Official Speculation Thread ‘19-'20 II: BIG as F

[Knightro]

Total idle speculation here...

The Magic will resign Vucevic and Ross and then shift their focus to trading away Gordon for the best PG/SG/SF they can get with an eye towards Okeke eventually filling those AG minutes at SF/PF around midseason.

I thought about this as well. However, it doesn’t make sense at all. The timeframe is waiting another year before this plan could make sense. Okeke won’t likely be playing at all this season. Why would WeHam resign everyone to larger contracts, hoping to push for the playoffs again, while not addressing the back court in both the draft and FA? Christ, these guys burn so much time it’s unbelievable. Just another year of waiting to make moves.

I'm not ready to entirely write Okeke off from playing this season.

Al Jefferson tore his ACL on Feb 9th, 2009 and was back on the court on October 28th of that same year.

Ricky Rubio tore his ACL on March 11th, 2012 and was back on the court on December 15th of that same year.

Jabari Parker tore his ACL on December 15th, 2014 and was back on the court November 4th, 2015.

Okeke tore his ACL on March 30th. If his timeline is 9 full months like it is for most guys, that puts his target date around December 30th. He might be able to play like half the season depending on how his rehab goes.

[bigdogdylan5]

Total idle speculation here...

The Magic will resign Vucevic and Ross and then shift their focus to trading away Gordon for the best PG/SG/SF they can get with an eye towards Okeke eventually filling those AG minutes at SF/PF around midseason.

I thought about this as well. However, it doesn’t make sense at all. The timeframe is waiting another year before this plan could make sense. Okeke won’t likely be playing at all this season. Why would WeHam resign everyone to larger contracts, hoping to push for the playoffs again, while not addressing the back court in both the draft and FA? Christ, these guys burn so much time it’s unbelievable. Just another year of waiting to make moves.

I'm not ready to entirely write Okeke off from playing this season.

He had surgery April 2nd. Even if his timeline is 9 full months, that puts the target date around Jan 1st.

Most guys are back by 9 months.

I would be shocked if he plays at all especially after watching Issac and Bamba get hurt because there bodies weren’t ready for NBA basketball. Patience is going to be our best friend with Okeke Issac and Bamba.

[Knightro]

I would be shocked if he plays at all especially after watching Issac and Bamba get hurt because there bodies weren’t ready for NBA basketball. Patience is going to be our best friend with Okeke Issac and Bamba.

Apples and oranges.

Isaac and Bamba simply were not anywhere close to being as developed physically as Okeke already is.

The kid is 6'8" 230. One of his biggest selling points is his strong frame IMO.

Most guys are ready to go from an ACL tear in about 9 months, some take a little longer, a few take slightly less.

If we hold him to what has been kind of the standard recovery time around the league, he should be back around the start of 2020.

It really all depends on his recovery. But I see absolutely no reason whatsoever to not play him if he's healthy enough to play.

[OrlandO]

Total idle speculation here...

The Magic will resign Vucevic and Ross and then shift their focus to trading away Gordon for the best PG/SG/SF they can get with an eye towards Okeke eventually filling those AG minutes at SF/PF around midseason.

Can't see them trading AG yet. I think they want to see how Fultz looks individually and with other key players first. Okeke had a major injury and is unproven... don't think he would factor into a decision to trade AG at all. Maybe at the deadline if the Fultz situation is a disaster and AG has not shown improvement, but I don't think they're actively thinking of moving him already without seeing certain things play out.

[bigdogdylan5]

Okeke is frame is definitely more NBA ready no doubt I guess we could see him play but it all depends on his recovery. I wouldn’t expect to see him unless he is a full 100% no questions at all. Even if he does it will be tough to get him up to speed to contribute in big way especially if team is playing well

[basketballRob]

I think I read Okeke had his surgery at the beginning of April by Dr James Andrews. I guess Andrews is still the most renowned ACL doctor and it may of helped the Magic decide to take a chance on him.

Luckily Andrews is from that area and has some offices at Auburn.

Just reading that Thompson was getting his done this week.

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[VFX]

I would be shocked if he plays at all especially after watching Issac and Bamba get hurt because there bodies weren’t ready for NBA basketball. Patience is going to be our best friend with Okeke Issac and Bamba.

Apples and oranges.

Isaac and Bamba simply were not anywhere close to being as developed physically as Okeke already is.

The kid is 6'8" 230. One of his biggest selling points is his strong frame IMO.

Most guys are ready to go from an ACL tear in about 9 months, some take a little longer, a few take slightly less.

If we hold him to what has been kind of the standard recovery time around the league, he should be back around the start of 2020.

It really all depends on his recovery. But I see absolutely no reason whatsoever to not play him if he's healthy enough to play.

There’s no real urgency for him to return this season. WeHam have proven they don’t care about urgency.

[dsg2021]

I think we heard concrete bits of some kind of ORL interest towards Delon Wright, Malcolm Brogdon, D'Angelo Russell, Justin Holiday, Bobby Portis, and Tomas Santoransky. Then more obviously, to getting Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross back. And then the new names we have drafted (Okeke) and are testing out there in SL and probably for the next training camp.

There's also some interesting connecting the dots (or dominoes falling) that could make sense for ORL too. Like just today, we have that MIN and D'Angelo wiretap that lets us know Jeff Teague and Gorgui Dieng are on the block for D'Angelo to get to MIN.. news that HOU has to have Eric Gordon or PJ Tucker on the block for Butler to get to HOU..

Sucks that Mirotic returned to Euroleague though, that is more potential money for Brogdon (and less chance to steal him away).

[drsd]

Damn vuc could potentially be the first magic player to get his number retired if he stays the length of this new contract and continues to put up solid numbers. Would have never thought after the dwight trade that would be the case.

Vučević is currently 207 games back of Anderson to be the most tenured Magician ever. Thus, playing out 4 years will make Vučević the most accomplished Magician ever, at least in considering games-played.


..

[The Effect]

Total idle speculation here...

The Magic will resign Vucevic and Ross and then shift their focus to trading away Gordon for the best PG/SG/SF they can get with an eye towards Okeke eventually filling those AG minutes at SF/PF around midseason.

I thought about this as well. However, it doesn’t make sense at all. The timeframe is waiting another year before this plan could make sense. Okeke won’t likely be playing at all this season. Why would WeHam resign everyone to larger contracts, hoping to push for the playoffs again, while not addressing the back court in both the draft and FA? Christ, these guys burn so much time it’s unbelievable. Just another year of waiting to make moves.

I'm not ready to entirely write Okeke off from playing this season.

Al Jefferson tore his ACL on Feb 9th, 2009 and was back on the court on October 28th of that same year.

Ricky Rubio tore his ACL on March 11th, 2012 and was back on the court on December 15th of that same year.

Jabari Parker tore his ACL on December 15th, 2014 and was back on the court November 4th, 2015.

Okeke tore his ACL on March 30th. If his timeline is 9 full months like it is for most guys, that puts his target date around December 30th. He might be able to play like half the season depending on how his rehab goes.

Difference is those guys are all vets, Okeke is a rookie who has no NBA practice or game experience.
Rookies have a hard enough time getting on the court, especially under a coach like clifford, add in coming off an acl injury and missing all summer league, training camp and preseason, and yeah id be shocked if he plays at all this season

[The Effect]

I think we heard concrete bits of some kind of ORL interest towards Delon Wright, Malcolm Brogdon, D'Angelo Russell, Justin Holiday, Bobby Portis, and Tomas Santoransky. Then more obviously, to getting Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross back. And then the new names we have drafted (Okeke) and are testing out there in SL and probably for the next training camp.

Take all of them off the list, we likely arent interested in any of them and if we are, those were just good guesses by the writers. This FO is so tight lipped about everything, theres no way any reporter has been told anything about who we are interested in

Wright and Brogdon are just educated guesses because of need and our FO drafting them in previous jobs (i havent heard anything about Lamb, but would guess he would be thrown in there cause of his connection to Clifford)
Russell is realistically just wishful thinking as its a great fit\need but we have no shot. Hes either staying or going back to LA
Holiday\portis\santoransky are probably just rumors spread by agents to drive up demand since they fill needs for us and are in our likely price range

[Knightro]

Difference is those guys are all vets, Okeke is a rookie who has no NBA practice or game experience.
Rookies have a hard enough time getting on the court, especially under a coach like clifford, add in coming off an acl injury and missing all summer league, training camp and preseason, and yeah id be shocked if he plays at all this season

Perhaps this is semantics, but what you're saying is a different argument.

My belief is that Okeke will be healthy enough to play NBA basketball at some point during this upcoming season.

If he doesn't get on the floor because he's a rookie and Clifford doesn't trust him because he's a rookie, then so be it, but that's different from his health.

[Blue_and_Whte]

Kings might not be done with WCS...

Read on Twitter

I don’t see why they wouldn’t extend a QO to him. They also have to protect in case no one entertains the Sacramento offer.

Because he publicly told them he wants to leave. They can hold him hostage, but that's usually not the best idea when you're dealing with a dumb player. He's not even a good player... easily replaceable.

Lol. Garbage player

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[FFBlitzace]

The WCS thing confuses me. Sure, the Kings have had a bad reputation the last several years, but it seems to me (from the outside) that WCS has had a pretty good gig there. There were moments of experimentation and such where he was brought off the bench, but he always wound up back as a starter. They drafted Skal and seemingly made no real effort at all to develop him. WCS outlived the Skal era, never being truly threatened at all. They've got Giles, who played off and on last year but doesn't appear like they were planning on supplanting WCS with him. Just seems like they've chosen WCS at every turn, and now he wants out? i don't follow the Kings as closely as the Magic, of course, so there could be issues I'm unaware of that make it all make sense, but I don't know.

[BadMofoPimp]

I bet Kings low balled WCS, hence he said he wants out.

[OrlandO]

The WCS thing confuses me. Sure, the Kings have had a bad reputation the last several years, but it seems to me (from the outside) that WCS has had a pretty good gig there. There were moments of experimentation and such where he was brought off the bench, but he always wound up back as a starter. They drafted Skal and seemingly made no real effort at all to develop him. WCS outlived the Skal era, never being truly threatened at all. They've got Giles, who played off and on last year but doesn't appear like they were planning on supplanting WCS with him. Just seems like they've chosen WCS at every turn, and now he wants out? i don't follow the Kings as closely as the Magic, of course, so there could be issues I'm unaware of that make it all make sense, but I don't know.

Probably doesn't want to be a role player even though he hasn't improved at all on either end and he thinks there's an opportunity to do more elsewhere... If I'm the Kings I'd replace him with Dedmon and profit.

[OrlandO]

I bet Kings low balled WCS, hence he said he wants out.

He's a restricted free agent... he can get paid whatever the market wants to pay him.

[OrlandO]

Who will Grant trick next?

Read on Twitter

[BadMofoPimp]

Who will Grant trick next?

Read on Twitter

Beijing Shougang Ducks

[Howard Mass]

This is not a surprise about Jerian Grant. He was a disappointment this season although he was professional.

If he catches on somewhere, it will be as a SG.

We await official word on Jarell's Martin possible Qualifying Offer but I'm guessing no. The other potential restricted free agent Troy Caupain is playing with Washington in Summer League so that says it all.