Official Speculation Thread '19-'20 V: Purgatory

[PrimeThyme]

[yoyojw17]

These titles though... Remember these get stickied for our official speculation. They don't have to be so extra all the time just because some might not be fans of what they think are going on. Ain't gonna kill me or make me lose sleep... But... Just saying.

[thelead]

These titles though... Remember these get stickied for our official speculation. They don't have to be so extra all the time just because some might not be fans of what they think are going on. Ain't gonna kill me or make me lose sleep... But... Just saying.

We’re 24-32, will be swept in 4 brutal games by the Bucks and will probably return the same team next year... what would you like to call this?

[GameOver25]

These titles though... Remember these get stickied for our official speculation. They don't have to be so extra all the time just because some might not be fans of what they think are going on. Ain't gonna kill me or make me lose sleep... But... Just saying.

It's been nearly a decade. Depending on your age that's one half, one third, a quarter or more of our lifetime. People are just fed up.

[Ducklett]

These titles though... Remember these get stickied for our official speculation. They don't have to be so extra all the time just because some might not be fans of what they think are going on. Ain't gonna kill me or make me lose sleep... But... Just saying.

It's been nearly a decade. Depending on your age that's one half, one third, a quarter or more of our lifetime. People are just fed up.

It aint getting better in the foreseeable future my friend. But hey, we aren't tanking and these next 8-10 culture wins for the rest of the season will make us contenders next year!

[Furinkazan]

These titles though... Remember these get stickied for our official speculation. They don't have to be so extra all the time just because some might not be fans of what they think are going on. Ain't gonna kill me or make me lose sleep... But... Just saying.

We’re 24-32, will be swept in 4 brutal games by the Bucks and will probably return the same team next year... what would you like to call this?

Weltman is calling it
progress


I actually think our gms are trolling the fanbase

[Furinkazan]

playoffs experience is so importand for our vast collection of 19-22 yo players which we have so many...
Isaac and Okeke are injured.
Fultz will play his whole 20-25 mins
Bamba maybe will play 10 if any at all.
wow Im so glad we wasted another year for that so they can get that much needed experience and be traded later on (Bamba likely)
AG is as good as gone.

yeah jokes aside our young core of Vooch and Evan need that experience.

srsly every time Weltman answers some questions I picture myslef punching him in the face because I cant stand someone BSing me while sitting with that mr Burns smirk on his face.

[zaymon]

These titles though... Remember these get stickied for our official speculation. They don't have to be so extra all the time just because some might not be fans of what they think are going on. Ain't gonna kill me or make me lose sleep... But... Just saying.

We’re 24-32, will be swept in 4 brutal games by the Bucks and will probably return the same team next year... what would you like to call this?

Except we are 24-32 in a season raveged by injuries, with reconvalescent rookie point guard, playing without any form of spacing. I predict we will be vastly different next year.
Fultz after first healthy summer in 3 years should be vastly different.
Isaac coming back is huge, we always underperform when he is injured
We get all kinds of signals that Gordon time on this team is coming to an end. He is actively trying to lose this year.
We get Okeke back, a 6'8 shooter.
Bamba comes as a different player next year or he is out of rotation.
We have our first round pick. Guy like Vassell, Nesmith, Bey would improve our rotation right away.
We dont know if Fournier is back. I hope he is.
We dont know if Dj will be back.

So in practice we will have 3 or 4 different player in our starting lineup and 3 or 4 different players on the bench.
Six to eight players in our rotation next year will be changed for different reasons. Seems like a big change.

[Furinkazan]

These titles though... Remember these get stickied for our official speculation. They don't have to be so extra all the time just because some might not be fans of what they think are going on. Ain't gonna kill me or make me lose sleep... But... Just saying.

We’re 24-32, will be swept in 4 brutal games by the Bucks and will probably return the same team next year... what would you like to call this?

Except we are 24-32 in a season raveged by injuries, with reconvalescent rookie point guard, playing without any form of spacing. I predict we will be vastly different next year.
Fultz after first healthy summer in 3 years should be vastly different.
Isaac coming back is huge, we always underperform when he is injured
We get all kinds of signals that Gordon time on this team is coming to an end. He is actively trying to lose this year.
We get Okeke back, a 6'8 shooter.
Bamba comes as a different player next year or he is out of rotation.
We have our first round pick. Guy like Vassell, Nesmith, Bey would improve our rotation right away.
We dont know if Fournier is back. I hope he is.
We dont know if Dj will be back.

So in practice we will have 3 or 4 different player in our starting lineup and 3 or 4 different players on the bench.
Six to eight players in our rotation next year will be changed for different reasons. Seems like a big change.

Ravaged by injuries ...Like injuries for other teams doesnt happen.
Last year was a fluke a very healthy season.ITS A RARITY and will not happen often.You cant use it as an excuse.

[zaymon]

WSH Fultz / Augustine
Fournier / Ross
Okeke / Draft/Trade
Isaac / Aminu
Vucevic / Bamba

[Skybox]

I can be critical but WHY are some of you even here? Am I the only one who asks myself that every time I login?

[Jiwol]

WSH Fultz / Augustine
Fournier / Ross
Okeke / Draft/Trade
Isaac / Aminu
Vucevic / Bamba

Were you trying to recreate the flag of Mali?

[yoyojw17]

We’re 24-32, will be swept in 4 brutal games by the Bucks and will probably return the same team next year... what would you like to call this?

Except we are 24-32 in a season raveged by injuries, with reconvalescent rookie point guard, playing without any form of spacing. I predict we will be vastly different next year.
Fultz after first healthy summer in 3 years should be vastly different.
Isaac coming back is huge, we always underperform when he is injured
We get all kinds of signals that Gordon time on this team is coming to an end. He is actively trying to lose this year.
We get Okeke back, a 6'8 shooter.
Bamba comes as a different player next year or he is out of rotation.
We have our first round pick. Guy like Vassell, Nesmith, Bey would improve our rotation right away.
We dont know if Fournier is back. I hope he is.
We dont know if Dj will be back.

So in practice we will have 3 or 4 different player in our starting lineup and 3 or 4 different players on the bench.
Six to eight players in our rotation next year will be changed for different reasons. Seems like a big change.

Ravaged by injuries ...Like injuries for other teams doesnt happen.
Last year was a fluke a very healthy season.ITS A RARITY and will not happen often.You cant use it as an excuse.

But everyone else will use it as an excuse for when we beat a particular team as well. If for a chunk of this slump we could say that we were missing 3-4 rotational players out of 9 at some points.... then i don't see why that can't be an argument for us as well. I don't know what the plans are for the magic.... but if they decide to hold off on making certain moves.... then it makes sense. Can't run around calling for peoples heads and you don't know what's being planned for the next move.

If all of a sudden fournier+Ag or whatever nails us beal this summer... then it was worth not trading them. Like trading Oladipo and Domantis for Serge and then a year later those same two are moved for paul george. If we only waited and didn't make the hasty move.

And yes.... i do believe that there is a lot that will pay dividends in fultz once he is given the keys. Maybe everyone wants it to happen "NOW NOW NOW"... but we don't know the particulars... and if they think slower is better.... and waiting till next season... then so be it.

It's like damned if you do... damned if you don't for most people. In a vacuum everything seems so easy to all of us that are clicking away on our keyboards.... but life is not a vacuum and neither is the NBA. Our decisions don't matter... because we spew out 80,000 ideas.... and out of those ideas a ton of them will be wrong.... but at the end of the day... we don't get any blame or praises... and we will only mention the good ideas that we made or supported. lol.

[GelbeWand09]

These titles though... Remember these get stickied for our official speculation. They don't have to be so extra all the time just because some might not be fans of what they think are going on. Ain't gonna kill me or make me lose sleep... But... Just saying.

We’re 24-32, will be swept in 4 brutal games by the Bucks and will probably return the same team next year... what would you like to call this?

Except we are 24-32 in a season raveged by injuries, with reconvalescent rookie point guard, playing without any form of spacing. I predict we will be vastly different next year.
Fultz after first healthy summer in 3 years should be vastly different.
Isaac coming back is huge, we always underperform when he is injured
We get all kinds of signals that Gordon time on this team is coming to an end. He is actively trying to lose this year.
We get Okeke back, a 6'8 shooter.
Bamba comes as a different player next year or he is out of rotation.
We have our first round pick. Guy like Vassell, Nesmith, Bey would improve our rotation right away.
We dont know if Fournier is back. I hope he is.
We dont know if Dj will be back.

So in practice we will have 3 or 4 different player in our starting lineup and 3 or 4 different players on the bench.
Six to eight players in our rotation next year will be changed for different reasons. Seems like a big change.

1st i come in peace, dont wanna have stress Just wanna show you, there are other perspectives at our current situation & future.

Problem is, our record wasnt much better when we were healthy.
Other teams behind us & the ones fighting for a PO spot have the same or even more injuries than we have. Check the missed games by Chicago, Atlanta & Brooklyn is playing without Kyrie & KD whole season & LaVert missing bunch of time too. Washington without Wall. A team lead by Dinwiddie is outperforming a team lead by Vuc, Evan & AG (Thanks to a modern offense & fitting players). Thats just not a good sign for next season.
I really like Fultz & i always defend our youth when they play with the right mindset (Hello Bamba). But with all progress he made this season. Without a reliable 3Pt shot, he is still only a better version of Payton & hurts our spacing. I hope too he can magically shoot next season but if we are realistic, its a below 50% chance it happens even over the thext 2-3 years.

And what i wrote some weeks ago still stands. I know your vision of the team. But i still not see much upside.
Just check how far away are the top 6 teams in the east. Many of them even have younger stars than our most important players except Isaac. Than you have the 7th place Nets getting KD & Kyrie back. The Pacers a full healthy (probably) season by Dipo.
Even with a better fitting player for AG, Okeke becoming the player you imagine & a better/healthy seasons by Isaac & Fultz. Isnt our ceiling still 6th place and more probably 8th place?
Which means for me. We suffered almost a decade just to get bounced out of the 1st round for 3-4 years before we rebuild again.

[drsd]

We’re 24-32, will be swept in 4 brutal games by the Bucks and will probably return the same team next year... what would you like to call this?

If the Magic beats the Nets, Orlando will be one 1 1/2 games back of the 7-slot. Given the Magic's soft schedule and the Nets' brutal schedule, at that point, one would favor the Magic to be #7 for the second straight year.

Could Orlando win a game or two? Yes. And that's the point on growth.

[cedric76]

These titles though... Remember these get stickied for our official speculation. They don't have to be so extra all the time just because some might not be fans of what they think are going on. Ain't gonna kill me or make me lose sleep... But... Just saying.

We’re 24-32, will be swept in 4 brutal games by the Bucks and will probably return the same team next year... what would you like to call this?

Having one of the youngest team in the nba and making the plsyoff isn't a purgatory. The magic stuck with **** fsn is a purgatory

[zaymon]

We’re 24-32, will be swept in 4 brutal games by the Bucks and will probably return the same team next year... what would you like to call this?

Except we are 24-32 in a season raveged by injuries, with reconvalescent rookie point guard, playing without any form of spacing. I predict we will be vastly different next year.
Fultz after first healthy summer in 3 years should be vastly different.
Isaac coming back is huge, we always underperform when he is injured
We get all kinds of signals that Gordon time on this team is coming to an end. He is actively trying to lose this year.
We get Okeke back, a 6'8 shooter.
Bamba comes as a different player next year or he is out of rotation.
We have our first round pick. Guy like Vassell, Nesmith, Bey would improve our rotation right away.
We dont know if Fournier is back. I hope he is.
We dont know if Dj will be back.

So in practice we will have 3 or 4 different player in our starting lineup and 3 or 4 different players on the bench.
Six to eight players in our rotation next year will be changed for different reasons. Seems like a big change.

1st i come in peace, dont wanna have stress Just wanna show you, there are other perspectives at our current situation & future.

Problem is, our record wasnt much better when we were healthy.
Other teams behind us & the ones fighting for a PO spot have the same or even more injuries than we have. Check the missed games by Chicago, Atlanta & Brooklyn is playing without Kyrie & KD whole season & LaVert missing bunch of time too. Washington without Wall. A team lead by Dinwiddie is outperforming a team lead by Vuc, Evan & AG (Thanks to a modern offense & fitting players). Thats just not a good sign for next season.
I really like Fultz & i always defend our youth when they play with the right mindset (Hello Bamba). But with all progress he made this season. Without a reliable 3Pt shot, he is still only a better version of Payton & hurts our spacing. I hope too he can magically shoot next season but if we are realistic, its a below 50% chance it happens even over the thext 2-3 years.

And what i wrote some weeks ago still stands. I know your vision of the team. But i still not see much upside.
Just check how far away are the top 6 teams in the east. Many of them even have younger stars than our most important players except Isaac. Than you have the 7th place Nets getting KD & Kyrie back. The Pacers a full healthy (probably) season by Dipo.
Even with a better fitting player for AG, Okeke becoming the player you imagine & a better/healthy seasons by Isaac & Fultz. Isnt our ceiling still 6th place and more probably 8th place?
Which means for me. We suffered almost a decade just to get bounced out of the 1st round for 3-4 years before we rebuild again.

I know there are other perspectives but i chose to support the more positive (and for me personally more realistic) one. I dont see much sense in being totally negative.
Last year we were healthy but still:
1. We played journeyman backup pg as a starter. (DJ)
2. Our reserve pg from last year is out of the league (Grant), and improvement came from LA fitness (mcw)
3. Gordon played his best season, still in my mind he was below average starter.
4. Our starter 4 was a raw sophomore (Isaac)
5. Our backup sf from last year is out of the league (simmons), replaced by fringe nba player (Iwundu)
6. Our backup center was arguaibly worst nba player (Bamba)

Fultz is far from a sure thing, but he has the most upside we have seen in a player since Howard. I prefer to see what we have in him before i jump to conclusions about our team future. If Hayward needed a year to regain his form after a year of absense i dont see a reason why a 21 year old wont be much better after first healthy summer in 3 years. I see many flaws in his game, and maybe he will end up like Payton (god forbid), but you must admit that the flashes are there.
We are not a team build to win next year. You are propably right that Nets and Pacers will be better but for how long? Our core is 21-22 years old, and we are a playoff team. Nets, Pacers, Heat are all 25+ with their best players being mostly 30+. Washington has our wet dream superstar Beal and yet they suck more than us. I really dont think our ceiling is 8th place. I would say Bucks, Celtics, Raptors and maybe Hawks are better positioned to win in the future, but it all depends on Fultz and Isaac. If Isaac makes another development jump he will be all nba consideration (if his shot starts to fall he is unstoppable), if Fultz is really healthy remember he was seen as a better prospect than Tatum, Young, Morant (even Doncic, but i knew he was going to be superstar), Okeke reminds me of Rashard Lewis.

Watch on YouTube

[Optimus_Steel]

Not sure which one is worse, the fire or the flood?

[thelead]

Not sure which one is worse, the fire or the flood?

Martins is the flood that allows our GMs (dumpster fire) to aimlessly float without purpose. The flood is worse.

[Optimus_Steel]

I'm going to take a cheap shot at Mario & Portland, they have 2 scorers that are far better than anyone on this team and they are 6 games under.500, guess Mario is not turning anything around....