2024-2025 Regular Season Game 46: Portland Trail Blazers (15-28) at Orlando Magic (23-22) - 7pm

[VFX]

No point guard exists on the roster that can work with Franz and Paolo on the perimeter...

... Sign a phking point guard you idiots.

Suggs is expected to step up and provide a playmaking release valve in the starting unit. If he can't...

KCP can provide spot up shooting and defense, the message the front office is sending to Suggs is that he needs to step up his playmaking. No excuses.

Except Suggs is better than KCP in every possible way while also being younger...

So no.

[three3d]

I dare anyone to go watch 90’s Chicago Bulls highlights of them running the Triangle Offense with Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan and tell me that can’t work with Paolo and Franz. WHEN IT’S RAN RIGHT IT’S UNSTOPPABLE. The reason it doesn’t get used like that anymore is A) it’s hard to find a combo of two guys that can excel in it and B) the NBA has fallen in love with “ analytics” aka the 3 ball.

Lazy offense’s lead to easy defense or lack of needing to play defense. If you’re running pinch post, pick and rolls, pick and pops two things will happen. 1) you’re going to get easy unguarded shots, 2) you’re going to tire your opponent out, making them run in my defense. Hell you’ll probably actually accomplish BOTH of those to be honest. Look at us form example, playing nightmare defense leads to tired legs, arms, and bodies, leads to being GASSED on the offensive end which leads to bad shots, lazy defense, and foul trouble.

[Skybox]

I mentioned this last year, and I'm still in favor of it. Dwight Howard would not be a bad addition. Nobody can tell me he'd be a liability given what his contract would be, give him 15-20 mins a night and see what happens. No reason not to, he'd bring some interior defense and rebounding. WCJ does not, in any realm or dimension, bring more to this team than Dwight would, even at 82 or however old he is.

Whatever Strictly is called in the States, Howard does still look to be fit from his dancing.

Look, he won't play 15-209 minutes a night. He would be an emergency 3rd string Center. If he would agree to 1M for that, then yes, that is better than keeping Houstan.

No way does his big mouth allow him to mentally accept that role...I just don't see that guy coming in without thinking he's the savior and it's his triumphant homecoming. I could just see him "mansplaining" how it's done to Paolo and Franz, who actually developed basketball skills in HS that surpass Dwight's. Dwight was an awesome player, with phenomenal impact, but he was always a childish jerk and largely reliant on his insane physical gifts - which are no doubt gone...which leaves us with just a childish jerk.

[Skybox]

No point guard exists on the roster that can work with Franz and Paolo on the perimeter...

... Sign a phking point guard you idiots.

Suggs is expected to step up and provide a playmaking release valve in the starting unit. If he can't...

KCP can provide spot up shooting and defense, the message the front office is sending to Suggs is that he needs to step up his playmaking. No excuses.

I don't think it's as simple as telling guys what to develop. Suggs is a crappy PG, but an elite 3&D shooting guard and, on good nights, an acceptable combo guard/secondary playmaker. Many guys find roles to excel in in the NBA that weren't their draft profile...look at NAW, Igoudala, and many others...I'm afraid you might have to accept that AB's role is not as clear as "He IS a PG".

[Idiosyncratic]

I think them having handle to the ball was good for their development. Again doesn't mean I wouldn't get a point guard, but I am happy with the rebuild to this point. If they keep playing like this then they hit a wall and need changes, for sure.

When I said hot takes earlier in the thread the idea that they all got hurt from trying on defense or Franz taking the ball to the basket is one of the things I was talking about. Players get hurt, not sure there's always some giant causation. If it happens again next year, maybe. If Shai gets hurt from going to the line 20 times a game you have to live with it, that's why he's an MVP player.

I agree they could have gotten a PG in a non win-now move. Again, I just do not think it's an absolute failure if they choose not to do so yet. Especially now at the deadline where trading picks would constitute as a win-now move of sorts. Bigger picture yes, I agree. Even now there would be some moves I would be fine with at the deadline.

Not directed at you, but I see very very often from many posters "man paolo and franz are ready to win now, forget all those picks and AB we gotta get someone". That sentiment that I am extremely against. We don't need to get someone right now, we just don't. If people fail to see how buying a short term player right now could possibly be bad then IDK.

[eyriq]

No point guard exists on the roster that can work with Franz and Paolo on the perimeter...

... Sign a phking point guard you idiots.

Suggs is expected to step up and provide a playmaking release valve in the starting unit. If he can't...

KCP can provide spot up shooting and defense, the message the front office is sending to Suggs is that he needs to step up his playmaking. No excuses.

I don't think it's as simple as telling guys what to develop. Suggs is a crappy PG, but an elite 3&D shooting guard and, on good nights, an acceptable combo guard/secondary playmaker. Many guys find roles to excel in in the NBA that weren't their draft profile...look at NAW, Igoudala, and many others...I'm afraid you might have to accept that AB's role is not as clear as "He IS a PG".

Regardless of how effective it is, it is what is being asked of Suggs. He's paid third option money overall, second option money the next two seasons, so he definitely is expected to improve offensively. They've hedged their risk by negotiating a declining contract, so if he flames out offensively at least his cap hit later on will be appropriate to his contributions, but he will have failed to live up to this contract.

The focus on a point guard when we've spent two lottery picks on point guards is just misguided.

Edit: we are paying a premium for any developmental upside he has in the tank but by his prime if he's just a 3&D roleplayer he'll be priced right and very tradable.

[Skybox]

I think them having handle to the ball was good for their development. Again doesn't mean I wouldn't get a point guard, but I am happy with the rebuild to this point. If they keep playing like this then they hit a wall and need changes, for sure.

When I said hot takes earlier in the thread the idea that they all got hurt from trying on defense or Franz taking the ball to the basket is one of the things I was talking about. Players get hurt, not sure there's always some giant causation. If it happens again next year, maybe. If Shai gets hurt from going to the line 20 times a game you have to live with it, that's why he's an MVP player.

I agree they could have gotten a PG in a non win-now move. Again, I just do not think it's an absolute failure if they choose not to do so yet. Especially now at the deadline where trading picks would constitute as a win-now move of sorts. Bigger picture yes, I agree. Even now there would be some moves I would be fine with at the deadline.

Not directed at you, but I see very very often from many posters "man paolo and franz are ready to win now, forget all those picks and AB we gotta get someone". That sentiment that I am extremely against. We don't need to get someone right now, we just don't. If people fail to see how buying a short term player right now could possibly be bad then IDK.

If you make a GOOD trade - it's "win now and win then too"...It's like people just assume the 25th pick in this summer's draft is going to matter to some degree much greater than the last twenty drafts...and, if we get our **** together, both of our picks should be in the 20's...trading one of those (or even both) is not mortgaging the future - it's investing in the guys that we drafted in the top 8 over the last few years.

Put it simply...at full strength, we are, as presently constructed, still on the rise and very capable of getting as high as the 4th seed, and maybe, if Paolo and Franz carry us on an All-NBA level for a week, maybe even win a playoff series against a decent team that can't handle our defensive intensity...add a Simons or a Sexton (for nothing of consequence to us) and the potential jumps a round, imo. You're driving around with three wheels and telling yourself to be grateful that you even have a car (meanwhile the spare is right in the trunk - begging you to add it)

[three3d]

In case anyone hasn’t taken notice Paolo doesn’t hang around the scrubs of the NBA. The guy hoops and trains in the Summer with NBA Champions and to be Hall of Famers who influence him also.

If you haven’t seen the ESPN interview with Paolo showing off his new home and talking about coming back from injury check it out. Paolo was hooping with KD in the Summer and when Paolo told KD he was still living in a condo down town KD told him go buy a house because he’s the face of this franchise and a franchise player can’t be living in a condo.

How much longer till those people are telling him to take a close look at whats going on or not going on around him? It will happen happen. When your franchise says hey might want some guard help to take load off or help bring the ball up you listen to him.

[Idiosyncratic]

I think them having handle to the ball was good for their development. Again doesn't mean I wouldn't get a point guard, but I am happy with the rebuild to this point. If they keep playing like this then they hit a wall and need changes, for sure.

When I said hot takes earlier in the thread the idea that they all got hurt from trying on defense or Franz taking the ball to the basket is one of the things I was talking about. Players get hurt, not sure there's always some giant causation. If it happens again next year, maybe. If Shai gets hurt from going to the line 20 times a game you have to live with it, that's why he's an MVP player.

I agree they could have gotten a PG in a non win-now move. Again, I just do not think it's an absolute failure if they choose not to do so yet. Especially now at the deadline where trading picks would constitute as a win-now move of sorts. Bigger picture yes, I agree. Even now there would be some moves I would be fine with at the deadline.

Not directed at you, but I see very very often from many posters "man paolo and franz are ready to win now, forget all those picks and AB we gotta get someone". That sentiment that I am extremely against. We don't need to get someone right now, we just don't. If people fail to see how buying a short term player right now could possibly be bad then IDK.

If you make a GOOD trade - it's "win now and win then too"...It's like people just assume the 25th pick in this summer's draft is going to matter to some degree much greater than the last twenty drafts...and, if we get our **** together, both of our picks should be in the 20's...trading one of those (or even both) is not mortgaging the future - it's investing in the guys that we drafted in the top 8 over the last few years.

Put it simply...at full strength, we are, as presently constructed, still on the rise and very capable of getting as high as the 4th seed, and maybe, if Paolo and Franz carry us on an All-NBA level for a week, maybe even win a playoff series against a decent team that can't handle our defensive intensity...add a Simons or a Sexton (for nothing of consequence to us) and the potential jumps a round, imo. You're driving around with three wheels and telling yourself to be grateful that you even have a car (meanwhile the spare is right in the trunk - begging you to add it)

Of course it's not "mortgaging the future". No one would say trading two late 1sts is mortgaging the future. I'm saying there's a chance it lowers our future upside though and that getting a short-term player could be worse than a draft pick. It absolutely could. Considering our window probably isn't right now and we need cheap contracts going forward and then it really really absolutely could be worse. Not a total mortgage, of course not. But could it lower our absolute upside? Absolutely it could. It's is extremely shortsighted to not acknowledge that that could be true.

Yes a good trade would be fine. I'm not team keep every single pick. If i get "good" value then it can be dealt. Remember the trade market is set and 1st rounders are very valuable around the league. We shouldn't move them for mediocre returns just because we think we have no use making the picks.

[Bergmaniac]

No point guard exists on the roster that can work with Franz and Paolo on the perimeter...

... Sign a phking point guard you idiots.

Suggs is expected to step up and provide a playmaking release valve in the starting unit. If he can't...

KCP can provide spot up shooting and defense, the message the front office is sending to Suggs is that he needs to step up his playmaking. No excuses.

Suggs had his best year as an off-ball SG yet this FO moved him back into a role he's not comfortable at to fit KCP. Instead of going out and getting a capable on-ball guard they're forcing a circle in a square peg. Make it make sense because it doesn't no matter how badly the FO wants it to.

Suggs's main backcourt partner last year was Gary Harris who is even less of a PG than KCP. The front office didn't plan to move Suggs into a bigger playmaking role due to signing KCP, this is the result of Paolo and Franz missing so many games.

[VFX]

Suggs is expected to step up and provide a playmaking release valve in the starting unit. If he can't...

KCP can provide spot up shooting and defense, the message the front office is sending to Suggs is that he needs to step up his playmaking. No excuses.

I don't think it's as simple as telling guys what to develop. Suggs is a crappy PG, but an elite 3&D shooting guard and, on good nights, an acceptable combo guard/secondary playmaker. Many guys find roles to excel in in the NBA that weren't their draft profile...look at NAW, Igoudala, and many others...I'm afraid you might have to accept that AB's role is not as clear as "He IS a PG".

Regardless of how effective it is, it is what is being asked of Suggs. He's paid third option money overall, second option money the next two seasons, so he definitely is expected to improve offensively. They've hedged their risk by negotiating a declining contract, so if he flames out offensively at least his cap hit later on will be appropriate to his contributions, but he will have failed to live up to this contract.

The focus on a point guard when we've spent two lottery picks on point guards is just misguided.

Edit: we are paying a premium for any developmental upside he has in the tank but by his prime if he's just a 3&D roleplayer he'll be priced right and very tradable.

This recent attempt of yours to diminish Suggs for your AB agenda is disappointing to say the least.

He can improve offensively as a 6'5 shooting guard where he shot damn near 40% from 3 last season.

What is your proposal then? Trade Suggs so AB can come in and do absolutely nothing at an elite level? Why? Does this team need another defender that poorly finishes at the rim?

What is AB's Assist to TO ratio? 3.5/2? So basically the exact same as Suggs playing out of position all season against starters while defending the other teams best player.

Are we even watching the same team? AB played like 30minutes last night and the offense looked worse than any lineup with Suggs and KCP this season, which weren't great either.

[eyriq]

This recent attempt of yours to diminish Suggs for your AB agenda is disappointing to say the least.

It's just the results of a thought experiment where neither Suggs or AB provide enough offensively. Is that a good enough backcourt? Probably not. What are the teams priorities? Would they prefer AB's size and playmaking over Suggs 3&D? Suggs is paid like a 3rd option already, the onus is on him to step up.

What is your proposal then?

Continue to force Suggs to develop into a viable 3rd option and if he doesn't, trade him for one.

[Fortune Teller]

Just because the front office intended to draft a PG when they picked Suggs and Black doesn't mean, a) they succeeded; or, b) they should resign themselves to having a roster without a PG.

The bottom line is there were, and still are, gaping holes on this roster that Weltman chose not to fill over the span of a year when he used two lottery picks on Black and Jett and frittered away the biggest cap space in the league by re-upping a bunch of garbage and signing KCP.

[drsd]

No way does his big mouth allow him to mentally accept that role...I just don't see that guy coming in without thinking he's the savior and it's his triumphant homecoming. I could just see him "mansplaining" how it's done to Paolo and Franz, who actually developed basketball skills in HS that surpass Dwight's. Dwight was an awesome player, with phenomenal impact, but he was always a childish jerk and largely reliant on his insane physical gifts - which are no doubt gone...which leaves us with just a childish jerk.

So we agreed it's Shaq then!

[rcklsscognition]

Suggs is my favorite Magic player since Penny and so believe he has 20ppg in him somewhere.

[sChOlaRlY_Magi]

I mentioned this last year, and I'm still in favor of it. Dwight Howard would not be a bad addition. Nobody can tell me he'd be a liability given what his contract would be, give him 15-20 mins a night and see what happens. No reason not to, he'd bring some interior defense and rebounding. WCJ does not, in any realm or dimension, bring more to this team than Dwight would, even at 82 or however old he is.

Whatever Strictly is called in the States, Howard does still look to be fit from his dancing.

Look, he won't play 15-209 minutes a night. He would be an emergency 3rd string Center. If he would agree to 1M for that, then yes, that is better than keeping Houstan.

No way does his big mouth allow him to mentally accept that role...I just don't see that guy coming in without thinking he's the savior and it's his triumphant homecoming. I could just see him "mansplaining" how it's done to Paolo and Franz, who actually developed basketball skills in HS that surpass Dwight's. Dwight was an awesome player, with phenomenal impact, but he was always a childish jerk and largely reliant on his insane physical gifts - which are no doubt gone...which leaves us with just a childish jerk.

+1,000,000,000

Some of yall did not experience the Dwightmare, and it shows.

Or if you did, you rabbit-holed it, which I also distrust...

[Bergmaniac]

Dwight is 39 and haven't played regularly in a year and a half, there is no way in hell he can play at an NBA level nowadays.

[Orlando Dawg]

Waddle Farter Jr can’t even dunk it if someone is standing next to him.

[Jaxfann]

This wasnt just a bad loss, it was a panic level loss. Idc if Paolo/Franz not up to conditioning and Suggs/Goga not back. Scoring 79 points on 76 attempted FG while shooting 34% is embarrassing and beyond fixing by two guys coming back. The defense will improve as franz get more conditions and suggs/goga returns but this putridly historically bad offense cant continue.

KCP disappointment resumes and AB is basically Fultz 2.0. We need to upgrade backcourt and add some shooting and some players that can help make some halfcourt playmaking. There are so many guys on the market right now that can help us. I will be very surprised if we pass the deadline without making a move.

At this point, trade for Simons. Idc about the contract just figure it out later. We have the players and picks. Weltman has a responsibility to address this.

Losing at home to Portland to solidify a 5-game losing streak is awful. But I really think you are missing the point. Orlando is losing because Bitadze is out. The Magic has no big-depth AT ALL. The Magic has had since M-Wagner went down to get a new combo-big or bona fide center. This problem is all on WePark, and is of their making.

From Dec 22 to this game Jan 23: Orlando has had a month to find a big. A big that would set screens, rebound, and play defense. And only that. Orlando lacks all three of those things, currently.

What are we talking about? Something like Bismack Biyombo on a pro-rated, vet-min deal to close out the season. This is not a difficult management move that "changes the future of the roster".

Yes Houstan needs to be waived to bring in a 4/5 or 5. So what. a) he sucks. b) the Magic has Howard to play that role.

For gosh-sake: just sign Colin Castleton to a 2-way deal if management is so risk adverse to waiving Houstan. Come on WePark. You are failing this team by failing to give Coach basic roster depth.

I mentioned this last year, and I'm still in favor of it. Dwight Howard would not be a bad addition. Nobody can tell me he'd be a liability given what his contract would be, give him 15-20 mins a night and see what happens. No reason not to, he'd bring some interior defense and rebounding. WCJ does not, in any realm or dimension, bring more to this team than Dwight would, even at 82 or however old he is.

[Orlando Dawg]

Dwight Howard is a psycho who can’t even shoot it from point blank