“Sometimes you get the #1 pick and it’s Paolo. Sometimes you just don’t get the right guy.” - Paolo drops 50/13/9

[Rainwater]

Scottie is on the same tier as Suggs, not Paolo. Suggs is a winning type player. He doesn't play for stats. Suggs plays way less minutes, but his per 36 mpg is much higher than Scottie.

https://stathead.com/basketball/versus-finder.cgi?request=1&seasons_type=perchoice&player_id1=suggsja01&p1yrfrom=2025&p1yrto=2025&player_id2=barnesc01&p2yrfrom=2025&p2yrto=2025

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Come on Rob, lol. Suggs is basically a 3 and d guy in Orlando. Scottie is an All Star and first option in Tor. You put Suggs in Scottie's position he would fail.

All-Star replacement*

Suggs would likely (also) fail in Barnes' position as a first option, but Barnes is already doing that himself, so...

I love Suggs but at least Scottie was an option. And I don’t know how you call a 23 year old ROY a failure.

[HotelVitale]

So we can expect 50 points against Indiana from Scottie too then right?

Or is that not convenient for your comparison?

Scottie is a different player, you will not see him taking so many shots

Scottie is on the same tier as Suggs, not Paolo. Suggs is a winning type player. He doesn't play for stats. Suggs plays way less minutes, but his per 36 mpg is much higher than Scottie.

https://stathead.com/basketball/versus-finder.cgi?request=1&seasons_type=perchoice&player_id1=suggsja01&p1yrfrom=2025&p1yrto=2025&player_id2=barnesc01&p2yrfrom=2025&p2yrto=2025

Not sure if you're aware that's a 4-game sample size, just when the Magi and Raptors played each other with both Barnes and Suggs in the lineup. If you're comparing them per minute overall, Barnes has significantly better per-36 stats as well as raw stats. Scottie was at like 21/9/6 last year per 36 and Suggs was 17/4/4. (I'd also guess that those Barnes #s are all above average per minute while the Suggs' one are at or below per 36 league averages, with the possible exception of assists.)

Not trying to way in too heavily on Barnes vs Suggs, FYI, just checking the stat. Don't think any stat-related argument will win Suggs the debate.

[tsherkin]

I love Suggs but at least Scottie was an option. And I don’t know how you call a 23 year old ROY a failure.

ROY doesn't mean much.

The "failure" part is likely because he's still not a particularly good scorer and can't anchor an offense, which is what the hopes were for him. He does appear to be growing into quite a useful supporting player, though.

[antonac]

I've had him as a future top 5 player in the league since he was drafted, he was also my favourite number 1 pick of the last 10 years when he was drafted. Standing by it and not feeling like I was being hyperbolic (Edwards may prove me wrong as I've always had Paolo over him but it's not decided yet).

[eyriq]

NBA marketing needs to pivot to Paolo and Orlando and do it quickly.

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[Effigy]

I've had him as a future top 5 player in the league since he was drafted, he was also my favourite number 1 pick of the last 10 years when he was drafted. Standing by it and not feeling like I was being hyperbolic (Edwards may prove me wrong as I've always had Paolo over him but it's not decided yet).

Go Google 'Victor Wembanyama' Thank me later.

[Rainwater]

I love Suggs but at least Scottie was an option. And I don’t know how you call a 23 year old ROY a failure.

ROY doesn't mean much.

The "failure" part is likely because he's still not a particularly good scorer and can't anchor an offense, which is what the hopes were for him. He does appear to be growing into quite a useful supporting player, though.

That is the point though, he is still growing. I would have on the failure talks until we see what he becomes.

[tsherkin]

That is the point though, he is still growing. I would have on the failure talks until we see what he becomes.

I think the comments are coming because this is year 4 and mostly we've seen The Leap by this point already. But you aren't wrong. Scottie's young still, and has had some injury delays, and he wasn't exactly a finished product when he was in college, etc. THe odds grow longer every season that he makes the leap into some kind of ATG-level player, though, and that's where the feeling of failure comes from with a 4th-overall pick. So I can appreciate both sides of that.

[Bakomagic]

I've had him as a future top 5 player in the league since he was drafted, he was also my favourite number 1 pick of the last 10 years when he was drafted. Standing by it and not feeling like I was being hyperbolic (Edwards may prove me wrong as I've always had Paolo over him but it's not decided yet).

Go Google 'Victor Wembanyama' Thank me later.

Go Google "Reading comprehension." Thank me later.

[Nyce_1]

We worked out Franz. He said our workout was the hardest.

That was weird because all the news said that he immediately stopped his workout with SAC and everyone knew he had a promise. No one ever conneceted him to us because officially we weremt one of the teams that worked him out

I have been searching for the videos and can’t remember where he said it. If I find it, I’ll send it to you. I know one of them is a Magic video but I can’t seem to find that video. It’s the all access introducing Jalen and Franz.

He mentioned it during the Duncan Robinson podcast or the Big Cat Barstool podcast.

Also, Jake Fischer, on a Twitter spaces before that draft, linked Orlando to Franz as the secret team with a promise. The spaces wasn't recorded but I was there and tweeted it out.

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[Effigy]

I've had him as a future top 5 player in the league since he was drafted, he was also my favourite number 1 pick of the last 10 years when he was drafted. Standing by it and not feeling like I was being hyperbolic (Edwards may prove me wrong as I've always had Paolo over him but it's not decided yet).

Go Google 'Victor Wembanyama' Thank me later.

Go Google "Reading comprehension." Thank me later.

Lol. Calm down son. It was just a light hearted joke. I didn't think you didn't know who Wemby was

But for real, the way you phrased it was poorly written 'my favorite number one pick of the last 10 years starting 2 years ago' I get what you mean now though. No harm.

[Mad Guru]

You know, I think one of the major criticisms of the analytics movement over the last few years is their miss on Paolo.

They aren't able to understand WHY he was inefficient, and identify that those reasons were not a reason to dismiss him.

Now that is is showing he is obviously going to catch up to efficiency stats, they are going to move in his direction, but they already should have been there.

The NBA should have been there too, and they have done themselves and the fans a complete disservice by ignoring this star in the making for almost 3 years now.

Everyone is playing catch up on this guy, and they really shouldn't have been.

[srhcan]

So we can expect 50 points against Indiana from Scottie too then right?

Or is that not convenient for your comparison?

Scottie is a different player, you will not see him taking so many shots

Scottie is on the same tier as Suggs, not Paolo. Suggs is a winning type player. He doesn't play for stats. Suggs plays way less minutes, but his per 36 mpg is much higher than Scottie.

https://stathead.com/basketball/versus-finder.cgi?request=1&seasons_type=perchoice&player_id1=suggsja01&p1yrfrom=2025&p1yrto=2025&player_id2=barnesc01&p2yrfrom=2025&p2yrto=2025

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Keep believing that

[JT3000]

Come on Rob, lol. Suggs is basically a 3 and d guy in Orlando. Scottie is an All Star and first option in Tor. You put Suggs in Scottie's position he would fail.

All-Star replacement*

Suggs would likely (also) fail in Barnes' position as a first option, but Barnes is already doing that himself, so...

I love Suggs but at least Scottie was an option. And I don’t know how you call a 23 year old ROY a failure.

It's simple really, a ROY trophy won't win you games. It literally means nothing in the long run. Just ask Emeka Okafor or Tyreke Evans. Barnes is either a viable first option or he isn't, and he's not exactly passing that test with flying colors. All I'm saying is if you're going to compare him to other players by saying they wouldn't make good first options, don't pretend Barnes does either. He might technically be an All-Star, but he's not that guy.

Come on Rob, lol. Suggs is basically a 3 and d guy in Orlando. Scottie is an All Star and first option in Tor. You put Suggs in Scottie's position he would fail.

All-Star replacement*

Suggs would likely (also) fail in Barnes' position as a first option, but Barnes is already doing that himself, so...

Almost like being surrounded by rookies and G-Leaguers with your best scoring options out makes a difference, huh.

He was surrounded by rookies and G-Leaguers all last season, huh? That was your entire active roster? Rookies and G-Leaguers?

[Drakeem]

All-Star replacement*

Suggs would likely (also) fail in Barnes' position as a first option, but Barnes is already doing that himself, so...

I love Suggs but at least Scottie was an option. And I don’t know how you call a 23 year old ROY a failure.

It's simple really, a ROY trophy won't win you games. It literally means nothing in the long run. Just ask Emeka Okafor or Tyreke Evans. Barnes is either a viable first option or he isn't, and he's not exactly passing that test with flying colors. All I'm saying is if you're going to compare him to other players by saying they wouldn't make good first options, don't pretend Barnes does either. He might technically be an All-Star, but he's not that guy.

All-Star replacement*

Suggs would likely (also) fail in Barnes' position as a first option, but Barnes is already doing that himself, so...

Almost like being surrounded by rookies and G-Leaguers with your best scoring options out makes a difference, huh.

He was surrounded by rookies and G-Leaguers all last season, huh? That was your entire active roster? Rookies and G-Leaguers?

You mean the season where he missed 20+ games with a broken hand? The season where Barrett and IQ came to Toronto and then proceeded to miss half or more than half their games with the team?

[tsherkin]

You mean the season where he missed 20+ games with a broken hand? The season where Barrett and IQ came to Toronto and then proceeded to miss half or more than half their games with the team?

It's worth noting that the peripheral players are completely irrelevant to a true #1 scoring option in terms of their ability to perform at a baseline level. Sure, supporting cast can influence upper bound and team success, no doubt. But even on crap teams, true #1s score well. So I wouldn't really be worrying about peripheral players where is Scottie concerned. He needs to showcase the right foundational tools, which he has not yet done to this point (WRT being a focal scorer).

[BigGargamel]

NBA marketing needs to pivot to Paolo and Orlando and do it quickly.

Read on Twitter

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More people know who Bronny James is than Paolo. NBA marketing and the media are hopeless.

[Jadoogar]

Jinx thread

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[eyriq]

Jinx thread

[MrGoat]

Tasteless as it is. The two comments above me are right. At least we're not getting really bad comments about it, I actually dreaded clicking on this when I saw it was bumped