Official Spec Thread: I guess now's the time to blow this dumpster fire up and bask in the glow!

[fendilim]

lol y'all really believe them?

These guys are veteran front office executives.

[JBSouthpaw]

Read on Twitter

This is some Alex Martins level BS spin right here. Just a bold faced lie.

If Weltman truly believed that this team was capable of getting a top 4 seed this year, then why wouldn't the same thing apply to next year when everyone was healthy + a top 5 draft pick?

Why would you unload everyone if you really believed this?

It's a pathetic lie.

Isaac & Fultz aren't just going to magically start playing 100% right away. It's going to take some time and I'm not even sure Fultz is healthy to start the year. AG wanted out and Fournier wasn't going to re sign here so you're basically asking the FO to run it back with a worse team. What's the starting 5 look like next year if we "run it back" knowing AG + Fournier aren't here?

Agree about Fultz, won't be 100% until around xmas.
JI should be able to start the season.

PG - ?? Cole? 1st rd pick? RJ?
SG - Harris/Ross/RJ?
SF - Okeke/ Bacon
PF - JI
C - Carter (or CHI pick/ FA/trade, I don't believe either Carter or Mo as starters)

[fendilim]

so are the new guys playing?

[OhioRock3]

so are the new guys playing?

I doubt it. They'll probably have to go through some stupid covid protocols before being allowed to join the team

[billy5783]

so are the new guys playing?

I doubt it. They'll probably have to go through some stupid covid protocols before being allowed to join the team

Tonight is gonna be ROUGH

[fendilim]

so are the new guys playing?

I doubt it. They'll probably have to go through some stupid covid protocols before being allowed to join the team

Tonight is gonna be ROUGH

Do we even have enough guys?

Covid protocols.. they get tested this morning and before the game.. ? or have to quarantine?

[fendilim]

seems like all can play. Pj Tucker was traded on the 19th. played 12 minutes for the bucks on the 20th

[Magic#1]

Read on Twitter

This is some Alex Martins level BS spin right here. Just a bold faced lie.

If Weltman truly believed that this team was capable of getting a top 4 seed this year, then why wouldn't the same thing apply to next year when everyone was healthy + a top 5 draft pick?

Why would you unload everyone if you really believed this?

It's a pathetic lie.

I just don't get why he would lie. What's wrong with saying something like, "We recognized that we needed to make some changes with the ultimate goal of winning a championship." If they believed they had a top 4-5 team and you add a potential top five pick, you theoretically should believe you could be contending in the east then. It's just disingenuous to the fans.

[fendilim]

Read on Twitter

This is some Alex Martins level BS spin right here. Just a bold faced lie.

If Weltman truly believed that this team was capable of getting a top 4 seed this year, then why wouldn't the same thing apply to next year when everyone was healthy + a top 5 draft pick?

Why would you unload everyone if you really believed this?

It's a pathetic lie.

I just don't get why he would lie. What's wrong with saying something like, "We recognized that we needed to make some changes with the ultimate goal of winning a championship." If they believed they had a top 4-5 team and you add a potential top five pick, you theoretically should believe you could be contending in the east then. It's just disingenuous to the fans.

Do you really expect them to say the truth and throw the team under the bus? They only traded 5 of the 15 guys yesterday.

[Knightro]

So after listening to Weltman, here's what I've gathered.

-The Magic believed this year's team fully healthy could compete for a top 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.

-The Magic knew this year's team was not a title contender even if they competed for homecourt in the first round.

-The Magic knew because of the impending luxury tax issues, it was unlikely they would be able to retain Fournier, which made "running it back" next season not possible.

-Given their place in the standings this year and the fact that next year's team was unlikely to be as good as what this year's team WOULD have been fully healthy, they decided to unload.

This raises some unanswered questions for me.

Weltman just told us he thought the Magic could contend for homecourt in the East, but that they felt they had to blow up what could/should have been a top-4 team in the conference because the owners are too cheap to pay the tax?

So was the plan to stay healthy this year, get home court in the playoffs, try and win a series, but and then cheap out and get worse in the summer?

The logic just doesn't make sense. I felt like Weltman was essentially trying to pitch this season as a "last hurrah" for this group and that change was inevitable no matter how well or poorly they performed.

[fendilim]

So after listening to Weltman, here's what I've gathered.

-The Magic believed this year's team fully healthy could compete for a top 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.

-The Magic knew this year's team was not a title contender even if they competed for homecourt in the first round.

-The Magic knew because of the impending luxury tax issues, it was unlikely they would be able to retain Fournier, which made "running it back" next season not possible.

-Given their place in the standings this year and the fact that next year's team was unlikely to be as good as what this year's team WOULD have been fully healthy, they decided to unload.

This raises some unanswered questions for me.

So Weltman just told us he thought the Magic could contend for homecourt in the East, but that they felt they had to blow a top-4 team in the conference because the owners are too cheap to pay the tax?

So was the plan to stay healthy this year, get home court in the playoffs, and then cheap out and get worse in the summer?

The logic just doesn't make sense. I felt like Weltman was essentially trying to pitch this season as a "last hurrah" for this group and that change was inevitable no matter how well or poorly they performed.

I think its more of the owner wanting to pay lux tax if we can really be contenders.

lux tax then pretenders isnt gonna cut it.

[KillMonger]

Read on Twitter

[GelbeWand09]

So after listening to Weltman, here's what I've gathered.

-The Magic believed this year's team fully healthy could compete for a top 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.

-The Magic knew this year's team was not a title contender even if they competed for homecourt in the first round.

-The Magic knew because of the impending luxury tax issues, it was unlikely they would be able to retain Fournier, which made "running it back" next season not possible.

-Given their place in the standings this year and the fact that next year's team was unlikely to be as good as what this year's team WOULD have been fully healthy, they decided to unload.

This raises some unanswered questions for me.

Weltman just told us he thought the Magic could contend for homecourt in the East, but that they felt they had to blow up what could/should have been a top-4 team in the conference because the owners are too cheap to pay the tax?

So was the plan to stay healthy this year, get home court in the playoffs, try and win a series, but and then cheap out and get worse in the summer?

The logic just doesn't make sense. I felt like Weltman was essentially trying to pitch this season as a "last hurrah" for this group and that change was inevitable no matter how well or poorly they performed.

For me it sound more like the players forced his hand. Vuc probably wanted out too. So thanks to Vuc, AG & Evan.

[Knightro]

I think its more of the owner wanting to pay lux tax if we can really be contenders.

lux tax then pretenders isnt gonna cut it.

Ok fair enough, but you have the CEO Martins and the President of Basketball Ops Weltman both within 10 days of each other suggesting publicly that they thought this team was good enough to compete for homecourt in the first round and that they were just killed by injuries.

If they really believed that is true, then why wouldn't they keep the team together give it another shot next year when everyone is healthy + a top 5 pick who might be able to come in right away and make a positive impact?

If the luxury tax was the primary concern, there would have been ways to get under via trades.

But for argument's sake, let's say avoiding the luxury tax was a no questions asked mandate from ownership.

They couldn't have predicted all these injuries.

So Weltman is telling us that the master plan was for the Magic to win as much as possible this year, but then they were willingly going to chose to be worse in 2021-2022 because of financial reasons.

That is indefensible, right?

[Knightro]

For me it sound more like the players forced his hand. Vuc probably wanted out too. So thanks to Vuc, AG & Evan.

But theoretically those guys were only asking out (and we only know for sure that AG asked out) because of all the losing.

And Weltman and Martins both chalked up all the losing to all the injuries.

Had the team stayed healthy, their own front office believed they would have been winning a lot more, which means these guys aren't trying to leave.

[GelbeWand09]

For me it sound more like the players forced his hand. Vuc probably wanted out too. So thanks to Vuc, AG & Evan.

But theoretically those guys were only asking out (and we only know for sure that AG asked out) because of all the losing.

And Weltman and Martins both chalked up all the losing to all the injuries.

Had the team stayed healthy, their own front office believed they would have been winning a lot more, which means these guys aren't trying to leave.

Yea i mean, i think they all wanted out over the season, not before. They know they have not so much prime left.

But i too wonder what the Plan of the FO was for the near/middling future. They were in win now mode but never made win now additions to the roster. He said we wanted homecourt but said later he believed this team reached his peak, while being capped out.
The interview was as ambivalent as everything they have done til yesterday here

[pepe1991]

Some debate here is nothing but semantic.

4th seed sounds like contender... Than you figure current 4th seed are Hornets ,sitting at 22-21 record.

There is no doubt in my mind that healthy roster would have been top 4 seed on East this year. I mean, somebody has to. Celtics suck, Raptors sinked, for crying out loud, Hawks won 8 of last 10 yet only sit on 22-22 record.

But on greater scale, we would still not be contender.

If cards were dealth in different way and we had healthy roster, Gordon + Evan for star would make sense.

But now, it's just water under a bridge. We won't be playoff- relevant any time soon.

[JBSouthpaw]

I think its more of the owner wanting to pay lux tax if we can really be contenders.

lux tax then pretenders isnt gonna cut it.

Ok fair enough, but you have the CEO Martins and the President of Basketball Ops Weltman both within 10 days of each other suggesting publicly that they thought this team was good enough to compete for homecourt in the first round and that they were just killed by injuries.

If they really believed that is true, then why wouldn't they keep the team together give it another shot next year when everyone is healthy + a top 5 pick who might be able to come in right away and make a positive impact?

If the luxury tax was the primary concern, there would have been ways to get under via trades.

But for argument's sake, let's say avoiding the luxury tax was a no questions asked mandate from ownership.

They couldn't have predicted all these injuries.

So Weltman is telling us that the master plan was for the Magic to win as much as possible this year, but then they were willingly going to chose to be worse in 2021-2022 because of financial reasons.

That is indefensible, right?

Who would have been REALLY better than us if healthy?
MIL, PHI and BRK, Those for sure. Who has shown to be that much better than us with Vuc, Evan, AG and Fultz?

[fendilim]

I think its more of the owner wanting to pay lux tax if we can really be contenders.

lux tax then pretenders isnt gonna cut it.

Ok fair enough, but you have the CEO Martins and the President of Basketball Ops Weltman both within 10 days of each other suggesting publicly that they thought this team was good enough to compete for homecourt in the first round and that they were just killed by injuries.

If they really believed that is true, then why wouldn't they keep the team together give it another shot next year when everyone is healthy + a top 5 pick who might be able to come in right away and make a positive impact?

If the luxury tax was the primary concern, there would have been ways to get under via trades.

But for argument's sake, let's say avoiding the luxury tax was a no questions asked mandate from ownership.

They couldn't have predicted all these injuries.

So Weltman is telling us that the master plan was for the Magic to win as much as possible this year, but then they were willingly going to chose to be worse in 2021-2022 because of financial reasons.

That is indefensible, right?

Do you really expect them to say the truth and throw the team under the bus? These guys can say everything they want, as long as it is politically correct. Their job is to put a championship team, not to please everybody.

[fendilim]

I think Clifford will go next.