Official Speculation Thread ‘18-19’: XIX: Rise of the BIG

[basketballRob]

We are building a team around defense when all the rules are trying to kill defensive teams and better built defensive teams are complaining to the league office they are being stiffled.

Some people on previous pages were complaining we don't play our rookies like some other rookies get played, i'd say that's largely because our recent rookies tend to be projects who can't play the same roles guys like luka and trae can play out of the gates.

The Magic aren't "building a team around defense" for the goodness sake.

They simply drafted the best player available in both of the last two drafts. It just so happened to be guys with high defensive potential and perhaps not the greatest offensive potential.

They know they need scorers at the guard spots. They're not ignoring that. They just haven't had a chance to address it yet.

And for what it's worth, last year's lotto pick has started every game and is some foul trouble away from playing 25+ minutes a night. This year's lotto pick has played every game, is getting every backup C minute and is even getting a few backup PF minutes to get him on the floor even more. They're both playing a lot.

Sure they know they need scorers but they've also said multiple times they want a strong defensive identity to be their cornerstone so yes defense is heavy in their minds.

Defense is on their minds, but we continually roll out maybe the worst defensive starting lineup in the NBA.

[basketballRob]

Isaac runs from the ball on offense and passes up on wide open looks to put the offense in bad situations. Plus he always rolls to the basket even if they already have two players under it and it kills our spacing.

[pepe1991]

For longest time 1 on1 defense as skill has been overrated in league where positionining is more important than being boring ballchaser on full court press.

Celtics last year were 2# defense with 6'10 center, Morris twin and Irving in starting lineup.
Spurs were 4# with Parker, 41 yeras old Ginobili, Mills, Aldrige and Rudy Gay.

[Skin]

Not only is Orlando the worst scoring team in the league, in a year where scoring average is hovering around 110 ppg, the Magic is a full 2.8 ppg worse than the 29th team.

Orlando's offense is worse than bad.


..

Time to start BIG. The old formula isn't working.

[MagicFan101]

I love this quote from Bamba:

“I kept looking over to the (scorer’s) table and (thinking), `Wow, that sub’s not for me, so let’s keep it rolling,’’’ Bamba said with a playful chuckle. “It felt good that Coach (Clifford) had that faith in me to keep me in, late game. I wish we could have capitalized and pulled that one out, but like I said, there’s always something to build off of and learn about.”

[drsd]

Not only is Orlando the worst scoring team in the league, in a year where scoring average is hovering around 110 ppg, the Magic is a full 2.8 ppg worse than the 29th team.

Orlando's offense is worse than bad.


..

Time to start BIG. The old formula isn't working.

Orlando's offensive woes are at the guard slots. Vučević is far and away Orlando's best offensive player right now.


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[Def Swami]

I love this quote from Bamba:

“I kept looking over to the (scorer’s) table and (thinking), `Wow, that sub’s not for me, so let’s keep it rolling,’’’ Bamba said with a playful chuckle. “It felt good that Coach (Clifford) had that faith in me to keep me in, late game. I wish we could have capitalized and pulled that one out, but like I said, there’s always something to build off of and learn about.”

Confidence is a hell of a drug.

[Def Swami]

Those are some thick Blue and White shades.

Read on Twitter

I will agree with Clifford about the quality of shots. The Magic tend to get a lot of decent shot attempts and looks. They just don't have the shooters and scorers to capitalize.

[Skin]

Not only is Orlando the worst scoring team in the league, in a year where scoring average is hovering around 110 ppg, the Magic is a full 2.8 ppg worse than the 29th team.

Orlando's offense is worse than bad.


..

Time to start BIG. The old formula isn't working.

Orlando's offensive woes are at the guard slots. Vučević is far and away Orlando's best offensive player right now.


..

What good does it matter if Vuc is our best offensive player if he's not going to be here next year?

[Skin]

I love this quote from Bamba:

“I kept looking over to the (scorer’s) table and (thinking), `Wow, that sub’s not for me, so let’s keep it rolling,’’’ Bamba said with a playful chuckle. “It felt good that Coach (Clifford) had that faith in me to keep me in, late game. I wish we could have capitalized and pulled that one out, but like I said, there’s always something to build off of and learn about.”

Confidence is a hell of a drug.

I was told that playing time would ruin them because they would develop bad habits and lose their confidence.

[InFlames]

Can we buy the blue or black throwbacks yet? Or even the new city edition jerseys? I really want a Bamba last years city edition but I don't think that exists. I've had a couple beers and been watching some past Magic highlights and I'm ready to spend some money.

[OrlandO]

I love this quote from Bamba:

Confidence is a hell of a drug.

I was told that playing time would ruin them because they would develop bad habits and lose their confidence.

Except this is actually a great example of the side of his development you refuse to consider while he's coming off the bench as a rookie. Not being gifted minutes and a starting role is humbling and it makes him hungry... it also puts him in better position to succeed since he gets a healthy dose of playing against equal to lesser talent while adjusting to the NBA... he got to stay in the game beyond his usual bench slot because he was playing well and got rewarded for it. He's learning what it takes. Building good habits. There's another quote where he mentions wanting to prove to cliff he can rely on him. This is the only phase of his development where he gets to learn these lessons. Once you put him in the starting lineup and force feed him there's no going back. This is what proper development looks like for a player like Bamba.

[drsd]

What good does it matter if Vuc is our best offensive player if he's not going to be here next year?

This is an excellent point. But it does not help this year, as the Magic really, really needs competency at the PG slot that is not obvious to be found. And need Fournier to find his stroke. Those are two if's that suggest a very long season.


Yet again.



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[pepe1991]

There is business side of basketball that people simply overlook.
Lot of teams and their menagments are not even all that into winning championship but into making money. Maybe i should re phrase it, it's oportunity cost, going all in for a chip costs a lot ,and you need to have huge returning value to make it profitable , both long and short term.
That's why nobody nose-dives into repetitive luxury tax. Ever.

In 2017 it was reported that Magic were one of 14 teams that lost money.

If Magic today trade Vučević, Gordon and Evan ( just for sake of this argument ) for picks, their ticketsall will sink, and season ticket holders will be maaad. It will mean that arena is half empty or that ticket sales will be down to make arena full but it will take big hit on whole brand as merch sell ,both international and national will sink as well.
With shrinking attendence and merch ,tv viewership will go down as well. it's chain reaction.

76ers have one of bigger markets in whole league, yet during their rebuild years they were dead last in 2 of 3 years in home attendence. Lot of teams can't afford that type of rebulid from financial perspective especially because it might never pay out.


As i said on start of my post, people overlook business side of sports, where lot of you see people in jerseys, in reality, behind sports there are people in suit ,that you never heard of that pull all the strings. In general whenever you have money, you have some sort of corruption going on ( just go and read files from Kawhi Leonard's sport agency ).

[MagicMadness]

Wish we signed Isaiah Thomas.

Not that he'd be our savior at PG, but for the time being it'd make things a heck of a lot more interesting.

[WeAreVenom]

I'd like retract my previous "Wall over Beal" statement, his contract is ridiculous. I

[Skin]

Confidence is a hell of a drug.

I was told that playing time would ruin them because they would develop bad habits and lose their confidence.

Except this is actually a great example of the side of his development you refuse to consider while he's coming off the bench as a rookie. Not being gifted minutes and a starting role is humbling and it makes him hungry... it also puts him in better position to succeed since he gets a healthy dose of playing against equal to lesser talent while adjusting to the NBA... he got to stay in the game beyond his usual bench slot because he was playing well and got rewarded for it. He's learning what it takes. Building good habits. There's another quote where he mentions wanting to prove to cliff he can rely on him. This is the only phase of his development where he gets to learn these lessons. Once you put him in the starting lineup and force feed him there's no going back. This is what proper development looks like for a player like Bamba.

Meh, I'd feed him to the dawgs. Bamba knows how to say the right things, so that's why you hear this.

He doesn't need to be coddled. Put him in the SL and force feed him and not only will he learn what it takes, but he'll progress faster. He should be getting 30 mpg and 14 FGA/gm so he can compete for ROY.

[Skin]

There is business side of basketball that people simply overlook.
Lot of teams and their menagments are not even all that into winning championship but into making money. Maybe i should re phrase it, it's oportunity cost, going all in for a chip costs a lot ,and you need to have huge returning value to make it profitable , both long and short term.
That's why nobody nose-dives into repetitive luxury tax. Ever.

In 2017 it was reported that Magic were one of 14 teams that lost money.

If Magic today trade Vučević, Gordon and Evan ( just for sake of this argument ) for picks, their ticketsall will sink, and season ticket holders will be maaad. It will mean that arena is half empty or that ticket sales will be down to make arena full but it will take big hit on whole brand as merch sell ,both international and national will sink as well.
With shrinking attendence and merch ,tv viewership will go down as well. it's chain reaction.

76ers have one of bigger markets in whole league, yet during their rebuild years they were dead last in 2 of 3 years in home attendence. Lot of teams can't afford that type of rebulid from financial perspective especially because it might never pay out.


As i said on start of my post, people overlook business side of sports, where lot of you see people in jerseys, in reality, behind sports there are people in suit ,that you never heard of that pull all the strings. In general whenever you have money, you have some sort of corruption going on ( just go and read files from Kawhi Leonard's sport agency ).

That's why we need to trade Vuc. Nobody buys his jersey.

People WILL buy BAMBA #5!!!! Let's make him a star!

[NickAnderson]

Magic lose by how much tonight?

[Bergmaniac]

I was told that playing time would ruin them because they would develop bad habits and lose their confidence.

Except this is actually a great example of the side of his development you refuse to consider while he's coming off the bench as a rookie. Not being gifted minutes and a starting role is humbling and it makes him hungry... it also puts him in better position to succeed since he gets a healthy dose of playing against equal to lesser talent while adjusting to the NBA... he got to stay in the game beyond his usual bench slot because he was playing well and got rewarded for it. He's learning what it takes. Building good habits. There's another quote where he mentions wanting to prove to cliff he can rely on him. This is the only phase of his development where he gets to learn these lessons. Once you put him in the starting lineup and force feed him there's no going back. This is what proper development looks like for a player like Bamba.

Meh, I'd feed him to the dawgs. Bamba knows how to say the right things, so that's why you hear this.

He doesn't need to be coddled. Put him in the SL and force feed him and not only will he learn what it takes, but he'll progress faster. He should be getting 30 mpg and 14 FGA/gm so he can compete for ROY.

This is a joke, right? Bamba has no shot at ROY even if he plays 40 MPG.