Official Speculation Thread ‘19-'20 I: Big decisions on the horizon

[MartinsIzAfraud]

For better or for worse, this FO has been pretty predictable on all fronts thus far (Drafting long forwards, spending money wisely, etc). One thing that I've actually liked is how they have approached free agency. They have spent money wisely and have been careful not to handicap us with long term bad contracts like Rob did.

With that being said, I think Vuc will be in another uniform next season. The only thing we can offer him over other teams is more money and more years. I cannot or at least I pray that a big money long term contract is not in the cards for us when it comes to resigning him. Let a team like LA or Boston (Go to the Celtics board and read the Vuc thread btw ) sign him.

I would be content with letting the young guys play next year. Next offseason is when cap space will free up and we should have a much better idea on where we stand with Fultz/Bamba/Isaac. We were just flat out ahead of schedule this year. We can't lose sight of the fact that we are still a rebuilding team with a very young core and I don't think Weltman will either.

Glossed over by Magic fans that want Vucevic gone, in the same statement were Woj said that Boston and LA had interest, he started by saying that both Orlando and Vucevic are “motivated to get a deal done." Both sides want to work it out.

Orlando can offer him continuity; both in his professional and in his private life. They also have a coach that brought out the best in him. That is a lot for some players.

In the past, Vucevic has said he greatly admires players that stay with one team; and he is big on team loyalty. Vucevic is not a free agent that grew up trapped in a small community or without access to see the world. He grew up living in numerous metropolitan cities and traveling the world because of his parents. Continuity and stability could be important factors for him.

Boston is a great franchise, but their outlook isn't really dramatically superior than the Magic's.

Boston can offer Vucevic up to $25.8M if they renounce everyone except Rozier. If they renounce Rozier they can offer Vucevic a full max ($32.7m).

Last season Boston was a second round team (beat an Oladipo-less Indiana team in 1st and got smoked by Bucks in 2nd). To get to the space they need to offer Vucevic money, they will willingly or unwillingly give up 4 key players to that 49 win team: 3 starters (Horford/Irving/Morris) plus Rozier (23mpg back up PG).

That will leave a very young roster without a true PG or true PF. They played Hayward as small ball 4 (36% of his minutes) but its questionable that's the full time starter answer there. Smart has mostly played alongside a true PG for past 3 seasons. Hypothetically they could play him at point, but he's not a true PG...if he were, they would have traded Rozier long ago.

PG: x / x
SG: Brown 22 / Smart 25 / Langford 19
SF: Tatum 21 / Hayward 29
PF: x / Oyele 24 / Yabusele 23 / Williams 19
C: x / x / Williams 21

...

PG: Augustin 31 / Fultz 20
SG: Fournier 25 / x / Frazier 21
SF: Gordon 23 / Iwundu 24
PF: Isaac 21 / x / Okeke 21
C: x / Bamba 20

I didn't gloss over a single thing. Loyalty means nothing to me until he puts the pen to paper on a team friendly deal. Both sides can be motivated to get a deal done but that doesn't imply that both will be on the same page when that time comes. I happen to think WeHam will be smart enough not to give Vuc a contract more than 20-22 mill for 2-3 years but we will see. Maybe they arent.

Think if anything Magic won’t offer more than 2 years and I’ve seen Robbins say that so might have some legs to it.

Say Orlando offers 2 year 45M vs opposing team offers 3 year 65 or 4 year 90M? What’s more attractive to Vuc.

[CZ Eddie]

Tacko Fall signed Boston summer league.
I'm sure it's already been reported but I haven't read the whole thread.
Was kinda hoping he'd stick around in Central Florida for a bit longer.

[VFX]

I understand the backcourt hasn’t been addressed yet but free agency hasn’t even started.. why jump to conclusions?

Some people just love to complain.

Draft isn't the only way to address a weakness. And I'm pretty sure if we weren't on a playoff run, Fournier wouldn't be here now. The FO have a vision but cant expect everything to be done at once and it be perfect. They're only 2 years in; 1 year to evaluate, and the other to make the **** the **** playoffs. You'd think making the post season after a 7 years hiatus would buy trust and support, but no, clowns want Rome in 2 sleeps. Calm down. Have a drink. Enjoy the process.

Instant gratification generation sucks.

/rant

Hawks turn their franchise around in 2-3 years and Orlando has a roster mainly comprised of a previously failed management. That’s not bitching for the sake of it. Most of these players have been around for years... If it’s a process then they’ve sure made slow work of putting their stamp on the roster.

Making the playoffs might not even be as sustainable with the number of questions surrounding this offseason, but let’s not worry about that eh?

Nobody is expecting for everything to work perfectly, but a hint of an identity in 3 years might be nice.

[PrimeThyme]

I didn't gloss over a single thing. Loyalty means nothing to me until he puts the pen to paper on a team friendly deal. Both sides can be motivated to get a deal done but that doesn't imply that both will be on the same page when that time comes. I happen to think WeHam will be smart enough not to give Vuc a contract more than 20-22 mill for 2-3 years but we will see. Maybe they arent.

He doesn't need to show loyalty by taking a team friendly deal. That's BS. He is a free to sign wherever he wants, him re-signing with the Magic at market price is all he needs to do.

Both sides being motivated to get a deal done also doesn't imply that they won't get a deal done.

Exactly how did you establish that $20m-$22m 2-3 year deal structure is the line for what is dumb and what is smart? Based on what cap strategy?

We've had this same conversation already this offseason, so there is really no point in going back and forth with you. Especially when your bias is clear. Its not so much about the money as its about the years. 20-22 is what I'd be comfortable paying him in the 3 plus years range, even though Id prefer to just give him a front loaded two-year deal over anything. At 2 years I wouldnt get so hung up on the price.

[Catledge]

People are giving the Hawks an awful lot of credit. I will be surprised if a core of Young, Collins, and Hunter has an above .500 season in the next three years.

[RookieStar]

Same with me. I mean sure there is a greater chance the the hawks could succeed more than not with their players now. However saying that they turned things around right away? How do we know the combination of Trae Collins Huerter Hunter etc etc could compete right away or have good chemistry?

That could have been said about us before when we had Vuc who was averaging a double2x plus Vic Evan and lotto picks Payton and AG. The future seemed bright then but now not so much.

All i can say is.. patience. We got a new coach and FO that so far got us into the playoffs and brought out the best in our players. Just becauae they drafted someone I myself have never heard of doesnt mean we suck right away.

As much as we clown Otis esp the Fran pick, he did get us to the finals with deals that were headsvratchers like Pietrus,120m Shard and etc etc

[Bensational]

I just want a backcourt upgrade. Vuc really doesn't matter as long as there is a plan to improve that backcourt and find us a playmaker.

[magicman112]

People are giving the Hawks an awful lot of credit. I will be surprised if a core of Young, Collins, and Hunter has an above .500 season in the next three years.

Yeah saying oh they've turned their roster around well that remains to be seen. They had a good draft there's no denying that but let's see how things play out before crowning them.

[Ducklett]

Read on Twitter

Since Boston had a pick a little bit earlier I will say it's not them.

Perhaps it was Indiana and then they decided to trade #32? Maybe 76ers since they might be close to our GM (Fultz's connection)?

Spurs at #19 is my guess.

They moved the Spurs to the East?

[basketballRob]

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Sounds like Vuc is gone.

Sent from my SM-G965U using RealGM mobile app

[tiderulz]

People are giving the Hawks an awful lot of credit. I will be surprised if a core of Young, Collins, and Hunter has an above .500 season in the next three years.

book it they will. care to place a friendly wager? and they have MAD cap room next summer. Crabbe/Hill/Bazemore/Plumlee is like $64mil+ in expiring.

[The Real Dalic]

People are giving the Hawks an awful lot of credit. I will be surprised if a core of Young, Collins, and Hunter has an above .500 season in the next three years.

book it they will. care to place a friendly wager? and they have MAD cap room next summer. Crabbe/Hill/Bazemore/Plumlee is like $64mil+ in expiring.

Great, cap room for yet another small market team that no free agent wants to go to. I love how when we suggest someone wanting to come here we get shut down and reminded that no one wants to come here but when another small market gets cap space it's a major plus for them and they'll sign great players.

[ezzzp]

Sounds like Vuc is gone.

yea especially the part when he says bringing our guys back is the priority...and then emphasizes roster continuity

[ezzzp]

He doesn't need to show loyalty by taking a team friendly deal. That's BS. He is a free to sign wherever he wants, him re-signing with the Magic at market price is all he needs to do.

Both sides being motivated to get a deal done also doesn't imply that they won't get a deal done.

Exactly how did you establish that $20m-$22m 2-3 year deal structure is the line for what is dumb and what is smart? Based on what cap strategy?

We've had this same conversation already this offseason, so there is really no point in going back and forth with you. Especially when your bias is clear. Its not so much about the money as its about the years. 20-22 is what I'd be comfortable paying him in the 3 plus years range, even though Id prefer to just give him a front loaded two-year deal over anything. At 2 years I wouldnt get so hung up on the price.

My bias is to have the best developmental context (aka competitive at least 82 meaningful games).

[npiper17]

Since Boston had a pick a little bit earlier I will say it's not them.

Perhaps it was Indiana and then they decided to trade #32? Maybe 76ers since they might be close to our GM (Fultz's connection)?

Spurs at #19 is my guess.

They moved the Spurs to the East?

Ha! Good catch. I missed the ‘Eastern Conference’ bit.

[Ducklett]

Spurs at #19 is my guess.

They moved the Spurs to the East?

Ha! Good catch. I missed the ‘Eastern Conference’ bit.

Lol. I was mostly kidding with you. Coulda been the Spurs I guess too maybe.

[arkuo]

People are giving the Hawks an awful lot of credit. I will be surprised if a core of Young, Collins, and Hunter has an above .500 season in the next three years.

book it they will. care to place a friendly wager? and they have MAD cap room next summer. Crabbe/Hill/Bazemore/Plumlee is like $64mil+ in expiring.

The thing with the Hawks is poor management. And even Bill Duffy (Luka's agent) preferred to have him drafted by the guy who spurned Steve Nash (also his client) rather than have Luka Doncic live in Atlanta, Georgia.

[pepe1991]

If i'm Gm and guy i wanted to draft walks in , wearin this, i would change plans too

[NotACat]

Have some thoughts.

1. Really hope Isaac develops something of a post game this summer. We need him to take advantage of mismatches. Toronto putting Lowry on him made everything so much harder for the rest of the team.

2. For the Chuma pick, position comes down to who you can guard. Based on his tape, he'll be able to guard players like NAW, Klay Thompson, Tatum/Brown, etc. when they have the ball. It's possible he gets some run at the 2 and we just switch everything 2-4 on screens. Maybe even 1-4 depending on Fultz.

3. I don't think trading back was (edit: wasn't) an option for one main reason other than Chuma getting picked up by another team. A lot of other good prospects were falling and the return on moving back 2 or 3 spots was probably very low. Chuma was probably on Boston's board based on them going with a similar player with less agility and less shooting prowess in Grant Williams.

[Bensational]

Glossed over by Magic fans that want Vucevic gone, in the same statement were Woj said that Boston and LA had interest, he started by saying that both Orlando and Vucevic are “motivated to get a deal done." Both sides want to work it out.

Orlando can offer him continuity; both in his professional and in his private life. They also have a coach that brought out the best in him. That is a lot for some players.

In the past, Vucevic has said he greatly admires players that stay with one team; and he is big on team loyalty. Vucevic is not a free agent that grew up trapped in a small community or without access to see the world. He grew up living in numerous metropolitan cities and traveling the world because of his parents. Continuity and stability could be important factors for him.

Boston is a great franchise, but their outlook isn't really dramatically superior than the Magic's.

Boston can offer Vucevic up to $25.8M if they renounce everyone except Rozier. If they renounce Rozier they can offer Vucevic a full max ($32.7m).

Last season Boston was a second round team (beat an Oladipo-less Indiana team in 1st and got smoked by Bucks in 2nd). To get to the space they need to offer Vucevic money, they will willingly or unwillingly give up 4 key players to that 49 win team: 3 starters (Horford/Irving/Morris) plus Rozier (23mpg back up PG).

That will leave a very young roster without a true PG or true PF. They played Hayward as small ball 4 (36% of his minutes) but its questionable that's the full time starter answer there. Smart has mostly played alongside a true PG for past 3 seasons. Hypothetically they could play him at point, but he's not a true PG...if he were, they would have traded Rozier long ago.

PG: x / x
SG: Brown 22 / Smart 25 / Langford 19
SF: Tatum 21 / Hayward 29
PF: x / Oyele 24 / Yabusele 23 / Williams 19
C: x / x / Williams 21

...

PG: Augustin 31 / Fultz 20
SG: Fournier 25 / x / Frazier 21
SF: Gordon 23 / Iwundu 24
PF: Isaac 21 / x / Okeke 21
C: x / Bamba 20

I didn't gloss over a single thing. Loyalty means nothing to me until he puts the pen to paper on a team friendly deal. Both sides can be motivated to get a deal done but that doesn't imply that both will be on the same page when that time comes. I happen to think WeHam will be smart enough not to give Vuc a contract more than 20-22 mill for 2-3 years but we will see. Maybe they arent.

Think if anything Magic won’t offer more than 2 years and I’ve seen Robbins say that so might have some legs to it.

Say Orlando offers 2 year 45M vs opposing team offers 3 year 65 or 4 year 90M? What’s more attractive to Vuc.

I'd be wary of a long term deal for Vuc. If he's paid for 4 years, he might coast again. If he's only paid for 2 years, it means he has another contract season in a year's time!