Official Speculation Thread '20-'21 VII: Magic Expected To Retain Core

[thelead]

Instant upgrades from unsigned FA market:
Kyle Korver
RHJ
Wilson Chandler
Isaiah Thomas
Allen Crabbe
MKG
Shabazz Napier
Emanuel Mudiay
Tolliver

Alex Len was just signed yesterday but I could easily see a team of the following giving us fits

Len
Chandler
Korver/Tolliver
MKG
Mudiay

An all (almost) free agent team could go toe to toe with this capped out team

How does Weltman still have a job?

[pepe1991]

This team is made for tank.
There is no way in hell we can execute anything on offense with Fournier, Anthony and Gordon running playmaker. It's mockery.
Sure is hell it will pad Gordon and Evan's APGs but their "playmaking" is simply piss poor. They will make one right pass than telegraph next 3.
Gordon is already averaging 5 TO in last 3 games. I assume it's just matter of time Evan's start piling up.

I just don't want to listen about "point forward"and all those nonsense when half of possessions with Gordon at PG ends up being buzzerbaeting type shots. Last game, second quater, Magic ended 4 possessions in a row with shot in last second. Bacon made 2, Birch got some shady foul with 0,6 sec on the clock.

[jonbob17]

This team is made for tank.
There is no way in hell we can execute anything on offense with Fournier, Anthony and Gordon running playmaker. It's mockery.
Sure is hell it will pad Gordon and Evan's APGs but their "playmaking" is simply piss poor. They will make one right pass than telegraph next 3.
Gordon is already averaging 5 TO in last 3 games. I assume it's just matter of time Evan's start piling up.

I just don't want to listen about "point forward"and all those nonsense when half of possessions with Gordon at PG ends up being buzzerbaeting type shots. Last game, second quater, Magic ended 4 possessions in a row with shot in last second. Bacon made 2, Birch got some shady foul with 0,6 sec on the clock.

I am not sure he is capable, but an initiator AG's size would be incredibly valuable. Even if his unable to be a primary initiator, and i don't think we have a capable one on this team.

In a lost season it's definitely worth it to see if he can handle it. I am talking more about passing, than breaking down the defense with his handle, which I don't think he can. If we could have AG leading the offense and play Fournier and Ross at the two guards, and Ennis or Okeke at the other spot along with Vuc, would be a really interesting experiment. We would have a huge size advantage, and be able to create really good mismatches.

I don't know if AG's could make the offense work, actually i am plenty skeptical, but it is worth finding out for sure.

[zaymon]

This team is made for tank.
There is no way in hell we can execute anything on offense with Fournier, Anthony and Gordon running playmaker. It's mockery.
Sure is hell it will pad Gordon and Evan's APGs but their "playmaking" is simply piss poor. They will make one right pass than telegraph next 3.
Gordon is already averaging 5 TO in last 3 games. I assume it's just matter of time Evan's start piling up.

I just don't want to listen about "point forward"and all those nonsense when half of possessions with Gordon at PG ends up being buzzerbaeting type shots. Last game, second quater, Magic ended 4 possessions in a row with shot in last second. Bacon made 2, Birch got some shady foul with 0,6 sec on the clock.

I am not sure he is capable, but an initiator AG's size would be incredibly valuable. Even if his unable to be a primary initiator, and i don't think we have a capable one on this team.

In a lost season it's definitely worth it to see if he can handle it. I am talking more about passing, than breaking down the defense with his handle, which I don't think he can. If we could have AG leading the offense and play Fournier and Ross at the two guards, and Ennis or Okeke at the other spot along with Vuc, would be a really interesting experiment. We would have a huge size advantage, and be able to create really good mismatches.

I don't know if AG's could make the offense work, actually i am plenty skeptical, but it is worth finding out for sure.

Problem is AG cant initiate outside post up, but he cant score without dunking becouse he is one of the worst finishers around the rim there is. He cant do it 1vs1with or without screen.
He is pick and roll ball handler in 20% of his offensive possesions. Try to guess in what percentile he is. I will give you a margin of 30 percentile.

[OrlandO]

This team is made for tank.
There is no way in hell we can execute anything on offense with Fournier, Anthony and Gordon running playmaker. It's mockery.
Sure is hell it will pad Gordon and Evan's APGs but their "playmaking" is simply piss poor. They will make one right pass than telegraph next 3.
Gordon is already averaging 5 TO in last 3 games. I assume it's just matter of time Evan's start piling up.

I just don't want to listen about "point forward"and all those nonsense when half of possessions with Gordon at PG ends up being buzzerbaeting type shots. Last game, second quater, Magic ended 4 possessions in a row with shot in last second. Bacon made 2, Birch got some shady foul with 0,6 sec on the clock.

No moves two and a half weeks after starting PG goes down, rookie PG averaging 37% fg and less assists than Shelvin Mack in 29 mpg as a starter, AG playing PG, BIRCH TAKING THREES (LOL!), lost 7 of last 8 (should have been all 8 if not for luck)... if we're not tanking we're certainly doing a great job emulating a tanking team.

[Driguez]

Eeehh tank away

[pepe1991]

This team is made for tank.
There is no way in hell we can execute anything on offense with Fournier, Anthony and Gordon running playmaker. It's mockery.
Sure is hell it will pad Gordon and Evan's APGs but their "playmaking" is simply piss poor. They will make one right pass than telegraph next 3.
Gordon is already averaging 5 TO in last 3 games. I assume it's just matter of time Evan's start piling up.

I just don't want to listen about "point forward"and all those nonsense when half of possessions with Gordon at PG ends up being buzzerbaeting type shots. Last game, second quater, Magic ended 4 possessions in a row with shot in last second. Bacon made 2, Birch got some shady foul with 0,6 sec on the clock.

No moves two and a half weeks after starting PG goes down, rookie PG averaging 37% fg and less assists than Shelvin Mack in 29 mpg as a starter, AG playing PG, BIRCH TAKING THREES (LOL!), lost 7 of last 8 (should have been all 8 if not for luck)... if we're not tanking we're certainly doing a great job emulating a tanking team.

[Skin]

This team is made for tank.
There is no way in hell we can execute anything on offense with Fournier, Anthony and Gordon running playmaker. It's mockery.
Sure is hell it will pad Gordon and Evan's APGs but their "playmaking" is simply piss poor. They will make one right pass than telegraph next 3.
Gordon is already averaging 5 TO in last 3 games. I assume it's just matter of time Evan's start piling up.

I just don't want to listen about "point forward"and all those nonsense when half of possessions with Gordon at PG ends up being buzzerbaeting type shots. Last game, second quater, Magic ended 4 possessions in a row with shot in last second. Bacon made 2, Birch got some shady foul with 0,6 sec on the clock.

We've been a tanking team for years. Happy more people are finally on board.

[Skin]

We need a top 5 pick.

Read on Twitter

[penny_nz]

Just saw Mo post on Facebook him back in the locker room, so hopefully available for next game

[j-ragg]

I like Gordon as a decision maker a la Draymond that can hang in the dunker spot or the free throw line and make a quick swing pass to the open guy.

Really don’t like him at “pg” that much. His ball handling has gotten a little better over the years but still isn’t good enough against pressure, slows him down and all of a sudden we’re starting our play with 10 seconds on the shot clock.

but I get why they are at least trying something different.

[Ducklett]

Just saw Mo post on Facebook him back in the locker room, so hopefully available for next game

Cute that you think Coach Cliff could remove his head from his rear end long enough to put Bamba into the game. Keep that hope and hold it close friend.

[Bensational]

I like Gordon as a decision maker a la Draymond that can hang in the dunker spot or the free throw line and make a quick swing pass to the open guy.

Really don’t like him at “pg” that much. His ball handling has gotten a little better over the years but still isn’t good enough against pressure, slows him down and all of a sudden we’re starting our play with 10 seconds on the shot clock.

but I get why they are at least trying something different.

Yeah, I'm as big a Gordon fan as they come and even this is too much for me. Good on him for stepping up and trying to expand his game, can't complain about that. But it's not the prettiest at the moment. Some nice highlights, but the play-to-play isn't great, especially with Birch on the 3pt line in the corner, lol.

I do think it's pretty good that AG and Cliff have arranged for him to play more with the 2nd unit to allow him to try this sort of stuff against competition he has a better chance of being effective against.

[Magicfanatic82]

We need a top 5 pick.

Read on Twitter

All our wins are against Negative teams. Should have lost 8 in a row.

[JBSouthpaw]

Just saw Mo post on Facebook him back in the locker room, so hopefully available for next game

Cute that you think Coach Cliff could remove his head from his rear end long enough to put Bamba into the game. Keep that hope and hold it close friend.

Cute that you think that it's Coach.. Mo can't keep himself healthy.

[Knightro]

Birch at the 4 does nothing for me, but I'm at least curious to see if Clifford will bench Clark and use Bamba as the backup 5 (with Birch as the full time backup 4) now that he's out of the COVID protocols.

[Ducklett]

Just saw Mo post on Facebook him back in the locker room, so hopefully available for next game

Cute that you think Coach Cliff could remove his head from his rear end long enough to put Bamba into the game. Keep that hope and hold it close friend.

Cute that you think that it's Coach.. Mo can't keep himself healthy.

So what health issue makes you not be able to play until garbage time for 2 minutes at a time?

[Skin]

Just saw Mo post on Facebook him back in the locker room, so hopefully available for next game

Cute that you think Coach Cliff could remove his head from his rear end long enough to put Bamba into the game. Keep that hope and hold it close friend.

Cute that you think that it's Coach.. Mo can't keep himself healthy.

Well we ARE taking about a coach that put Christian Wood in his doghouse and didn't understand his player.

[zaymon]

Cute that you think Coach Cliff could remove his head from his rear end long enough to put Bamba into the game. Keep that hope and hold it close friend.

Cute that you think that it's Coach.. Mo can't keep himself healthy.

Well we ARE taking about a coach that put Christian Wood in his doghouse and didn't understand his player.

You talk about Christian Wood who has bounced around every team in the nba and even Detroid who he broke out for didnt want him ? Didnt understand his player ? What that even means ? Is Wood 2 years old ?

[pepe1991]

Cute that you think Coach Cliff could remove his head from his rear end long enough to put Bamba into the game. Keep that hope and hold it close friend.

Cute that you think that it's Coach.. Mo can't keep himself healthy.

Well we ARE taking about a coach that put Christian Wood in his doghouse and didn't understand his player.

This is missleading and not true.
Wood was undrafted, signed with 76ers, but his second 10 day contract was last.
Than he joined Hornets, didn't play much.
Entered FA, ended up with Dallas ( never played) than Suns, basically never played, than Bucks, never played, than Pelicans.

So it has nothing to do with Clifford, he playeyed for 5 nba teams before Detroit, including Dallas coach ( former nba champion) and Mike Budenholze ( coach of the year). He just wasn't good.

He had no outside jumpshot up until last year and he is that 6'10 -210 pounds center that was nothing but rim runner.

Even today, he does average 23 ppg ,but 92% of all his FGM are assisted. Overall even before and after Harden trade he is in great situation. Being center with Wall , Harden, with great floor spacing of Tucker, Mclemore, Gordon, Sterling Brown isn't that hard. Just roll of pick&roll and you will get easiest looks in basketball. Credit to him, he learned how to shoot over time.


Clifford isn't top 5 coach, he loves some things in basketball that fans hate ( boring offense, controled turnovers, controled defense), he prefers players who are not wrackless but is also guy who gets his "dogs" like MCW and Bacon ( who suck), but his relationship with young players is pretty much flying grades. In his career he put only 2 guys in doghouse that were young. Noah Vonleh and Malik Monk. 2 complete scrubs.