Official Speculation Thread '20-'21 VI: "I like this team"

[basketballRob]

Soooo.... now that we are impressed with our shiny new toy in Cole, how does everyone else feel about our "new" toy that we receieved last year but only recently opened in Okeke?

He's a very cerebral player. He plays the pick and roll better than I've ever seen a Magic player. Also I saw him directing guys on offense a couple times. It's like he knows where everyone is supposed to be.

He must not have had his legs last night, because he was reluctant outside shooter. The first preseason game he was shooting every chance he had. Hopefully he stays healthy and makes big jumps during the season.

Sent from my SM-G950U using RealGM mobile app

[j-ragg]

Soooo.... now that we are impressed with our shiny new toy in Cole, how does everyone else feel about our "new" toy that we receieved last year but only recently opened in Okeke?

Love them both. I’m starting to see Chuma do these little things that add up, like passing better than you’d think. Defending very well. Not afraid of anything on offense, shooting or driving.

Is that really what you saw from Okeke?

I saw a guy who made open jumpers, couldn’t defend other wings, and was hesitant to do anything on offense other than shoot.

He did pass to a couple open guys on back door cuts, so hopefully he has vision, but I doubt he’s ever drawing double teams or doing much for drive-and-kicks that it’ll be a big part of his game

Loving Cole’s game so far though.

[Skybox]

Fultz and Cole look very capable of pushing our offense into a modern system. Vucevic obviously has a big green light and the ability to fire away as the trailer. Hopefully, this guard-led, inside-out system will put Evan right where he should be, stroking 3's at an elite rate from the perimeter and attacking closeouts to get to the line. One of the more interesting, exciting developments is Cliff stating that upping the possession count and getting on the offensive glass is one of the keys to improved offense this year. That, in particular, makes me think AG could really shine. Cliff generally conceded the offensive glass in favor of setting up on D in the past. Hopefully, AG's open perimeter 3's will fall but, mostly, I want to see him crashing the glass, cutting for lobs, and tipping back misses all night...Lots to be at least intrigued about, if not optimistic. If these individual developments are real (especially an aggressive Fultz), there's no reason to think our offense can't significantly improve...if nothing else, it may showcase AG's and Evan's true skillsets and up their trade value. I do like what I'm seeing if Cole's fire is infectious.

[RookieStar]

Soooo.... now that we are impressed with our shiny new toy in Cole, how does everyone else feel about our "new" toy that we receieved last year but only recently opened in Okeke?

Love them both. I’m starting to see Chuma do these little things that add up, like passing better than you’d think. Defending very well. Not afraid of anything on offense, shooting or driving.

Is that really what you saw from Okeke?

I saw a guy who made open jumpers, couldn’t defend other wings, and was hesitant to do anything on offense other than shoot.

He did pass to a couple open guys on back door cuts, so hopefully he has vision, but I doubt he’s ever drawing double teams or doing much for drive-and-kicks that it’ll be a big part of his game

Loving Cole’s game so far though.

Yeah same... he made 3pt shots but he was hesitating a lot when he had open looks. Also yeah, for now he couldnt keep up with NBA wings and he couldnt handle NBA pfs.

Hope it is just nerves and he will snap outnof it.

[KillMonger]

Cole has an unusual amount of poise for a rookie, kinda unflappable even if he makes a mistake or two the confidence doesn't waver....can't teach that and maybe that's one of the intangible things that comes with his kind of pedigree being the son of an NBA player....Small sample but his per36 is like 21p/6ast/4reb with good percentages, now things are going to change as the season goes forward depending on certain matchups so i'm not sure about his minute consistency but i like what i see so far.....

People should just wait and see with cole and be patient with him going forward, i remember certain posters here saying he's a bad decision maker and we should get another PG in FA because Anthony probably wouldn't be in the rotation, you know who you are...still feel that way now? After actually seeing him play instead of projecting before dude actually played a game? i'm not really seeing the bad decisions you guys said he would be making consistently....Most of the mistakes i'm seeing is on the defensive side and that's a given for a rook...

Now Chuma i like him but he has a ways to go to get everything back, i think he's healthy but he isn't quite yet in that game shape playing 5 on 5 with contact only recently....love his BBIQ he has been making some great reads and passes....his defense isn't there yet but i expected that but he's a little more behind than i thought but that's ok...His jumpshot is a thing of beauty, i just wish clifford would actually draw up a play to set him up for a shot or two since in college dude was a career 38% shooter from 3...it can't all be T-Ross chucking shots in that second unit

i'm overall satisfied with what i'm seeing from the rooks and you guys should be too when considering they haven't played summer league or extensively been practicing with the team as there just wasn't enough time

[dsg2021]

Love them both. I’m starting to see Chuma do these little things that add up, like passing better than you’d think. Defending very well. Not afraid of anything on offense, shooting or driving.

Is that really what you saw from Okeke?

I saw a guy who made open jumpers, couldn’t defend other wings, and was hesitant to do anything on offense other than shoot.

He did pass to a couple open guys on back door cuts, so hopefully he has vision, but I doubt he’s ever drawing double teams or doing much for drive-and-kicks that it’ll be a big part of his game

Loving Cole’s game so far though.

Yeah same... he made 3pt shots but he was hesitating a lot when he had open looks. Also yeah, for now he couldnt keep up with NBA wings and he couldnt handle NBA pfs.

Hope it is just nerves and he will snap outnof it.

I think for Chuma, he looked really bad his first preseason game or so. And my opinion on him was literally off of only one of the more recent preseason games, where I saw him cause a TO thru defense at the top of the perimeter. Make a pass that no 3&D or swing forward would’ve made. Hit shots at a good clip. I’ll give up my opinion when two disagree with me like you did though. But that’s the beauty of Preseason as well. As bad as it was for Chuma, it’s completely irrelevant now. And a ton of experience for the real game soon.

[RookieStar]

Is that really what you saw from Okeke?

I saw a guy who made open jumpers, couldn’t defend other wings, and was hesitant to do anything on offense other than shoot.

He did pass to a couple open guys on back door cuts, so hopefully he has vision, but I doubt he’s ever drawing double teams or doing much for drive-and-kicks that it’ll be a big part of his game

Loving Cole’s game so far though.

Yeah same... he made 3pt shots but he was hesitating a lot when he had open looks. Also yeah, for now he couldnt keep up with NBA wings and he couldnt handle NBA pfs.

Hope it is just nerves and he will snap outnof it.

I think for Chuma, he looked really bad his first preseason game or so. And my opinion on him was literally off of only one of the more recent preseason games, where I saw him cause a TO thru defense at the top of the perimeter. Make a pass that no 3&D or swing forward would’ve made. Hit shots at a good clip. I’ll give up my opinion when two disagree with me like you did though. But that’s the beauty of Preseason as well. As bad as it was for Chuma, it’s completely irrelevant now. And a ton of experience for the real game soon.

Well he has a good shooting form, the only complaint I have is he hesitated on a lot of them and turned it into a pass instead of taking it. I mean your teammates or play made you wide open and you have a respectable 3pt shot, take it.

But yeah its preaseason or more relaistically if this was any other year, summer league games. So heres hoping once the real NBA game comes.

[Blue_and_Whte]

Chuma feels like he just needs to get accustomed to the speed of the game and defensive rotations. It also doesn’t look like he has his legs yet. Everyone develops differently.

[pepe1991]

Complete stat line of preseason

[pepe1991]

I'm looking at this 2017 draft, who was allegedly one of best ever, at least hyped before it happend as one and my God... It sucked.

1# pick traded after 2 years, now plays for us.
2# pick turned into meme of "40 inch vertical Curry"
3rd pick legit star
4th pick on exit doors of nba
5.--very good player
6- solid , always hurt
7. very average
8. terrible, probably toward exit doors
9. one foot out of nba already
10. bench warmer
11. also close to nba exit
12. solid but always hurt
13. allstar
14. allstar
15. bench warmer
16. bench warmer
17. close to be out of nba, maybe this year
18. close to nba exit
19. solid
20. bench warmer
21. bench warmer
22. solid rotation player
23. solid rotation player
24. i don't who he is
25. nor him
26. never herad of this guy
27. Kuzma
28. bench warmer
29. solid rotation peace
30. solid rotation paace

If i counted right, 15 out of 30 guys probably won't survive in a league, at least not in some rotation role 2021 and probably won't make final rosters in 2022.

Puts things in perspective what to expect from bad draft...

[Skybox]

Isn’t today the last day to sign rookie extensions for Isaac and/or Fultz? I wonder if they’re working on it , hitting roadblocks, wrapping up reasonable deals, or not considering. I would love to hear at least JI wrapped up on a team-friendly extension.

[JBSouthpaw]

Isn’t today the last day to sign rookie extensions for Isaac and/or Fultz? I wonder if they’re working on it , hitting roadblocks, wrapping up reasonable deals, or not considering. I would love to hear at least JI wrapped up on a team-friendly extension.

It is. I hope the Kuzma deal can help J.I. get a deal done.
He got 40M for 3 years (13.3M avg)

[dsg2021]

Something really under the radar has been happening this summer.

The 2021 free agency class is getting smaller and smaller. I see Kawhi. Then others like Oladipo, CP3, and Blake Griffin so far. A bit of restricted free agents, too.

In the meanwhile, the ORL FO held back trading any valuable pieces while the rest of the teams thought 2021 was some mystical summer of greatness for team-building.

I am going to be very happy to hear the phone calls our FO gets this trade deadline and this summer on players like Evan, AG, Ross, Vooch. All might be fair game if they are paying up.

One way or the other, the ORL FO has already passed like literally 4 moments where "they were supposed to have traded them". Does any team really think ORL isn't ready to let them walk by now? Hope they have enough cap space..

[JBSouthpaw]

Have the set the trade deadline yet?

[MagicHolland]

Isn’t today the last day to sign rookie extensions for Isaac and/or Fultz? I wonder if they’re working on it , hitting roadblocks, wrapping up reasonable deals, or not considering. I would love to hear at least JI wrapped up on a team-friendly extension.

Its weird there isn’t more news about this out there..

[JBSouthpaw]

Roy Parry
@osroyparry
· 22m
Magic point guard Markelle Fultz and forward Jonathan Isaac are among the 19 players still eligible to sign rookie scale extensions before the season starts Tuesday. Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Bam Adebayo, De’Aaron Fox, and Kyle Kuzma already have signed new deals.

Read on Twitter

[Bensational]

Well, with the signings of Fultz and Isaac, there won't be room to resign Fournier without going into the luxury tax. He's a free agent at the end of the year.

WeHam have had a habit of letting guys play years out, but I think Fournier gets moved by the deadline. Possibly early in the season.

[RookieStar]

Well, with the signings of Fultz and Isaac, there won't be room to resign Fournier without going into the luxury tax. He's a free agent at the end of the year.

WeHam have had a habit of letting guys play years out, but I think Fournier gets moved by the deadline. Possibly early in the season.

Yup.. writing is in the wall. Prepare for Buddy-Ball MAX3000 where Vuc will make sure his buddy try to get a Max contract feeding him a lot.. and I MEAN A LOT.

[Bensational]

Well, with the signings of Fultz and Isaac, there won't be room to resign Fournier without going into the luxury tax. He's a free agent at the end of the year.

WeHam have had a habit of letting guys play years out, but I think Fournier gets moved by the deadline. Possibly early in the season.

Yup.. writing is in the wall. Prepare for Buddy-Ball MAX3000 where Vuc will make sure his buddy try to get a Max contract feeding him a lot.. and I MEAN A LOT.

He hasn't seemed to be imposing himself on the offense yet. Gordon, Fultz and Cole have been allowed to take larger roles instead. Maybe showcasing he can be an off-ball gunner for a contender who hits at a high clip (which is what they'll want him for)? So far he's shooting well in that capacity. Needs to up his effort on defense though.

[RookieStar]

Well, with the signings of Fultz and Isaac, there won't be room to resign Fournier without going into the luxury tax. He's a free agent at the end of the year.

WeHam have had a habit of letting guys play years out, but I think Fournier gets moved by the deadline. Possibly early in the season.

Yup.. writing is in the wall. Prepare for Buddy-Ball MAX3000 where Vuc will make sure his buddy try to get a Max contract feeding him a lot.. and I MEAN A LOT.

He hasn't seemed to be imposing himself on the offense yet. Gordon, Fultz and Cole have been allowed to take larger roles instead. Maybe showcasing he can be an off-ball gunner for a contender who hits at a high clip (which is what they'll want him for)? So far he's shooting well in that capacity. Needs to up his effort on defense though.

Because its still pre season? Stats don't count yet when negotiating for that contract. Lol