Optimist Prime

And apparently, there's confidence that D. Wade will go to Cleveland after a buyout from Chicago.

I think the argument is for Isaac becoming a good shooter, not Payton.

Ah, okay. I didn't know that. Thanks for the heads up. I'll pass it along

I know a guy moving to Orlando. He's going to be working at the airport and will need a place to live. He's just looking for a one bedroom apartment or something easy that won't be too hard to commute. I'm from Tampa, so I don't really know the area well. Any suggestions?

Good to know. Are there any specific neighborhoods/areas to look at, or will it be pretty much the same across the board?

How many possessions did he have those 4 turnovers out of?

So Irving on the Magic could be like Rose on the Bulls? This is just a face value comparison, but it seems like the best comparison... maybe AI's Sixers?

It could be both/and. AG was a project when we went after Milsap. Vogel likes playing big and we had too many to make room for AG at the 4 after the Biz/Ibaka offseason.

Hennigan did a good job collecting unknowns with potential and an okay job signing free agents. His problem was making trades for known quantities. He couldn't get good value for the assets he collected when it came time to cash in. That's my assessment.

Maybe it points to a trade involving Vuc?

Yeah, I actually really like the dreads look. But there is something to say about practicality of hair in sports. Like, I don't think (offensive) NFL players should have long hair because it gives an extra thing to grab for tackles.

How about tied back dreads a la Faried?

Wow

Can't we just stop putting an s at the end of Jedi? Like, I don't care about the rest of what's going on in this thread. It's just really getting to me.

It kind of makes sense for Isaac if you use "jed" to signify the letter "j" then put the "i" for Isaac. Jed-I. Simmons is a stretch. Either way, any nickname should flow naturally. And it was noted earlier, but the plural of jedi is jedi.

I guess this all depends on whether you think McCollum is someone a team can build around. It also means betting big on the development of Isaac and AG.

Not under the new management. I'd probably expect nothing major until December. Injury concerns would also give hesitancy. But then if the idea is that Payton likely won't be extended, or at least not worth the extension, it could happen. I'd probably do it, if only to inject some life into the offense. Then again, I haven't really paid much attention to Bledsoe since his first year in Phoenix.

Do you think Mario and Isaac end up sharing the 9th man role? Like whoever is on gets the main share of the minutes? Maybe they go back and forth throughout the season as Isaac gets stronger and Hezonja grows more comfortable. They have different strengths, so it could also change depending on who they're going up against.

But that has more to do with play style, and weird AG at the 3 lineups than it does with Payton not being good enough. At a faster pace, with Payton being more ball dominant, he won't lose his starting job unless something crazy happens.

I'm typically against players being too flashy, but it might be what this team needs. Simmons could inject some life into the team.

I think it all depends on rotation. Augustine is third string, so moving him isn't really important. Ross and Fournier are the only offensive weapons that aren't detrimental on the other end of the court. I don't think either of them move unless a significant piece comes back. Vuc could definitely go if the price is right, but that depends on if Birch can hold down the backup 5 spot with help from Gordon and Isaac. With the current rotation, it's really a matter of what guys are willing to do that will determine who needs to go. If Fournier/Ross/Vuc are willing to come off the bench, the team will be fine for now. Otherwise, there might be some funky lineups that don't really work. I think having two polar opposite borderline-starting-caliber centers hurts more than anything else. We could see: Payton-Simmons-Fournier-Gordon-Vuc Mack-Ross-Hezonja-Isaac-Biyombo Or Payton-Ross-Fournier-Gordon-Biyombo Mack-Simmons-Hezonja-Isaac-Vuc Or Payton-Ross-Hezonja-Gordon-Vuc Mack-Simmons-Fournier-Isaac-Biyombo The only locks right now in their starting positions are Payton and Gordon. I think the other guys could be shuffled around between positions or between starting and bench roles depending on what works. It's kind of depressing to me that those two are locks, not because they are that good, but only because there aren't really any other options at their positions.

That doesn't stop the concern though. Isaac reportedly didn't release his medical records. He asked out of games early on in summer league. It's something worth noting. If he is able to overcome it and play starter minutes, great. But the fact that there's a chance that might not happen is worrisome. Again, we hope that isn't the case. It's just something to point out. Everything at this point is speculation.

My gut reaction was no, but he brings everything the team needs to grow. He has the mindset, the experience, the professionalism, the leadership/presence. The only real worry at this point is how he feels about playing in Orlando. He's had a very disappointing year and summer. I'd hate to see that carry over.