Preseason Game #2 8PM Oct. 6th, 2021 Orlando @ New Orleans

[tooler]

They're just all overpassing and overthinking at the moment.

I can definitely see this. They're all trying to make the extra pass and help their teammates, and I'm sure the coach is telling them that things will open up if they do. But New Orleans was playing with energy and kept the paint walled off, so the passing didn't do anything productive. It was productive against Boston because they randomly hit their shots that game. That's where having some structure and defining roles (you shoot the 3 every time you're open, no questions asked) would help. In the coach's defense, he's probably not ready to put anyone in a box yet. But it's going to be a lot less entertaining to watch when the shots don't go in.

[FFBlitzace]

Franz is looking too much like a do-nothing player to me. You know, the Mo Harkless special. Play 30 minutes and have 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover. We can play the "he's in the right spots, moving the ball, not making mistakes" game all we want, but eventually you need some actual production. I'm not writing him off, he's young even as a rookie and he's only 2 preseason games in. I'm just skeptical. I was skeptical to begin with, and he hasn't done anything to make me feel better.

[Xatticus]

There's way too much hand-wringing in this thread. I don't know precisely what Mosley is trying to accomplish with the distribution of minutes in the preseason, but I know that he isn't prioritizing winning games. My best guess would be... health? Ross and Harris were shut down early last night.

I think this team has the potential to be better than the pre-season prognostications, but I don't believe it will play out that way. We have enough quality pieces to field a solid rotation that would be tough to beat on a nightly basis, but I just don't think that is our focus this year. I expect Mosley is going to give a lot of minutes to guys like Bamba, Anthony, Suggs, and Wagner and the product will suffer for it, but we will hopefully be rewarded for doing so in the long run.

I don't know why anyone that still follows this franchise would be bothered by any of this. We just gutted the core of a 9-year-long failed rebuild. We were one of the worst teams in the league before we decided to strip it down and start over. It's like moving to Alaska and bitching about the cold... what did you honestly expect? I'm just stoked that I don't have to watch that **** that I've been watching for the past nine years. Admitting that you have a problem is the first step on the road to recovery. That's where we are. We finally took the first step.

[ibraheim718]

I think the front office should've brought in a veteran point guard to assist with the transition Suggs is going to have to make. That's one oversight right off the bat.

The next issue is a rookie head coach. Often times it's better to bring in a stepping stone veteran head coach to help a very young team.

So now what you're left with is a team of young unproven players outside of Lopez and a young unproven coach so the learning curve is going to be super long.

The issues Suggs is having are strictly mental. You can see him thinking through the game and trying to do what he thinks he's supposed to be doing not what he wants to do.

But even with the offensive struggles his on ball defense is really good, his rebounding for a guard is exceptional, and his knack for blocking shots translating to the next level. And physically He looks healthy. I don't think he's even had a chance to get out in the open floor which is a strength.

I wouldn't start panicking or anything it's just going to take some time. He also played for a really good coach who is most likely a more gifted offensive coach than Mosley no doubt.

[Bergmaniac]

I don't need to watch preseason games to know the Magic will be a terrible team this season, this has been obvious for a while.

[Audi]

I’d rather our preseason look like it has then have us off to a hot start and then end up sizzling out into buddy ball mediocrity like the last...seemingly forever years.

[OrlChamps2030]

Franz is looking too much like a do-nothing player to me. You know, the Mo Harkless special. Play 30 minutes and have 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover. We can play the "he's in the right spots, moving the ball, not making mistakes" game all we want, but eventually you need some actual production. I'm not writing him off, he's young even as a rookie and he's only 2 preseason games in. I'm just skeptical. I was skeptical to begin with, and he hasn't done anything to make me feel better.

Same here. Not yet concerned, but I am skeptical. For a “safe” pick, he looks like he still has a lot of developing to do.

[BCS]

Franz is looking too much like a do-nothing player to me. You know, the Mo Harkless special. Play 30 minutes and have 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover. We can play the "he's in the right spots, moving the ball, not making mistakes" game all we want, but eventually you need some actual production. I'm not writing him off, he's young even as a rookie and he's only 2 preseason games in. I'm just skeptical. I was skeptical to begin with, and he hasn't done anything to make me feel better.

Same here. Not yet concerned, but I am skeptical. For a “safe” pick, he looks like he still has a lot of developing to do.

Frans was the one player I did not want out of the top players, always felt he was overrated. Now that he is a Magic I can't wait to be completely wrong about him.

I am hoping he can at least become a Shane Battier type of player, although at 8 I am looking for Dirk Nowitzki ceiling not Battier. Please Franz, just prove me wrong.

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[drsd]

Carter's form looks good. A couple hundred thousand jumpers in the gym, he could emerge as a true 236% three ball shooter. If so, Orlando has its starting Center of the future.