Are we too good for the tank?

[davey_wavy]

Was talking to my father in law couple of days ago (he’s a die hard Michigan guy, so loves his Pistons). I told him we were playing well and he said I know you’ve won 6 in a row. I’m like No Wemby or Scoot I guess? He says “Nope. You are too good to tank”

Him saying that really hit me and now I don’t feel bad about possibly missing the lottery. Am I the only one that literally doesn’t care about a top pick anymore?

[penny_nz]

If we play the players that are available, with no forced holding out, extended injuries etc I agree. Not only are we too good to tank, I think we have too many players with the right attitude who don't want to lose! Paolo, the Wagner bros etc all strike me as people who HATE losing. That spirit is infectious.

If Paolo and Franz start showing they are capable of moving this team forward, and we want to keep them here long term, FO should ABSOLUTELY NOT cut the legs out from underneath them and lead them into losses, what signal does that send to them?

Now if we sucked, sure sit people and get the best odds, but we don't and are only going to get better when healthier.

I don't have a problem with another high draft pick, but I really believe our path forward is a top-ish tier trade or FA to add a vet presence to the starters, ideally someone who knows what it takes to win in the playoffs.

[Magic_Kingdom]

The players have forced Welt’s hand. This streak could be a fluke, but it’s one that hasn’t happened in several years. Yes, he should stop holding out healthy players and see how the team assembled can grow this season. They likely still won’t make the playoffs so they still get two lottery picks, just not as high. Then you do what GMs are paid to do — make trades and sign free agents.

[eyriq]

You're not alone! We can envision a contender built around Paolo and Franz that doesn't require adding another superstar.

[tooler]

We're sitting pretty with the 5th best draft odds. We're no longer bad enough to compete with the super tankers. The only question is what happens with Washington, LA, Chicago, Toronto, etc. They all should be better teams than us with lots of veterans. But they all have a stink about them that might cause any one of them to beat us out for 5th.

I'm perfectly happy with the 5th best odds and it gives us room to compete and win some games. I think those other teams around us will get it together.

[swarlesbarkley]

We don't need no Wemby. Start putting the pieces around Paolo and Franz.

Plus, it looks like the Chicago pick this year is gonna be nice where we can take another swing.

[drsd]

We can envision a contender built around Paolo and Franz that doesn't require adding another superstar.

And-1

Fultz/Anthony
some-vet/rookie
F-Wagner/Bol
Banchero/Isaac
Carter/M-Wagner

Something like this is the probable depth chart on opening night next season, and it is both a playoff team and a potential contender from the 2024/25 season.

I REALLY like that team.


..

[basketballRob]

It's more attractive for a free agent to come to a playoff team. More nationally televised games.

Sent from my SM-G950U using RealGM mobile app

[drsd]

We're sitting pretty with the 5th best draft odds. We're no longer bad enough to compete with the super tankers. The only question is what happens with Washington, LA, Chicago, Toronto, etc. They all should be better teams than us with lots of veterans. But they all have a stink about them that might cause any one of them to beat us out for 5th.

I'm perfectly happy with the 5th best odds and it gives us room to compete and win some games. I think those other teams around us will get it together.

I have Orlando as about the 7th worst team by season's end. That is an about 33% chance to go top-4 at that slot.


..

[VFX]

Depends on how you want to view the situation.

Winning is good for the guys on the team so they can buy into the vision. However, it will land Orlando outside of a chance at generational talent.

Losing isn’t great for morale, casuals, and the team buying into the future. However, it gains Orlando a shot at tangible value at the cost of nothing.

Orlando is currently a young and talented team looking for wins. They’ll get them because they have talent on the roster for once. Just hope that the talent ceiling is high enough that they are capable of more than a playoff appearance because the worst place to be in the league is the middle.

[fateis007]

Personally im tired of giving a crap about the draft. You are pretty much screwed the following season if you're drafting high.(rookies generally dont lead to winning on a bad team, Paolo has been an exeption, as he doesn't play like one) I am ready for our guys to learn how to win and start making trades/signing contracts to secure vets.

[swarlesbarkley]

Depends on how you want to view the situation.

Winning is good for the guys on the team so they can buy into the vision. However, it will land Orlando outside of a chance at generational talent.

Losing isn’t great for morale, casuals, and the team buying into the future. However, it gains Orlando a shot at tangible value at the cost of nothing.

Orlando is currently a young and talented team looking for wins. They’ll get them because they have talent on the roster for once. Just hope that the talent ceiling is high enough that they are capable of more than a playoff appearance because the worst place to be in the league is the middle.

We already have generational talent on the roster. Let's not waste years waiting for another generation talent. We don't necessarily have to make moves this season, but we may have 2 top 10 picks this season even without tanking - we can use one of both those to snag a great vet SG and start competing next year.

If we tank again that means we'll be in year 3 of Paolo and year 4 of Franz before we even start competing (year 2 of whoever we'd get in the '23 draft).

[Ducklett]

At this point with the protections on the Chicago pick, there is a good chance it doesn't convey unless they get their heads out of their butts.

[flying_mollusk]

Is it me, or does this seem like a deep draft? Guys like Keyonte George and Anthony Black are around the 8-9 range according to tankathon. We could potentially package one or both of those picks, plus the Denver pick, and add another star. We also have a lot of cap space.

Point is, there is more than one way to skin a cat. There was no need to panic when we were top of the draft odds, and no need to worry if we compete out of the tank range.

[Bigmagicfan82]

At this point with the protections on the Chicago pick, there is a good chance it doesn't convey unless they get their heads out of their butts.

Most likely Chicago is not going to blow it up until the trade deadline, if at all. If that is the case they will not be able to out-tank or even catch up with the bottom the league. I think they will finish at best 6th worst in the league.

[VFX]

Depends on how you want to view the situation.

Winning is good for the guys on the team so they can buy into the vision. However, it will land Orlando outside of a chance at generational talent.

Losing isn’t great for morale, casuals, and the team buying into the future. However, it gains Orlando a shot at tangible value at the cost of nothing.

Orlando is currently a young and talented team looking for wins. They’ll get them because they have talent on the roster for once. Just hope that the talent ceiling is high enough that they are capable of more than a playoff appearance because the worst place to be in the league is the middle.

We already have generational talent on the roster. Let's not waste years waiting for another generation talent. We don't necessarily have to make moves this season, but we may have 2 top 10 picks this season even without tanking - we can use one of both those to snag a great vet SG and start competing next year.

If we tank again that means we'll be in year 3 of Paolo and year 4 of Franz before we even start competing (year 2 of whoever we'd get in the '23 draft).

We have Paolo and Franz. The back court is up in the air right now. Carter is an amazing value Center, which is perfectly fine. Bol is found money in terms of value, but he plays the same minutes as the core. That’s about it.

I’m not sure how much value Orlando has right now to land that 3rd real option in a consolidation. Suggs could be that guy, but we don’t know yet for sure.

Wins are wins. The FO can only hold out guys due to injury. Nobody is tanking. I’m guessing Orlando lands in 5-8 and the Bulls pick doesn’t convey.

[swarlesbarkley]

Depends on how you want to view the situation.

Winning is good for the guys on the team so they can buy into the vision. However, it will land Orlando outside of a chance at generational talent.

Losing isn’t great for morale, casuals, and the team buying into the future. However, it gains Orlando a shot at tangible value at the cost of nothing.

Orlando is currently a young and talented team looking for wins. They’ll get them because they have talent on the roster for once. Just hope that the talent ceiling is high enough that they are capable of more than a playoff appearance because the worst place to be in the league is the middle.

We already have generational talent on the roster. Let's not waste years waiting for another generation talent. We don't necessarily have to make moves this season, but we may have 2 top 10 picks this season even without tanking - we can use one of both those to snag a great vet SG and start competing next year.

If we tank again that means we'll be in year 3 of Paolo and year 4 of Franz before we even start competing (year 2 of whoever we'd get in the '23 draft).

We have Paolo and Franz. The back court is up in the air right now. Carter is an amazing value Center, which is perfectly fine. Bol is found money in terms of value, but he plays the same minutes as the core. That’s about it.

I’m not sure how much value Orlando has right now to land that 3rd real option in a consolidation. Suggs could be that guy, but we don’t know yet for sure.

Wins are wins. The FO can only hold out guys due to injury. Nobody is tanking. I’m guessing Orlando lands in 5-8 and the Bulls pick doesn’t convey.

I think we're saying the same thing, then. Use our assets (which we have a lot of) to find a crucial piece to add to this roster. Find a SG that makes Franz our 3rd option. Go get Bradley Beal if it doesn't crash our long term plans.

Fultz/Beal/Franz/Paolo/WCJ is a contending starting 5. A bench with Suggs, Cole and Bol is a solid start which we can plug and play with random other pieces each year.

[eyriq]

Depends on how you want to view the situation.

Winning is good for the guys on the team so they can buy into the vision. However, it will land Orlando outside of a chance at generational talent.

Losing isn’t great for morale, casuals, and the team buying into the future. However, it gains Orlando a shot at tangible value at the cost of nothing.

Orlando is currently a young and talented team looking for wins. They’ll get them because they have talent on the roster for once. Just hope that the talent ceiling is high enough that they are capable of more than a playoff appearance because the worst place to be in the league is the middle.

We already have generational talent on the roster. Let's not waste years waiting for another generation talent. We don't necessarily have to make moves this season, but we may have 2 top 10 picks this season even without tanking - we can use one of both those to snag a great vet SG and start competing next year.

If we tank again that means we'll be in year 3 of Paolo and year 4 of Franz before we even start competing (year 2 of whoever we'd get in the '23 draft).

We have Paolo and Franz. The back court is up in the air right now. Carter is an amazing value Center, which is perfectly fine. Bol is found money in terms of value, but he plays the same minutes as the core. That’s about it.

I’m not sure how much value Orlando has right now to land that 3rd real option in a consolidation. Suggs could be that guy, but we don’t know yet for sure.

Wins are wins. The FO can only hold out guys due to injury. Nobody is tanking. I’m guessing Orlando lands in 5-8 and the Bulls pick doesn’t convey.

Which has the better odds of happening, Bulls getting a bottom four pick or Orlando making the play-in?

[VFX]

We already have generational talent on the roster. Let's not waste years waiting for another generation talent. We don't necessarily have to make moves this season, but we may have 2 top 10 picks this season even without tanking - we can use one of both those to snag a great vet SG and start competing next year.

If we tank again that means we'll be in year 3 of Paolo and year 4 of Franz before we even start competing (year 2 of whoever we'd get in the '23 draft).

We have Paolo and Franz. The back court is up in the air right now. Carter is an amazing value Center, which is perfectly fine. Bol is found money in terms of value, but he plays the same minutes as the core. That’s about it.

I’m not sure how much value Orlando has right now to land that 3rd real option in a consolidation. Suggs could be that guy, but we don’t know yet for sure.

Wins are wins. The FO can only hold out guys due to injury. Nobody is tanking. I’m guessing Orlando lands in 5-8 and the Bulls pick doesn’t convey.

Which has the better odds of happening, Bulls getting a bottom four pick or Orlando making the play-in?

It depends on what the Bulls end up doing (if anything) at the deadline. It also depends on whether the Magic are buyers or not. Bulls won last night against Atlanta. Their team on paper isn’t terrible.

As of right now I’d say that the Bulls are more likely to be bottom 4 with the lotto odds. That changes if moves are made. The top 7-8 look pretty solidly locked. Toronto seem to be ‘selling’ right now.

I think worst case scenario both of those things happen. Orlando makes the play-in and the Chicago pick doesn’t convey. Obviously people would be happy for other reasons, but you probably want to keep adding value if you aren’t a deep playoff team yet.

[eyriq]

We have Paolo and Franz. The back court is up in the air right now. Carter is an amazing value Center, which is perfectly fine. Bol is found money in terms of value, but he plays the same minutes as the core. That’s about it.

I’m not sure how much value Orlando has right now to land that 3rd real option in a consolidation. Suggs could be that guy, but we don’t know yet for sure.

Wins are wins. The FO can only hold out guys due to injury. Nobody is tanking. I’m guessing Orlando lands in 5-8 and the Bulls pick doesn’t convey.

Which has the better odds of happening, Bulls getting a bottom four pick or Orlando making the play-in?

It depends on what the Bulls end up doing (if anything) at the deadline. It also depends on whether the Magic are buyers or not. Bulls won last night against Atlanta. Their team on paper isn’t terrible.

As of right now I’d say that the Bulls are more likely to be bottom 4 with the lotto odds. That changes if moves are made. The top 7-8 look pretty solidly locked. Toronto seem to be ‘selling’ right now.

Sounds good. If the Bulls are sellers and their tank odds are strong we could consider trading them back their pick. Interesting storylines between them and Toronto potentially tearing things down and Orlando potentially pushing up the timeline as buyers.