What does this team NEED?

[MagicFan101]

I’m really interested in hearing what people here think of this.

With Elf we have a solid young PG.
With Fournier we have a strong scoring PG.
With Ross / Simmons we have a good SF rotation.
With AG we might have a star PF.
With Vuc we have a reliable scorer at C.

With Isaac we have a young piece who could be great at a number of places.

We have a lot of “solid” and “good” pieces which have offered us the depth needed for a nice start to the season. Still, clearly we need a star to reach the next level.

BUT!! where would we benefit MOST from adding a star?

I’m completely torn. Looking at the breakdown above I might quickly turn to SF. But what about Vuc at Center? Or Fournier at SG? Or Elf at PG? Aahhh!

Help me out here. Think of your favorite superstar at each position. Who helps THIS Orlando Magic team most?

[fendilim]

A legit go-to scorer.

[Nemesis21]

Luka Doncic.

Payton/serviceable backup
Simmons/Iwundu
Doncic/Fournier
AG/Isaac
Vucevic/Speights


Also the Vuc/Fournier bromance needs to be broken up. That's why I moved Fournier to the bench.

[MagicFan101]

A legit go-to scorer.

That doesn’t answer the question. Read and try again please.

[OrlandoNed]

In order of most to least needed: We need a star at SF, PG, C, SG then PF.

SF is in dire need because Ross and Mario have been terrible and Simmons is more of our 6th man who can play at the 1, 2 and 3.

PG next because Payton's inconsistencies and awful shooting are very bad attributes for modern PGs.

C next because although Vucevic has been playing pretty well on both sides of the ball this year, he still gets bullied by more physical and tougher bigs.

We don't really need a star at SG as much as the previous 3 positions because Fournier has clearly been our most effective scorer and his defense has been satisfactory given his output.

Finally PF. Gordon has been playing out of his mind this year and is finally starting to break out and shine. And with Isaac already an impactful defender and developing behind Gordon, we are pretty much set at PF.

[MagicFan101]

@OrlandoNed, you basically wrote exactly what I am leaning towards.

The game is dominated by PGs today, but our team plays well when Elf is on the floor. So while PG had to be a high priority by default, SF feels more of a need to me.

Unless you’re talking Kobe, I don’t really worry about the SG spot as much as the others.

AG has cemented the PF spot.

Vuc is Vuc. The good and bad. We can always use an upgrade there but he is far from our weakest link.

[OrlandoDream]

We need our PG back or need to trade or sign an nba level starting PG. Start with that and let's see how the rest adds up.

[Knightro]

Health at point guard.

Better backups at C and SF.

Ross to shoot at his career averages.

[uraverage]

A team to eat an $18,000,000 contract...

[Skin]

For the Magic, who do they turn to when things are hard? Who is their leader?

Fournier? Vuc? This is weak sauce. We have to admit that. The first step in correcting the error is identifying the error. That's not an easy first step to admit to.

These 2 guys are so hung up on this being "their" team that they have suffocating growth and flamed out anyone who threatened them in that role. Fournier and Oladipo were never really chummy as they battled for the same position. Ibaka and Biyombo came in with great excitement about wanting to be leaders and help our young guys. Vuc was a sulky petulant child and eventually the lockerrom went south as did our season. AG goes off for 41 and Evan says we need to share the ball. Any time these 2 guys face a threat to their status, they create a fuss. We can't realistically expect Isaac to grow into a star on this team. Evan and Vuc won't allow it.

[Blue_and_Whte]

An elite player. There's nothing wrong with the core on this team but none of them are elite.

[MartinsIzAfraud]

a PG who is elite or above average at one of the following: 3 point shooting, FTA per game + FT%, finishing at the rim. EP is average or below average at just about everything a PG in today's nba needs to have to succeed.

[Magic_Johnny12]

A team to eat an $18,000,000 contract...

THIS.

What this team needs is not to rush into anything. If we over achieve with the group we have currently great, but the main focus should still be for the future rather than immediate/overnight success.

I don't think we should trade for Bledsoe unless it literally just involves a middling pick and bad contracts (Augustine/Hezonja).

IF I were GM I would get my old buddies on the phone down in Milwaukee and see what will it take to trade for Parker/Monroe while dumping Biyombo.

Summer Plans would be the following if nothing changed from now and then.

- Dumping Biyombo by all means (pure salary relief)
- Talking to IT's agent and seeing what kind of contract it will take for him to come to Orlando.
- Signing Jabari Parker if IT wasn't interested/or both if we had enough cap.
- Re-signing EP

I wouldn't be too mad if we started next season like the following.

Isiah Thomas
Evan Fournier
Jabari Parker
Aaron Gordon
Nikola Vucevic

[MartinsIzAfraud]

A team to eat an $18,000,000 contract...

THIS.

What this team needs is not to rush into anything. If we over achieve with the group we have currently great, but the main focus should still be for the future rather than immediate/overnight success.

I don't think we should trade for Bledsoe unless it literally just involves a middling pick and bad contracts (Augustine/Hezonja).

IF I were GM I would get my old buddies on the phone down in Milwaukee and see what will it take to trade for Parker/Monroe while dumping Biyombo.

Summer Plans would be the following if nothing changed from now and then.

- Dumping Biyombo by all means (pure salary relief)
- Talking to IT's agent and seeing what kind of contract it will take for him to come to Orlando.
- Signing Jabari Parker if IT wasn't interested/or both if we had enough cap.
- Re-signing EP

I wouldn't be too mad if we started next season like the following.

Isiah Thomas
Evan Fournier
Jabari Parker
Aaron Gordon
Nikola Vucevic

2 of those players are 1 more injury away from being career ending... smart plan.

[Skin]

Eric Bledsoe would be a start.

[MartinsIzAfraud]

Eric Bledsoe would be a start.

What would be a legit offer for Bledsoe? Ross Hez and future 1st?

[Nemesis21]

A team to eat an $18,000,000 contract...

THIS.

What this team needs is not to rush into anything. If we over achieve with the group we have currently great, but the main focus should still be for the future rather than immediate/overnight success.

I don't think we should trade for Bledsoe unless it literally just involves a middling pick and bad contracts (Augustine/Hezonja).

IF I were GM I would get my old buddies on the phone down in Milwaukee and see what will it take to trade for Parker/Monroe while dumping Biyombo.

Summer Plans would be the following if nothing changed from now and then.

- Dumping Biyombo by all means (pure salary relief)
- Talking to IT's agent and seeing what kind of contract it will take for him to come to Orlando.
- Signing Jabari Parker if IT wasn't interested/or both if we had enough cap.
- Re-signing EP

I wouldn't be too mad if we started next season like the following.

Isiah Thomas
Evan Fournier
Jabari Parker
Aaron Gordon
Nikola Vucevic

2 of those players are 1 more injury away from being career ending... smart plan.

Not too mention, hasn't Jabari been playing at PF when healthy and like AG isn't a good fit at SF? Pass on that summer idea!

[pepe1991]

Superstar PG or SF . Simple as that.

[Def Swami]

Eric Bledsoe would be a start.

What would be a legit offer for Bledsoe? Ross Hez and future 1st?

Augustin and Hez works

[drsd]

From next year Fournier would be shifted to the SG freeing up a massive upgrade at the SF slot

Payton/Fournier/Mr.-wonderful/Gordon/Vučević

I really see this as the future of this team.

Who is that Wonderful SF? Is it a FA or is it Isaac? Those are the only two choices in my mind.


..