Official Speculation Thread I

[PeePee la Fritz]

Weren't we .500 last year with Jameer/Afflalo/(Turk)Hark/BBD/Vuc starting and JJ a sixth man?

Replace Afflalo with Dipo. Replace JJ with Afflalo. Replace Hark with Harris. Arguable upgrades all around. At least an even swap. In theory, that would keep us .500+. I like watching my team win just as much as anyone, but we could really propel ourselves to the top with 1 more piece coming from a top 5 pick next year. If we stay .500 or better, we have a very small chance of that happening.

A few things Hennigan could be thinking:
-With multiple 2014 picks, we could trade up for the guy we want at the position we need (PG?), regardless of where we land.
-Trading Afflalo for Bledsoe now will cost us a few wins and improve our draft position, due to the increased minutes of Oladipo.

What are your opinions on these things?

I can't see Orlando keeping Turk or Harrington past next month, and I have a hard time believing Baby and AA will be here past the deadline. I see us keeping Meer around for at least this year. And don't sleep on that mega tpe that expires this summer, I'm sure that'll bring us back a couple assets

[Catledge]

Sorry, didn't realize you guys are that high on Tobias Harris. How about a revised version of the deal?

Magic get: Bledsoe and Butler

Clippers get: Aldridge, Afflalo and Withey

Blazers get: Jordan, Nicholson, 2014 Orlando 1st (top 13 protected), 2017 Clippers 1st (unprotected) and 3 million cash (Clippers)

You get the PG that you covet in Bledsoe. You have two first round picks in 2014, you would just have to send Portland the worse of those picks and it would still be lottery protected. You also save money by aquiring Butler's expiring contract. Your team would look like this:

PF-Harrington/Turkoglu/O'Quinn
SF-Harris/Harkless/Osby
C-Vucevic/Davis
PG-Bledsoe/Nelson
SG-Oladipo/Butler/Moore/Lamb

Looks like a pretty good young team, and then you would have the potential to get Andrew Wiggins in the 2014 draft. In addition to that, Butler and Turkoglu's contract expire just in time for the summer of 2014. The future would look bright for the Orlando Magic after that trade IMO.

I know you have good intentions, but the Magic are not trading away any of the following:

Nikola Vucevic
Andrew Nicholson
Tobias Harris
Moe Harkless
Victor Oladipo
1st Round Draft Picks

I think u can add nelson to it too as he is the vet we need to teach our young players

Nelson is on board with the rebuilding process so he need to stay

If we trade AA+Moore+maybe a late pick for Bledsoe we ll also need to keep bbd

U need 2 strong vets to be around so many young players

Tbh I m very happy with our 3 vets (aa, meer bbd)

Sent from my HTC One using RealGM Forums mobile app

I love Meer, but I don't think we are in a position to turn down an opportunity to trade any of our vets for valuable assets. I'm not saying that we should just give them away in order to tank, but the benefit of tanking + more promising young players and/or picks is just too much to refuse.

Also, I would add that I think the Dipo pick shifts Harkless from "extremely unlikely to get traded" to "unlikely but wouldn't be shocking if he got traded," and IMO Nicholson has been in that latter category this whole time.

[MagicFan41]

Just got to thinking....we are looking to move Afflalo and BBD right? And we have a need for a defensive PF. What about this:

Afflalo + BBD for Gortat.

Gortat could play the PF position next to Vuc similar to the way he did with Dwight. I know he is probably more effective as a C than a PF, but he would bring some needed size and shot-blocking at the 4-spot. He still lives in Otown so I bet he would enjoy coming back. Gets rid of two of our longer contracts. PHX gets a SG and a PF (to be honest they seem to be stuck in no-man's-land and not really in full rebuild mode, so they might not object to getting those two pieces).

Thoughts?

[MagicRays]

Weren't we .500 last year with Jameer/Afflalo/(Turk)Hark/BBD/Vuc starting and JJ a sixth man?

Replace Afflalo with Dipo. Replace JJ with Afflalo. Replace Hark with Harris. Arguable upgrades all around. At least an even swap. In theory, that would keep us .500+. I like watching my team win just as much as anyone, but we could really propel ourselves to the top with 1 more piece coming from a top 5 pick next year. If we stay .500 or better, we have a very small chance of that happening.

A few things Hennigan could be thinking:
-With multiple 2014 picks, we could trade up for the guy we want at the position we need (PG?), regardless of where we land.
-Trading Afflalo for Bledsoe now will cost us a few wins and improve our draft position, due to the increased minutes of Oladipo.

What are your opinions on these things?

I can't see Orlando keeping Turk or Harrington past next month, and I have a hard time believing Baby and AA will be here past the deadline. I see us keeping Meer around for at least this year. And don't sleep on that mega tpe that expires this summer, I'm sure that'll bring us back a couple assets

I'm mostly concerned with which way we are gonna try to go with these trades. Try to lose more games for a high draft pick, or get better to make the playoffs, but get a poor pick.

[Nyce_1]

Weren't we .500 last year with Jameer/Afflalo/(Turk)Hark/BBD/Vuc starting and JJ a sixth man?

Replace Afflalo with Dipo. Replace JJ with Afflalo. Replace Hark with Harris. Arguable upgrades all around. At least an even swap. In theory, that would keep us .500+. I like watching my team win just as much as anyone, but we could really propel ourselves to the top with 1 more piece coming from a top 5 pick next year. If we stay .500 or better, we have a very small chance of that happening.

A few things Hennigan could be thinking:
-With multiple 2014 picks, we could trade up for the guy we want at the position we need (PG?), regardless of where we land.
-Trading Afflalo for Bledsoe now will cost us a few wins and improve our draft position, due to the increased minutes of Oladipo.

What are your opinions on these things?

I can't see Orlando keeping Turk or Harrington past next month, and I have a hard time believing Baby and AA will be here past the deadline. I see us keeping Meer around for at least this year. And don't sleep on that mega tpe that expires this summer, I'm sure that'll bring us back a couple assets

I'm mostly concerned with which way we are gonna try to go with these trades. Try to lose more games for a high draft pick, or get better to make the playoffs, but get a poor pick.

goal has always been top of lottery in 2014. Hennigan & Vaughn are on the same page and won't jeopardize the mission. You really think Afflalo and Jameed were that hurt last year? Hell no.

[PeePee la Fritz]

Priority #1 is top 3 pick in 2014 draft

[tiderulz]

Just got to thinking....we are looking to move Afflalo and BBD right? And we have a need for a defensive PF. What about this:

Afflalo + BBD for Gortat.

Gortat could play the PF position next to Vuc similar to the way he did with Dwight. I know he is probably more effective as a C than a PF, but he would bring some needed size and shot-blocking at the 4-spot. He still lives in Otown so I bet he would enjoy coming back. Gets rid of two of our longer contracts. PHX gets a SG and a PF (to be honest they seem to be stuck in no-man's-land and not really in full rebuild mode, so they might not object to getting those two pieces).

Thoughts?

its interesting. But i believe he is an expiring this year, and we still dont want to win a whole lot. Why not target him in the offseason. I dont believe he could play FT as PF, but splitting between PF/C, he could definitely play long spurts.

[G-Heel]

Weren't we .500 last year with Jameer/Afflalo/(Turk)Hark/BBD/Vuc starting and JJ a sixth man?

Replace Afflalo with Dipo. Replace JJ with Afflalo. Replace Hark with Harris. Arguable upgrades all around. At least an even swap. In theory, that would keep us .500+. I like watching my team win just as much as anyone, but we could really propel ourselves to the top with 1 more piece coming from a top 5 pick next year. If we stay .500 or better, we have a very small chance of that happening.

A few things Hennigan could be thinking:
-With multiple 2014 picks, we could trade up for the guy we want at the position we need (PG?), regardless of where we land.
-Trading Afflalo for Bledsoe now will cost us a few wins and improve our draft position, due to the increased minutes of Oladipo.

What are your opinions on these things?

.500 the first 25 games doesn't mean jack. Even if that lineup played all last year, we'd still be the bottom 5 team. It was a fluke, teams weren't taking us seriously, and the guys wanted to prove they could play without Dwight. I'm not expecting us to win a lot of games next season, even if we keep all these crappy vets.

[yoyojw17]

I saw Nicholson and Harkless on the draft day stream the other night and they both look bigger especially Moe dude looks brolic. On another note is anybody else getting that Al Harrington feeling from Osby? Good Al not Bad Al, but he has almost the same skillset a SF who can play both inside and out just as well while also being able to handle the ball. I think Dequan should pack his bags

i said the same thing about osby in his thread on draft night.

[Catledge]

It seems to me that a starting lineup of Meer, AA, Harris, BBD, and Vooch is extremely likely to win at least 35 games. If you are saying that that a top-3 pick is the #1 goal, then would you be willing to trade those three vets for very little return? I wouldn't. I would only trade them for decent value.

[PeePee la Fritz]

It seems to me that a starting lineup of Meer, AA, Harris, BBD, and Vooch is extremely likely to win at least 35 games. If you are saying that that a top-3 pick is the #1 goal, then would you be willing to trade those three vets for very little return? I wouldn't. I would only trade them for decent value.

Yes! I'd dump BBD and meer for pennies on the dollar. I believe you could get at least a 1st round pick for AA

[Blue_and_Whte]

This Wiggins love affair shall end. Shabbaz and Barnes...two guys who were equally hyped leaving high school, look where they are now. High school basketball is not an accurate judge of pro success. Hell, even college ball is a huge hit and miss.

So yeah, hold your horses.

Wiggins is in every way a sure thing and is not like Shabbaz at all. If he stays upright he is a once in a decade player that 32 teams will want. If we get him it's more luck than anything.

Wtf does everyone say that? Bazz and Barnes? How about Carmelo, Wall, Griffin, Lebron, Garrnett, Kobe, and Dwight one and dones and high schoolers that lived up to the hype? You can't just focus on those two while ignoring the other examples, then concluding that "the love affair shall end" like you've got an effing crystal ball.

[LC_Magic]

I think we have to move Afflalo and Davis, Jameer is our locker room leader. I think 1 more year of losing guys and whoever we pick up will help us and it will be time

A more mature core (Harris, Harkless, Vucevic, Oladipo, Nicholson) with a top 8-10 pick and the cap space, we will be ready to get back into the playoffs.

[LC_Magic]

Harris is our 2nd option, Vucevic 3rd, Harkless and Oladipo 4th. We just need a first option or an option 2b and a free agent who can score

[Def Swami]

NBA Legion ‏@MySportsLegion 2m
Mavericks and Knicks have engaged in talks with the Celtics about trading for Rajon Rondo.

[Skin]

Maybe it belongs in its own thread, or a Free Agency 2013 thread, but what do you guys think of this:

Sign Brandon Jennings to a big offer sheet. I actually don't particularly like Jennings, but the Bucks have said they will match all offers for him. Here's a chance to force them to put their money where their mouth is. If they match and sign him to a big contract, it could hamper their ability to resign some of their other --IMO more intriguing-- young players (Sanders, Henson, Adetokunbo, etc.) down the line. Chicago and Dallas did this to us with J.J. Redick and Marcin Gortat, and in a way, sort of forced us to lose Ryan Anderson.

Of course, the plan could backfire if the Bucks "change their minds" and let us have Jennings. This is what happened last year when the Raptors signed Landry Fields to a big offer sheet hoping to spoil the Knicks' efforts to get Steve Nash. If this happens, all that means is we have Brandon Jennings as our PG of the future -- a guy who can provide much-needed floor spacing, and who already has some familiarity with Harris and Lamb.

I think Jennings is a bad fit for this team.

[The Real Dalic]

NBA Legion ‏@MySportsLegion 2m
Mavericks and Knicks have engaged in talks with the Celtics about trading for Rajon Rondo.

The Celtics are serious about this rebuild.

Who do the Knicks and Mavericks have to even try to trade for Rondo though? And if that Knicks get Rondo and keep everyone else around they could be a scary team. It would also help Amare immensely IMO.

[Noonskadoodle]

NEVER TOO EARLY for some 2014 Draft Rankings

My List

PG
Marcus Smart- OK State
Semaj Christon- Xavier ...FAVORITE...
Jahii Carson- Zona State
Andrew Harrison- Kentucky
Andre Hollins- Minnesotta

SG
Jordan McRae- Tennessee ...FAVORITE...
Mario Hezonja- Croatia
Spencer Dinwiddie- Colorado
Aaron Harrison- Kentucky
Wayne Selden- Kansas
CJ Wilcox- Washington

SF
Andrew Wiggins- Kansas ...FAVORITE...
Jabari Parker- Duke
TJ Warren- NC State
Sam Dekker- Wisconsin
Glenn Robinson III- Michigan
LaQuinton Ross- Ohio State
Jakarr Sampson- St Johns
Alex Poythress- Kentucky

PF (Has a chance to be LOADED next draft)
Julius Randle- Kentucky ...FAVORITE...
Aaron Gordon- Arizona
Noah Vonleh- Indiana
Dwight Powell- Stanford
Perry Ellis- Kansas
Chris Walker- Florida
Corey Jefferson- Baylor
Dario Saric- Croatia
Isaiah Austin- Baylor
Doug McDermott- Creighton
Juvonte Reddic- VCU
Montrezl Harrell- Louisville
James McAdoo- North Carolina
Adreian Payne- Michigan State

C
Willie Cauley-Stein- Kentucky ...FAVORITE...
Mitch McGary- Michigan
AJ Hammons- Purdue
Dakari Johnson- Kentucky
Kaleb Tarczewski- Arizona


Really expect this guy to have a big time season:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVt9v0OoHQI[/youtube]

[doct3r dr3]

Harris is our 2nd option, Vucevic 3rd, Harkless and Oladipo 4th. We just need a first option or an option 2b and a free agent who can score

[magicsanta]

I think we have to move Afflalo and Davis, Jameer is our locker room leader. I think 1 more year of losing guys and whoever we pick up will help us and it will be time

A more mature core (Harris, Harkless, Vucevic, Oladipo, Nicholson) with a top 8-10 pick and the cap space, we will be ready to get back into the playoffs.

I believe all vets should be shopped during this stage of the rebuilding process, to give their PT to our young guys and try to find assets that make more sense than them for us at this stage, like picks or yong guys with potential, and let them compete somwhere else while we're about development, dumping them to tank is different. But while I've never been a fan of Jameer, I think in principle he's the one we're least urged to move because we haven't found the PG we want to develop yet, and he's always seemed to be a good influence. Of course, if you can get value that makes sense with the rebuilding plan you move him too, regardless whether he's the locker room leader.