Official Speculation Thread (Pt.LII "Lottery/Draft" Edition)

[MagicFan32]

it could also position us to not win to many games next season, and pick top 5 again.
Acquiring another high pick would give us the chance to gamble on Noel. he would be so great here long term if his knee checks out, also makes Nicholson more expendable in a trade, if we're positioning Tobias as the 4.

[MagicFan32]

wolves fans on the trade board seem open to afflalo for the 7th pick

magic take Noel or Smart 1st/2nd and Oladipo/Burke/Shabazz 7th

thoughts?

you also have to think how to work the salary cap. You cant have all young players, as very soon they all get raises and you cant afford them. You need a mixture of youth and vets, constantly keeping an eye on the salary cap 2-3 years down the road.

but for now they are quality assets, which we can use later if we need to trade

[InFlames]

wolves fans on the trade board seem open to afflalo for the 7th pick

magic take Noel or Smart 1st/2nd and Oladipo/Burke/Shabazz 7th

thoughts?

Yes please.

[thelead]

wolves fans on the trade board seem open to afflalo for the 7th pick

magic take Noel or Smart 1st/2nd and Oladipo/Burke/Shabazz 7th

thoughts?

Yes please.

[OrlChamps2030]

I like the idea of drafting Noel and having a similar season to what we're having now, but then we lose out on our huge TPE. I think Hennigan wants McLemore or Smart, two guys who could contribute right now, and go after a someone in FA and give them the max. There is no point drafting Noel and then giving someone the max this season with our TPE is there??? Idk but whatever Hennigan does it's gonna be crafty.

Outside of defense how will Smart contribute right now? He is already limited offensively on the college level.

Not sure why guys on this forum think that Smart isn't a project player.

NBA-Ready guys at the top of the draft: Porter, McLemore, Bennett, Zeller, Shabazz

Project players at the top of the draft: Noel, Smart, Oladipo, Len

all Rookies are projects to your point.
I'd like to hear the comparison of being NBA ready of McLemore, Shabazz & Oladipo to someone like Bradly Beal.
Smart vs. Lillard
Burke vs. Kendall Marshal and Marquis Teague.

Not quite sure what you're trying to say but a project player to me is a young player w/ the physical tools/skills to be great but their offense/defense is raw this early in their career. But projects have high ceilings hence the term "project".

I'd say McLemore, Bazz, and Beal are/were all nba-ready off the ball scorers. Lillard and Irving are/were nba-ready ball dominant scorers. Burke is a well balanced NBA ready PG.

Guys like Marshall, Teague, Nicholson, Smart, Noel, etc. are project players to me because they have holes in their game that make it tough for them to stay on the court

[BadMofoPimp]

wolves fans on the trade board seem open to afflalo for the 7th pick

magic take Noel or Smart 1st/2nd and Oladipo/Burke/Shabazz 7th

thoughts?

Yes please.

Even more realistic is Smart with the 1st and Noel with the 7th or 10th because dude is gonna slide hard.

[RickB-Orlando]

wolves fans on the trade board seem open to afflalo for the 7th pick

magic take Noel or Smart 1st/2nd and Oladipo/Burke/Shabazz 7th

thoughts?

Yes please.

Even more realistic is Smart with the 1st and Noel with the 7th or 10th because dude is gonna slide hard.

That I could get behind. I'm also assuming his injury scares some folks off, but with NBA GMs, who can be sure? You'd think Greg Oden would have lit up the warning sign but probably not.

[Def Swami]

Do you think we will re-sign Beno? Maybe 9M/3 years deal.

I doubt he comes back. He wants a starting gig or at least more playing time. And his asking price will be higher than that. Maybe around 5-6 mill/yr.

[Def Swami]

Good piece by Joshua Robbins on the impact JJ and Afflalo have had on Harkless.

Rookie Maurice Harkless learned everything he could from J.J. Redick during their five months together as Orlando Magic teammates.

Harkless studied Redick's all-out approach to post-practice shooting drills. Harkless watched how Redick almost always knew where to go on defense. And Harkless even listened when Redick advised him on what clothes to wear.

"I learned a lot from him," Harkless said. "He's a true professional. He taught me a lot about the game."

But he reached a turning point when fellow wing Arron Afflalo strained a calf muscle on Jan. 27.

With Afflalo injured, Harkless needed to play with more assertiveness.

Something clicked.

"It was kind of like being force fed," Harkless said, chuckling a little. "But it was definitely a good thing for me because it changed my game for the rest of the season."

Since Jan. 28, Harkless has averaged 9.8 shots in 34.5 minutes per game. He's also scored 11.6 points and collected 5.7 rebounds per game.

His burgeoning confidence is obvious now.

In the season's early months, he would look to pass whenever a teammate threw the ball in his direction.

Now, he tries to create his own shot more often, and he attempts corner 3-pointers whenever he's open on that area of the court.

He also embraced the chance to guard LeBron James on Wednesday night (even though James drew Harkless' sixth foul on a controversial call).

In the postgame locker room, Harkless said he feels like he can guard anyone in the league.

He credits Afflalo and Redick for helping give him that confidence.

"They're both professionals and they both take the job very seriously," Harkless said. "I think having them to be a good role model for me was definitely a great help, and it helped me grow up fast."

Full Read: http://ht.ly/izACo

[NEM]

Good piece by Joshua Robbins on the impact JJ and Afflalo have had on Harkless.

Rookie Maurice Harkless learned everything he could from J.J. Redick during their five months together as Orlando Magic teammates.

Harkless studied Redick's all-out approach to post-practice shooting drills. Harkless watched how Redick almost always knew where to go on defense. And Harkless even listened when Redick advised him on what clothes to wear.

"I learned a lot from him," Harkless said. "He's a true professional. He taught me a lot about the game."

But he reached a turning point when fellow wing Arron Afflalo strained a calf muscle on Jan. 27.

With Afflalo injured, Harkless needed to play with more assertiveness.

Something clicked.

"It was kind of like being force fed," Harkless said, chuckling a little. "But it was definitely a good thing for me because it changed my game for the rest of the season."

Since Jan. 28, Harkless has averaged 9.8 shots in 34.5 minutes per game. He's also scored 11.6 points and collected 5.7 rebounds per game.

His burgeoning confidence is obvious now.

In the season's early months, he would look to pass whenever a teammate threw the ball in his direction.

Now, he tries to create his own shot more often, and he attempts corner 3-pointers whenever he's open on that area of the court.

He also embraced the chance to guard LeBron James on Wednesday night (even though James drew Harkless' sixth foul on a controversial call).

In the postgame locker room, Harkless said he feels like he can guard anyone in the league.

He credits Afflalo and Redick for helping give him that confidence.

"They're both professionals and they both take the job very seriously," Harkless said. "I think having them to be a good role model for me was definitely a great help, and it helped me grow up fast."

Full Read: http://ht.ly/izACo

cool, now get afflalo the eff up outta here

[blue and white]

Do you think we will re-sign Beno? Maybe 9M/3 years deal.

I doubt he comes back. He wants a starting gig or at least more playing time. And his asking price will be higher than that. Maybe around 5-6 mill/yr.

but what team can really offer him a starting role? every team has a legit pg except maybe dallas if collison goes

[dsg2021]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6lnyVQe6fM[/youtube]
Ollaaadipo!

[RickB-Orlando]

Do you think we will re-sign Beno? Maybe 9M/3 years deal.

I doubt he comes back. He wants a starting gig or at least more playing time. And his asking price will be higher than that. Maybe around 5-6 mill/yr.

but what team can really offer him a starting role? every team has a legit pg except maybe dallas if collison goes

Yep. I think players haven't yet realized that the new CBA has created a different landscape for mid-range players. The number of people getting those formerly middle class contracts of 5-8 million is going to be very limited. Teams will have players on max or near mac deals, and a bunch near minimum.

The reign of the mid-level exception is waning.

[Def Swami]

Do you think we will re-sign Beno? Maybe 9M/3 years deal.

I doubt he comes back. He wants a starting gig or at least more playing time. And his asking price will be higher than that. Maybe around 5-6 mill/yr.

but what team can really offer him a starting role? every team has a legit pg except maybe dallas if collison goes

Toronto may have a spot open this off-season. Utah and Miami are also in search of PG help. I don't know if he gets the starting gig he wants, but he was always disgruntled in Milwaukee with his lack of playing time. And he's making close to 7 mil/yr now. We'll have to wait and see. He'd be a good back-up PG going forward for us. I just don't know if the front office is ready to commit the amount of money Udrih is seeking at this point of the rebuild.

[Viper1500]

wolves fans on the trade board seem open to afflalo for the 7th pick

magic take Noel or Smart 1st/2nd and Oladipo/Burke/Shabazz 7th

thoughts?

Yes please.

Even more realistic is Smart with the 1st and Noel with the 7th or 10th because dude is gonna slide hard.

Lovin it, but highly unlikely that he falls that far back.

[BadMofoPimp]

Even more realistic is Smart with the 1st and Noel with the 7th or 10th because dude is gonna slide hard.

Lovin it, but highly unlikely that he falls that far back.

Someone will waste a pick on the next Hasheem Thabeet. Hopefully, it is not the Magic. I trust Henny won't fall for the false hype.

[MoMM]

Good piece by Joshua Robbins on the impact JJ and Afflalo have had on Harkless.

Rookie Maurice Harkless learned everything he could from J.J. Redick during their five months together as Orlando Magic teammates.

Harkless studied Redick's all-out approach to post-practice shooting drills. Harkless watched how Redick almost always knew where to go on defense. And Harkless even listened when Redick advised him on what clothes to wear.

"I learned a lot from him," Harkless said. "He's a true professional. He taught me a lot about the game."

But he reached a turning point when fellow wing Arron Afflalo strained a calf muscle on Jan. 27.

With Afflalo injured, Harkless needed to play with more assertiveness.

Something clicked.

"It was kind of like being force fed," Harkless said, chuckling a little. "But it was definitely a good thing for me because it changed my game for the rest of the season."

Since Jan. 28, Harkless has averaged 9.8 shots in 34.5 minutes per game. He's also scored 11.6 points and collected 5.7 rebounds per game.

His burgeoning confidence is obvious now.

In the season's early months, he would look to pass whenever a teammate threw the ball in his direction.

Now, he tries to create his own shot more often, and he attempts corner 3-pointers whenever he's open on that area of the court.

He also embraced the chance to guard LeBron James on Wednesday night (even though James drew Harkless' sixth foul on a controversial call).

In the postgame locker room, Harkless said he feels like he can guard anyone in the league.

He credits Afflalo and Redick for helping give him that confidence.

"They're both professionals and they both take the job very seriously," Harkless said. "I think having them to be a good role model for me was definitely a great help, and it helped me grow up fast."

Full Read: http://ht.ly/izACo

Do you think this kind of model could help AN? BBD should help him.

[woosah]

Do you think this kind of model could help AN? BBD should help him.

I have wondered about it too. BBD may help him, but i think he may benefit from working out with Harris and his people this summer. Some of his videos from the past show how hard he works, and the speed and footwork drills could help AN. I hope BBD helps him too, but most of the stuff he would pick up from him (vet tricks in defending, approach) won't be until camp and games next year because he isn't playing IMO.

[Def Swami]

Do you think this kind of model could help AN? BBD should help him.

I have wondered about it too. BBD may help him, but i think he may benefit from working out with Harris and his people this summer. Some of his videos from the past show how hard he works, and the speed and footwork drills could help AN. I hope BBD helps him too, but most of the stuff he would pick up from him (vet tricks in defending, approach) won't be until camp and games next year because he isn't playing IMO.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ3TwvWzGPA[/youtube]

[Blue_and_Whte]

Not quite sure what you're trying to say but a project player to me is a young player w/ the physical tools/skills to be great but their offense/defense is raw this early in their career. But projects have high ceilings hence the term "project".

I'd say McLemore, Bazz, and Beal are/were all nba-ready off the ball scorers. Lillard and Irving are/were nba-ready ball dominant scorers. Burke is a well balanced NBA ready PG.

Guys like Marshall, Teague, Nicholson, Smart, Noel, etc. are project player to me because they have holes in their game that make it tough for them to stay on the court

Offensively Smart needs to become a better three point shooter but handles the ball and drives to the basket just fine, imo he's not THAT much of a project. shooting threes becoming a better ft shooter are things that can be taught and improved on with practice. Being a 6'5 and 220 lb pg who's obviously skilled can't be. That's why I think while Burke may be more NBA ready, his ceiling is limited where as smart can be the better overall player.

Also as a rebuilding team I would rather they take the player with the most upside rather than a guys ready to contribute now I don't think they need to worry about who can contribute right now. Burke is a top 10 pick max. I'm not sure why hes even mentioned in the top 5.


Edit: Not that you've ever said Burke is a top 5 pick, just people in general. The only reason he should be in the discussion is if hennigan lands a pick in the 10-15 range