OnlyFranz

https://t.co/P2Ib4FGaYi So apparently JI should be back sometime in January per MCW. He tweeted this 2 days ago, there’s hope!

We don’t have anyone that can consistently get into the paint to draw the defense in. Wish Fultz was healthy enough to play already he knows how to get into the lane and find the open man.

Cole Anthony wouldn’t change this outcome in the least bit. We are being thoroughly outplayed and the refs are again calling a trash game.

My bad I read that previous post the wrong way. Still Okeke at the 2 wouldn’t work and until JI comes back he should be starting at the 3, Franz at the 4, WCJ should play the 5, and Bamba needs to move to the bench.

Agree with you, although Bamba’s potential is intriguing we know WCJ is the better player at this point so he would get the nod over Bamba. If Fultz can regain his burst and is the same player before his injury I’d start him over Cole. Only reason is because we need scoring off the bench in the worst way possible and Fultz brings more balance to our starting unit. I know it would be hard to bench Cole with how well he’s been playing this year but he could still play heavy minutes as the first guy off the bench. Having Cole, Chuma, and Bamba playing with the 2nd unit would help us stay in games and build leads when we are up instead of the train wreck we have going on at the moment.

I disagree with Fultz playing the 2. The spacing would be horrible because he doesn’t have a reliable jump shot outside of 15-17 feet. In this scenario he most certainly plays the 1 and you have Suggs playing the 2 because he would keep the defense much more honest than Fultz ever would. Also Okeke can’t play the 2 he would get beat off the dribble by the quicker guards.

These refs are trash. Only reason Brooklyn won tonight. So many one sided calls it’s disgusting.

Our 2 draft picks really showed out tonight. Just wow the clutch plays by both on the offensive and defensive end puts it into perspective how good they can become the more they get comfortable with their respective games and teammates. If we’re patient with these guys they can turn this franchise around, they just need to continue to build good habits and be aggressive but the sky is the limit for these 2.

Exactly! He agrees black lives matter he’s just against the organization and the divisiveness they have created by pushing this agenda of if you’re not with us you’re against us type of mentality.

I wouldn’t call them red flags until year 2 or 3 if he continues making the same mistakes and taking the same I’ll advised shots then we can start to panic a little. The guy hasn’t even played a full season or even had the chance to go into the offseason to really work on his game. I must admit I thought he would be more NBA ready but that doesn’t mean he still can’t turn into the leader/star we are looking for. We need to be patient with him and look at the bigger picture instead of focusing on the handful of games he’s played this year. Can’t write a guy off when he hasn’t even gotten his feet wet yet.

Franz Wagner is going to be the steal of the draft. This kid just knows how to play on both sides of the ball. Now if JI can come back and stay healthy we are going to be a very good defensive team.

Couldn’t agree more! Also add to the fact he’s doing it super efficiently so not sure why everyone is complaining about his game right now. He’s the only consistent offense we have right now and we need to score points to win games. Sure sometimes he has the blinders on and looks for his shot but isn’t that what every Alpha dog/superstar does? Why can’t we be content with one of our players breaking out instead of looking at the negatives which are being blown way out of proportion. I could maybe understand if he was a one trick pony and just chucks every game but he is doing it on offense and defense. Can’t fault a guy for stepping up and taking control of the team in his second year.

Fultz will open up everyone’s game once he comes back. He knows how to get guys shots where they are comfortable, how to find guys on the break, and hit them in stride when they cut to the basket. This will hopefully remove Gary Harris from our rotation and send Cole to the bench to help our 2nd unit out. Chuma should be starting soon which will move Bamba to the bench as well. This will help balance our roster because our 2nd unit is laughable right now. If he hasn’t lost his explosiveness he also knows how to get to the rim and finish through contact. Things we are severely lacking at the moment.

Agreed! The previous game KAT got away with some obvious forearm push offs against our bigs and last night the Celtics were repeatedly getting away with putting both hands on our perimeter players trying to contain their penetration into the paint.

I feel like Suggs biggest flaw right now is his inability to dribble the basketball. Dude loses his handle far too often especially when he starts to get pressured by the defense. He hits the ball off his leg far too often in games which leads to easy fast break points going the other way.His shot will eventually start to drop but his handle is highly suspect.

These refs blow. So many ticky tack calls on the Magic but the Celtics can manhandle us on both sides of the floor.

Agree with you here on the scoring front but Fultz can most certainly out produce Cole in the assists and defensive department. He’s a better passer, playmaker, and defender than Cole and that’s what we need in our starting 5. Bringing Cole off the bench as our 6th man would allow him to keep looking for his shot and help our lackluster 2nd unit out in the process.

I’m thinking they will need to move Cole to the bench to provide that spark we are severely lacking right now with the 2nd unit. Putting Fultz back into the starting lineup will improve our already surprising/impressive defense and will also give our rotations some balance. Right now our 2nd unit is atrocious and is in need of some scoring in the worst way possible. Fultz also has a more natural feel for the position and will help get guys like Suggs and Franz easier looks on the offensive end. It’s a good problem to have honestly and once we get JI back either Mo or Wendell will help our 2nd unit, with Chuma as well, and Anthony running the show in that lineup.

Cole needs to move to the bench so we can use his scoring punch with the second unit. Fultz is a much better play maker and defender which helps balance out our starting 5. Once Fultz is ready I see him and Suggs sharing the backcourt together.

Understandable but the way everyone was raving about the guy when we drafted him made it seem like he was a lot more polished on offense than he currently is. He still seems to force things instead of taking what the defense gives him. He can definitely improve nobody is doubting that I just figured he would be more NBA ready than he currently is. Franz Wagner on the other hand has been the biggest surprise for me and he continues to improve every game.

If Suggs can ever find his shot and hit some free throws he’s going to be much more effective for us on offense besides brining his high energy.

Mami always gets away with reaching in and pushing our guys around. Wish they would let the Magic play that way as well instead of being so one sided with their officiating.

I was just able to watch the game from last night. I love how this team was playing for one another and not trying to play hero ball. Suggs and Franz Wagner look like completely different players from their SL and preseason games. Suggs looks so much more under control when he’s running the point and his tenacity on offense and defense is a welcomed sight. I firmly believe the Magic FO resigned Mo Wagner because his energy is so contagious and gets these young fellas motivated and fired up. I also believe it has helped his younger brother Franz become more comfortable on the court while he adjusts to the speed and physicality of the game. You can see him making winning plays on and off the ball and he just looks so much more comfortable out there. If his 3 ball starts to fall with more consistency he is going to be a dangerous weapon for us. If we come out and play with this intensity every night win or lose this team is going to grow before our very eyes. Also shout to to Mo Bamba and Wendell Carter for being able to coexist on the floor together and make a positive impact on both sides of the ball. Wendells individual defense on Randle really stood out to me and makes me think he can play the 4 on a regular basis. Cole Anthony was playing out of his mind but under control the whole game. He was getting his teammates involved and not looking to just score anytime he touched the ball. If he keeps this same mentality going forward and doesn’t settle for I’ll advised shots or drives to the basket we will start to see him have more games like this more often than not. Also TRoss was our savior in the 4th and love how he didn’t force anything and took what the defense gave him. Small sample size but this is the formula if the team wants to continue growing and improving moving forward.

It’s because we are asking him to be a PG when he’s anything but that. He should be playing the 6th or 7th man role to bring a spark off the bench. He has no vision and dribbles the air out of the ball before making his decision to shoot or pass. We are setting him up for failure by allowing this. I’d honestly rather have Etwaun Moore running the point. At least he knows the concept of team basketball.

Fully agree here. We need him back in the worst way possible to take the ball out of Cole Anthony’s black hole of an offense hands.