Official 2025 Offseason Thread 2.0

[Orlando Dawg]

I think Franz is the most serious about winning.
I wish Suggs was as serious.
I’m not sure what’s goi g to happen to Paulo because the refs stopped bailing out bully ball. Last year he led the league in grunts to no-call ratio.

[RookieStar]

I think Franz is the most serious about winning.
I wish Suggs was as serious.
I’m not sure what’s goi g to happen to Paulo because the refs stopped bailing out bully ball. Last year he led the league in grunts to no-call ratio.

Huh? I dunno... if you think Suggs isnt serious about winning, then why does he throw his body in making winning plays for the team?

If Suggs was just gonna coast and chill, then he wouldnt do those things in risking his yearly 8figure salary.

[Bakomagic]

I think Franz is the most serious about winning.
I wish Suggs was as serious.
I’m not sure what’s goi g to happen to Paulo because the refs stopped bailing out bully ball. Last year he led the league in grunts to no-call ratio.

Suggs puts his body on the line whenever he is on the court, often times to his detriment (injury). Also he has been very emotional when he loses a close game.

Paolo does not excessively foul bait or flop most of his fouls come from him being in a position where he is most likely to score so the defense fouls to stop him from scoring.

You have a weird agenda.

[AdamTheGreek]

Germany-Serbia boxscore:
https://fibalivestats.dcd.shared.geniussports.com/u/DBB/2699342/bs.html

[TheChaser]

Looks like Franz and Tristan both played well from the box score glance.

[KillMonger]

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

[Rainwater]

I think Franz is the most serious about winning.
I wish Suggs was as serious.
I’m not sure what’s goi g to happen to Paulo because the refs stopped bailing out bully ball. Last year he led the league in grunts to no-call ratio.

Man, have you not seen how Suggs throws his body around? If that is not serious, I don't know what is.

[Orlando Dawg]

He wants to be a ninja

[JF5]

Franz looks good from the Arc in - but not from 3. Just gotta hope these 3s start to fall after a lot of in game reps in the regular season.

[three3d]

The downside to Franz not improving his 3 point fg% is he remains a 24 point per game scorer that does enough other things on offense and defense well enough to still be our second best player. Would it be beneficial for him to get his % up? Definitely, but Franz is so good at what he does well already he’s still a top offensive player.

[drsd]

From ESPN:

... 2012 is the last year in which Orlando ranked in the top half of the league in offensive efficiency. Since trading Dwight Howard that summer, the Magic's offense has ranked, ... 27th, 29th, 27th, 17th, 28th, 25th, 22nd, 21st, 29th, 30th, 26th, 22nd and 26th.

ouch

[tooler]

From ESPN:

... 2012 is the last year in which Orlando ranked in the top half of the league in offensive efficiency. Since trading Dwight Howard that summer, the Magic's offense has ranked, ... 27th, 29th, 27th, 17th, 28th, 25th, 22nd, 21st, 29th, 30th, 26th, 22nd and 26th.

ouch

I thought it was bottom 10 since then but I see we were 17th that one year. Maybe a different way to rank offense?

[BadMofoPimp]

From ESPN:

... 2012 is the last year in which Orlando ranked in the top half of the league in offensive efficiency. Since trading Dwight Howard that summer, the Magic's offense has ranked, ... 27th, 29th, 27th, 17th, 28th, 25th, 22nd, 21st, 29th, 30th, 26th, 22nd and 26th.

ouch

I thought it was bottom 10 since then but I see we were 17th that one year. Maybe a different way to rank offense?

Vooch proved em all wrong!!!

[AdamTheGreek]

Georgia today and Thursday play their last 2 EuroBasket prep friendlies in Prague against Czechia. Goga started the last game in Poland, so hopefully that continues.

[drsd]

..

ESPN has this kid as the 4th best European for the 2025 tourney:

Spoiler:

ESPN: Top 10 NBA players at 2025 EuroBasket

4. Franz Wagner, Germany

2025-26 age: 24 | Orlando Magic

2024-25 estimated projections: plus-3.1 offense | plus-0.9 defense | plus-4.0 overall

Wagner has long been a fixture on these RAPTOR-based lists, and his presence has aged well. Set to turn 24 on the opening day of EuroBasket, he is coming off the best season of his NBA career despite battling through a torn right oblique at midseason. He has already had success in these international tournaments: He won bronze with Germany at EuroBasket 2022, gold at the 2023 FIBA World Cup then finished fourth at the Olympics last year.

While Germany's roster features multiple NBA players -- and could have had more if Isaiah Hartenstein and Franz's brother Moritz weren't missing the tournament -- Wagner is the biggest reason Germany has the second-best odds to win it. And if his 3-point shot is as improved as the pre-tournament buzz would indicate, this could be a preview of another arrow in his quiver for the next NBA season.


der junge Herr Wagner as a 13 year old

[Def Swami]

I haven't been able to watch any of the EuroBasket games so far; I've just been following the box scores. The hitch seems gone from the highlights. But that doesn't really matter if the ball doesn't go in. This whole operation kind of falters if he can't find his shooting from deep again. I'm nervous about the Wagner 3 point shooting numbers just from box score watching.

[pepe1991]

drds is that photo AI? Like, he is 23, if we assume he was 14 in that photo, that pic was taken in 2015 or 2016, where phones already had some +6 megapixel cameras. Also that clothes in pic looks like it's pic of my father taken in 1965 in Yugoslavia with 1 store in whole city

Def you didn't miss anything, Eurobasket starts week from now

[drsd]

drds is that photo AI? Like, he is 23, if we assume he was 14 in that photo, that pic was taken in 2015 or 2016, where phones already had some +6 megapixel cameras. Also that clothes in pic looks like it's pic of my father taken in 1965 in Yugoslavia with 1 store in whole city

Def you didn't miss anything, Eurobasket starts week from now

Those shoes!


Here's the caption with that photo:

On my membership card it says: I play for Alba Berlin since September 2008. I was seven back then. My brother started playing even before me, and I watched his games. I liked it.

We measured my wrist, and I‘m going to be 6‘8“ tall. That’s the perfect size for a basketballer. Not too tall, not too short. You are tall enough and are seen, but you are still mobile and fast. I can bring the ball, but I can also go to the basket. I will be a Small Forward.

Of course I know the NBA players at my position: Carmelo Anthony, Chandler Parsons, Luol Deng, LeBron James. But I don’t really have role models. From the way he plays maybe LeBron James, because he can contribute everywhere to the success of his team. Everywhere - in offense and in defense. For me, defense and rebounding are as important as offense. Maybe that’s also a bit different over here in Europe, it is more trained over here I think. American Basketball sometimes is too much show for me, too much emphasis on TV rating, too much money. In Europe it is about Basketball, not just about dunks. If you really pay attention to basketball, you will notice such differences. From the german players, I technically like to watch Heiko Schaffartzik, but I just don’t like him anymore since he left [Alba Berlin]. But he can defend and a lot of other things, not just offense.

My coaches at Alba were Kathrin at first, then Max and now Norbert Opitz and Marius Huth. I also practice a lot with my brother, so that we both become better. He plays in the U18 national team and he definitely could become a pro player. He has quite a good technique, and he hits everything at the outdoor court. In the games [for Alba], not quite so much yet, but maybe that will still come along for him one day.

Tuesday is the hardest day for me, as I have to train twice that day. Practice in the morning, then five hours school, then a short break, then team practice. I go to the gym five to six days a week to practice. Basketball is my main thing I would say, it‘s not just my hobby. I manage school well and all, but I am basketballer at heart.

[RookieStar]

drds is that photo AI? Like, he is 23, if we assume he was 14 in that photo, that pic was taken in 2015 or 2016, where phones already had some +6 megapixel cameras. Also that clothes in pic looks like it's pic of my father taken in 1965 in Yugoslavia with 1 store in whole city

Def you didn't miss anything, Eurobasket starts week from now

Those shoes!


Here's the caption with that photo:

On my membership card it says: I play for Alba Berlin since September 2008. I was seven back then. My brother started playing even before me, and I watched his games. I liked it.

We measured my wrist, and I‘m going to be 6‘8“ tall. That’s the perfect size for a basketballer. Not too tall, not too short. You are tall enough and are seen, but you are still mobile and fast. I can bring the ball, but I can also go to the basket. I will be a Small Forward.

Of course I know the NBA players at my position: Carmelo Anthony, Chandler Parsons, Luol Deng, LeBron James. But I don’t really have role models. From the way he plays maybe LeBron James, because he can contribute everywhere to the success of his team. Everywhere - in offense and in defense. For me, defense and rebounding are as important as offense. Maybe that’s also a bit different over here in Europe, it is more trained over here I think. American Basketball sometimes is too much show for me, too much emphasis on TV rating, too much money. In Europe it is about Basketball, not just about dunks. If you really pay attention to basketball, you will notice such differences. From the german players, I technically like to watch Heiko Schaffartzik, but I just don’t like him anymore since he left [Alba Berlin]. But he can defend and a lot of other things, not just offense.

My coaches at Alba were Kathrin at first, then Max and now Norbert Opitz and Marius Huth. I also practice a lot with my brother, so that we both become better. He plays in the U18 national team and he definitely could become a pro player. He has quite a good technique, and he hits everything at the outdoor court. In the games [for Alba], not quite so much yet, but maybe that will still come along for him one day.

Tuesday is the hardest day for me, as I have to train twice that day. Practice in the morning, then five hours school, then a short break, then team practice. I go to the gym five to six days a week to practice. Basketball is my main thing I would say, it‘s not just my hobby. I manage school well and all, but I am basketballer at heart.

Dang... what a prophecy. If someone will say to him then that you will probably be one of the if not THE best player in your class AND would be earning a quarter of a billion USD in 1 contract AND is poised to replqce Dirk as the premier face of German basketball AND you will grow 6'11..... everyone who hears that would probably laugh.

[jezzerinho]

Georgia lost 83-103 against Czechia yesterday. They are now 0-5 in warmup games.

Goga played 19 mins and had 11pts, 6reb, 1ast. Apparently was dominating in the paint but it got rough, he drew a tech and then fouled out.