We are going to destroy the free agency market this summer

[OrlandoDream]

Lol, the Magic belive they have a shot at Durant. They feel that the ability to sign him plus whoever he wants to play with. Per a Magic employee ( not sure how reliable his information is).

Still more reliable then Steve Kyler.

[Xatticus]

Lol, the Magic belive they have a shot at Durant. They feel that the ability to sign him plus whoever he wants to play with. Per a Magic employee ( not sure how reliable his information is).

I suspect this is true, and I don't think it is that outlandish. I just don't think the probability is very high. The Magic could certainly provide a landing spot for both Durant and Westbrook if they wished to relocate together, the problem is that there is no way to ensure this goes down without collusion given that Westbrook is a year away from free agency. That said, I will be very surprised if Durant actually stays in OKC, and if he declares his intent to leave, OKC will have to get really aggressive with Westbrook. Given that the hypotheticals required to bring Durant to Orlando are complex, I have trouble seeing him choosing the Magic over Golden St., DC, and all of the big market teams.

If this is the direction Hennigan plans to pursue, he better have a well-conceived backup plan.

[Skin]

The reason why Fournier seems good for the Spurs and not the Magic is because the Spurs have strong interior players. That's always been the key to everything for them. Magic have been fluff in that area. As much as I think Fournier should be traded, Vucevic is the one that is on the top of my trade wish list. He's Fool's Gold.

This is generally true, but there isn't actually any reason that Vucevic couldn't play at the same time as a rim protector. The only issue with having two bigs on the floor at the same time is that at least one of them needs to provide floor spacing on the offensive end, and Vucevic can do that. I'm optimistic that Gordon's insertion into the starting lineup will help protect the paint, as he has the athleticism and length to alter shots.

To be clear, this shouldn't at all mitigate the fact that Fournier is a terrible defender. The lack of a rim protector simply exacerbates the short-comings of guys like Fournier and Harris.

The best defensive teams have traditionally been anchored by strong rim protectors, but that was when the NBA offense worked from the inside out, whereas the present state of the game is just the opposite. Boston is a terrific defensive team that relies on strong perimeter defenders.

And for all of the criticism heaped on Vucevic on that end of the floor, the Magic have actually been a decent defensive side this year, but a rather poor offensive one. Everyone points to the lack of shooters, but the real culprit is an inability to get to the free throw line, where the Magic are dead last in the NBA.

The reason that I would loathe parting with Vucevic is that he is a 26 year old center on a team-friendly contract that has never stopped developing. While nobody would argue that he isn't a defensive liability, he has definitely continued to improve on that end, while also continuing to improve offensively.

Well put together. I share the sentiment that Vuc is cheap, young, offensively skilled and yes, maybe slightly improving. I'd have to be convinced more on the last one, but I won't fight hard against it, if you feel that way. For all those reasons, that is what makes us feel like we have a gold nugget in our hands. Thus my Fool's Gold comment.

But for all the positives that Vucevic brings to the table, he's still a main culprit to blame for a lot of issues that plague this team...

You mentioned Free Throws as the real culprit against us... well, Vucevic is terrible when it comes to drawing fouls. Without looking it up, I know I'm probably close to being right in saying he draws the least amount of fouls/shot attempt on the team and probably very low ranking in the entire league. He does not get to the FT line nearly enough.

Can't really be mad at him about it... the type of shots he takes like jumpers, hook shots, one handed put backs, etc... those are not foul drawing moves for him. Plus, he has a surprisingly quick trigger that defenders don't always respect and footwork that is masterfully finesse around the rim. But all those moves describe a soft big man. He doesn't go through his defender to score. He goes around them, fades or bounces away from them. He shoots before the defender can close in. On contact, he goes backwards, not the other way around. This is a completely different type of Center than the days of Dwight. In order to draw contact you have to go hard and play physical. That's just not Vucevic's game and I don't ever see him changing that.

His defensive liability is not just his individual man defense. His position affects the entire team defense. We are about to find out if Gordon can be an adequate defensive pairing next to Vucevic. There's definitely hope springing all over these forums for that to come to fruition. I'm in the gotta see it to believe it stage.

Love your insight on Boston's defensive strength. I believe we can be just as strong, but only as long as Gordon plays the 3. If he's at the 4 and Fournier is at the 3, I can't see us matching what Boston does. They can survive off weak interior d with strong perimeter d, but we'd be weak at both with Fournier and Vucevic on the court.

Maybe there is little hope from this happening, because of the way this roster is starting to shape up, but I would just love to see Gordon playing the majority of his minutes at SF, then add a really physical presence at PF in FA. People keep saying we need spacing at the 4 spot, but I don't really think that's a must. If we can get a physical PF who defends and bangs inside, but can't shoot a lick, I think that will be just fine for us. Vucevic can creates spacing from the C position which can create room for our PF to operate in the paint. Instead of having a PF that creates space for our C, Vuc's style allows us to have a C creating space for the PF.



Not getting to the FT line is glaring.

[CZ Eddie]

Lol, the Magic believe they have a shot at Durant.

We once thought we had a shot at Tim Duncan, Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady.
And we got two out of the three.
We were within one meat-free sammich of signing Duncan.

http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/84138736/failed-big-three-tracy-mcgrady-tim-duncan-grant-hill-magic

[Xatticus]

You mentioned Free Throws as the real culprit against us... well, Vucevic is terrible when it comes to drawing fouls. Without looking it up, I know I'm probably close to being right in saying he draws the least amount of fouls/shot attempt on the team and probably very low ranking in the entire league. He does not get to the FT line nearly enough.

That is unfortunately accurate, but it really is a team effort. Free throws are one of the ugly truths about the NBA. A player's primary value can be their ability to get to the free throw line with high frequency, and if you don't get there at all, it is going to be very difficult to be an efficient offensive player. I don't know the specific causes for the team's deficiency in this area, but it is going to be exceedingly difficult for this team to move in the upper half of the league in offensive efficiency if it isn't addressed.

I'm also not making the case that Vucevic should be untouchable. Despite Hennigan's press conference commentary about improving the team, I believe the Harris trade was an acknowledgment of the mistake in re-signing him. It isn't that Harris is a poor player, but he was never going to be worth that contract to the Magic. He was superfluous in that he wasn't providing anything of value to the roster that wasn't readily replaceable within the current squad. On top of that, he was blocking the path of two players with significantly more upside (Gordon and Hezonja).

The Vucevic situation is entirely different. He is signed up for three more years on an affordable deal, and while he may not provide everything you want from a big man, he is certainly a useful player. Centers tend to peak later in their careers, and there is measurable improvement in his block and assist rates. This is a player that is worth his contract, and if he is traded, it should be on our terms. I wouldn't hesitate to include him in a deal for Kevin Love or DeMarcus Cousins, but I certainly wouldn't move him for a couple rotation pieces just to clear his salary off the books.

I'm hoping the Magic target Ezeli in free agency. He is an athletic big that can rebound and protect the rim. He isn't an ideal fit alongside Vucevic as he has no offensive game outside of the paint. He is an RFA, but Golden St. might have trouble matching an offer sheet with Harrison Barnes also entering restricted free agency, as well as their likely pursuit of Durant.