Optimist Prime

Yeah, I think this is a learning year. Hopefully Fultz and Isaac are going to spend a lot of their rehab working on their shot. I like Gordon getting experience running the offense, and think he’d be a really cool option for running the second unit when the team is at full strength. Anthony could play more off-ball that way. Too bad Okeke is hurt, I think he could have benefited a lot from the game experience since we’re so short handed.

At least three of those guys aren’t supposed to be rotation players.

Markelle and/or Evan absolutely would have been the difference in this game, and I think it’s important to remember that before letting the panic set in.

He can’t shoot or run an offense. I’d rather try to get Lin.

I just wanna say I like the OKC announcers a lot more than the Washington announcers haha

The 18-footer he hit about halfway through the fourth felt so crucial to us winning this game.

Man, can’t believe that comeback. What a fight for the bench. They are all heart and hustle Magic. I hope the ball movement comes back, because that’s what really killed the starters I think. Too much iso and forced shots. So glad Ross is such a powerhouse scorer.

I don’t see Cole running the offense as well. He’s a fireplug a la Monta Ellis. Probably better suited for the bench while running some middle quarter time with the starters. Would love to see him with other shooters surrounding him though. That could change things for sure.

As a joke?

LETS GOOOOO http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=y7n7hv3w

If Bamba can hit his 3s and not be negative on defense he would open up a lot of possibilities for Cole and Ross.

He needs to build confidence. He looks like a deer out there with the ball in his hands, overthinking everything and just freezing up.

Hopefully seeing that the magic turned down so many offers lights a fire in Gordon to prove them right.

Could also be a development thing. Scouting gives you the raw material, but it still needs to be refined.

Re: the JI stuff. Oladipo is sitting out too because of his injury. I think we need to consider going from zero to game action and the strain that puts on players’ bodies regardless of injury. the reason teams have training camp and preseason is in large part in order to slowly work the players into form for the long grind of games and then the extra gear of playoffs. JI coming back for an immediate jump to game action and only eight games before going to the playoffs is risky. Him having an injury just compounds it. However serious the injury was at first, it makes sense to hold out due to the shock on the body of going from the regular home workouts to the intensity of actual NBA basketball.