2016 Off-Season Thread

[Mike1989 68]

hezonja is going to get whatever backup SG minutes are available after whatever Meeks gets. Wilcox is going to be a garbage time guy/filler in case of injury.

 

It wouldn't surprise me if Wilcox does take a limited role with a minimum of minutes and Hezonja mops up the remaining shooting guard minutes after what Meeks gets. It makes sense to continue Hezonja's development by giving the kid minutes at those two positions. However, we shouldn't rule out the possibility that we could go small ball in some line ups like:

 

- Augustin or Watson / Wilcox / Fournier / Hezonja / Ibaka or Biz

 

In the above line up there would be lots of shooting and even rim protection whether we use Ibaka or Biz at the C position. If we use Ibaka at the C, that would give us an entire line up of players capable of shooting three pointers. So if we did want to go small into a shooting line up, which is a current trend, then that could be a possibility which could see Hezonja getting limited minutes at PF. Granted there would be some risk attached to that line up because is Hezonja really a fit as a small ball PF? Not really, that is potentially more of a role for Gordon to slot in and play, or Green, but the beauty of a player like Hezonja is that there are a number of ways he can be used next season.

 

That said, we shouldn't rule out Wilcox. The kid can shoot. In college he was a pretty good three point shooter and scoring option for them. In his spell n the D-league he was shooting three pointers at a heck of a good rate (.450 in 2014-15; .417 in 2015-16). And in his limited role with the Clippers, he currently has been knocking down three pointers a career average of .381, which is more than respectable from that range. At 25 going on 26, he may not improve into a starting calibre of player, but he could certainly develop into a very useful scoring option off the bench if given the opportunity. When you consider that Jodie Meeks is out of contract next year and what it might cost to keep him, combined with does Hezonja fit in long term (ie if Fournier and Gordon are seen as the long term starters at SG and SF, are we keeping Hezonja in a sixth man type role for two more years then he leaves as a restricted free agent? or is he potential trade bait if we want to land an upgrade at PG?), then it might be worth giving Wilcox a shot at whatever minutes are left at SG when Fournier and Meeks are both off the court because perhaps he develops into a useful scoring option for off the bench.

 

Now that is not me saying Hezonja shouldn't get those minutes at shooting guard, and I wouldn't complain if he did, but if he is slotting in that SG, then that leaves potential line ups with Gordon and Green at SF and PF, which may not be too appealing in terms of consistent outside shooting. Hezonja and Gordon are still developing their shooting range, and Green has never been much of a shooter. So I would rather use Wilcox, Hezonja and Gordon because a year from now I doubt we bring back Jeff Green. Fine, he is getting $15 million so perhaps he gets minutes, but I would prioritise the development of the young core over a veteran like Green. But that's just me. If Wilcox rarely sees the court I won't bat an eyelid, but at the same time, maybe it's worth seeing what he's got.

[Mike1989 68]

Yeah, he's just as important future wise than anyone else imo. Remember Granger/PG? Yeah...

 

Indeed, he could play an important part in our future, but at the same time we have re-signed Fournier to play SG and have a young talented player in Gordon at SF. If those two are considered the long term starters at those positions, then that may leave Hezonja as a bench player and potential trade bait in the coming seasons if we want to land an upgrade at PG or simply move him on rather than let him leave for nothing (eg. like the Warriors have with Barnes).

 

I wouldn't be surprised if he displaces Fournier or Gordon at some point if he's given the chance to, but if those two continue to get better, then Hezonja's future might lie elsewhere...

[Soul Bro 1,421]

In my view, the Magic are not going to keep a maxed out Ibaka, highly paid Bizzie, and Vooch. One of these cats is gone by next summer.

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

Indeed, he could play an important part in our future, but at the same time we have re-signed Fournier to play SG and have a young talented player in Gordon at SF. If those two are considered the long term starters at those positions, then that may leave Hezonja as a bench player and potential trade bait in the coming seasons if we want to land an upgrade at PG or simply move him on rather than let him leave for nothing (eg. like the Warriors have with Barnes).

 

I wouldn't be surprised if he displaces Fournier or Gordon at some point if he's given the chance to, but if those two continue to get better, then Hezonja's future might lie elsewhere...

 

Gordon is still going to play a lot of minutes at the 4. In a hypothetical scenario where you have a fully realized Fournier, Hezonja, and Gordon you can still play all three together and all three 32+ minutes.

[Mike1989 68]

Gordon is still going to play a lot of minutes at the 4. In a hypothetical scenario where you have a fully realized Fournier, Hezonja, and Gordon you can still play all three together and all three 32+ minutes.

 

True, but we also have to account for Vucevic (unless he's traded), Biyombo (teams don't tend to spend this amount of cash on limited minutes), and Ibaka (if he's re-signed). If that trio is of bigs are still on our roster for the entire season, then the amount of time that Fournier, Hezonja and Gordon play on the court at the same time would be fairly limited(?). Likewise if that trio of bigs are still on our roster for the entire season, then I suspect 32+ minutes for Fournier, Hezonja, and Gordon may be unrealistic(?).

 

I suspect for that trio to play a lot of time together, we will need to trade Vucevic and rotate Biyombo and Ibaka around the center position.

[Magicman28 295]

In my view, the Magic are not going to keep a maxed out Ibaka, highly paid Bizzie, and Vooch. One of these cats is gone by next summer.

 

 

Just a matter of when not if.

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

True, but we also have to account for Vucevic (unless he's traded), Biyombo (teams don't tend to spend this amount of cash on limited minutes), and Ibaka (if he's re-signed). If that trio is of bigs are still on our roster for the entire season, then the amount of time that Fournier, Hezonja and Gordon play on the court at the same time would be fairly limited(?). Likewise if that trio of bigs are still on our roster for the entire season, then I suspect 32+ minutes for Fournier, Hezonja, and Gordon may be unrealistic(?).

 

I suspect for that trio to play a lot of time together, we will need to trade Vucevic and rotate Biyombo and Ibaka around the center position.

 

I'm talking more in the future than this season but yeah

[Janders 102]

I would love to trade Vooch + Payton for Bledsoe but I don't see any reason Phoenix would do it

[Mike1989 68]

I would love to trade Vooch + Payton for Bledsoe but I don't see any reason Phoenix would do it

 

Eric Bledsoe is under contract for $14m, $14.5m, and $15m over the next three seasons. He plays PG.

 

Brandon Knight is under contract for $12.6m, $13.6m, $14.6m, $15.6m over the next four seasons. He plays PG/SG.

 

In last year's draft they have found a potential future all star SG in Devin Booker, or at least a borderline all star SG if he continues to develop and get better. Before drafting him they did try a Bledsoe and Knight backcourt, though with Booker being a find and their starting SG, they ideally need to trade one of their highly paid PGs because apparently neither are happy to come off the bench.

 

Would Payton and Vuc make sense? I'm not sure. Payton gives them a young PG to use behind Brandon Knight. Vucevic could give them a solid starting center who can score, though they do have Chandler and Len under contract, so unless they trade one of their existing centers it might be a bit of overkill. However, Len does have one year left on his rookie contract and Chandler is an ageing regressing center, so they could feasibly trade one of them for picks or players in a different position if they like Vucevic. But a Vucevic and Payton combination would give them two talented young players, one that would likely accept a back up PG role, and one that could do a solid job under a bargain contract for the next few years at C leaving them options with signing Len long term and moving Chandler.

 

I would rather us go for Bledsoe of the two.

[Magicman28 295]

Eric Bledsoe is under contract for $14m, $14.5m, and $15m over the next three seasons. He plays PG.

 

Brandon Knight is under contract for $12.6m, $13.6m, $14.6m, $15.6m over the next four seasons. He plays PG/SG.

 

In last year's draft they have found a potential future all star SG in Devin Booker, or at least a borderline all star SG if he continues to develop and get better. Before drafting him they did try a Bledsoe and Knight backcourt, though with Booker being a find and their starting SG, they ideally need to trade one of their highly paid PGs because apparently neither are happy to come off the bench.

 

Would Payton and Vuc make sense? I'm not sure. Payton gives them a young PG to use behind Brandon Knight. Vucevic could give them a solid starting center who can score, though they do have Chandler and Len under contract, so unless they trade one of their existing centers it might be a bit of overkill. However, Len does have one year left on his rookie contract and Chandler is an ageing regressing center, so they could feasibly trade one of them for picks or players in a different position if they like Vucevic. But a Vucevic and Payton combination would give them two talented young players, one that would likely accept a back up PG role, and one that could do a solid job under a bargain contract for the next few years at C leaving them options with signing Len long term and moving Chandler.

 

I would rather us go for Bledsoe of the two.

 

 

With those knees?

[jrjr1229 9]

9 men rotation!!!! 9 men... meeks is a situational player...

[Mike1989 68]

With those knees?

 

Bledsoe has had injury issues which are a concern, but he's also a good scorer and play maker. Whereas Knight has always been a chucker with limited play making ability. Of the two, I'd take the risk on Bledsoe staying healthy because he's the better PG. Unless we have a secondary ball handler to alleviate some of the pressure (eg Charotte having Kemba and Batum).