2024-2025 Preseason Game 2: Orlando Magic (0-1) at San Antonio Spurs (0-1) - 8pm

[SOUL]

Will fans be okay if we take a step back record wise be integrating more rookies/2nd years in minutes wise? Because there will be ups and downs, we're not playing Spurs 2nd-3rd stringers a lot of nights.

I'd be fine with it, but I think people think playing these guys = winning more too and it's just not always that simple.

[Knightro]

Actually your position is the silliest thing going on right now. He's a point guard, end of discussion.

This sort of stuff makes me not even wanna post here anymore

Just pure nonsense.

If you need help with the concept they break it out nicely in this game called "NBA 2K".

I can’t talk to you anymore

[KillMonger]

Will fans be okay if we take a step back record wise be integrating more rookies/2nd years in minutes wise? Because there will be ups and downs, we're not playing Spurs 2nd-3rd stringers a lot of nights.

I'd be fine with it, but I think people think playing these guys = winning more too and it's just not always that simple.

didn't the starters win their minutes pretty handily though?

[SOUL]

Will fans be okay if we take a step back record wise be integrating more rookies/2nd years in minutes wise? Because there will be ups and downs, we're not playing Spurs 2nd-3rd stringers a lot of nights.

I'd be fine with it, but I think people think playing these guys = winning more too and it's just not always that simple.

didn't the starters win their minutes pretty handily though?

I mean it was integrated with Suggs/Franz/Paolo but I'm saying most nights we're going to play better teams than a lot of what they played against the Spurs.

[VFX]

Will fans be okay if we take a step back record wise be integrating more rookies/2nd years in minutes wise? Because there will be ups and downs, we're not playing Spurs 2nd-3rd stringers a lot of nights.

I'd be fine with it, but I think people think playing these guys = winning more too and it's just not always that simple.

I mean… they should.

It’s not like we are giving starting minutes to these guys. They are lottery picks getting folded into starting minutes eventually from off the bench.

Also, Orlando isn’t contending for a championship this or next season.

[thelead]

Will fans be okay if we take a step back record wise be integrating more rookies/2nd years in minutes wise? Because there will be ups and downs, we're not playing Spurs 2nd-3rd stringers a lot of nights.

I'd be fine with it, but I think people think playing these guys = winning more too and it's just not always that simple.

A step back because AB, Jett, and TDS take Gary's, Houstan's, and Ingles' minutes means Paolo and Franz didn't improve as much as we need them to more than a reduction in production (if any) from the bench IMO.

[fendilim]

Will fans be okay if we take a step back record wise be integrating more rookies/2nd years in minutes wise? Because there will be ups and downs, we're not playing Spurs 2nd-3rd stringers a lot of nights.

I'd be fine with it, but I think people think playing these guys = winning more too and it's just not always that simple.

Like it or not, that’s gonna happen.

JI will probably be load managed, forever.
Gary Harris is injury prone.

[tooler]

Will fans be okay if we take a step back record wise be integrating more rookies/2nd years in minutes wise? Because there will be ups and downs, we're not playing Spurs 2nd-3rd stringers a lot of nights.

I'd be fine with it, but I think people think playing these guys = winning more too and it's just not always that simple.

Progress toward a championship isn't always linear. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the team regresses this season. It won't be the end of the world.

[uraverage]

Will fans be okay if we take a step back record wise be integrating more rookies/2nd years in minutes wise? Because there will be ups and downs, we're not playing Spurs 2nd-3rd stringers a lot of nights.

I'd be fine with it, but I think people think playing these guys = winning more too and it's just not always that simple.

I think its slim we match last years record. We were really healthy last year compared to other teams.

[eyriq]

The mental gymnastics people go through to marginalize AB is wild. This will be the last season we deal with this, though.

[DiplomaticMagic]

Goga and Jett are too good to ride the bench.

[VFX]

The mental gymnastics people go through to marginalize AB is wild. This will be the last season we deal with this, though.

Who is marginalizing AB?

He should be getting all the backup minutes at point guard. He’s just not capable enough as a starter yet and the rotation is crowded.

[eyriq]

The mental gymnastics people go through to marginalize AB is wild. This will be the last season we deal with this, though.

Who is marginalizing AB?

He should be getting all the backup minutes at point guard. He’s just not capable enough as a starter yet and the rotation is crowded.

Not you in particular. The trigger for me is saying "he's not a PG", which is really code for "he's not the type of PG I prefer". It would be much more interesting to discuss PG archetypes and which one fits best with Paolo, Franz, and Suggs than the elementary topic of whether or not he's a PG.

[drsd]

Trade Harris and sign Dennis Schroder. Does this fix things?

Trading Schröder for Anthony does.

[KillMonger]

Goga and Jett are too good to ride the bench.

don't know about this, but they should be playing that's for sure.....starting? maybe not.....i'll tell you what though from what i seen from Jett i'll gladly take that over what we get from gary....thing is though will mose let the kid play if he's earned it? Mose might go with gary again just because he's a veteran

[VFX]

People like to play this game of “roles” and “positions”.

The simple fact is that it comes down to skillsets and how they match up with the rest of the roster. The positionless argument comes up when posters have agendas to shoehorn players onto the court even if lineups don’t make sense based on skillset.

AB can guard 1-3 but he has an advantage guarding opposing guards.

Now, if you want to relegate him to standing in a corner and hitting 3’s, with another guard on the floor, then you are giving up WAY more positionally than you realize. 6’8 Jett Howard can hit 3’s off the bench better than AB can if you want to play that game of skill sets. The Jury is also still out on whether TDS can be better in that position too.

The point is that AB’s positional versatility loses value when you are replacing him with players that do the same thing, or better, at those spots rather than playing him where he’s got advantage because it happens to fit your narrative.

Cole and AB look bad on the floor together. They both somewhat require the ball to be effective and neither are great moving off ball. Cole also again relegates AB to guarding players 2-3 at all times man to man, which again takes away advantage.

[KillMonger]

thoughts on cole? it's about to be year 5, it's early but uhh.....through a couple games, i'm not seeing enough growth

[GelbeWand09]

People like to play this game of “roles” and “positions”.

The simple fact is that it comes down to skillsets and how they match up with the rest of the roster. The positionless argument comes up when posters have agendas to shoehorn players onto the court even if lineups don’t make sense based on skillset.

AB can guard 1-3 but he has an advantage guarding opposing guards.

Now, if you want to relegate him to standing in a corner and hitting 3’s, with another guard on the floor, then you are giving up WAY more positionally than you realize. 6’8 Jett Howard can hit 3’s off the bench better than AB can if you want to play that game of skill sets. The Jury is also still out on whether TDS can be better in that position too.

The point is that AB’s positional versatility loses value when you are replacing him with players that do the same thing, or better, at those spots rather than playing him where he’s got advantage because it happens to fit your narrative.

Cole and AB look bad on the floor together. They both somewhat require the ball to be effective and neither are great moving off ball. Cole also again relegates AB to guarding players 2-3 at all times man to man, which again takes away advantage.

The thing is, when AB isnt capable of doing on ball PG things it doesnt matter if he is in theory a star at the 1 and just a roleplayer at the wing. When he doesnt got a PG skillset at this age he will never be a PG, no matter if you play him there. Problem is that he isnt used as one yet & he even seems to avoid trying to play like a PG. So i cant say if he is capable, unlike Suggs. Suggs is NO PG. He doesnt have the handle, vision, feel or wiggle in his game. All things you learn as a kid. You yonly improve those things marginally as a 16+ year old. With Suggs we have enough Sample Size to make that Statement. For AB we cant yet, because how is used so far & how he interprets his role on the court so far. The problem for me is that he seems to avoid doing PG things on his own and not just because of the coach. Is he avoiding those things and giving the ball away like a hot potato because he's not able to play like a PG (ball handling, beating guys off the dribble, playmaking under pressure...) or is it because he's leaning too much on older players or because the coach won't let him? But honestly, what real PG doesn't try to play like a PG as soon as he has the ball in his hands?
I think that's a legitimate question and a reason to doubt his PG potential. I hope we see enough on ball AB this season to solve some of these mysteries about his skillset. I can definitely live with growing pains of a young PG project rather than Cole dribbling the air out of the ball.

[RookieStar]

Honestly from everything I've seen from Black so far he's closer to a wing than a point guard.

eyriq will hate me but I have this feeling that AB will have a more Jingles-like role/position in our team rather than a PG

don't care what role he's playing as long as he's playing....me personally i thought mose made a mistake not finding minutes for him the second half of the season....can't play around with that this season, he definitely should be playing

My heart agrees with that thought but my mind saw the stats that we were winning more with Gary... soooo...

[p0peye]

Ah, the eternal dilemma of positions is so tantalizing. AG is a star at SF, but a roleplayer at PF.