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This is what bothers me about the Magic. When was the last time we drafted a good scorer/shooter in the first round? I understand length and defense, but it’s frustrating how everyone we draft is a project on offense

We drafted a good shooter 4 months ago. But to your point. Couple things. 1. Without a franchise player level number 1 option on offense our only path toward success is building an elite defense and using that elite defense to improve our offense. Every team in the league scores worse against a half court set defense after the opponent makes a shot than they do when the opponent misses a shot. They score even better when the opponent turns the ball over. So we can build a pretty solid offense around creating misses and turnovers on defense. 2. Very soon it's very likely that our best player is probably going to be Isaac. The best way to get the best out of Isaac is to surround him with other good defenders with length which creates a multiplier with that length. Playing Isaac next to aminu or MCW makes Isaac a better defender. The biggest example of the multiplier effect and points 1 and 2 is how our offense flourished last season when we added MCW into the rotation (one of the worst offensive players in the NBA over the last decade). 3. Posters here like to criticise hennigan for his results but they have no idea what caused him to get those results. We didn't have success under hennigan because, while he obtained a bunch of talent, he never committed to any style of play and drafted/signed a bunch of mismatched pieces. We collected athletes that lacked shooting and tried to supplement that with non-athletes who could shoot. We struggled with getting to the free throw line so we signed augustin and Jeff green who could get to the line but caused other issues. We struggled with rim protection so we traded for ibaka and signed biyombo with the thought process that they would somehow be able to cover for Vucevic. We traded oladipo specifically because at the time there was only a small gap between his and Fournier's projected values going forward but we lacked shooting and Evan could shoot. When building a roster you need to be beholden to a plan or else you end up with a disjointed roster trying to chase categorical improvements and end up wasting years by not putting your players in the best positions to succeed. 4. Single bad defensive players in lineups is enough to cause your entire defense to fall apart. Augustin and Fournier aren't bad defensive players at all, they're limited but they play good team defense and are often about average in effectiveness depending on the matchup. But over the next 6 months we'll lose quite a few games solely because of a problematic matchup that makes either guy unplayable. That's with average but flawed defenders. What do you think would happen with a bad defender? Watch Phoenix with Booker this year. He's among the worst defensive players in the league. He's a pretty solid offensive player. They're surrounding him with several average to above average defensive players. What kind of success do you think they're going to have? 5. All that being said, you always make concessions with the plan when you find the right offensive guy. If harden decided he wanted to play here you don't refuse to get him just because he's a poor defender. But you don't make those concessions for role players. It doesn't make sense to destroy your style just to obtain an ok player that's not much better than someone else you could find for the minimum or spend a little more and find someone who can shoot without destroying your style of play. So basically, it shouldn't frustrate you that we don't draft players with specific skill sets that clash with our identity. We're better off sticking to our plan and will be more successful for it. We can't completely ignore shooting but we need to find players that can shoot while fitting in with our style of play.

(With my best Kevin Heart Voice, but dead serious.) Fultz let us reason... You are too good of a player. I rather you go 1 for 15 shooting. Shooting every open shot you get, than for you to pass up another open shot... The next time Trae Young or any player stands at the free throw line, about 5 feet away, your better pull that freakin trigger, or if I'm the coach, I am benching you. Don't let people disrespect you like that... You are a pro Fultz. You are too hard of a worker. You need to trust your game. You hear me. Remember you said kill everyone. Not me. Show them 23.2 ppg, .41% 3p%, 47% fg%. Dont piss me off. Kill everyone. Remember, who you are. Number one pick in the draft... straight up baller. You have been shooting your whole life. Dont play with me. I am not a pro - nowhere near one. I did not play in college. I did not train all summer. I did not work with shooting coaches. I did not put the work in you did. I did not harbor, for 2 years all the doubters and naysayers. But you know what, I am taking that open shot. I am making that open that shot, because that is what I do. And, IF I miss and I am open again. Smoke and fire, I am gunning. I promise you that, why, because I am freakin open. I am gunning all day long and I wish a n@#$%a would say something. Especially in pre freakin season. What in the hell are you doing Fultz? It is preseason. Get your rhyme. Jake up shots. (Particularly, after you initiated the offense and the ball swings your way again.) YOU BETTER take that shot - hands down... man down... Kill everyone.... Fultz. I need you to trust your work. I need you to trust the countless shoots you have taken. I need you to be a little selfish during preseason, because in the long run, it is better for the team. If you start hitting your shot. There is no stopping us in the east. The Pacers, the Heat, the Pistons, the clawless Raptors, and the Durantless Nets, can all kick rocks and go home this spring. But it starts now... today.... Not tomorrow... not next year.... right the HELL now.... With your shot. One shot at a time, one game at time, one minute at a time. I have faith in you... You are too dang good. Now if you go 1 for 50... Do not ever take another shot in your life, BUT I bet you hit more than that today. You have my permission in the PRESEASON to gun.... You can tell the coach, I gave you permission. Now go be Magic.... We watchin...