Predict the Opening Night/Early Season Rotation

Post #1 » by **Knightro** » Wed Dec 9, 2020 5:03 am

Assuming everyone except Aminu (and obviously Isaac) is available on opening night, what do you think Steve Clifford's rotation will be?

I'm predicting a 10-man rotation to start the year.

Starters
Point Guard: Fultz
Shooting Guard: Fournier
Small Forward: Ennis
Power Forward: Gordon
Center: Vucevic

Reserves
Point Guard: Anthony
Shooting Guard: MCW
Small Forward: Ross
Power Forward: Okeke
Center: Birch

Third String: Bone-Mane-Bacon-Clark-Bamba

Injured: Aminu, Isaac

The Real Dalic · Post #2 » by **The Real Dalic** » Wed Dec 9, 2020 6:38 am

I agree with everything except Birch and Bamba. I'm pretty sure it will be:

Fultz
Fournier
Ennis
Gordon
Vucevic

Anthony
Carter-Williams
Ross
Okeke
Bamba

Bone
Mane
Bacon
Clark
Birch

I just can't see Bamba not playing if healthy.

drsd · Post #3 » by **drsd** » Wed Dec 9, 2020 8:13 am

a) Orlando's forward rotation will lead to a number of losses. (Ennis starting ?!?!?!?)
b) Rookies underperform universally. So Coach Clifford would hope not to lean on Okeke or Anthony, but losses will occur from their (required) play
c) This team is very sensitive to further injuries. The Orlando trainers need the Magic-sponge typical of FIFA football-soccer
d) The two-way players will get a lot of suited-time this year. And both might play in 30+ games

My opening night rotation (assuming Ross and all others are fully healthy on 18 December).

Fultz/Carter-Williams/Anthony/Bone
Fournier/Ross/Bacon/Mané
Ennis
Gordon/Okeke/Clark
Vučević/Bamba/Birch

Starter / major minutes back-up / regular rotational back-up / scrub minutes player

Clearly a lot of non-traditional line-ups must result from that depth chart. For example, four-guard and one-center rotations might be the new-normal for the second-unit.

Also with the 13th and 14th roster slots filled by injured forwards, I do look for the 15th slot to be used at some point (presumably on a combo forward).

..

drsd · Post #4 » by **drsd** » Wed Dec 9, 2020 8:17 am

My gosh: Orlando's natural second unit would be these five on the floor together:
Carter-Williams/Anthony/Ross/Okeke/Bamba

This season is going to be painful !

pepe1991 · Post #5 » by **pepe1991** » Wed Dec 9, 2020 8:47 am

If Ross is not playing 60 games at least this year, Magic are running for the worst bench in NBA. We will probably one of worst benchest even with him.

basketballRob · Post #6 » by **basketballRob** » Wed Dec 9, 2020 10:35 am

Delete

jonbob17 · Post #7 » by **jonbob17** » Wed Dec 9, 2020 1:20 pm

Fultz
Fournier
Ennis
AG
Vuc

MCW
Ross
Bacon
Clark/Okeke
Birch

Sub in Aminu to the 3/4 when he gets healthy
Anthony gets mop up time.

zaymon · Post #8 » by **zaymon** » Wed Dec 9, 2020 3:37 pm

jonbob17 wrote:Fultz
Fournier
Ennis
AG
Vuc

MCW
Ross
Bacon
Clark/Okeke
Birch

Sub in Aminu to the 3/4 when he gets healthy
Anthony gets mop up time.

Thats the most negative version

. I will be shocked if its not Anthony/MCW/Ross/Okeke/Birch with Okeke starting instead of Ennis after few games and Bamba replacing Birch if he gives a s**t

fendilim · Post #9 » by **fendilim** » Wed Dec 9, 2020 4:50 pm

drsd wrote:My gosh: Orlando's natural second unit would be these five on the floor together:
Carter-Williams/Anthony/Ross/Okeke/Bamba

This season is going to be painful !

Hmmm

At least we have cole..

I do recall last year we had

DJ/Ross/Aminu/Bamba and MCW. LOL

The Aminu tried a top of the key iso. HAHAHA that was **** absurd.

jonbob17 · Post #10 » by **jonbob17** » Wed Dec 9, 2020 6:31 pm

zaymon wrote:
jonbob17 wrote:Fultz
Fournier
Ennis
AG
Vuc

MCW
Ross
Bacon
Clark/Okeke
Birch

Sub in Aminu to the 3/4 when he gets healthy
Anthony gets mop up time.

Thats the most negative version . I will be shocked if its not Anthony/MCW/Ross/Okeke/Birch with Okeke starting instead of Ennis after few games and Bamba replacing Birch if he gives a s**t

The FO has beaten the optimism out of me. We are going to put the best team on the floor and rookies suck.
I don’t even care how lazy or lethargic Bamba looks. He’s still better than Birch, but he ain’t going to see the court, for whatever reason.

Xatticus · Post #11 » by **Xatticus** » Wed Dec 9, 2020 7:10 pm

jonbob17 wrote:
zaymon wrote:
jonbob17 wrote:Fultz
Fournier
Ennis
AG
Vuc

MCW
Ross
Bacon
Clark/Okeke
Birch

Sub in Aminu to the 3/4 when he gets healthy
Anthony gets mop up time.

Thats the most negative version . I will be shocked if its not Anthony/MCW/Ross/Okeke/Birch with Okeke starting instead of Ennis after few games and Bamba replacing Birch if he gives a s**t

The FO has beaten the optimism out of me. We are going to put the best team on the floor and rookies suck.
I don’t even care how lazy or lethargic Bamba looks. He’s still better than Birch, but he ain’t going to see the court, for whatever reason.

I think yours is the closest to what we will see out of the gates. I don't expect Anthony will get playing time ahead of MCW initially. I think Clifford has already warned us about Birch seeing minutes ahead of Bamba. I think Bacon was brought in at Clifford's behest. Clifford will find minutes for him. I don't know about Clark and Okeke. Clark shouldn't have been retained. He is a waste of a roster spot unless we suffer a bunch of injuries. Okeke should be better from the start, but Clifford is stubborn. It shouldn't take him long time figure out that Okeke is better, but it wouldn't surprise me to see Clark getting some minutes early. There are going to be plenty of minutes to go around. There is too much schedule congestion for anyone to play short rotations. I'm expecting Gordon to come off early and return for Ennis. We're just too thin at the three for Gordon not to get minutes there.

MagicHolland · Post #12 » by **MagicHolland** » Wed Dec 9, 2020 8:10 pm

Its sad to say but I don’t think I’ve ever been less excited going into the season. What a mess.

Only hope I have is Fultz turning out to be good and maybe a solid surprise in Okeke or Anthony..

Skybox · Post #13 » by **Skybox** » Wed Dec 9, 2020 10:20 pm

Okeke's defense and maturity will get him on the floor. Cliff doesn't hate youth. He hates youthful mistakes. By mid-season, Okeke and Anthony will be playing in the regular rotation, IMO. For all of our hand-wringing and wailing, we have added two important draft prospects.

drsd · Post #14 » by **drsd** » Thu Dec 10, 2020 1:10 pm

The Real Dalic wrote:I agree with everything except Birch and Bamba. I'm pretty sure it will be:

Fultz
Fournier
Ennis
Gordon
Vucevic

Anthony
Carter-Williams
Ross
Okeke
Bamba

Bone
Mane
Bacon
Clark
Birch

I just can't see Bamba not playing if healthy.

Bamba will get every chance to prove his worth. So early in the season I would flip Bamba and Birch. But by Feb, if Bamba is not producing positive numbers, then his NBA career might be over.

..

JBSouthpaw · Post #15 » by **JBSouthpaw** » Thu Dec 10, 2020 8:07 pm

drsd wrote:
The Real Dalic wrote:I agree with everything except Birch and Bamba. I'm pretty sure it will be:

Fultz
Fournier
Ennis
Gordon
Vucevic

Anthony
Carter-Williams
Ross
Okeke
Bamba

Bone
Mane
Bacon
Clark
Birch

I just can't see Bamba not playing if healthy.

Bamba will get every chance to prove his worth. So early in the season I would flip Bamba and Birch. But by Feb, if Bamba is not producing positive numbers, then his NBA career might be over.
..

I thought Bamba was going to be out to start the season? Was there an update?

drsd · Post #16 » by **drsd** » Sun Dec 13, 2020 9:13 am

Looks like it could be either Ennis or Bacon for the 5th stater slot.