Official 2025-2026 Regular Season Thread

[BadMofoPimp]

I think I'd be worried if I were Suggs. AB put up decent numbers at starting PG, and they will only get better. I projected AB as an 18/5/5 player a long time ago.

Anthony Black Starter | StatMuse https://share.google/EJ3pg8qsC5TyFwuvx

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Was that you or Eyriq?

Ron Harper won 3 championships as the PG on Chicago and averaged under 3 apg. I like big defensive minded PGs who play a role with high usage players. NAW would've worked well in that role, too. He's been starting as the PG for Atlanta. He's averaging 20.4 ppg and 3.6 apg.

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There is only one ball to go around for NAW to be on this team. He likes to chuck like no tomorrow. He is on more often than not though. Not that the Magic had the money to have NAW.

[GelbeWand09]

I think I'd be worried if I were Suggs. AB put up decent numbers at starting PG, and they will only get better. I projected AB as an 18/5/5 player a long time ago.

Anthony Black Starter | StatMuse https://share.google/EJ3pg8qsC5TyFwuvx

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Was that you or Eyriq?

Ron Harper won 3 championships as the PG on Chicago and averaged under 3 apg. I like big defensive minded PGs who play a role with high usage players. NAW would've worked well in that role, too. He's been starting as the PG for Atlanta. He's averaging 20.4 ppg and 3.6 apg.

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Its not like we are a halfcourt masterclass like the Bulls with a system that doesnt need a PG. We are still a pretty bad halfcourt offense.
2nd. Its a complete different era. Teams are taking 10 shots per game more today per average than over the Bulls 2nd 3peat. I have no data for possession over the Bulls era but the average 20 years ago are around 12-13 less possession per game than today. Pace is 100 today and was 90 over the Harper Bulls 3 Peat. So 3 apg back in the day is not 3 apg today were you have countless players scoring 20 plus or Reaves scoring 28 on almost 70 % TS and he isnt even a sure fire allstar with those stats.

[eyriq]

Orlando is Houston of the East. Very similar teams.

[Bergmaniac]

Last 9 games (the ones Paolo has missed):

Franz on the court: 114.1 ORTG, 111.4 DRTG, 2.7 net rating
Franz off the court: 130.5 ORTG, 106.0 DRTG, 24.5 net rating
-21.8 on/off overall

Is this anything?

[VFX]

Last 9 games (the ones Paolo has missed):

Franz on the court: 114.1 ORTG, 111.4 DRTG, 2.7 net rating
Franz off the court: 130.5 ORTG, 106.0 DRTG, 24.5 net rating
-21.8 on/off overall

Is this anything?

Change of roles. Deferring to Bane (who is taking more fga now than Franz without Paolo). Also, Franz is guarding bigger now because TDS, as we are witnessing, is very bad interior defender in these starting lineups.

Smaller lineups have been working better. AB/Suggs/Bane are moving the ball better when it isn’t sticking with Franz. Last nights game a staggered lineup with AB/Bane (and yes Tyus) crushed their bench without Franz.

[Idiosyncratic]

I think we have enough sample size to state the Anthony Black 3rd-year leap is here. Average 18 ppg last 8 games on 50FG% and resounding 35 3PT%. I hate to be the debbie downer but if he continues this kind of play what will he command? We are already in the first apron this year. Our core 4 players are going to be taking up a significant portion of our cap. Does Weltman sell high on Anthony black now, knowing we cant afford his next contract?

Im sure there will be some posters saying we have to get rid of Suggs in an effort to keep Anthony Black. I for one think that would be the biggest mistake we make since Oladipo trade.

I know its not fun to think about and it completely sucks that CBA has not been renegotiated to incentivize teams to keep their own drafted players but here we are.

Extend and worry about it later. Not like we need to worry too much about money for other things, we have the core in place for 4 years, it will basically just be adding rookies and vet mins around them, maybe occasional TPMLE. Worry about that stuff in 4 years, but for now keep our best players together. I don't think we can afford to lose the defense of Suggs or AB. Plus they play well together.

[VFX]

I think we have enough sample size to state the Anthony Black 3rd-year leap is here. Average 18 ppg last 8 games on 50FG% and resounding 35 3PT%. I hate to be the debbie downer but if he continues this kind of play what will he command? We are already in the first apron this year. Our core 4 players are going to be taking up a significant portion of our cap. Does Weltman sell high on Anthony black now, knowing we cant afford his next contract?

Im sure there will be some posters saying we have to get rid of Suggs in an effort to keep Anthony Black. I for one think that would be the biggest mistake we make since Oladipo trade.

I know its not fun to think about and it completely sucks that CBA has not been renegotiated to incentivize teams to keep their own drafted players but here we are.

I think I'd be worried if I were Suggs. AB put up decent numbers at starting PG, and they will only get better. I projected AB as an 18/5/5 player a long time ago.

Anthony Black Starter | StatMuse https://share.google/EJ3pg8qsC5TyFwuvx

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Where are you seeing this? AB shares the floor with one of Suggs or Tyus Jones most of the time. Suggs leads this team in assists at 4.8 with Bane close behind with 4.7 and that’s with being in limited minutes at the start of the season.

The bigger question you should be asking is what happens when Paolo returns? Do you think Mosely is going to move Suggs to the bench or do you think AB’s minutes will go back to normal?

[basketballRob]

When Paolo comes back, does he bump Da Silva out of the rotation?

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[Idiosyncratic]

When Paolo comes back, does he bump Da Silva out of the rotation?

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Think we need his shooting. I think it will be fewer minutes for him and less of what little minutes Isaac/Penda have. And also less AB. Can we really see Mose closing with Suggs/Bane/Ab/Franz/Wendell with Paolo here??? Not going to happen unless Mose goes full small with Paolo at center, which probably works against some teams, but we do need a real center for most matchups.

And because it's basketball someone else will probably get hurt and it will be a whole different rotation again.

[eyriq]

Last 9 games (the ones Paolo has missed):

Franz on the court: 114.1 ORTG, 111.4 DRTG, 2.7 net rating
Franz off the court: 130.5 ORTG, 106.0 DRTG, 24.5 net rating
-21.8 on/off overall

Is this anything?

Post-Paolo:

The SL post-Paolo has a -8.5 net rating in 78 mins across 7 games.

The Franz/TDS pairing is -0.2 net in 226 mins across 9 games.

The only other negative pairings of note are Franz/Tyus and Franz/Jett.

Franz is cooking with AB, +14.8, +3 or better with everyone else.

AB has a +120 offensive rating with everyone except TDS. AB is the real story here during this stretch.

[flying_mollusk]

I'm just not buying the concerns about fitting Paolo back into the lineup. Did I read somewhere that the Suggs-Bane-Franz-Paolo-WCJ lineup had one of the best net rating? Clearly that's the most important lineup. I also think people are forgetting the biggest x-factor that could allow us to take a leap into title contention. The return of Mo Wagner. He is going to be a legit vital piece for our bench play.

Having all these lineup options let's us beat teams in different ways. It also let's a lot of our guys get rest so that they don't wear down or get injured. Mosley (and Prunty) really have to earn their salary.

[eyriq]

I'm just not buying the concerns about fitting Paolo back into the lineup. Did I read somewhere that the Suggs-Bane-Franz-Paolo-WCJ lineup had one of the best net rating? Clearly that's the most important lineup. I also think people are forgetting the biggest x-factor that could allow us to take a leap into title contention. The return of Mo Wagner. He is going to be a legit vital piece for our bench play.

Having all these lineup options let's us beat teams in different ways. It also let's a lot of our guys get rest so that they don't wear down or get injured. Mosley (and Prunty) really have to earn their salary.

Good you shouldn't buy it and you're exactly right about the starting lineup. There's no statistical evidence that we're better without Paolo and the stats people quote are quoted without context and interpreted without nuance.

[Knightro]

The Suggs-Bane-Franz-Paolo-Carter lineup did crush people earlier in the year. Even when the Magic weren't necessarily playing great basketball - it wasn't the starting lineup's fault.

[Orlando Dawg]

Imagine:
5 starters playing 30 minutes
5 2nd unit (bench) players playing 18 minutes

If the starters are all all-stars and the bench players are all average then that’s actually not the best way to win.
That’s because only 1 player can hold the ball at one time.
The better way to win would be to put one of the all stars with the 2nd unit, preferably the one who plays the most “hero-ball”

Paulo Banchero needs to become part of the 2nd unit with AB

[Knightro]

Last 9 games (the ones Paolo has missed):

Franz on the court: 114.1 ORTG, 111.4 DRTG, 2.7 net rating
Franz off the court: 130.5 ORTG, 106.0 DRTG, 24.5 net rating
-21.8 on/off overall

Is this anything?

Hard to say.

Since Paolo's been out, Franz's minutes per game have actually decreased (35.0 down to 33.7) and his scoring efficiency has ticked up ever so slightly (.592 TS% to .595 TS%).

His 3PT shot has been not very good since Paolo went out, down to 30.2% since Paolo got hurt. But he's making up for it by being much better inside the arc - .548 2PT% and 7.7 FTA per game without Paolo compared to .516 2PT% and 6.7 FTA with Paolo.

Maybe having to playing more power forward defensively is wearing him out physically?

[Redwood]

I'm just not buying the concerns about fitting Paolo back into the lineup. Did I read somewhere that the Suggs-Bane-Franz-Paolo-WCJ lineup had one of the best net rating? Clearly that's the most important lineup. I also think people are forgetting the biggest x-factor that could allow us to take a leap into title contention. The return of Mo Wagner. He is going to be a legit vital piece for our bench play.

Having all these lineup options let's us beat teams in different ways. It also let's a lot of our guys get rest so that they don't wear down or get injured. Mosley (and Prunty) really have to earn their salary.

Good you shouldn't buy it and you're exactly right about the starting lineup. There's no statistical evidence that we're better without Paolo and the stats people quote are quoted without context and interpreted without nuance.

There are stats called "winning and losing", which every other statistic known to man result in. Context and nuance accounted for.

[Rainwater]

I'm just not buying the concerns about fitting Paolo back into the lineup. Did I read somewhere that the Suggs-Bane-Franz-Paolo-WCJ lineup had one of the best net rating? Clearly that's the most important lineup. I also think people are forgetting the biggest x-factor that could allow us to take a leap into title contention. The return of Mo Wagner. He is going to be a legit vital piece for our bench play.

Having all these lineup options let's us beat teams in different ways. It also let's a lot of our guys get rest so that they don't wear down or get injured. Mosley (and Prunty) really have to earn their salary.

Good you shouldn't buy it and you're exactly right about the starting lineup. There's no statistical evidence that we're better without Paolo and the stats people quote are quoted without context and interpreted without nuance.

People don’t care man

[BadMofoPimp]

Magic are jamming right now. Just wait til later in the season when the team goes on a 3-5 game losing streak. People here will go out of their minds thinking up trades of any and all players on the team wanting to blow up the team.

[GelbeWand09]

Biggest fixing point still. Halfcourt offense. If we wanna win in the playoffs we have to become better because you wont beat good teams just with a great fastbreak offense.

Read on Twitter

[BadMofoPimp]

Biggest fixing point still. Halfcourt offense. If we wanna win in the playoffs we have to become better because you wont beat good teams just with a great fastbreak offense.

Read on Twitter

I think with all the injuries and adjusting to roster changes that by the end of the season pending injuries, Magic will provem wrong regarding the Half Court nonsense once the chemistry is in full effect.