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It’s pretty much the end of the season and there hasn’t been much to cheer for. I’m curious as to which 3 players you would keep if you had to let go of the rest. So basically which 3 would you build around? Our top 6 first round pick is also an option.

For example you could pick Suggs, Franz and our first round pick or Fultz, Isaac and WCJ.. who would you keep and why?

For me the only no brainer is Franz and call me crazy but I still believe in Fultz as a star player. After that I’m torn on Isaac and WCJ. Isaac I believe has the higher upside but can he ever get and stay healthy? I guess I’m still going for Isaac..

Suggs, Franz, this years 1st, not even close either personally

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axl_c_cool wrote:Suggs, Franz, this years 1st, not even close either personally

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I do the same but not without regret...I like Isaac and Fultz but can't bank on either (in this game). I also value WCJ but question his long-term fit/upside vs the youngest 3

Suggs, Franz, this year's 1st is the only answer that makes sense.

And I say that as someone who really likes Carter.

That's a question I would expand to five players...I would reframe the question to ask for 5. 3 is too restricted.

Franz
Suggs
Fultz
WCJ
1RP

Isaac is a great hope. Fultz is a playmaker that doesn't need a 3 shot if we draft/sign a shooter. Fultz shows signs of brilliance.
Bamba is Ok off the bench on the right contract. Everyone else can go.

Knightro wrote:Suggs, Franz, this year's 1st is the only answer that makes sense.

And I say that as someone who really likes Carter.

This has to be the only answer.

Franz…. Everything else is tough.

Fultz needs to stay healthy and if he does he is still our best hope for a star
WCJ best player but you have to really match him with a big that works
Suggs love the character and intangibles
JI - health is a gamble but if he can get right. He is top 2 on our team.

Franz, first rounder this year ( depending on where we pick) and I guess WCjr. How can yall say Suggs? Have yall watched him play? Im not giving up on him but theres no way Id consider him a core player with how he's played so far. Id love to say Issac but too much of a question mark. Fultz would probally be 4th.

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Franz, Suggs, and Fultz are my 3 to keep. They are the most unique skill sets with bright futures on the team. WCJ is awesome but bigs are more easily attainable

MagicMatic wrote:

Knightro wrote:Suggs, Franz, this year's 1st is the only answer that makes sense.

And I say that as someone who really likes Carter.

This has to be the only answer.

Actually... the only answer is: Why in the world would you restrict yourself to keeping only three players off of this roster?

I'd expect that this was designed to elicit an intended response.

JI (I’ll gamble on his health), Franz, and WCJ

Mo Bamba, Mo Wagner and Rolo just kidding I'd go with Franz #1, #2 WCjr, #3 Fultz, meaning we'd need real shooting guard and a unicorn center (which Bamba never became). Basically what we're really missing with our current team.

Franz, Dell and Suggs

orthoman wrote:That's a question I would expand to five players...I would reframe the question to ask for 5. 3 is too restricted.

Franz
Suggs
Fultz
WCJ
1RP

Isaac is a great hope. Fultz is a playmaker that doesn't need a 3 shot if we draft/sign a shooter. Fultz shows signs of brilliance.
Bamba is Ok off the bench on the right contract. Everyone else can go.

Those four players start on opening night. But would Isaac start over Smith? This is a real question and that is why the 5th slot cannot be known now.


To answer the question: this team's future success is still dependent on Suggs and F-Wagner developing. From there, I value Fultz. As to unknown-rookie-X, I would rank that player above Okeke, but not much higher. There is so many known unknowns and unknown unknowns when it comes to a rookie. It is this reason Orlando did not draft F-Wagner at 5, for example.


..

Cornerstone: Franz Wagner
Should be kept around because his contract& production is good: Wendell Carter Jr.
Should not be traded because his value vs investment low right now: Jalen Suggs.

Should not be in long term plans due health : Isaac, Gary Harris ( probably gone anyway)
Should not be in long term plans because of production and future contract: Mo Bamba

Doesn't make any difference in the world by long run: Fultz, Mo Wagner, Lopez, Okeke , Hampton
Put him out of his misery and trade him for nothing: Ross.


There is ongoing fapfest about Fultz and people just refuse to be objective about that guy.
He spent 5 years in nba, he hardly played 150 games in that period for various reasons. When he does play, he is your 50% TS player o over 20% usage rate. That is not good. I know, brain-explosion of reality.
On top of that he is here for just 2 years and probably gone as he will hit unrestricted free agency in 2024. There is no "Long term plans" for that guy if you have no control over his decision where he will go in 24 months ESPECIALLY BECAUSE YOU ALREADY TOLD HIM WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT HIM LONG TERM BY DRAFTING not one BUT TWO players who play same position as him and on top of that you gave him contract with team's option, telling him he can go kick rocks as soon as next summer if they don't like him eonugh to even keep him for another year.

Reality calls, Fultz isn't Magic future, he is stopgap rotation PG in ballpark of Dennis Schroder and Eric Bledsoe until you find more sustainable solution.

pepe1991 wrote:Cornerstone: Franz Wagner
Should be kept around because his contract& production is good: Wendell Carter Jr.
Should not be traded because his value vs investment low right now: Jalen Suggs.

...

There is ongoing fapfest about Fultz and people just refuse to be objective about that guy.

We can have an objective argument of Carter vs. Fultz. But I think the point is that Carter has Zero capacity to transform a roster, and Fultz at least has one skill set he could use to dominate on offense: his PnR play.

We I am changing my vote to yours: Suggs/F-Wagner/Carter, I still do not believe that Suggs and Fultz can every be more than the Blazers multi-year fiasco of trying to make McCollum and Lillard work. I still think Suggs can fit better with an Ace SG that leads the team, and Fultz game is not compatible with an alpha-off-ball guard. In conclusion, I think Fultz has more upside than Suggs, but that Suggs is a better fit for the directions the Magic need to go in.

,.

drsd wrote:

pepe1991 wrote:Cornerstone: Franz Wagner
Should be kept around because his contract& production is good: Wendell Carter Jr.
Should not be traded because his value vs investment low right now: Jalen Suggs.

...

There is ongoing fapfest about Fultz and people just refuse to be objective about that guy.

We can have an objective argument of Carter vs. Fultz. But I think the point is that Carter has Zero capacity to transform a roster, and Fultz at least has one skill set he could use to dominate on offense: his PnR play.

We I am changing my vote to yours: Suggs/F-Wagner/Carter, I still do not believe that Suggs and Fultz can every be more than the Blazers multi-year fiasco of trying to make McCollum and Lillard work. I still think Suggs can fit better with an Ace SG that leads the team, and Fultz game is not compatible with an alpha-off-ball guard. In conclusion, I think Fultz has more upside than Suggs, but that Suggs is a better fit for the directions the Magic need to go in.

,.

Suggs is tied with Magic for at least 3, objectivlly speaking, 8 years ( exstension ). Fultz probably won't show up at training camp in 2024 due his free agency in 2024 summer.
Even if Fultz has( had?) more potential & talent, not doing anything with it for 5 years and having TOS limited it to the point where it's simply more objective to expect Suggs to make strides and develop into better rounded player in future years than it is for Fultz to out of nowhere burst into next level player.


Team with Fultz as "top guard" has clear ceiling. That ceiling is perennial threadmill.
Even during this period & streach it becomes very obvious if you watch him play, and how he is being played by better teams.
So far he played 8 games against teams that are in either playoff or playing.
And in that games he shot 35-76 (46%FG) but it's also very clear other issue, that is his lack of outside shooting ( 1-5 for 3 ) and even more obvious inability to get to FT line on consistant bases against teams that are not dummies, so he only drew 1,75 FTA a game against them.



This 3 plays show everything wrong with concept of basketball where guard is liability from outside.
Big makes pocket for him to take wide open 3, he takes but misses, but also notice how two defenders don't even follow him ,rather stay on backs of big.
Second play again by design is to get guard to take open shot, instad he is dribbling in teeth of defense and gets blocked.
Third, basically same play, this time he is shooting mid range jumper and again is heavily contested.

You are not entering serious playoff series against well coached and disciplined team that won't expose inability of your guard to make open shots ESPECIALLY in half court, when game slows down and he does not have open driving space. Fultz, in only serious playoff series he played , ended up with horrid 47,6% TS and negative win share.

This is best example

Fultz vs Bucks took 16 threes. 14 of them were "wide open" (closest defender nowhere near him ). That's 87,5% of all shots wide open.

Bucks next series play Heat and Dragic is their starting PG, Dragic takes 34 threes in that series. 8 of them wide open . 23%. Same is with Herro (36% wide open threes) or Duncan Robinson ( treated like very serious treat, 7 out of 34 wide open, that's 20%).

So it was not Fultz who had some epic bodymovment that made him wide open almost 90% of time, it's design of defense to esencially not defend him if he is not near rim.

Franz, WCJ and 1st round pick.

WCJ is averaging 19/11/3 since the All-Star break and you can't find that easily a young front court player averaging 15/10 for the whole season and locked in a cheap contract.

I’m surprised to see this many votes for Suggs. I mean, yeah I’m not writing him off as he seems to be at least a very good defender. He’d be in consideration of top 3 for me.

You could also “play this game” with 5 or 6 or whatever, but I picked three to make it harder.

As for Fultz, there’s always the stats vs eye test debate. I like to go by the eye test, I see Markelle coming in and the dynamic just changes. For better or for worse he just has that knack for making plays. That by itself is really refreshing after years of plain suckage..

Same goes for JI but than on the defensive side of the ball. But we all know his durability..

This roster really isn’t stocked with a ton of talent, but even narrowing it to just 3 is difficult. I’d go with Wendell, Franz and Markelle if it’s 3. I’d prefer to keep Issac and Suggs also.