Is "really good" good enough?

[KandiKane 136]

you are right, but for any model to work it needs that centerpiece and i don't know if we have it yet

 

Yeah I agree, we may not have the centerpiece yet, but I am sure excited for the possibility that it could be the combo of Oladipo, Payton,Vucevic and Gordon. If all goes to plan and these players develop as we would like them to be we may be just one position away from having a fantastic starting 5 in a few years, hey Harris could be that at SF if Gordon comes along. Anyways, exciting times ahead. It is nice not being financially *****ed to players who have chemistry and work ethic issues.

[Catman 380]

The way the NBA is now it is harder to build around a centerpiece. The guys come out of the draft so young that you are drafting potential.

 

Tim Duncan was a very fundamentally sound player coming out of college. He played 4 years there. Let's not forget that.

 

You now get a young guy that won't be worth much for 2-3 years, and could never fulfill his potential. Thats what the draft has become.

 

Its just a different league now. Last time I checked the Pacers did not have a centerpiece. They had a lot of really good players and a locker room cancer or they may have been able to get to the finals.

 

Now we are looking at the Bulls, Pacers as the best 2 teams in the East potentially. Neither has a true centerpiece. Rose is coming off 2 knee injuries and Paul George is a guy who is awesome but not a centerpiece.

 

This is why I bring up a guy like Derozan in 2016. Dude will have 2 more years under his belt. Its guys like that you have to look for in free agency. Everyone gets focused on the dream of getting Durant, but when you have a deep team with assets and talent you will not need a centerpiece the way the NBA is going. It is more important to have a strong team concept.

 

People scream Tim Duncan and Tony Parker all day when it comes to the Spurs, but Duncan is older and not nearly the same as he was. Leonard was the MVP. Tony Parker was still hurt and just savvy enough to not make mistakes.

 

I wonder sometimes if people watch these games or just come to message boards and parrot opinions that they read from some other poster.

 

For example, everyone should read this article by Zach Lowe from 2013.

 

http://grantland.com/features/the-toronto-raptors-sportvu-cameras-nba-analytical-revolution/

 

 

Understand, the Magic employ the exact same camera system and a similar team building philosophy as TOR does. There are a ton of interesting bullet points in this article that may clue some folks into where the NBA is going and how I believe the Magic are simply ahead of the curve when it comes to adapting this model.

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

We don't know how good we are. We might be Indiana pre insanity.

[jec 427]

Our team is still being put together. We have plenty of opportunity to add a star. Is "really good" good enough? Depends on who you ask. Not for me. I want a championship in Orlando. One and I can die happy.

[magicblue 315]

Our team is still being put together. We have plenty of opportunity to add a star. Is "really good" good enough? Depends on who you ask. Not for me. I want a championship in Orlando. One and I can die happy.

 

The question is, can being "really good" at all positions be good enough to win a championship? Do you have to have at least one alpha dog superstar to win or can a team full of really good players get it done? It's a theoretical question. Btw, can you imagine how scary we'd be with the core we currently have and a 22 year old McGrady instead of say Harkless? Oh lawd!

[CTMagicUK 1,491]

I'm not sure being really good is good enough. The example I'm thinking of is the Nuggets during the Igoudala year. At the same time I think it's too early for us to know how good a lot of our guys can be.

[magicblue 315]

I'm not sure being really good is good enough. The example I'm thinking of is the Nuggets during the Igoudala year. At the same time I think it's too early for us to know how good a lot of our guys can be.

 

Yeah I was also thinking of those early 2000's Detroit teams, but even that team had what 4 All-Stars? Billips, Rip, Ben Wallace, Prince.

[~O~ 565]

Are the Magic really great to match up with the entire league is my concern. This is San Ans strength and this is the major concern. We've had matchup* issues and* problems in the past that* prevented us from reaching the finals. Especially that infamous Detroit team that we never got past. It was a major issue.

 

This is however all preconceived. Will these players meet or exceed the potential. Will these players bust.

 

I'll keep positive and assume our general core will meet or exceed their potential. The Magic will be top four in the league but I think these players have more than enough "stuff" to exceed their expectations. I really truly believe that after simple skills have been polished and the fundamentals have been mastered, its comes down to play-making ability and the rate of efficiency the players run those plays.

 

You can have all this talent but if you're not a great play making team (Thunder/Pacers), its not going to be enough.

 

I guarantee that this will be a balanced attack at least. I don't feel there's a set player on this team we're build around. I feel a team.... A TEAM..is being built.

[CTMagicUK 1,491]

Yeah I was also thinking of those early 2000's Detroit teams, but even that team had what 4 All-Stars? Billips, Rip, Ben Wallace, Prince.

 

Prince was never an All Star but he was in the All defense teams, they had Rasheed Wallace though and he was. Their championship team also had Mehmet Okur on it and he was an All Star later in his career. Not to mention Ben Wallace was a multiple time DPOTY, All NBA and All Defense.

[magicblue 315]

Prince was never an All Star but he was in the All defense teams, they had Rasheed Wallace though and he was. Their championship team also had Mehmet Okur on it and he was an All Star later in his career. Not to mention Ben Wallace was a multiple time DPOTY, All NBA and All Defense.

 

Ah yes, how could I have forgotten R. Wallace?

[Catman 380]

I personally believe the Magic upgraded the team a lot this summer. Gone are the time sucking vets (Jameer/Moore) and ball hogs (afflalo , glen davis)

 

We upgraded at PG BIG TIME by adding Frye to replace Glenn Davis. Frye and Vuc is a really really nice front court.

 

Harkless could break out this year as a 3 and D SF. Harris will thrive as a backup 4 with Gordon at SF since they can switch roles on defense and offense.

 

Payton will be our best PG since Penny. And once Oladipo can play the 2, he will become a force.

 

Clearly our bench is better now.

 

Lots of things I really like about this team. Last few years I was not really as excited or optimistic.

[Franchise408 116]

What I'm asking is theoretically, if our starting five and lets say our sixth man maxed out as borderline all-stars (really good two way players, but not top 5 or 6 players at their respective positions) and we maintained our depth and lets say a bench in the top 5 or 6 in the league, would that be enough for us to compete for a championship in two to three years? Is it an absolute necessity that one of our own current players blossoms into superstar or that we add one via FA, or can a well-balanced team with everyone in the rotation averaging 14-18 PPG get the job done? I guess its more of a theoretical question than an actual "where are we heading" question.

 

Sure, theoretically that works, but my concern is that I don't think we have a starting 5 of borderline all-stars, or "really good" players, future or otherwise.