Report: Magic "Tried Hard" at Trade Deadline to Trade Aaron Gordon

[Skybox]

Not to get too far off topic but why haven’t we tried TRoss starting SF...particularly with Isaac out and ORL doing awfully but still falling into playoffs, wouldn’t it be a floor spacing experiment worth trying? We’d have three legit threats from deep with Fultz and AG. I know it would decimate the bench scoring but DJ, Bamba, and Ennis can keep it afloat(or not)...all seem to agree we don’t have shooting but maybe we just haven’t played them together enough to see if there are other combos that might click...I’d still like to see Bamba with Vuc a bit. Why can’t they try to coexist, Mo on the outside, like Isaac...switching, disrupting with his length and help D. His 3pt% hasn’t been consistent but I think he’s a shooter , in the long run.

Do we really have a lot to risk this year. Go really big, or (relatively) small, or bombs away lineups...they can all defend.

[Skybox]

Not to get too far off topic but why haven’t we tried TRoss starting SF...particularly with Isaac out and ORL doing awfully but still falling into playoffs, wouldn’t it be a floor spacing experiment worth trying? We’d have three legit threats from deep with Fultz and AG. I know it would decimate the bench scoring but DJ, Bamba, and Ennis can keep it afloat(or not)...all seem to agree we don’t have shooting but maybe we just haven’t played them together enough to see if there are other combos that might click...I’d still like to see Bamba with Vuc a bit. Why can’t they try to coexist, Mo on the outside, like Isaac...switching, disrupting with his length and help D. His 3pt% hasn’t been consistent but I think he’s a shooter , in the long run.

Do we really have a lot to risk this year. Go really big, or (relatively) small, or bombs away lineups...they can all defend.

Let’s say AG gets moved with a pick for CJ or some other feared shooter...imagine Vuc, Bamba, Isaac together- all able to spread floor to some extent and defend like a freaking giant, switchy, disruptive monster octopus with Fultz. DJ, Evan(?), TRoss, Okeke, Aminu off the bench...not boring

[drsd]

Not to get too far off topic but why haven’t we tried TRoss starting SF...

Because the Magic needs bench scoring. That is the rub in this forward injury nightmare.


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[Bensational]

Not to get too far off topic but why haven’t we tried TRoss starting SF...particularly with Isaac out and ORL doing awfully but still falling into playoffs, wouldn’t it be a floor spacing experiment worth trying? We’d have three legit threats from deep with Fultz and AG. I know it would decimate the bench scoring but DJ, Bamba, and Ennis can keep it afloat(or not)...all seem to agree we don’t have shooting but maybe we just haven’t played them together enough to see if there are other combos that might click...I’d still like to see Bamba with Vuc a bit. Why can’t they try to coexist, Mo on the outside, like Isaac...switching, disrupting with his length and help D. His 3pt% hasn’t been consistent but I think he’s a shooter , in the long run.

Do we really have a lot to risk this year. Go really big, or (relatively) small, or bombs away lineups...they can all defend.

He has been used to close games rather than start them. Looking at the lineups data, it's been the most consistent and frequently used lineup since Isaac went down, but only for about 7mpg over 19 games.

That lineup is a slight improvement, but like most of our lineups over that period, they're mostly NetRtg negatives.

The best performing NetRtg lineups have been the bench units. Bamba, Ross, MCW and Fournier plus either Clark or Birch have both been two of our strongest lineups (obviously, playing against the bench). In fact, it looks as though our bench lineups are generally net positives over this stretch.

Our best 3pt shooting lineups over that stretch have been the same Ross/Fournier/Bamba/Clark/MCW lineup (52% on 3.6 attempts), and the best starting lineup was Vuc/Birch/Gordon/Fournier/Fultz (43% on 6.9 attempts).

Seems counter intuitive that Birch would contribute to a better 3pt % than someone like Ross or Iwundu with the starters. The 3% with Ross in with the starters is 37%, so it's definitely not bad.

[cedric76]

Not to get too far off topic but why haven’t we tried TRoss starting SF...

Because the Magic needs bench scoring. That is the rub in this forward injury nightmare.


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Ross sucks against bench players so won't be any better against starters