MagicTurk

https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-rumors-ben-simmons-drawn-150343397.html Strap in, a dark horse team not mentioned yet in trade rumors are interested and have made an offer for Simmons, has to be us right? They mention Portland, New Orleans and Detroit as possible teams, but I don't think Nola or Detroit made the offer given their timeline and Portland has been named previously. The list of small market teams who have been tied at least once to Simmons in this summer's rumor mill. Timberwolves Raptors Cavaliers Pacers Spurs Kings

Those are the type of low cost deals the Magic should be looking to make. But Doumbouya looks like a big bust, if a young team like the Piston's who are a lottery team for the next two years,are already giving up on him that may be a red flag. Doumbuya is only 20, athletic, but doesn't look like in NBA player. We should be looking out for ways to steal young talent though.

I'll upvote that!! You never turn down a 25 year old allstar with those intangibles, especially if you can get without giving up the farm. Lebron had some serious shooting issues in his game as well, took him a decade and playing on a super team to hide those deficiencies before he won a ring. And he's still working on his offense. Giannis still can't shoot. Suggs and Simmons together could win and imagine if we get a third allstar out of RJ, Cole, Chuma, Issac or Fultz (whomever we keep in the Simmons trade). Imagine having cap room if Simmons and Suggs are stars...someone else out there is going to force a trade to play with them. The OKC, Spur route rarely happens where you draft all your stars. You usually get a title team by getting lucky and drafting one or two great guys and then a star either joins you in FA or forces a trade to you. They all want to play together.

They have made it to the eastern semi's 3 out of 4 years in the playoffs. I think Philly is making a haste decision with a 25 year old star. The big question with Simmons to me his shooting. He's a great playmaker and defender. Can we mask his shooting if Jalen we're the top option and we add some 3 and D guys around him? The other concern for me is both Fultz and Issac. Issac has some serious verbiage in his contract about his knee. We can get out of his contract if his knee isn't 100%. That to me shows the Magic are very concerned about his history of injuries. Fultz, I think it's his head. Does having a 2nd major injury ACL after the TOS completely derail the progress hes made. He can run an offense, but can't shoot a 3. We also have a non-Guraranteed third year for him. I'd take the potential of Simmons over Fultz any day of the week. I really am rooting for Issac to return, but the injury history... If we could land a Simmons and get rid of one of those two big questions, I'd take it.

But if the price we're right? If we could give up just a vet (Harris or Ross), Fultz or Issac and the Bulls 1st rounder. I think its worth a look since we are keeping Suggs, Wagner, Hampton, (hopefully Issac), Cole in that scenario. I agree GS is a better option. They may be able to trade Wiggins, Kuminga, picks to get him. Plus he's killing his trade value right now and asking to be sent to a Cali team. So they could probably get him for cheaper. What would happen to us is we'd finish his development with a 2 year window and he'd end up opting out/or forcing another trade out west anyways. It would be Ibaka 2.0.

I am now intrigued at a Suggs, Simmons pairing. I don't believe the crap the dude is not going to get any better. Already an allstar with elite defense. Giannis has some serious issues with his shot as well. If we could make a play without giving up Issac would anyone do it? : Fultz, Ross, Bulls 1st rounder, (fillers). I think they'd want Issac over Fultz sadly. Which I still would probably do.

Schedule dropped. That has to be one of the toughest starts to an NBA season we've ever had. We may have less than 5 wins going into 2022. https://www.espn.com/nba/team/schedule/_/name/orl

I think you still have euphoria high from them finally deciding to blow it up. The team had multiple 1st round offers on Payton going into their first season as it was already rumored we were going to trade him. They held on to him, his play got worse to the point Shelvin Mack was outplaying him and then he we were lucky to get a 2nd rounder by deadline. Fournier was another piece the fan base soured on and was begging he be traded for the 1st rounders being rumored...they held on to him to the point we only got two 2nd round picks in the way way way future for him and a TPE that will expire with no action. Both Gordon and Vucevic had higher trade value earlier on in Hammond's tenure. They gambled and we got less in 2021 then we would have gotten in 2018 or 2019. I do think they maxed what they got for Gordon in 2021, best offer, but if they had traded him 2018, 2019, it would have been much higher return. People were high on Gordon's upside. And maybe it was Alex Martins mandate that they give Henny's guys a shot? But why did it take them four years to decide to blow up what we saw during Henny's tenure...that core just didn't work together, so get the best return and move some pieces around. They made no real changes and ran it back year after year after year.

I agree with everything you said. We lucked into Jalen Suggs and he will be a star that maybe saves this franchise. I don't trust this front office. They held onto Elf, Fournier, Aaron and Vucevic way too long and killed their value. They will not have the balls to package for an allstar to complete Suggs and Issac. They will ride or die with this bunch until they are relieved from duties. We should have taken Sengun at #8 or traded down for him. I was very disappointed we didn't nab him. I like Wagner, but believe Sengun will be steal of draft at #16.

I mean I see your point, there were alot of anti-Trae people.... but I think we also have to mention that the Magic were trying hard to trade up for Doncic and not Trae. We came with an offer to move up, which means Hawks would have gotten Trae at 6 with our pick and Mavs taken Bamba at 5. I don't know if Mavs had the better offer or if the Hawks just didn't want to trade with a division rival, but the Mavs got the deal and we didn't. Magic lost out on Luka and Trae went to Hawks at 5. There is an alternate universe were the Magic have a core of Doncic, Dipo, Issac, Sabonis, Porzingis/Vucevic.

Tough schedule ahead for the Bulls, but I'm getting nervous.The Bulls own the tie-breakers against the Hornets, Pacers and Wizards. All three of those teams could almost lose out. It's a longshot that the Bulls win the next four, but I would not be shocked if they get into the play-in and win both games to be the 8th seed. In that scenario we'd get the #15 pick. :(

Can I get a drink for all my efforts! ;-p The reality is that of the list of TOP5 lottery players taken in the last ten years, only two of them have won rings and they both played with this Lebron James guy to get them. I'd even eliminate Bradley Beal as his playoffs were more John Wall's accomplishments before Wall got to liking the Chicken Wings at Nando's more then playing in the NBA. Oladipo got the Pacers to the playoffs in year 1, but they proved they could do it without him. So, if we update on the taking a Team to the playoffs and being drafted in the Top 5 here are your players. About 1 per draft class. Bold Teams, mean they are still with that team. 2011 NBA DRAFT 1.) Kyrie Irving (CAVS) - NBA Champion w/ CAVS, 2012 NBA DRAFT 1.) Anthony Davis (Pelicans/Hornets) NBA Champion w/ Lakers 2013 NBA DRAFT (WORST DRAFT EVER?) 2.) Victor Oladipo (MAGIC) - Took Pacers to playoffs 2014 NBA DRAFT 3.) Joel Embiid (76ers) -(Playoffs 3 times, never advanced beyond 2nd round) 2015 NBA DRAFT- 1.) Karl Anthony-Towns (WOLVES) - (1 playoff 1st round exit) 2.) D'Angelo Russell (Lakers) -(Took Nets to playoffs) 2016 NBA DRAFT- 1.) Ben Simmons - (76ers) - (76ers 3 playoffs, never advanced beyond 2nd round) 2017 NBA DRAFT- 3.) Jason Tatum (CELTICS) - ( 3 playoffs, 2 ECF Runnerups) 2018 NBA DRAFT- 3.) Luka Doncic (Mavs) - (1 playoff 1st round exit) 2019 NBA DRAFT- 2.) Ja Morant (Grizzlies) - Lost play-in game

I love me some Jon Issac. He's KG with a mohawk!!! Great flashes from RJ and Cole and Chuma so far. Let WCJr and Mo battle it out in training camp. The guy that stays healthy win the starting job. Fultz was a feel good story, but Cole and RJ's play has me feeling like he could be the odd man out and we probably won't miss him.

So bottom line for a chance at a Top 4 percentage we need to lose out.

I tried it, kind of fun looking at the old lottery and seeing all the busts. Point made, most NBA superstars don't stay with the team that drafts them. Here are all the Allstars TOP 5 lotto picks of last ten years and their accomplishments. 2011 NBA DRAFT 1.) Kyrie Irving (CAVS) - NBA Champion w/ CAVS, 3 time allstar, all NBA Team w/ Cavs 2-5 Busts 2012 NBA DRAFT 1.) Anthony Davis (Pelicans/Hornets) 7 time all star w/ Pels, 6 time all NBA w/Pels. Never got beyond 2nd round of playoffs. Won title w/ Lakers 3.)Bradley Beal (Wizards) - 3 time NBA All star (Playoffs 4 times never advanced beyond 2nd round) 2013 NBA DRAFT (WORST DRAFT EVER?) 2.) Victor Oladipo (MAGIC) - 2 time allstar, 1 NBA team (Magic traded away, on 5th NBA team) 2014 NBA DRAFT 3.) Joel Embiid (76ers) - 4 time allstar, 2 time all NBA, 2 time all Defense. (Playoffs 3 times, never advanced beyond 2nd round) 2015 NBA DRAFT- 1.) Karl Anthony-Towns (WOLVES) - 2 time allstar, 1 all NBA (1 playoff 1st round exit) 2.) D'Angelo Russell (Lakers) -1 Allstar game w/Nets (1 playoff 1st round exit) 4.) Kristaps Porzingis (Knicks) 1- allstar game w/ Knicks (1 playoff exist with Mavs) 2016 NBA DRAFT- 1.) Ben Simmons - (76ers) -3 time NBA Allstar, all nba team, all defense (76ers 3 playoffs, never advanced beyond 2nd round) 2.) Brandon Ingram (Lakers) - 1 time NBA Allstar (w/ Pels) 3.) Jaylen Brown (CELTICS) - 1 time NBA All star (4 playoffs, 3 ECF runnerup) 2017 NBA DRAFT- 3.) Jason Tatum (CELTICS) - 2 time NBA Allstar, 1 all NBA Team ( 3 playoffs, 2 ECF Runnerups) 2018 NBA DRAFT- 3.) Luka Doncic (Mavs) - 2 time NBA allstar, all NBA 1st team (1 playoff 1st round exit) 5.) Trae Young (HAWKS) 1 time NBA Allstar, (No playoff results yet) 2019 NBA DRAFT- 1.) Zion Williamson (Pelicans) - 1 time NBA Allstar (No playoffs yet) 2.) Ja Morant (Grizzlies) - Reigning ROY, Lost play-in game 2020 NBA DRAFT- (Rookies) 1.) Anthony Edwards (Wolves) (No playoffs) 2.) James Wiseman (Warriors) (Play-in playoffs) 3.) LaMelo Ball (Hornets) (Play-in playoffs) 4.) Patrick Williams (Bulls) (Likely no playoffs) 5.)Issac Okoro (Cavs) (No playoffs)

Okay, I'm just going to come out and say it. Cole Anthony is almost better in his rookie year then Markelle now! Kelle is a better defender and more explosive, but the gap is closing. I'm getting the feeling Cole Anthony will be the permanent starter at some point next year and Markelle may be traded or waived. I'd even be up for taking Suggs for our pick if Cunningham is off the board.

What the Bamba! How did we catch up?

I feel like the front office outsmarted Cliff at the deadline. They knew he would continue to play the vet hand after blowing up the team so they surrounded him injured players and kept the garbage role players that barely belong in the NBA. A few more of these losses with Ennis, MCW and Bacon and he'll have no choice, but to give more minutes to RJ and Cole. I expect Big Cliff to walk off the team by the end of the month ala Skiles. Chuma and WCJ look like they legit and should stay in starting lineup when Issac and Fultz return next season.

As we saw the last couple nights, WCJ is going to be a solid addition. Birch should not be the starter going forward. ...But I think this officially pushes Bamba to 3rd and his minutes will start to decrease from here. It's a shame, he's never been able to get out of Cliff's dog house. We will either trade him or decline a qualifying offer.

Weham definitely does not know how to cash in when value is high. Fournier has gotten offers for FRP's, Elf Payton had a FRP offer the year they took over and they held on to him and dumped for a 2nd. AG had bigger return a couple years ago. Vuc probably would have gotten more if it was at seasons end. I'm glad we got what we did. The big key is the young guys Carter,Bamba, Hampton, Chuma all get a chance to develop and we now commit to Issac, Fultz and hopefully Cade as the future while getting a ton of cap flexibility to build around them.

I love this deadline. Let the tank begin!!! We finally get rid of buddy ball and set ourselves up Big for next year, hopefull w/ Cade. Just imagine Issac now being a top scoring option on this team and the DPOY! 2021-22 lineup w/ Cade: PG Markelle Fultz (All Star), Cole Anthony , RJ Hampton SG Cade Cunningham (Superstar), Gary Harris (Expiring), MCW SF Terrence Ross, (Josh Christopher or Zaire Williams w/ Bulls mid-1st rounder), Otto Porter on friendlier deal. PF Jon Issac (Superstar), Chuma Okeke C Wendell Carter Jr, Mo Bamba Maybe team can even get Otto to come back for Terrence Ross like contract. Cade makes any team look great, but having Kell and Issac healthy really changes the outlook.