Skybox wrote:JF5 wrote:Skybox wrote:
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.
Childish mentality? The organization sold to these young players that this was a potentially an Eastern Conference finals type team during the previous offseason. You had Paolo going on ESPN saying this and having high expectations.
It's a horrible look for management after all the hell the team has gone through with the injuries. Yet, still have the majority of your guys healthy, plus with the ascension of Franz Wagner to say, "We've got 2 Superstar Caliber players who can takeover/carry the team. But we'll punt the season because we're scared of the competition and we need a potential higher draft pick that has like 3% percent of entering the top 3-5." What type of message does that send to Paolo and Franz? It doesn't show them we're committed to winning.
I could understand if this team was 20-40 record wise and either Franz and/or Paolo was hurt but theyre not. But if this team if they get their chemistry intact and some consistency can be a very dangerous/competitive team during playoff time.
Also, you just mentioned other aspects too. You have to boast the value of the players you have whilst doing it in a winning systematic environment. It depresses player value if you opt to losing and hope you get a top 3 pick somehow, someway. Weltman has his job on the line and so does Mose. You essentially just outlined more points with the latter portion of your reply as to why tanking makes no sense for this team.
