Is AG more interested in becoming a star or playing on a winning team?

[tiderulz]

Imo he is becoming The Matrix clone I mean now when he started to hit that 3 pointer they started to look so familiar...spring legs no 1st step no shot creation but still decent.Matrix is a 4 time all star.
If you guys think he will be 25+ppg superstar Lebronesque style you are as mad as Mad King.

still a ways away from impacting like Marion did

but i dont have a problem with him being a little selfish right now, he is still growing his game.

[Statlanta]

Saric (for AG?)

But for real
I felt that he was in attack mode that game. I liked that he was aggressive but seeing where he forced some shots did feel jarring compared to other seasons. Also keep in mind that he was injured that game so I doubt he finished they way he'd liked too. I like that at least he isn't content to be in the Isaac role of spotting up in the offense.

[PennytoShaq]

He's going to force shots while he learns his spots on the floor. Additionally, the lineup flows from Vuc and Evan dominating the ball to AG running with Simmons and Isaac and being able to be more ball dominant. Then when Evan and Vuc come back in, AG is warm and used to getting his shots, so he keeps taking them.
It's a familiarity and lineup thing as much as it is about AG still getting it all going.
It's also game 2 of the season.

[MagicStarwipe]

I will say it's probably better for him to play with a C that isn't an offensive specialist. Vucevic is almost always calling for the ball rather than getting out of the way or setting screens at times when it's needed.

[rcklsscognition]

Vuc is a pretty dynamic player on offense. He is an elite rebounder. He can do 3 main things for our team.

Fast break: Draw the opposing center to the FT line and hit 3s from the top. This generates either a wide open 3pt shot attempt or opens the baseline for cuts from our wings. Also allows our offensive rebounders to get inside position on the box out for the board.

Half-court: Receive the ball in the post, hit a high FG% shot or kick out to open 3 to exploit the help. There were a ton of high-quality 3pt shot attempts generated in the Miami game from this.

Pick and pop: Either gets an open jumper or draws the 2nd defender allowing ball handler to get to the hoop.

One of the issues I see is the pick and pop. Vuc is really only generating solid offensive plays out of the fast break or half court but his pick and roll pick and pop game isn't efficient and doesn't work with this team effectively.

I wonder if there is something the coaching staff can do to use Vuc more effectively outside of the post. I see the weakness there. What plays can be run to get more efficient shots for other players using Vuc. Or what do you do with Vuc when he is not posting up? Put him in the corner to shoot 3s? How do you get him out of the way but still keep him a threat and allow AG to have some freedom like he did in the preseason?

[Def Swami]

OP makes a good point. I felt the same during the game, but I also was glad he was being aggressive. We need someone to develop into a good enough scorer to carry us at times. He may have been pushing it a bit much, but his overall aggressiveness is a net positive. He was drawing fouls and getting to the free throw line, which makes life easier for everyone on offense. He'll have to find the right balance. I'd like to see him think more like a playmaker as opposed to a scorer. Coach Popovich once said that the moment it clicked for Kawhi Leonard was once he realized that if a play was called for Leonard it didn't necessarily mean that he had to finish it. I think that's the next step for AG.

I get it from AG's perspective. He's up for his first major contract and he's seeing his peers get all-star talk and big money. I just hope he doesn't force things for selfish reasons whether it be for all-star appearances or contracts. That kind of play fractured the locker room in the past. At the same time, the Magic need someone to step up. Hopefully they strike the right balance. Hell, if he fails at being an on-court leader, I honestly don't care. I don't think this is a playoff team anyway. It's a season for evaluation, so at least we'll get to evaluate how much AG is worth.

[OrlandO]

How do you get him out of the way but still keep him a threat and allow AG to have some freedom like he did in the preseason?

AG played with plenty of freedom alongside Vuc most of the preseason. I didn't see much difference in the first regular season game... he had 11 fga and 4 fta at halftime - just wasn't making his shots. I don't know if the injury held him back in the second half, but he likely would have finished with 18+ shots and more free throws if he didn't struggle in the first half. Still finished with more attempts than Vuc. Don't see an issue with freedom yet. He needs to settle down and adjust to regular season defense... he's not going to score 80% fg at the rim like in preseason.

[Def Swami]

To give Miami credit too, that's a tough defense to play against. I think most players have the cards stacked against them if they're matched up against James Johnson with Hassan Whiteside patrolling the paint. Let's see what happens tonight in Brooklyn.

[Bergmaniac]

I don't think it's selfishness, it's just that his decision making offensively is still pretty average at best and he's not used to being a main option on that end. When the coach asks him to be more aggressive it's almost inevitable he'll force a few bad shots in most games.

[Jazzy13]

Easy answer. Contract year.

[NBlue]

Sample size.

One game playing on a bad left ankle the whole second half against a difficult defender and tough interior defense. Did he force it too much? Yup. Was he overly aggressive and sometimes selfish? Yup. Did he shoot a poor and unacceptable percentage? Yup. (4-13)

Am I concerned? Not really.

Its just one game and it is a tough balance between being overly aggressive and being just the right amount of aggressive. Both of those are better than being passive. I thought AG was trying too hard on opening night and it did hurt the team in the second half to some extent. That said, I've seen enough of him that I know that unlike some players (See Ibaka) AG is a team guy and is going to play solid team defense and be a favorite of his teammates even if he does assert more offensively. Of course, if this type of game develops into a trend that will be concerning -- but I don't see it.