The Guards

[Petre1978]

Like the Black pick.
Let's not forget how not having Fultz or Cole to start the last season hurt the Magic so much and injuries are a part of sports.
Fultz was honestly the only true PG, Cole is a small SG in my opinion

Fultz is the PG
Black the backup ( let him learn )

Suggs is the SG ( he is not a PG )
Anthony the backup

Fultz and Anthony just have one year left on their contracts.

There will be some changes in one year.

[Skybox]

I agree that Black starts the season as a backup...but I hope it's not for long. IMO, it'd be best to move Fultz asap and bury the drama. I'm okay with Cole starting at PG until Black is ready. If Cole's extension talks are going nowhere, maybe move him asap as well - I like him a lot, but I don't think he'll ever be our long-term starting PG. Maybe we can hold it down with Tyus Jones or Mike Conley until Black takes over. Phasing Fultz out slowly would be difficult culture-wise, IMO, and best to just squash that drama quickly with a trade.

SG is still a mystery. I believe we have to make a decision on Harris by June 29 (that's THIS week), so if he's going to be packaged in a trade, we'll know soon.I hope our starting SG is a bigger name that we don't yet have. I expect Suggs to start, but I don't want to bury Howard too deep on the bench.

Much better picture than it was a week ago and maybe even better a week or two from now.

[The-Stallion70]

Howard may be playing more sg than people expect, I think that's a big reason why he went third. We could have gone with a more prototypical sg like Hawkins, George or Bufkin but they lack positional size and I believe Magic execs think Howard can play there.

[Petre1978]

I agree that Black starts the season as a backup...but I hope it's not for long. IMO, it'd be best to move Fultz asap and bury the drama. I'm okay with Cole starting at PG until Black is ready. If Cole's extension talks are going nowhere, maybe move him asap as well - I like him a lot, but I don't think he'll ever be our long-term starting PG. Maybe we can hold it down with Tyus Jones or Mike Conley until Black takes over. Phasing Fultz out slowly would be difficult culture-wise, IMO, and best to just squash that drama quickly with a trade.

SG is still a mystery. I believe we have to make a decision on Harris by June 29 (that's THIS week), so if he's going to be packaged in a trade, we'll know soon.I hope our starting SG is a bigger name that we don't yet have. I expect Suggs to start, but I don't want to bury Howard too deep on the bench.

Much better picture than it was a week ago and maybe even better a week or two from now.

Agreed.
Who would like in return for Fultz?

[Knightro]

Black needs to play PG to maximize his own personal development and his effectiveness towards the team's success.

How they open up minutes for him to do that remains to be seen.

I think they should trade Fultz. I suspect they will trade Anthony if they trade anyone at all.

[PrimeThyme]

Black needs to play PG to maximize his own personal development and his effectiveness towards the team's success.

How they open up minutes for him to do that remains to be seen.

I think they should trade Fultz. I suspect they will trade Anthony if they trade anyone at all.

We can get out of the Fultz business next off-season at no cost. I see no reason to trade him now.

Trade Cole this summer and let Black mentor under Fultz, a player he can model his game after in many respects, this season before handing the reigns over to him full-time next summer. I expect us to be competitive next season, so letting Black learn under a veteran while logging real competitive minutes has value to me.

I expect backup point minutes to Fultz to be the brunt of the minutes Black plays next year. I'm sure there will be some experimentation, but for the most part, that's what I'm expecting. Projecting 1-2 years out, he will be the Fulltime starting PG for this team.

[VFX]

Black needs to play PG to maximize his own personal development and his effectiveness towards the team's success.

How they open up minutes for him to do that remains to be seen.

I think they should trade Fultz. I suspect they will trade Anthony if they trade anyone at all.

We can get out of the Fultz business next off-season at no cost. I see no reason to trade him now.

Trade Cole this summer and let Black mentor under Fultz, a player he can model his game after in many respects, this season before handing the reigns over to him full-time next summer. I expect us to be competitive next season, so letting Black learn under a veteran while logging real competitive minutes has value to me.

I expect backup point minutes to Fultz to be the brunt of the minutes Black plays next year. I'm sure there will be some experimentation, but for the most part, that's what I'm expecting. Projecting 1-2 years out, he will be the Fulltime starting PG for this team.

I’m going to disagree with Prime for the first time in ages.

I’d much rather keep Cole as he has developed a more well rounded game as a backup and arguable cheaper cost, rather than letting Fultz walk for nothing and have AB model his game toward a largely inferior point guard we don’t really want long term.

[p0peye]

It's early to say, but on paper it seems we cannot have any combination of Fultz, Suggs or Black on court together for prolong periods. This would make Cole and Jet much more valuable and one of the three musketeers mentioned could/should be dealt, probably at trade deadline if offers are any good.

[eyriq]

It's early to say, but on paper it seems we cannot have any combination of Fultz, Suggs or Black on court together for prolong periods. This would make Cole and Jet much more valuable and one of the three musketeers mentioned could/should be dealt, probably at trade deadline if offers are any good.

Hmm, great case for keeping Cole. And Harris.

[Max Power]

It’s become increasingly obvious to me that the only people who hate Fultz are on this board. I don’t see Black ever replacing him at the starter spot with the Magic being successful. With all the bitching I hear about Fultz shooting, I’ve watched enough of Black in college to see he’s worse offensively than Fultz. The only think he has on Fultz is height, and 2 feet of that is his ridiculous hair. I hope Fultz has a career year and leaves this debate in the dust. Markelle is the only leader this team has, a fact totally lost on this board.

[zaymon]

Black needs to play PG to maximize his own personal development and his effectiveness towards the team's success.

How they open up minutes for him to do that remains to be seen.

I think they should trade Fultz. I suspect they will trade Anthony if they trade anyone at all.

We can get out of the Fultz business next off-season at no cost. I see no reason to trade him now.

Trade Cole this summer and let Black mentor under Fultz, a player he can model his game after in many respects, this season before handing the reigns over to him full-time next summer. I expect us to be competitive next season, so letting Black learn under a veteran while logging real competitive minutes has value to me.

I expect backup point minutes to Fultz to be the brunt of the minutes Black plays next year. I'm sure there will be some experimentation, but for the most part, that's what I'm expecting. Projecting 1-2 years out, he will be the Fulltime starting PG for this team.

I’m going to disagree with Prime for the first time in ages.

I’d much rather keep Cole as he has developed a more well rounded game as a backup and arguable cheaper cost, rather than letting Fultz walk for nothing and have AB model his game toward a largely inferior point guard we don’t really want long term.

God forbid Black model his game after Fultz. People wonder which guard will be traded and its not out of realm of possibility that all 3 Fultz/Anthony/Suggs will be gone in not so distant future.
Weltman said we need more veterans, opposite to what majority of people here think GHarris could be the safest bet to stay.
We just drafted two guards/wings its quite telling. Black/Howard compliment each other well.

[Knightro]

It’s become increasingly obvious to me that the only people who hate Fultz are on this board. I don’t see Black ever replacing him at the starter spot with the Magic being successful. With all the bitching I hear about Fultz shooting, I’ve watched enough of Black in college to see he’s worse offensively than Fultz. The only think he has on Fultz is height, and 2 feet of that is his ridiculous hair. I hope Fultz has a career year and leaves this debate in the dust. Markelle is the only leader this team has, a fact totally lost on this board.

If all of this is how the Magic’s front office feels then they shouldn’t have picked Black.

[basketballRob]

The Magic could waive Fultz and save $15m. They could use that $15m towards signing Reid, Brown, or Grant. We would likely be able to sign two of those players. Brown would make sense since he's also able to play some PG.

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[Skybox]

I agree that Black starts the season as a backup...but I hope it's not for long. IMO, it'd be best to move Fultz asap and bury the drama. I'm okay with Cole starting at PG until Black is ready. If Cole's extension talks are going nowhere, maybe move him asap as well - I like him a lot, but I don't think he'll ever be our long-term starting PG. Maybe we can hold it down with Tyus Jones or Mike Conley until Black takes over. Phasing Fultz out slowly would be difficult culture-wise, IMO, and best to just squash that drama quickly with a trade.

SG is still a mystery. I believe we have to make a decision on Harris by June 29 (that's THIS week), so if he's going to be packaged in a trade, we'll know soon.I hope our starting SG is a bigger name that we don't yet have. I expect Suggs to start, but I don't want to bury Howard too deep on the bench.

Much better picture than it was a week ago and maybe even better a week or two from now.

Agreed.
Who would like in return for Fultz?

Who could use a solid ball handler with good efficiency, good size, pretty good defense, but limited scoring ability? I'm honestly trying to think of places where Fultz could be useful...I think these all make some sense - in both directions

Fultz to MIN for Kyle Anderson
Fultz & Okeke to SAS for Zach Collins & Malaki Branham
Fultz, Okeke & DEN 25 frp to WAS for Kispert, Gafford, Gallinari (buyout?), and Delon Wright (buyout?)
Fultz & DEN 25 frp to UTA for Agbaji, Olynyk
Fultz to TOR for GTJ (assuming FVV gone to SAS or HOU)
Fultz to BOS for Grant Williams (SnT $17m x 3)
Fultz (dare I say it) to CHI for Vuc (SnT $15 x 3)

* I don't know why I'm suddenly feeling like there'll be any meaningful interest. For months, I've been challenging every one calling me a "Fultz Hater" to tell me who'll come running if we made him available and only got crickets. Instead of pointing to teams that need a PG, perhaps teams that would like a large expiring or can live with risking a high-upside experiment on a former #1. I would imagine WAS is up for almost anything that involves a pick and he's from the area. Ideally, a solid vet with legit mentoring capability. "Mentor" is not a skill to be presumed of any vet.

[VFX]

I agree that Black starts the season as a backup...but I hope it's not for long. IMO, it'd be best to move Fultz asap and bury the drama. I'm okay with Cole starting at PG until Black is ready. If Cole's extension talks are going nowhere, maybe move him asap as well - I like him a lot, but I don't think he'll ever be our long-term starting PG. Maybe we can hold it down with Tyus Jones or Mike Conley until Black takes over. Phasing Fultz out slowly would be difficult culture-wise, IMO, and best to just squash that drama quickly with a trade.

SG is still a mystery. I believe we have to make a decision on Harris by June 29 (that's THIS week), so if he's going to be packaged in a trade, we'll know soon.I hope our starting SG is a bigger name that we don't yet have. I expect Suggs to start, but I don't want to bury Howard too deep on the bench.

Much better picture than it was a week ago and maybe even better a week or two from now.

Agreed.
Who would like in return for Fultz?

Who could use a solid ball handler with good efficiency, good size, pretty good defense, but limited scoring ability? I'm honestly trying to think of places where Fultz could be useful...I think these all make some sense - in both directions

Fultz to MIN for Kyle Anderson
Fultz & Okeke to SAS for Zach Collins & Malaki Branham
Fultz, Okeke & DEN 25 frp to WAS for Kispert, Gafford, Gallinari (buyout?), and Delon Wright (buyout?)
Fultz & DEN 25 frp to UTA for Agbaji, Olynyk
Fultz to TOR for GTJ (assuming FVV gone to SAS or HOU)
Fultz to BOS for Grant Williams (SnT $17m x 3)
Fultz (dare I say it) to CHI for Vuc (SnT $15 x 3)

* I don't know why I'm suddenly feeling like there'll be any meaningful interest. For months, I've been challenging every one calling me a "Fultz Hater" to tell me who'll come running if we made him available and only got crickets. Instead of pointing to teams that need a PG, perhaps teams that would like a large expiring or can live with risking a high-upside experiment on a former #1. I would imagine WAS is up for almost anything that involves a pick and he's from the area. Ideally, a solid vet with legit mentoring capability. "Mentor" is not a skill to be presumed of any vet.

I think Boston makes sense now that they have KP and got rid of Smart.

[tiderulz]

It’s become increasingly obvious to me that the only people who hate Fultz are on this board. I don’t see Black ever replacing him at the starter spot with the Magic being successful. With all the bitching I hear about Fultz shooting, I’ve watched enough of Black in college to see he’s worse offensively than Fultz. The only think he has on Fultz is height, and 2 feet of that is his ridiculous hair. I hope Fultz has a career year and leaves this debate in the dust. Markelle is the only leader this team has, a fact totally lost on this board.

dont know about that. Cole showing up at the draft for players drafted ahead of where he was tells me a lot about his character and leadership. In fact, i thought a big thing about Markelle was that he is pretty soft spoken

[RichCollab]

Do you quit as Magic fans when Fultz starts 75 games this season? Can’t wait.

[drsd]

Do you quit as Magic fans when Fultz starts 75 games this season? Can’t wait.

If G-Harris is on the roster on opening night, then I might quit as a fan.

[RichCollab]

Do you quit as Magic fans when Fultz starts 75 games this season? Can’t wait.

If G-Harris is on the roster on opening night, then I might quit as a fan.

The irony that Gary Harris is the odd man out when he is easily our best 3pt shooter and one of our few vets.

[Knightro]

Do you quit as Magic fans when Fultz starts 75 games this season? Can’t wait.

No, I’ll wait until they give him a new contract next summer