JF5 wrote:Skybox wrote:thelead wrote:Paolo will be a perennial all-star regardless. I’m looking for growth towards all-nba play. We are seeing that as of late and it’s the only thing keeping me sane when I think about this team.
I don't mind the losses... at this point I'm just looking at the trade value of the frp. But I DO care to see a viable offensive plan that gives Paolo some hope that, with some strong summer moves, he'll get the support he needs/deserves. I guess it's more satisfying to take it to good teams, but losing to tankers, while largely healthy, is horrible in all respects. I hope we start "resting" Paolo & Franz on occasion....we're not falling out of the play-in and we're not likely to win our way into a drubbing by BOS or CLE. I really don't want to see us push everyone (meaning P&F, who are "everyone" on this bag of misfits) to their limits just to lose a shot at the lottery.
This is such a losers mentality. Especially for a young team like the Magic who is trying to build something. This isn't a veteran team where you've had guys that have gone for deep playoff runs before. This is a team with core guys who need to build resilience and experience. First sign of a struggle you just give up?
Just because the season hasn't gone the way the fans wanted it. It just seems a certain faction wants to shut it all down because of that reason, or get a higher draft pick even though there have been other inferior teams that have out tanked us.
You're seeing a loser...I'm seeing a child.
Do you want to get better? Are your young stars so immature that they can't grasp the concept if you actually include them in your strategies? I believe they are mature enough to buy in to the big picture - which I still think is priority #1...to reassure them that there is a vision for their team (and personal) success and that they're being heard and that their concerns aren't falling on deaf ears.
BTW, we're in the play-in regardless...I look for solutions with offensive schemes/lineups and then compete in the play-in. I'm not suggesting that Franz & Paolo are done for the season - just several key games here and there. Players don't tank, GM's and Coaches do...but I certainly don't set my guys up for more unneeded frustration by continuing the way we have been. We can win half of our remaining games and be in the play in or we can win 20% of our remaining games and...be in the same play-in. Either way, we're then fed into the meat grinder that is CLE or BOS - IF we somehow win. Right now, the way we've been playing - we don't beat ATL or CHI or MIA...and shouldn't. At that point, we lose any lottery hopes and the pick is meh as far as trade value. We need picks to have value because no-one other than Suggs will have any sole trade value (and his might be heightened because he didn't get to prove that last year's shooting was a fluke). Best outcome is KCP, WCJ, Isaac, AB all start clicking and showing that the historically bad shooting was systemic, not personal, and "Hey, we're actually valuable floor-spreaders - Honest".
Mose needs to try different things regardless, to end the season with some reason for hope for his future with the team, imo. Weltman needs to benefit from this by boosting the value of these well-paid players who have bottomed out this season.