Official Speculation Thread '19-'20 V: Purgatory

[The Effect]

Am i the only one who is no longer counting Isaac in the long term plans?

He obviously wont play again before his contract expires, and by then.... because of injury, he will have missed most of his rookie year, part of his second year, half of his 3rd year and all of his 4th year, or to put it another way, 183 of a possible 319 reg. season games.

Does the team give him the QO (around 10m) on the chance he comes back 100%? does the team sign him to an a huge deal knowing the injury issues hes had every year? can you count on him to a major player for with that history? Does he sign a MLE type offer? can he stay healthy even if he re-signs?

I mean i get he will only be 24 by the time happens, but again, can you go into a season with the expectation that he will be your guy all season? I dont think you can, especially when you see what injuries have done to great players in their prime in the past like Penny, Hill, Rose, B. Roy (or even Oden and exum who were high touted but never had a chance).

I know most wont agree, but i think its a very real possibity that our front court of the future will be built around AG and Chuma, not JI\Chuma

[The Effect]

I think Fultz is better off with the 2nd unit since he's more likely to be able to call his own shots with them. He's the 4th option with the starters and the 2nd option on the bench. I want to see Fultz looking for his own offense more, not necessarily setting up the others.

WHile youre right about him being the #2 option with the second unit.....On a starting lineup featuring Vuc\Gordon\Ennis\Fournier, there is NO WAY that fultz should be the 4th option, and realistically should be the #1 option in that lineup. He just needs to become more assertive. Thats the only thing holding him back.

Still crazy to me, he should be the #1 in the starting lineup, but would be the 2nd option off the bench..........How is it even possible that thats true??

[KillMonger]

wouldn't go that far....modern medicine has come a long way and an ACL tear isn't the end all that it used to be....i mean look at Lavine....ACL tear and he's arguably better now than he was before the tear...Porzingis....ACL tear.....not missing a beat really his last 4 games 3 of them he's scored at least 30 points....I wouldn't want to give up on Isaac this soon imo but that being said i'm not sure i'm giving him a max deal either....The kid is already an All-NBA defender with potential to be even better on both ends of the floor....trust the process lol

[The Effect]

wouldn't go that far....modern medicine has come a long way and an ACL tear isn't the end all that it used to be....i mean look at Lavine....ACL tear and he's arguably better now than he was before the tear...Porzingis....ACL tear.....not missing a beat really his last 4 games 3 of them he's scored at least 30 points....I wouldn't want to give up on Isaac this soon imo but that being said i'm not sure i'm giving him a max deal either....The kid is already an All-NBA defender with potential to be even better on both ends of the floor....trust the process lol

I get that an ACL isnt the career ender it used to be, but the bigger issue becomes him constantly being injured. Like i said he will have missed 60% of possible games over a 4 year stretch. How do you build a team centered around a guy you cant count on to stay healthy?
Between the ankle as a rookie, smaller nagging injuries last year and then 2 knee injuries in a 8 month span on the same knee, i mean...at what do we stop assuming these are freak occurrences and admit to ourselves that hes injury prone and doesnt have a body that can hold up to the NBA?

[Bensational]

I think Fultz is better off with the 2nd unit since he's more likely to be able to call his own shots with them. He's the 4th option with the starters and the 2nd option on the bench. I want to see Fultz looking for his own offense more, not necessarily setting up the others.

WHile youre right about him being the #2 option with the second unit.....On a starting lineup featuring Vuc\Gordon\Ennis\Fournier, there is NO WAY that fultz should be the 4th option, and realistically should be the #1 option in that lineup. He just needs to become more assertive. Thats the only thing holding him back.

Still crazy to me, he should be the #1 in the starting lineup, but would be the 2nd option off the bench..........How is it even possible that thats true??

"Should be #1" doesn't matter much when the pecking order is quite clearly Vuc, Gordon, Fournier first. Clifford isn't updating that this season, unless injuries force him to. And Fultz won't want to disrupt something that has got us to the playoffs.

Depending on how his summer goes, I expect next season to maybe be the time that Fultz seeks to assert himself more. It will be his contract year, and he'll be even more comfortable with the team.

Putting him on the 2nd unit kind of forces him to step up more, since that lineup is starved for offensive options.

[The Effect]

I think Fultz is better off with the 2nd unit since he's more likely to be able to call his own shots with them. He's the 4th option with the starters and the 2nd option on the bench. I want to see Fultz looking for his own offense more, not necessarily setting up the others.

WHile youre right about him being the #2 option with the second unit.....On a starting lineup featuring Vuc\Gordon\Ennis\Fournier, there is NO WAY that fultz should be the 4th option, and realistically should be the #1 option in that lineup. He just needs to become more assertive. Thats the only thing holding him back.

Still crazy to me, he should be the #1 in the starting lineup, but would be the 2nd option off the bench..........How is it even possible that thats true??

"Should be #1" doesn't matter much when the pecking order is quite clearly Vuc, Gordon, Fournier first. Clifford isn't updating that this season, unless injuries force him to. And Fultz won't want to disrupt something that has got us to the playoffs.

Depending on how his summer goes, I expect next season to maybe be the time that Fultz seeks to assert himself more. It will be his contract year, and he'll be even more comfortable with the team.

Putting him on the 2nd unit kind of forces him to step up more, since that lineup is starved for offensive options.

I dont know, i think the starting unit needs scoring more, i mean not only is ross our best scorer, but the 2nd unit is basically just "get TRoss the ball and crash for rebounds"

I really dont think Fultz would even get a shot on the 2nd unit as everything is designed to go to ross

[Husky1]

I just seen our starting 5 today against Philly. Now my day is ruined. Not one player with any upside. No youth, just a couple of 30 year old journeyman, 2 euros who stink and have done for 5 or more years and a delisted free agent. seriously.

[KillMonger]

wouldn't go that far....modern medicine has come a long way and an ACL tear isn't the end all that it used to be....i mean look at Lavine....ACL tear and he's arguably better now than he was before the tear...Porzingis....ACL tear.....not missing a beat really his last 4 games 3 of them he's scored at least 30 points....I wouldn't want to give up on Isaac this soon imo but that being said i'm not sure i'm giving him a max deal either....The kid is already an All-NBA defender with potential to be even better on both ends of the floor....trust the process lol

I get that an ACL isnt the career ender it used to be, but the bigger issue becomes him constantly being injured. Like i said he will have missed 60% of possible games over a 4 year stretch. How do you build a team centered around a guy you cant count on to stay healthy?
Between the ankle as a rookie, smaller nagging injuries last year and then 2 knee injuries in a 8 month span on the same knee, i mean...at what do we stop assuming these are freak occurrences and admit to ourselves that hes injury prone and doesnt have a body that can hold up to the NBA?

You have a fair point, the linchpin i guess is how much is it going to cost us to see if he can conquer his lingering injuries.....For me personally i would take a gamble on him because i see him as a player that doesn't grow on trees, you're not going to find many players that can defend on the level JI can and can legitimately guard 1-5....you often hear that phrase but i can count on one hand how many players can actually do it for extended periods at a high level....That's good enough for me to take a flier on but once again the question is how much is it going to cost

On another note i can't help but wonder if his injuries have anything to do with the fact that he's still getting used to his body, he's still growing...he was an inch or two shorter last year....he's a legit 7-footer now

[Bensational]

WHile youre right about him being the #2 option with the second unit.....On a starting lineup featuring Vuc\Gordon\Ennis\Fournier, there is NO WAY that fultz should be the 4th option, and realistically should be the #1 option in that lineup. He just needs to become more assertive. Thats the only thing holding him back.

Still crazy to me, he should be the #1 in the starting lineup, but would be the 2nd option off the bench..........How is it even possible that thats true??

"Should be #1" doesn't matter much when the pecking order is quite clearly Vuc, Gordon, Fournier first. Clifford isn't updating that this season, unless injuries force him to. And Fultz won't want to disrupt something that has got us to the playoffs.

Depending on how his summer goes, I expect next season to maybe be the time that Fultz seeks to assert himself more. It will be his contract year, and he'll be even more comfortable with the team.

Putting him on the 2nd unit kind of forces him to step up more, since that lineup is starved for offensive options.

I dont know, i think the starting unit needs scoring more, i mean not only is ross our best scorer, but the 2nd unit is basically just "get TRoss the ball and crash for rebounds"

I really dont think Fultz would even get a shot on the 2nd unit as everything is designed to go to ross

I'm not disagreeing with what you're after as I want that too, I'm just going off how Clifford has run the team to date. Even though the SL needs more/better scorers, the three are already the established gameplan.

I think Fultz gets 2nd call with the 2nd unit when teams do actually manage to limit the #1 Ross option. And he seems to be doing well using that as a decoy to go get his own shots when defenders aren't prepared, too.

[KillMonger]

Is fournier's decision really as simple as it seems? i mean logic says he should opt in but at the same time.....looking at his age this might be the last decent size bag he gets....also this year could be considered a career year for him....i mean it's possible he can opt in and not play as well next season or get injured and the bag might not be as big....Is it a decision that will make him think? or is it open and shut opt in?

[thelead]

Is fournier's decision really as simple as it seems? i mean logic says he should opt in but at the same time.....looking at his age this might be the last decent size bag he gets....also this year could be considered a career year for him....i mean it's possible he can opt in and not play as well next season or get injured and the bag might not be as big....Is it a decision that will make him think? or is it open and shut opt in?

Watch us resign him if he opts out anyway

[MartinsIzAfraud]

5-30 vs teams above .500 and the 4th highest salary in the nba.

GANG IT’S THAT BAD

[SOUL]

5-30 vs teams above .500 and the 4th highest salary in the nba.

GANG IT’S THAT BAD

[Knightro]

Read on Twitter

Can you imagine how embarrassed the social media person has to be to send this?

[OrlandoNed]

Read on Twitter

Can you imagine how embarrassed the social media person has to be to send this?

Falling ass-backwards into a playoff berth to get curb-stomped by a true contender. Yippee.

[KillMonger]

Read on Twitter

Can you imagine how embarrassed the social media person has to be to send this?

you can tell how excited they look

[thelead]

I'm so disgusted with this product

[NotACat]

I remember why I stopped visiting this sub forum. Everyone is so negative and whiny.

The team isn't healthy at all and was still able to compete tonight. We get to see Fultz get some playoff minutes and might also have AG back, maybe Bamba if his COVID recovery is going well

[Skybox]

I’m all for re-signing JI to a budget deal while he completes recovery. Could be a long-term cap blessing in disguise. He’s young and we’re (hopefully) about to enter a dramatic transitional period. Move the plodders and ball-pounders, hand it over to Fultz.

[cedric76]

I remember why I stopped visiting this sub forum. Everyone is so negative and whiny.

The team isn't healthy at all and was still able to compete tonight. We get to see Fultz get some playoff minutes and might also have AG back, maybe Bamba if his COVID recovery is going well

100% agree

The magic fan base is so weak, always crying