Official Speculation Thread (Pt. XLVI "Re-Building" Edition)

[MAGICian619]

Harden is definitely not a #1 option. #2, maybe.

Maybe a #2 option??? My god people, he's only 22, averaged 17 points a game last year, and made it on Team USA. What more do you want out of a "#2 option?"

[TDJacksonville]

By himself, of course not. The reason I would is because of 17 mil TPE and he is a proven commodity. Another ,major factor is that Gay could be had now and it will not hamper our flexibility. Also, Gay is major FA in 2014, so I believe if you can get him now, you'll know if you can build with him, Affalo, Nickolson because ANY pro draft is a CRAPSHOOT!!!

Why would Gay want to come to the start of a rebuild in the middle of his prime? i know i'm assuming but Henny wants guys that WANT to be here....not sure if Gay wants to waste a couple prime years for a chance to become a contender later.....maybe i'm wrong[/quote]

U sir are correct. why would a Player who is in his Prime want to stick around for a rebuild when he can probably join a Contender in FA in 2014 if he opts out.[/quote]


I bet if I substitute Harden for Gay, you all would be in favor!!! The same Harden who contract ends this upcoming season, which OKC will place qualifying offer on Harden and simply match MAX offer. Oh, and to answer question, if Gay leaves you still have the cap space REGARDLESS!!! Money is no object for Magic and here's why.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ycn-9742249

We have 3rd richest owner in NBA[/quote] im in favor of signing neither. we dont have a Need to sign a Star or a Sidekick to a star when our goal is to tank into a Good pick. i would rather have a Chance Getting Wiggins over Spending Money we dont need on Gay or harden. neither of them will Make us into championship contenders. our goal is to play really bad and get some top picks. we can only get top picks but tanking and having lady Luck on our side. if we really wanted the quick rebuild we would have kept bynum and make a move for for Iggy but we didnt so that tells me henny is going to go about Rebuilding the team thru the draft and signing Mid Level players to fill roles.

[magicman123]

Is gay a star? No, so I would wait on him, he would only make this team average while hampering our draft pick, he would prolong the rebuilding project, plus he eats up to much salary, the time is not now, maybe this time next year after the draft, but we need atleast 1 year of a good draft pick, I think thats what management wants

[Def Swami]

I just think people are expecting a bit too much out of Harden. Superstar players, #1 options, are able to affect the game in more than one way. Outside of scoring, which Harden is really good at, I don't see where he excels. He's certainly not a #1 option right now. Solely adding Harden to this team doesn't even make it a playoff team. We're still banking on the hope that we can draft really well and that those guys pan out. Harden, to me, is basically a fringe all-star on the level of Monta Ellis, Rudy Gay...just beneath Josh Smith. Only reason why getting Harden may be a better idea than the other guys mentioned is that he's younger. But I have an extremely hard time seeing Harden leave a contender or his hometown of PHX to come to a rebuilding situation. It's a pipe dream imo.

We aren't going to land our horse via free agency. Our best chance of getting that is in the draft. So while Harden may be a nice addition, he doesn't change a whole lot for us. He excels at his role, which is scoring, much like Ginobili, but that's about it. And I'm still convinced that we could possibly draft someone with his skill set in the draft (e.g. Shabazz) and he'd still be on a rookie deal as opposed to a max.

Plus, taking the Thunder's 3rd or 4th best player to be our best player just doesn't sit well with me. We're going to need guys on KD and Westbrook's level to take us far. That will come thru the draft.

[TheLastDon]

@TD Jacksonville
Bynum: injury prone, malcontent NO
Andre 3000: no better than 3rd option on contending team NO

Gay: Very good scorer held down by Randolph 16mil/per for next 3yrs and Gasol 16mil/per for next 3yrs and can be had for TPE and fillers. POSSIBLE YES

Harden: Max Offer matched by OKC so NO

I could see a TANK job if there was a LeBron, D12, Duncan, Shaq type player coming out in the next 2 years and I DON'T SEE 1, DO YOU???

I would rather build on the fly than TANKING and becoming GS, MIL, CHA, SAC, WSH, TOR, and others as perennial lotto/low seeded playoff teams

[ChildishGambino]

Harden is more than just a scorer he is a solid distributor....bottom line he makes his teammates better....either way i like that fact that we have a shot to do it both ways free agency and through the draft....putting all your eggs in just the draft basket might be a bit dangerous.....that's why we have flexibility to draft well and the ability to get a big time free agent

[TheLastDon]

Is gay a star? No, so I would wait on him, he would only make this team average while hampering our draft pick, he would prolong the rebuilding project, plus he eats up to much salary, the time is not now, maybe this time next year after the draft, but we need atleast 1 year of a good draft pick, I think thats what management wants

Let's TANK for a good draft pick, OK!!
@magicman123

I would TANK if there was a Lebron, Ewing, Hakeem, Shaq, D12, or Duncan type prospect who would come into league and be an all-star by 2nd year, so I ask DO YOU SEE anyone coming out on that level???

[Mannchild]

@TD Jacksonville
Bynum: injury prone, malcontent NO
Andre 3000: no better than 3rd option on contending team NO

Gay: Very good scorer held down by Randolph 16mil/per for next 3yrs and Gasol 16mil/per for next 3yrs and can be had for TPE and fillers. POSSIBLE YES

Harden: Max Offer matched by OKC so NO

I could see a TANK job if there was a LeBron, D12, Duncan, Shaq type player coming out in the next 2 years and I DON'T SEE 1, DO YOU???

I would rather build on the fly than TANKING and becoming GS, MIL, CHA, SAC, WSH, TOR, and others as perennial lotto/low seeded playoff teams

Shabazz and Wiggins will both beast. Unfortunately, our big need is C and PG so i guess the best pick we could land would be Noel.

[BadMofoPimp]

Let's TANK for a good draft pick, OK!!
@magicman123

I would TANK if there was a Lebron, Ewing, Hakeem, Shaq, D12, or Duncan type prospect who would come into league and be an all-star by 2nd year, so I ask DO YOU SEE anyone coming out on that level???

And, even if you do tank, there are no guarantee's to get that player. That is why it is a lottery while there are Oden's and Kwame's out there. There is a bigger chance of becoming a Bobcats team than an OKC team. But, there is probably a 90% chance of becoming a Bucks team.

[SmiteaDwight]

Tmac scoring 62 on nba tv right now

[TheLastDon]

@TD Jacksonville
Bynum: injury prone, malcontent NO
Andre 3000: no better than 3rd option on contending team NO

Gay: Very good scorer held down by Randolph 16mil/per for next 3yrs and Gasol 16mil/per for next 3yrs and can be had for TPE and fillers. POSSIBLE YES

Harden: Max Offer matched by OKC so NO

I could see a TANK job if there was a LeBron, D12, Duncan, Shaq type player coming out in the next 2 years and I DON'T SEE 1, DO YOU???

I would rather build on the fly than TANKING and becoming GS, MIL, CHA, SAC, WSH, TOR, and others as perennial lotto/low seeded playoff teams

Shabazz and Wiggins will both beast. Unfortunately, our big need is C and PG so i guess the best pick we could land would be Noel.

SO, your answer is a resounding NO!!! Top 4 projected picks for next year are Cody Zeller, Shabazz, Noel, and James McAdoo!!! SORRY, but none are worth tanking for!!!

[TDJacksonville]

@TD Jacksonville
Bynum: injury prone, malcontent NO
Andre 3000: no better than 3rd option on contending team NO

Gay: Very good scorer held down by Randolph 16mil/per for next 3yrs and Gasol 16mil/per for next 3yrs and can be had for TPE and fillers. POSSIBLE YES

Harden: Max Offer matched by OKC so NO

I could see a TANK job if there was a LeBron, D12, Duncan, Shaq type player coming out in the next 2 years and I DON'T SEE 1, DO YOU???

I would rather build on the fly than TANKING and becoming GS, MIL, CHA, SAC, WSH, TOR, and others as perennial lotto/low seeded playoff teams

Bynum 2nd best center in the League and isnt Malcontent. iggy can be a solid 2nd scorer for us.
trading our entire TPE for a Player like Gay would be Otis Smith Bad. probably worse than Dealing Gortat to the Suns.

you have to wait and see who will be available in the next 2 years but 2 of the better franchises in this League both of whom Henny worked under took the Draft method and while it might take more team than ur quick build, i would rather save some cash for later than Hampering our Chances at getting Wiggins who WILL be an ALL Star Player. Wiggins is going to be atleast Durant good. Stern will throw the Lottery for us to give us a Few top picks if we are in the lottery because he owes us on for the Dwight getting to LA ordeal. i mean the NBA owes us one for that.

the Big Question is Gay Going to make us into a top team if we acquire him. imo he wont and he will cost to much and Henny should be smart with his Money and salary cap so that we dont end up having to pay dollar for Dollar tax on him because right now are we are just under the Luxary tax so in essence we would be paying about 17 million or so in Luxary tax which doesnt make sense for a rebuilding team

[TDJacksonville]

@TD Jacksonville
Bynum: injury prone, malcontent NO
Andre 3000: no better than 3rd option on contending team NO

Gay: Very good scorer held down by Randolph 16mil/per for next 3yrs and Gasol 16mil/per for next 3yrs and can be had for TPE and fillers. POSSIBLE YES

Harden: Max Offer matched by OKC so NO

I could see a TANK job if there was a LeBron, D12, Duncan, Shaq type player coming out in the next 2 years and I DON'T SEE 1, DO YOU???

I would rather build on the fly than TANKING and becoming GS, MIL, CHA, SAC, WSH, TOR, and others as perennial lotto/low seeded playoff teams

Shabazz and Wiggins will both beast. Unfortunately, our big need is C and PG so i guess the best pick we could land would be Noel.

SO, your answer is a resounding NO!!! Top 4 projected picks for next year are Cody Zeller, Shabazz, Noel, and James McAdoo!!! SORRY, but none are worth tanking for!!!

so umm dumbnuts u know projections right now Mean a Big PILE of DOG CRAP, i mean look at Perry jones and Sullinger both of whom were though of as top 10 guys

[ChildishGambino]

Who knows how high our Lottery pick will be but i feel we will have multiple mid 1st round picks kinda like what Houston had in this past draft.....i think we go after a Point Guard to groom behind Nelson and Ish.....Unless Afflalo shows me something i think we get a big time SG either though trade or Free Agency......

[TheLastDon]

@TD Jacksonville

What were the projections on LeBron, Ewing, Shaq, David Robinson, Hakeem, and Duncan!! All were projected to be FRANCHISE PLAYERS!!! Which none of the above was NEVER projected as!!! This is the ONLY time TANKING is good!!

[Def Swami]

Harden is more than just a scorer he is a solid distributor....bottom line he makes his teammates better....either way i like that fact that we have a shot to do it both ways free agency and through the draft....putting all your eggs in just the draft basket might be a bit dangerous.....that's why we have flexibility to draft well and the ability to get a big time free agent

He averaged 3.7 assists per game last season, and 4.2 assists per 36 minutes. He makes good decisions with the ball and has a high basketball IQ, but it's not like he's a masterful playmaker. He just allows KD and Westbrook to be in attack mode while dribbling the ball up.

[TDJacksonville]

@TD Jacksonville

What were the projections on LeBron, Ewing, Shaq, David Robinson, Hakeem, and Duncan!! All were projected to be FRANCHISE PLAYERS!!! Which none of the above was NEVER projected as!!! This is the ONLY time TANKING is good!!

actually depending on who u use for information they could tell u that Bazz will be a Better James Harden. Noels, Austin and Adams all have Potential to be Good/Great bigs if they put the work in. Adams is good and plays within his abilities.

[ChildishGambino]

Harden is more than just a scorer he is a solid distributor....bottom line he makes his teammates better....either way i like that fact that we have a shot to do it both ways free agency and through the draft....putting all your eggs in just the draft basket might be a bit dangerous.....that's why we have flexibility to draft well and the ability to get a big time free agent

He averaged 3.7 assists per game last season, and 4.2 assists per 36 minutes. He makes good decisions with the ball and has a high basketball IQ, but it's not like he's a masterful playmaker. He just allows KD and Westbrook to be in attack mode while dribbling the ball up.

Imo he is a better decision maker than our current Starting PG....Never said Harden was steve nash i was just saying that labeling him as just a scorer is inaccurate.....i mean he gave you 17/5/4 and a steal a game with great efficiency and the per36 is better albeit slightly.....

[RickB-Orlando]

Harden is definitely not a #1 option. #2, maybe.

Rudy Gay is a lot closer to #1 option than Harden and is easily more available

Why go after Gay if we have Harkless? Who could turn into gay in a few years? Just seems redundant.
Where as Harden hasn't touched his prime and is a efficient scoring SG to go a long with Hark at the 3.

It's only redundant if Harkless actually turns into Gay. People on this board recently that are advocating drafting a superstar seem to forget that there is no guarantee that a draftee will actually work out. The list of failed prospects is a very long one, and for every superstar there are probably three starters, a fistful of bench players, and a long string of busts.

The reason you consider trading for a Rudy Gay or signing a Harden to a max deal is they are proven commodities that have already shown they can play at a high level. Harkless has shown nothing yet. Vucevic has shown little, as have Eyenga, McRoberts, Harper, or Liggins. They all have potential, but Gay and Harden have proven ability.

[BadMofoPimp]

It's only redundant if Harkless actually turns into Gay.

I thought people are just born that way.