2023 NBA Draft Thread

[Knightro]

It's time...

Use this thread to discuss all things about the 2023 Draft.

Victor Wembanyama
Height/Weight: 7'4" 229 lbs
Current Age: 18 years, 10 months
Draft Age: 19 years, 6 months

Watch on YouTube

Scoot Henderson
Height/Weight: 6'2" 196 lbs
Current Age: 18 years, 9 months
Draft Age: 19 years, 5 months

Watch on YouTube

Amen Thompson
Height/Weight: 6'7" 202 lbs
Current Age: 19 years, 10 months
Draft Age: 20 years, 6 months

Watch on YouTube

[pepe1991]

second week into new season, third year of rebuild, and still only thing you can look forward is college /international teenagers hooping?

[thelead]

second week into new season, third year of rebuild, and still only thing you can look forward is college /international teenagers hooping?

Some people enjoy the process. I’m enjoying the fruits of the last two drafts. I’ll worry about wins after this year. In Dwight’s first year, we won 31 games… with a healthy roster that included Steve Francis, Grant Hill, Cuttino Mobley, Hedo, and Jameer. Patience dude.

And ‘third year of rebuild’ is very disingenuous. We traded Vuc in 2021… it is 2022…

[cedric76]

Oh dear, let's talk about over reaction, 5 games in and already 2 negative sticky posts. Very we'll done knightro

[pepe1991]

second week into new season, third year of rebuild, and still only thing you can look forward is college /international teenagers hooping?

Some people enjoy the process. I’m enjoying the fruits of the last two drafts. I’ll worry about wins after this year. In Dwight’s first year, we won 31 games… with a healthy roster that included Steve Francis, Grant Hill, Cuttino Mobley, Hedo, and Jameer. Patience dude.

Fruits of rebuild.
Mario Hezonja
Elfrid Payton
One hour of Domas Sabonis
Gordon in Paul George wannbe teenage phase
JOnathan " MIA" Isaac
Fultz as reminder it could have been Maxey
Mohamed Bum-ba

Patience would make sense if Magic were contender in 2019 and now go through rough patch. Magic haven't been relevant in last 11 years. Kid that 11 years ago was in highschool now has own kids. Person who was in his 50s last time Magic were relevant probably already has grandkids and/or is planning his retirment.

You might enjoy empty calory stats of Banchero and watch him and Franz Wagner average 50% of all shots of a team while losing comfortablly against team that looks like it's toying with us. I really don't.
I didn't watch last year's last 20 games because i figured there is nothing new i could learn . Guess what? i was right.

Same this year. It is just yet another throwaway season. Enjoying process only makes sense if process is leading to something. This is nothing but aimless stumbling from year to year. What happends if they draft 6th or 7th this year ? Try 2024? Than 2025, than 2026? Because it's clear that THIS front office won't commit toward building basketball , competitive team in near future.


Why would i trust this front office to ever build anything? How many good players Magic have, realisticlly? 3? After 6 years all they could find is 3 good players ?
RJ Hampton- bust
Mo Bamba- lottery bust
Okeke- usless mid first round bust
Cole- okey-ish average bench guard
Ross- product of old front office
Fultz- bench PG at best
Suggs- so far so bad
Isaac? - pointless to even waste words at this stage

So you have Franz Wagner, who is above average player for his age, very good rookie, and... Bol who is okey bench player i guess ( if he stays healthy) and Carter, who is definition of average center. But rest of a roster is so damn awful that i even decided to count him as "good". Even if "good" in this case means definition of average.
And you telling me those people will build anything but perennial first round exit team with THIS much incompetence to draft, develop or sign good players? For crying out loud, their biggest FA in 6 years was Aminu.

[thelead]

second week into new season, third year of rebuild, and still only thing you can look forward is college /international teenagers hooping?

Some people enjoy the process. I’m enjoying the fruits of the last two drafts. I’ll worry about wins after this year. In Dwight’s first year, we won 31 games… with a healthy roster that included Steve Francis, Grant Hill, Cuttino Mobley, Hedo, and Jameer. Patience dude.

Fruits of rebuild.
Mario Hezonja
Elfrid Payton
Aaron Gordon
One hour of Domas Sabonis
Gordon in Paul George wannbe teenage phase
JOnathan " MIA" Isaac
Fultz as reminder it could have been Maxey

Patience would make sense if Magic were contender in 2019 and now go through rough patch. Magic haven't been relevant in last 11 years. Kid that 11 years ago was in highschool now has own kids. Person who was in his 50s last time Magic were relevant probably already has grandkids and/or is planning his retirment.

You might enjoy empty calory stats of Banchero and watch him and Franz Wagner average 50% of all shots of a team while losing comfortablly against team that looks like it's toying with us. I really don't.
I didn't watch last year's last 20 games because i figured there is nothing new i could learn . Guess what? i was right.

Same this year. It is just yet another throwaway season. Enjoying process only makes sense if process is leading to something. This is nothing but aimless stumbling from year to year. What happends if they draft 6th or 7th this year ? Try 2024? Then 2025, then 2026? Because it's clear that THIS front office won't commit toward building basketball , competitive team in near future.

Then, why are you here?

[pepe1991]

Some people enjoy the process. I’m enjoying the fruits of the last two drafts. I’ll worry about wins after this year. In Dwight’s first year, we won 31 games… with a healthy roster that included Steve Francis, Grant Hill, Cuttino Mobley, Hedo, and Jameer. Patience dude.

Fruits of rebuild.
Mario Hezonja
Elfrid Payton
Aaron Gordon
One hour of Domas Sabonis
Gordon in Paul George wannbe teenage phase
JOnathan " MIA" Isaac
Fultz as reminder it could have been Maxey

Patience would make sense if Magic were contender in 2019 and now go through rough patch. Magic haven't been relevant in last 11 years. Kid that 11 years ago was in highschool now has own kids. Person who was in his 50s last time Magic were relevant probably already has grandkids and/or is planning his retirment.

You might enjoy empty calory stats of Banchero and watch him and Franz Wagner average 50% of all shots of a team while losing comfortablly against team that looks like it's toying with us. I really don't.
I didn't watch last year's last 20 games because i figured there is nothing new i could learn . Guess what? i was right.

Same this year. It is just yet another throwaway season. Enjoying process only makes sense if process is leading to something. This is nothing but aimless stumbling from year to year. What happends if they draft 6th or 7th this year ? Try 2024? Then 2025, then 2026? Because it's clear that THIS front office won't commit toward building basketball , competitive team in near future.

Then, why are you here?

Why you can't reply with objective arguments what's there to support instad of most childish reply possible ?

Unhealthy obsesssion with tanking is most anti sportsmenship behavior one fan can step into. You lierally watch games to cheer for opponents in hope more losing will lead toward better lottery position to draft "player" ( read: kid ) who is yet to shave for first time.
And you justfy proces of cheering against your team with " this young players put numbers ,therfore they "develop". No they don't. They just spend enough time on the floor to have enough balls bounce their way ( Rebounds!!) and pass around ball just enough to stumble to 3,4 "assists" by accident, and shoot just about 50% of all team's shots.
If that is name of "development" than Elfrid Payton second part of the season miracle triple doubles on awful teams would already developed him into Chris Paul. Spoiler alert, he was same player year in and year out because he kept playing on same, uncompetitive , bad teams, was never challenged as starter and never felt need to improve .

Franz Wagner looks identical, if not worst like he did last year. Why ? Well because team is actually somehow even worst than last year. He looked good/ great on Eurobasket because , for that competition, he had more talent around him, so mainly Schroder got out best of him.
Now Franz is "point forward" in role he has no business playing. He looks worst, His FG% is worst than last year, he shoots 20% for 3, he draws almost no fouls and to get 1,1 assist more, he averages 1,7 turnovers more. All advanced stats in dumpster.

Also let's not forget third member of "process ". Jalen Suggs. What if 2023 draft prospect turns into similar player to him. Somebody so green that you can't realisticlly depend on for couple of years at least? So you go back in 2024 lottery again? Than 2025. Than 2026.
And what happends if in that "process" Banchero or Wagner ask to be traded out of your mess since you are good for nothing but losing? You know, those players don't really have patience to waste their life, talent and health forever on awful teams.

Trae Young told Hawks after second year that he will ask trade if they don't get him actual basketball players.

[SOUL]

Well, if we're comparing 5 games from this year of Wagner then it's only fair to compare him to the first 5 games of last year otherwise it's projecting an entire year of similar production

I don't mind if people don't like tanking. I don't "enjoy" losing but if we're going to be bad, I would rather have a higher pick. I'd rather have a chance at drafting Banchero and Wagner than being 14 or 15 and having to figure out which guys may or may not be stars. You can draft a star at any position, which is why I don't really concern myself with draft position that much, but it does get considerably harder later on.

I don't wanna be pre all-star Vuc Magic, or Pistons before Cade, or current Hornets, or the Bucks before Giannis just for the sake of being a "bad" decent team. We want young talent that can take us places in the future. If our max win total is like 33, I don't mind winning 23.

Where most arguments come is that once we have those guys, people expect winning right away.. but when you look at the trajectory of every team with a young star.. the winning did not come quickly or easily for 90%. Interest happens when other players notice what you've got going on, and when internal progress from rookies and young players start to affect the win column.

Our issue is that injuries have exacerbated any sort of illusion of progress record wise so far this season.

[pepe1991]

Well, if we're comparing 5 games from this year of Wagner then it's only fair to compare him to the first 5 games of last year otherwise it's projecting an entire year of similar production

I don't mind if people don't like tanking. I don't "enjoy" losing but if we're going to be bad, I would rather have a higher pick. I'd rather have a chance at drafting Banchero and Wagner than being 14 or 15 and having to figure out which guys may or may not be stars. You can draft a star at any position, which is why I don't really concern myself with draft position that much, but it does get considerably harder later on.

I don't wanna be pre all-star Vuc Magic, or Pistons before Cade, or current Hornets, or the Bucks before Giannis just for the sake of being a "bad" decent team. We want young talent that can take us places in the future. If our max win total is like 33, I don't mind winning 23.

Where most arguments come is that once we have those guys, people expect winning right away.. but when you look at the trajectory of every team with a young star.. the winning did not come quickly or easily for 90%. Interest happens when other players notice what you've got going on, and when internal progress from rookies and young players start to affect the win column.

Our issue is that injuries have exacerbated any sort of illusion of progress record wise so far this season.

Well i can't compare his current production with games he didn't play, or games who are yet to be played. But through 5 games he didn't really set world on fire.
Over whole lenght of last year he had 5 turnovers- once in 79 games.
Through first 5 games he had 5 turnovers -twice.
It' not very hard to see he struggles in role he has no business playing.


Pre Giannis team relied heavily on draft and never builted anything.
Matter of fact without Giannis Hammond would get fired few years earlier. Let's not forget he also drafted Jabari Parker over Embiid.
They also drafted Bogut ( first overall), TJ Ford, Joe Alexander, Ferdette, Brandon Jennings and Henson in timespan 2005-2012 right before they stumbled across Giannis ( not even in lottery).

Pistons before Cade also relied heavily on draft as well. Their awesome draft houl includes Greg Monroe, Drummond, Brandon Knight, KCP and Stanley Johnson. each and every one of them was top 8 lottery pick.
Just before Cade, they drafted Killian Hayes after another epic 20-46 season.


Hornets /Bobcats drafted in lottery something like 14 out of last 18 years. That picks include bunch of top 3 picks ( Okafor, Adams, lamelo Ball, MKG ) all of them obtained during brutal tanking seasons. Worst being that epic 7-59 season that is historically one of worst nba seasons by basketball team in history. Grand award for it- Michael Kidd Gilchrist! Amazing!


Bucks got Giannis in 2013. They didn't become contender until 2018 and change of front office, coaching changes and trades.
6 years apart. In between they didn't avoid "mediocrity" and being "threadmill" because you simply won't go from 15 wins to 50 wins over one summer. This fear of "mediocrity" is basless to me. Most teams,before winning titles or compeating for titles go through at least 1-2 years where they are mid tear team.

Warriors didn't won 50 games until Steph's 5th season.
Lebron's Cavs were sub 50 wins team in 3 of his first 5 years.
Heat before becomming contender was also " on path to nowhere".


You simply have to be fine with competitive 35-40 wins season at some point as stepping stone for next big leap. Case and point- Cavs today.
Just like you have to be comfortable with fact that you will have to let some assets go to take next leap.

Magic are now for ages stuck in this crazy metathesiophobia stage. Complete fear of changes in fear of "getting worst" they also don't get better.
Did you noticed that Magic last trade to improve roster ( at least in thoery) was Serge Ibaka ,traded at July 26th, 2016. So alomst 7 years passed since last time magic actually tried to get better. You can't compete like that, you can't win whole thing being scared little ****y that only plays safe.

I'll never understand this fear from being gambler in nba. What's worst it can happen if you go balls to the wall for some SGA today? They got picks and draft somebody in 2024 or 2025 or 2026 that might be good ? And? At apsolute worst you trade SGA two years later for similar gain. At apsolue worst you suck, have awful year, win 20 games. Oh wait, that's execlly what is happening now. So how's that any different?

[SOUL]

Sorry, long post ahead. I don't disagree with overarching points but I will point out some specific things that I think you're missing.

They also drafted Bogut ( first overall), TJ Ford, Joe Alexander, Ferdette, Brandon Jennings and Henson in timespan 2005-2012 right before they stumbled across Giannis ( not even in lottery).

Pistons before Cade also relied heavily on draft as well. Their awesome draft houl includes Greg Monroe, Drummond, Brandon Knight, KCP and Stanley Johnson. each and every one of them was top 8 lottery pick.
Just before Cade, they drafted Killian Hayes after another epic 20-46 season.

That's my point though. None of those guys were franchise people and a lot of times they simply didn't get the chance to draft franchise changing talent. Were some still available? Of course, but it's harder to predict those talents. There would never be all-stars dropping past 6 or 7 unless if it was easy since it's not an exact science.

And that's quite a generous gap of players you're including too. Bogut is in 2005, Parker is in 2014. An entire rebuild happened between then - also Bucks got lucky because they had 6th or 7th worst record for Bogut year. Only the Parker year did they really suck/fully embrace the tank. But with Embiid you are making my point for me. They had the chance at Embiid! Front offices still have to make the correct decision as well. There is always inherent risk at tanking and I've always said that: lottery ball luck, scouting being good, and hoping nobody else takes your player unless you are #1. Tanking is risky. But the alternative is to be stuck in no man's land.

You simply have to be fine with competitive 35-40 wins season at some point as stepping stone for next big leap. Case and point- Cavs today.

I think we'd be closer to that if it wasn't for injuries though. We can't win with G league talent on our bench even with Jokic.

Plus, the Cavs are the worst example to make because they might be the luckiest franchise in the last 10 years when it comes to draft picks: 4/1/1/8/5/5/3 in the last 10 years. Compare that to Magic in the last 10 years: 2/4/5/6/6/5/1.

1. Getting lucky with Wiggins allowed them to get Kevin Love who helped them to a championship. Getting Garland and Mobley made it possibly to get Mitchell because he realized that they are young and talented. They couldn't make that trade with the #7 or #10 pick every year.

2. Boston became a competitive team because of the luxury of the 1st pick + great scouting. Where did that start from? Bottoming out and trading Pierce and Garnett. It eventually got them Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and a player like Kyrie (who, regardless of it if worked out or not, shows what sort of players can be had with young, promising all-stars.)

3. Sixers, despite it never turning out how they thought it would with Simmons and Embiid, had an all-star and a guy in MVP conversation because of tanking. It allowed them to go after players like Jimmy Butler and Harden. They've disappointed and still they are looked at as a threat in the Eastern Conference every year and have had all-stars in and out of their doors.

4. We see what New Orleans is starting to build because they took a chance trading AD and rolling the dice on young players and the draft. They got Zion. They have the Lakers pick this year which could net them another great young talent.

I can keep going...

"Tanking" is more than just sucking, it's having capital and options to maneuver and get better. I am thankful for Vuc because his talent actually brought some worth back. Without that, you're looking at another late 1st like Gordon got and seconds for Fournier. That is a terrible position to be in if we want to keep being a 30 win team. And some people wanted us to be a 30 win team even without Franz or Banchero. They just want to win even if there's no path to a 1st round playoff win.

If the Hornets get 35 wins this year, 13th pick, they will again be a team with vets whose contracts will be ending, a lone potential all-star player, and no real option to get better besides hoping Rozier/Hayward nets them any value. But if you trade those guys, you won't be a 35 win team.. don't think their fans are thrilled about that.

I'll never understand this fear from being gambler in nba. What's worst it can happen if you go balls to the wall for some SGA today? They got picks and draft somebody in 2024 or 2025 or 2026 that might be good ? And? At apsolute worst you trade SGA two years later for similar gain. At apsolue worst you suck, have awful year, win 20 games. Oh wait, that's execlly what is happening now. So how's that any different?

Hey, I would be fine for an SGA trade or for any talent that is young enough to not fall off by the time their contract ends. I think you will see that the front office will probably agree with you. If we don't get the 1st or 2nd pick, I can see that pick AND the Chicago pick being traded.

Would you rather have Banchero and Wagner or be stuck with Fournier and Vuc and Gordon? Honest question. Because saying "we should go all in this year" seems to be a new posting trend ONLY because of people seeing how good Banchero in these 5 games. When it was around draft time, nobody was really saying this stuff. They knew it was always 2023. I don't think they should ignore this season though. If there are moves to be made, make them. But why are people talking about it 5 games in the season when all of the trading chips can't play or have value to be moved? Wait until trade deadline.

Even guys like Doncic, Trae, Zion, etc, hell, Durant, LeBron, name most of players, their teams will be bad the first year or two. Very specific situations like Morant or Tatum made it so that they were competitive right away or only after a year, but that's not the norm.

[Bensational]

Pepe is so scared of actually backing a player, when another poster was surprised he was “high” on Giddey he did backflips to try and distance himself. Talk about pathetic.

[RookieStar]

Yeah... we really are jumping the gun here. Can't we at least feature the draft prospects in the 14-18 range? Lol

[GelbeWand09]

second week into new season, third year of rebuild, and still only thing you can look forward is college /international teenagers hooping?

3rd year of rebuild? We are now 1 & a half season into it. Most of the 1st season we still played with Vuc & co.

The almost absurd idea of reddit, Magic podcast bubble & some on this board, that we are ready to compete for the PO after 1 full rebuild season, being one of youngest teams ever & just adding a rookie, is the only and completely predictable reason, for all that panic now.
Which team, who burns his old roster to the ground, without adding win now vets, is good after 1 year? This was always a full 2 year rebuild until they try to add winning pieces. I'm not a fan of WeHam at all, but so far there rebuild is good (except finding good rotation/roleplayers or cheap sharpshooters).
I mean all the crying about winning is so unnecessary for me. We can start being mediocre at anytime. Thats the easiest thing to do in the NBA. Just add 3-5 good winning vets and you are the Pacers of the last 5-6 years or the current Wizards. Now is the time to add big time talent through the draft. Thats either succesful or not, but the only possibility to add such players. Than you use the advantage of the cheapness of there contracts to add vets as FA's & a Star or elite roleplayer per trade.
We are not the Raptors who lost Kawhi but still had most of the Championship core in there mid 20's. For them 1 tank season is enough.

[pepe1991]

second week into new season, third year of rebuild, and still only thing you can look forward is college /international teenagers hooping?

3rd year of rebuild? We are now 1 & a half season into it. Most of the 1st season we still played with Vuc & co.

The almost absurd idea of reddit, Magic podcast bubble & some on this board, that we are ready to compete for the PO after 1 full rebuild season, being one of youngest teams ever & just adding a rookie, is the only and completely predictable reason, for all that panic now.
Which team, who burns his old roster to the ground, without adding win now vets, is good after 1 year? This was always a full 2 year rebuild until they try to add winning pieces. I'm not a fan of WeHam at all, but so far there rebuild is good (except finding good rotation/roleplayers or cheap sharpshooters).
I mean all the crying about winning is so unnecessary for me. We can start being mediocre at anytime. Thats the easiest thing to do in the NBA. Just add 3-5 good winning vets and you are the Pacers of the last 5-6 years or the current Wizards. Now is the time to add big time talent through the draft. Thats either succesful or not, but the only possibility to add such players. Than you use the advantage of the cheapness of there contracts to add vets as FA's & a Star or elite roleplayer per trade.
We are not the Raptors who lost Kawhi but still had most of the Championship core in there mid 20's. For them 1 tank season is enough.

21-51- season ( year 1)
20-62 season ( year 2)
0-5 season ( ongoing season 3).

You discredit first year of rebuild because "old players were there" . Well they hardly there.
Gordon played 25 games. Vuc 44 , Evan 26, Fultz 8, Isaac 0. And yet that was supposed to be starting 5.


Literally nobody but Dwayne Bacon played more than 48 games. It was clear tank effort mid season.

It's not about "winning". It's about zero desire to compete.
You won't just collect some imaginary Victor/Scoot/ & Franz and Banchero, flip the switch and win 45 games next year. That type of thing happend literally once in history, with OKC and 3 HOF rookies. And yet ,even that team never won anything due financial difficulities of having 3 max contracts and trying to build contender .

Also even entertaining notion that "rebuild is good" because players put empty stats on awful team is nonsense.
Yes, winning isn't ONLY indicator of player's impact, and it is possible to have impact player and suck, but you want tengable proves that players actually get better.
Right now there is zero evidence that Magic players develop in current system:

RJ Hampton- closer to be out of league than developing
OKeke- best year in his life is rookie year
Bamba- probably closer to end of his nba career than anything
Cole Anthony- pretty much same player he was as rookie , very marginal improvments made

So we have tangable evidence that this is not enviroment where players improve. So maybe it's time to... change strategy?

[Ducklett]

second week into new season, third year of rebuild, and still only thing you can look forward is college /international teenagers hooping?

3rd year of rebuild? We are now 1 & a half season into it. Most of the 1st season we still played with Vuc & co.

The almost absurd idea of reddit, Magic podcast bubble & some on this board, that we are ready to compete for the PO after 1 full rebuild season, being one of youngest teams ever & just adding a rookie, is the only and completely predictable reason, for all that panic now.
Which team, who burns his old roster to the ground, without adding win now vets, is good after 1 year? This was always a full 2 year rebuild until they try to add winning pieces. I'm not a fan of WeHam at all, but so far there rebuild is good (except finding good rotation/roleplayers or cheap sharpshooters).
I mean all the crying about winning is so unnecessary for me. We can start being mediocre at anytime. Thats the easiest thing to do in the NBA. Just add 3-5 good winning vets and you are the Pacers of the last 5-6 years or the current Wizards. Now is the time to add big time talent through the draft. Thats either succesful or not, but the only possibility to add such players. Than you use the advantage of the cheapness of there contracts to add vets as FA's & a Star or elite roleplayer per trade.
We are not the Raptors who lost Kawhi but still had most of the Championship core in there mid 20's. For them 1 tank season is enough.

21-51- season ( year 1)
20-62 season ( year 2)
0-5 season ( ongoing season 3).

You discredit first year of rebuild because "old players were there" . Well they hardly there.
Gordon played 25 games. Vuc 44 , Evan 26, Fultz 8, Isaac 0. And yet that was supposed to be starting 5.


Literally nobody but Dwayne Bacon played more than 48 games. It was clear tank effort mid season.

It's not about "winning". It's about zero desire to compete.
You won't just collect some imaginary Victor/Scoot/ & Franz and Banchero, flip the switch and win 45 games next year. That type of thing happend literally once in history, with OKC and 3 HOF rookies. And yet ,even that team never won anything due financial difficulities of having 3 max contracts and trying to build contender .

The first season of our rebuild was a "playoff" team that just continued to suck with a coach who was aiming for playoffs. Yalls revisionist history is just incredible.

Some of you people need to face it and admit trading Vuc/AG/Fournier was the right move, we got rid of the cluster that was Steve Clifford, and got paid for Vuc. We are year two of actual tanking and you guys are freaking out that we aren't THE ATLANTA HAWKS... seriously? The Hawks haven't won crap and aren't going to win crap with Trae "Madador" Young as their ace. Now they have mortgaged their future and have no chance of making it over the hump outside every other team in the East having their star players injured.

[drsd]

Yeah... we really are jumping the gun here. Can't we at least feature the draft prospects in the 14-18 range? Lol

The Magic can still go 77-5 after all !


..

[pepe1991]

3rd year of rebuild? We are now 1 & a half season into it. Most of the 1st season we still played with Vuc & co.

The almost absurd idea of reddit, Magic podcast bubble & some on this board, that we are ready to compete for the PO after 1 full rebuild season, being one of youngest teams ever & just adding a rookie, is the only and completely predictable reason, for all that panic now.
Which team, who burns his old roster to the ground, without adding win now vets, is good after 1 year? This was always a full 2 year rebuild until they try to add winning pieces. I'm not a fan of WeHam at all, but so far there rebuild is good (except finding good rotation/roleplayers or cheap sharpshooters).
I mean all the crying about winning is so unnecessary for me. We can start being mediocre at anytime. Thats the easiest thing to do in the NBA. Just add 3-5 good winning vets and you are the Pacers of the last 5-6 years or the current Wizards. Now is the time to add big time talent through the draft. Thats either succesful or not, but the only possibility to add such players. Than you use the advantage of the cheapness of there contracts to add vets as FA's & a Star or elite roleplayer per trade.
We are not the Raptors who lost Kawhi but still had most of the Championship core in there mid 20's. For them 1 tank season is enough.

21-51- season ( year 1)
20-62 season ( year 2)
0-5 season ( ongoing season 3).

You discredit first year of rebuild because "old players were there" . Well they hardly there.
Gordon played 25 games. Vuc 44 , Evan 26, Fultz 8, Isaac 0. And yet that was supposed to be starting 5.


Literally nobody but Dwayne Bacon played more than 48 games. It was clear tank effort mid season.

It's not about "winning". It's about zero desire to compete.
You won't just collect some imaginary Victor/Scoot/ & Franz and Banchero, flip the switch and win 45 games next year. That type of thing happend literally once in history, with OKC and 3 HOF rookies. And yet ,even that team never won anything due financial difficulities of having 3 max contracts and trying to build contender .

This is complete and utter bull*** and let me tell you execlly why and why 2020-2021 is first Magic tank year.

Season starts at december 23rd, 2020 ( delayed schedule post covid since 2019-20 season ended mid October).

Jonathan Isaac is already hurt and out for a year ( bubble ACL tear)
Fultz tears his ACL in 8th game.

9th game of regular season and Magic rotation 5, at January 8th, 2021 is:
PG: rookie Cole Anthony
SG: Tyler Ennis ( out of nba after Magic)
SF: Dwayna Bacon ( out of nba after Magic)
PF: Clark ( out of nba after Magic)
C: Vuc

Bench: own bust Bamba, Ross, Mane and Bone 5 out of 9 players are complete fillers. But there is kicker. 4 starters are "fillers".


Somwhere between January and February something happend.
Gordon goes in public and demands trade, he also said in throwaway line that he informed front office before he went in public.

Evan around start of that season for Franch media hints that he is not resigning with Orlando.

Vuc in exit interview says that him and Hammond & Weltman planned his exit.

So you get very clear picture that after Fultz domino fell, team geared up in tank mode and in matter of month and half- two months most, they removed old players. Mostly because those players expressed desire to leave. Diretlly to media, or silent or, via third media.

Therfore this is 3rd year of rebuild. Magic were pretending to be competitive for about 12 days of 2020-21 season.

[pepe1991]

Pepe is so scared of actually backing a player, when another poster was surprised he was “high” on Giddey he did backflips to try and distance himself. Talk about pathetic.

Go make fake account to fight me

Don't take it personal, it's a joke.

As for Giddey, you don't know how low i was on him before last year

[drsd]

As for Giddey, you don't know how low i was on him before last year

I scouted Giddey as the second coming of Dennis Schröder, and that is not a good thing.

..

[pepe1991]

As for Giddey, you don't know how low i was on him before last year

I scouted Giddey as the second coming of Dennis Schröder, and that is not a good thing.

..

It was scary how unathletic he looked. Guy looked like he can hardly dunk ( had one video of him dunking than having no strenght to swing on rim ,and falling on his head...)