those teams dug their own grave with big veteran signings. If they are better than us we will pick in lottery in good draft. Whats that bad in our position ? We just replaced our ball handlers with two kids. I dont think you can ask for more. And dont tell me they need to play on ball all the time, thats how you produce divas like Westbrook or Harden. Playing off ball is important.

Because picking at 13 and picking at 5 are very different outcomes.

Or 10... the potential draft outcomes are dramatically different depending on where you end up in the lottery. If I’m not going to be competitive, then I’d prefer to lose a lot of games when the talent at the top of the subsequent draft is strong.

[VFX]

It’s hilarious how people still don’t understand that draft position matters to the outcome. We’ve had this conversation before .. does somebody really need to list the players Orlando has missed in the draft by a few picks?

“Playoff experience” is overrated if it means you aren’t advancing, getting swept, or winning 1 game.

Hearing the same 3-4 people talk about “playoff experience” every season as some kind of justification for this nonsense gets tiring. Teams have had full rebuilds, drawn talent, and landed superstars in the time we’ve been watching Fournier and Vuc lead this painfully predictable offense over the course of 7 years.

Im starting to have little regard for the opinions of these posters that aren’t sold on moving on yet and continue to justify this crap.

[jonbob17]

You guys cant decide if we stagnated as 8th seed or got outrun by Hawks, Wizards, Bulls, Hornets.
If we are still playoff team that means all those teams dug their own grave with big veteran signings. If they are better than us we will pick in lottery in good draft. Whats that bad in our position ? We just replaced our ball handlers with two kids. I dont think you can ask for more. And dont tell me they need to play on ball all the time, thats how you produce divas like Westbrook or Harden. Playing off ball is important.

Because picking at 13 and picking at 5 are very different outcomes.

Or 10... the potential draft outcomes are dramatically different depending on where you end up in the lottery. If I’m not going to be competitive, then I’d prefer to lose a lot of games when the talent at the top of the subsequent draft is strong.

Definitely.

Look at all the times the Magic missed a star by just one pick
2018 Luka or Trae by one pick, and the team actually controlled that outcome by winning
2016 Porzingis by one spot
2014 Embiid by one spot.

We have any of those guys and the franchise is in a totally different place.

[D12VCMagic]

Because picking at 13 and picking at 5 are very different outcomes.

Or 10... the potential draft outcomes are dramatically different depending on where you end up in the lottery. If I’m not going to be competitive, then I’d prefer to lose a lot of games when the talent at the top of the subsequent draft is strong.

Definitely.

Look at all the times the Magic missed a star by just one pick
2018 Luka or Trae by one pick, and the team actually controlled that outcome by winning
2016 Porzingis by one spot
2014 Embiid by one spot.

We have any of those guys and the franchise is in a totally different place.

Even in this year’s draft we watched all the top prospects that could have helped us go 11-14 right in front of us. We are always just out of position to get the players we need because this FO wants to be half committed to winning now and half committed to building around youth in the draft.

[drsd]

Next year is a wash without our best defensive player in Isaac and the rest of the east getting exponentially better. That’s not due to Orlando laying down, but because of injury and inaction on the FO part.

Orlando is fairly likely to be a play-in team for the playoffs. As such, those two games (and hopefully 4 more playoff games) will be useful to help further develop a hunger.

The 72 games themselves leading to that; Orlando is to play hard. I have no doubt about that.

How many wins? Perhaps a 33-39 record for the #8 seed. Even if Charlotte and Atlanta overtake Orlando, the Magic still plays at least one play-in game as the #10 seed.


I would not call these scenarios "a wash".

..

[D12VCMagic]

Next year is a wash without our best defensive player in Isaac and the rest of the east getting exponentially better. That’s not due to Orlando laying down, but because of injury and inaction on the FO part.

Orlando is fairly likely to be a play-in team for the playoffs. As such, those two games (and hopefully 4 more playoff games) will be useful to help further develop a hunger.

The 72 games themselves leading to that; Orlando is to play hard. I have no doubt about that.

How many wins? Perhaps a 33-39 record for the #8 seed. Even if Charlotte and Atlanta overtake Orlando, the Magic still plays at least one play-in game as the #10 seed.


I would not call these scenarios "a wash".

..

Now we have people acting like being a play in #10 seed is something to play for.