Should Magic Tank for the season?

MasterGMer · Post #1 » by **MasterGMer** » Sat Dec 21, 2019 9:39 pm

Orlando Magic is 12-17 for the season and 1-15 against teams with a winning record. We just can not beat good teams. Should we start to tank for the reminder of the season?

I was a Houston Rockets fan at first. I started to follow Magic after Dwight got traded and I started to be a fan of the rebuilding process. The whole reason Magic went complete torn down was to avoid mediocrity. Not like the Raptors without Kawaii, they are still winning games. Magic then traded away Nelson, Hedo, Rashard Lewis and JJ Reddick and hired Rob Hennigan to start his Analytics. Then we drafted AG and Mario Hezonia. But the whole reason was to avoid mediocrity and build a team which can contend for a NBA Championship.

Everyone knows this Magic team has a ceiling and there is Zero chance for Magic to win in the playoffs.

Should we go for anther torn down and tank for top picks?

ORLMagicGirl15 · Post #2 » by **ORLMagicGirl15** » Sat Dec 21, 2019 10:09 pm

Were we not?

Dubious Kitty · Post #3 » by **Dubious Kitty** » Sat Dec 21, 2019 10:09 pm

We’re already tanking

Skybox · Post #4 » by **Skybox** » Sat Dec 21, 2019 10:30 pm

One big consolidation trade NOW! We're too good to tank (effectively)

Post #5 » by **Knightro** » Sat Dec 21, 2019 10:37 pm

What most posters think the Magic *should* do and what the Magic are almost certainly going to do are different things.

They’re going to press forward and attempt to make the playoffs.

I wouldn’t be surprised at all if they end up being buyers on the trade market.

Stuff · Post #6 » by **Stuff** » Sat Dec 21, 2019 10:46 pm

Magic don't tank. Even when they should they don't.

Ducklett · Post #7 » by **Ducklett** » Sat Dec 21, 2019 10:55 pm

The stats show that we are actually just bad. If we made bad trades to try and get 4-0'd in the playoffs, I don't think any of us will live to see a Magic championship.

tiderulz · Post #8 » by **tiderulz** » Sat Dec 21, 2019 11:07 pm

Stuff wrote:Magic don't tank. Even when they should they don't.

they tanked for Dipo.

Post #9 » by **Def Swami** » Sat Dec 21, 2019 11:35 pm

It's a moot point. They'll never tank like they did under Hennigan. It's not how Weltman and Hammond approach the team and it's not what ownership or season ticket holders can stomach.

I don't think they need to completely bottom out. Nor would I really advocate for that. But, I think making some trades that may take the team a few steps back in order to raise the long term ceiling of the team may be warranted.

Post #10 » by **Knightro** » Sat Dec 21, 2019 11:48 pm

The Magic are 4 games (and 8 teams) out of the bottom 5. They're only 1 game and 1 team out of the playoffs.

They have 22 games between now and the trade deadline. Looking at the schedule I just don't really see a scenario where they don't win at least 9 or 10 of the next 22.

That would put them at 22 wins with 31 games to go. There's 4-6 teams who aren't likely to crack 22 wins *for the season* at this pace.

The only way the Magic could possibly be bad enough to sneak down into the bottom five would be to trade away Vucevic or Fournier (or both) for very little on-court return as soon as possible.

Unfortunately they're in the worst possible spot right now. If the season ended today they'd be out of the playoffs, but drafting 13th.

MagicStarwipe · Post #11 » by **MagicStarwipe** » Sat Dec 21, 2019 11:48 pm

We're 1 win out of 8th spot. Martins is ecstatic.

MasterGMer · Post #12 » by **MasterGMer** » Sun Dec 22, 2019 12:16 am

If Magic doesn't tank, do we have a path for this team? What is the future? Being a 8th or 7th seed year in year out? Do we have a strategic plan if we don't tank?

KillMonger · Post #13 » by **KillMonger** » Sun Dec 22, 2019 12:59 am

tank for what exactly? no one in this draft class is franchise changing

Post #14 » by **Knightro** » Sun Dec 22, 2019 1:17 am

Realistically, it's too late to truly tank this season anyway unless they unload several veterans immediately.

They are already 4-6 wins ahead of the teams in the bottom 5 and Magic still have 23 games remaining with teams that have worse records than they do. Orlando is 10-2 against teams with worse records than they have.

There's almost no way they don't win at least 35 games without significant trades or injuries.

SHAQ32 · Post #15 » by **SHAQ32** » Sun Dec 22, 2019 1:31 am

Coach Clifford is saving our guys for the 2nd half run.

Coach Clifford gonna prove y'all wrong!!!

MasterGMer · Post #16 » by **MasterGMer** » Sun Dec 22, 2019 1:32 am

Knightro wrote:Realistically, it's too late to truly tank this season anyway unless they unload several veterans immediately.

They are already 4-6 wins ahead of the teams in the bottom 5 and Magic still have 23 games remaining with teams that have worse records than they do. Orlando is 10-2 against teams with worse records than they have.

There's almost no way they don't win at least 35 games without significant trades or injuries.

Do you think a trade is coming to help our offense? We are a deep team but we need stars

Post #17 » by **Knightro** » Sun Dec 22, 2019 1:50 am

MasterGMer wrote:Do you think a trade is coming to help our offense? We are a deep team but we need stars

I think the Magic are much more likely to buy than they are to sell at this point, yes. The Ringer said they have been looking for scoring for several weeks now.

But can they get a star? Highly unlikely.

The question is, who are the Magic willing to give up that is valuable enough to bring back an upgrade to the rotation, but is also not so important that they'll damage the rotation at the same time.

That's a difficult question to answer.

The only guy that seems to fit the bill is Gordon. He's age and declining contract should mean he still has *some* value to other teams in the league, but he hasn't made a particularly positive impact on the court this year for the Magic either.

MasterGMer · Post #18 » by **MasterGMer** » Sun Dec 22, 2019 2:17 am

Knightro wrote:
MasterGMer wrote:Do you think a trade is coming to help our offense? We are a deep team but we need stars

I think the Magic are much more likely to buy than they are to sell at this point, yes. The Ringer said they have been looking for scoring for several weeks now.

But can they get a star? Highly unlikely.

The question is, who are the Magic willing to give up that is valuable enough to bring back an upgrade to the rotation, but is also not so important that they'll damage the rotation at the same time.

That's a difficult question to answer.

The only guy that seems to fit the bill is Gordon. He's age and declining contract should mean he still has *some* value to other teams in the league, but he hasn't made a particularly positive impact on the court this year for the Magic either.

DJ is expiring and Evan has player option after this season. Are they tradable assets for us? We have run the offense thru Evan and Vuc all season. If we are on track to make the goal of playoff. I highly doubt we would trade Evan.

But what is he or Magic going to do this summer? We have 130 million committed this season and only several million off of Apron or Luxury tax. We have ZERO Cap space this upcoming summer. So a major trade is coming?

I have no problem keeping the framework of the roster. But we can't embrace mediocrity also. A change is needed

Stuff · Post #19 » by **Stuff** » Sun Dec 22, 2019 3:06 am

tiderulz wrote:
Stuff wrote:Magic don't tank. Even when they should they don't.

they tanked for Dipo.

Did they tank or were they just horrible?

PrimeThyme · Post #20 » by **PrimeThyme** » Sun Dec 22, 2019 3:13 am

Should? Absolutely. Will? No way in hell.