Positive or Negative and Why

[magickingdom]

I know that there are threads about all different aspects to this summer. Feel free to merge if you feel the need to.
But I wanted to get other the opinion of other Magic fans as to what they think about the team, the moves and where we are at, at this point in time. Are you positive for the team or are you negative? What do you like or dislike? Are we better, worse, or the same in your mind. Not to mention that there is not much else going on. I will start us off.

I'm positive and here is why.
Last year we started the season pretty strong and that was with our weak interior defense.
The year was looking pretty good until Payton got hurt in January and after that Skiles got in his head and took the ball out of his hands. By the time they got it back together, it was the end of the season. But we still finished strong beating teams like the Pacers, who were still actually playing for something.
So we made changes! We traded Dipo for Serge.
To me it seems that we have gotten better in almost every aspect from last year.
Yea we lost Dipo, but his scoring was up and down.
We now have one of the better interior defenses in the league.
We have players that should have gotten better enough to cover for what we lost with Dipo.
And all the new players that we added are at least as good if not better then the bench we had last year.
We have the ability to play big or small ball.
How many games did we lose by just a couple points?
How many of those games came on pick and rolls that we could not stop?
I think this year we win those close games.
I think this year our bench helps us to better stay in games.
I think we at least make the play offs!
Then I will carry my optimism forward and believe that next year we use the Green and Meeks money to find us another real scorer that will push us over the top. I don't care about the past or If they have veered off the path they were on.
I only want to see us get better and actually win something and I am positive that we are on the correct path.
What say you?

[Patrick1978]

The Moves made this Summer are very good Quality for our roster.
We have so much possibilities now,we can play a lot of good lineups now.
Also our bench got a lot better and offers good options.
We will make the Playoffs next year and i expect Aaron gordon to have a breakout season and hezonja to improve a lot.elf will certainly have a much better Season now with coach Vogel Behind him.I also expect biyombo to be a good addition with vogel s system.
I am looking forward for the season to begin

HAI MAGIC !!!!!!!

[Shady Franchise]

I'm 75% positive and 25% negative and here's why. I like the moves, I like the new identity of the team, and I like the versatility. The only negativity I have is that this team will be fighting for a playoff spot. There is a good chance they don't make it with the other improvements in the East. I think they get a 6-8 seed, but if this team doesn't make the playoffs this year, all hell will break loose. Also, new coach, new system, and about half of the team is new. It will take time to gel. I predict a slow start of the season, and a strong finish. Things don't come together overnight, but I hope I'm wrong.

[UCFJayBird]

Mostly positive with some concerns. I think we upgraded just about every single position on the team, we have a lot more depth, we have more balance, we have a better coach, and we have cap space next summer to make moves again if need be (and that's after, hopefully, resigning Ibaka).

My primary concerns are a go-to scorer down the stretch (defense is great, but at the end of a close game you're eventually going to need to score at least a bucket or two) and Ibaka's expiring contract, but i'm hopeful we can resign him. I'm very hopeful that Gordon will break out this year and that Elfrid's shot will be serviceable. I'm more concerned about Elfrid than Gordon. And I think Hezonja will get more minutes this season but I expect him to be like Aaron last season, showing flashes but for the most part needing more time.

I'm not concerned about minutes at all to be honest. I think there's plenty to go around.

[Baka_La Flame]

My guess is Evan and Vuc as our go to guys down the stretch. Mario could eventuality fill that role. Elf is clutch as well.

[Xatticus]

Mostly positive with some concerns. I think we upgraded just about every single position on the team, we have a lot more depth, we have more balance, we have a better coach, and we have cap space next summer to make moves again if need be (and that's after, hopefully, resigning Ibaka).

My primary concerns are a go-to scorer down the stretch (defense is great, but at the end of a close game you're eventually going to need to score at least a bucket or two) and Ibaka's expiring contract, but i'm hopeful we can resign him. I'm very hopeful that Gordon will break out this year and that Elfrid's shot will be serviceable. I'm more concerned about Elfrid than Gordon. And I think Hezonja will get more minutes this season but I expect him to be like Aaron last season, showing flashes but for the most part needing more time.

I'm not concerned about minutes at all to be honest. I think there's plenty to go around.

Technically it would be before re-signing Ibaka, as the team would have to take advantage of his bird rights if they were to be players in free agency next year. His new contract would otherwise eat up almost all of our available cap space.

As for the thread, this is just inviting more trouble. I try to keep my arguments restricted to particular transactions, yet I still catch a lot of crap for posting anything that isn't a glowing endorsement of our front office and roster.

[Nightman]

I'm positive because I'm a Magic fan and I'm not going to spend all off-season assuming we're tailspinning. I can't survive that way. I'm down on a lot of our recent moves but there's a lot of potential for us in this season so I'm staying positive overall.

[Max Power]

I'm 50-50. I like that defense will be our strength. I can't ignore the potential offensive issues this team could have. Ibaka is going to have bump up his numbers to have an impact. Less we forget, Fournier isn't a passer, the offense stops when he has the ball. Not to mention the last 2 seasons Fourniers numbers declined after the All Star Break. Oladipo and Harris' both increased. Aaron Gordon has to average at least 15 to make an impact. Biyombo and Payton are both abysmal offensively. But again, defensively this team has the potential to be very good.


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[Bensational]

Positive.

Mostly because every move we've made has addressed something I was concerned about before.

I wanted Skiles gone - we got it. And we got one of the best coaches in the league at the same time.

I wanted interior defense at C - we got it. And we got a coach who teaches great defense.

I wanted more opportunity for AG - we got it. And we added two coaches who have developed superstars in recent years.

I wanted a better system for Payton - we got a supportive coach for him and a rolling big.

I'm also very confident AG shows enough this season to convince a lot of doubters that he can be a go to scorer for us in the future.

On top of that, we made bonus moves. We moved Oladipo for more interior defense AND 3pt shooting.

We brought in a great backup PG.

I feel like I'm seeing a kind of team I would have built myself if I were a GM. The last time I had this vibe was with Dwight, when we added Pietrus and a bunch of other players id desperately wanted. So now that I've got everything I want, there isn't room for me to be anything but positive.

[Skin]

POSITIVE.

"We're going to be running to the paint and sealing and playing a smash-mouth style, a physical style of basketball," Vogel says.

[ralphie9898]

My guess is Evan and Vuc as our go to guys down the stretch. Mario could eventuality fill that role. Elf is clutch as well.

Gordon and Ibaka could very well be our man down the stretch. Vuc may very well be sitting behind Biyombo. Elf isn't that good offensively so he isn't likely to be it. He can pass it and he has athleticism but his shooting even from the free throw line is just not that good. If he can grow in that area then maybe. Fournier very well could be but I would have to say Gordon and Ibaka as well as possibly Mario could be that guy.

And I would say I am positive on the moves. I think we got better. But how much better remains to be seen. I like our chances for the playoffs though we could still slip just outside of the playoffs. But I think we could slip in as a 7th or 8th seed(6th maybe) but not sure if we would win a series. Hopefully we could push someone to seven games and at least raise our profile as a more attractive destination for free agents.

[Blue_and_Whte]

Im positive. I love the acquisitions although skeptical of losing Vic for a possible 1 year rental. I love that Hennigan was aggressive although I fear Biyombo is all hype and over paid, but I'm glad we took that chance for once. So if it does pay off, I'm glad it would be for our team instead of watching someone else reap the rewards.

I think people are sleeping on the Jeff Green signing with the Meeks trade flying under the radar a little as well. DJ is a more than solid Pg to back Payton up with.

Vucevic and Fournier will be our go to guys both at the beginning and down the stretch of games, with Mario and AG showing more improvement.

[Jiwol]

My concerns:
- 4 years for DJ Augustin is too long (and too expensive)
- 15 mil for Jeff Green seems like severly overpaing (it's only one year though)
- Ibaka is expiring
- Payton will never learn to shoot and I'm concerned with commitment Henny shows towards him long term
- Biyombo is 17 mil per year backup

But I'm positive Vogel will figure it all out. Upcoming season looks promising (play-offs, here we come!). And beyond 2016/17? We have pieces to trade, we'll still have money next off-season. The future is bright. Let's enjoy the ride.

[mhectorgato]

65% positive (up from 40% before post-season started).

Some good moves made, but still long term questions linger.

[eyriq]

Positive.

-Vogel is a defensive coach
-We have two premier rim protectors to anchor the defense
- Top 10 defenses all finished above .500 last season and all but the Jazz made the playoffs
-We have clear roles for Payton and Gordon with balance around them
-3rd season breakout potential
-Love Hezonja and that D he's showing with Croatia
-There is a vacuum to fill in terms of go-to scorer and I like all the likely candidates
-Our bench depth and chemistry/balance is much improved
-This season feels like a clear evolution in the rebuild, we are going to learn a lot about our potential to contend down the road by how competitive we are this season
-Hennigan has been a man of action, moving on from Oladipo and Harris when their career arch became clearer. This inspires confidence in his vision

[ChosenSavior]

100% positive for me. This franchise finally has a direction. I also believe in our young core especially in young Aaron Gordon. He will change the mind of the skeptics as he is finally playing at SF which is where I wanted to see him at since we drafted him.

[amkyka1956]

Anybody that has read any of my 3posts (lol) has determined that I am VERY positive with the direction our Orlando Magic is taking! My faith in Elf unfortunately is not as strong as most of you - and I hope to be proven wrong! Any improvement on his part will be a HUGE help - coaching could very well make an immense improvement - and again I will make a personal apology if proven wrong!!!

[j-ragg]

I'm pretty positive, much more optimistic about the team than before the off-season started.

My only concern is the minutes spread. Lot of people expecting 30 mpg, curious to see how Vogel handles it.

[MagicStarwipe]

Before Skiles "quit"... negative.

As soon as Skiles "quit"... positive.

[Furinkazan]

Before Skiles "quit"... negative.

As soon as Skiles "quit"... positive.

We all know its you.Elfrid