2018 Official Offseason Thread

[Justin Jaudon 221]

Just now, HeHateMe said:

I feel like Marcus Smart starting and running this offense would be awful. He’s nice off the bench and a great gritty defender but his scoring is EP bad. 

And you could absolutely be right. But I never thought scoring was what made EP bad (at least, not the biggest thing). EP couldn't/wouldn't (both?) defend consistently. The problem with Smart is that his offense is actually worse than EP's, because he takes just way too many bad shots. EP knew his limitations (perhaps too well) on offense, and thus played timid. That hurt. But is it worst to be timid or overconfident? Depends just how bad a shooter you are, I guess.

[Okethree 76]

Right now I think I’d rather have Scary Terry than Smart from Boston on this Magic team. Also if I’m Boston I gotta think I’d rather have Irving/Smart than Irving/Rozier. Smart has had a huge impact on that Boston the past few years and deserves to get paid by them if you ask me

[Mike1989 68]

4 hours ago, Justin Jaudon said:

I just can't help but think of what a lineup with Smart/Ross/Isaac/Gordon/Bamba could do on defense. How do you score on that team? At all? We'd be beating teams 85-75 on a regular basis.

There is undoubted potential on the defensive end for that kind of line up, but the best teams in the league will always find ways to score. Now you might upset the Warriors or Rockets on one given night, but what are the chances of a team restricting them throughout a best of seven series and coming out on top? I'd say it's pretty unlikely. The Spurs managed it once in five games in their first round against the Warriors. As good as Utah's defense was last season they conceded over 100 points in all five games and three of them they conceded over a 110 points. That's the thing about players like Curry, Thompson, Durrant, Harden and co, they can score from pretty much anywhere on the court. If you defend the paint and force them outside, they'll hurt you. If you defend the perimeter to try and restrict their three point shooting and force them to attack the paint, they'll hurt you. When you face teams that feature players and offenses that can hurt you in a multitude of ways it is very difficult to stop them even if you feature a line up like you suggested. The only way you can compete with teams like that is for your defense to slow the opposition's offense sufficiently to keep your own offense in touch with them. Problem with that line up is Smart is not a consistent shooter or scorer, he's a defensive player; Ross is streaky; Isaac is another defensively orientated player that was projected to be more of a third option offensively (at best) rather than a go to option; Gordon is streaky and arguably better suited to being a number two option; and unless Bamba develops into a unicorn he's probably not going to be a go to option in today's NBA like Dwight was for us.  

Now that's not to say we shouldn't prioritize defense. Look at what the Celtics did to the Cavaliers in the conference finals. First two games they restricted them to 83 and 94 points and took the first two games, problem is that team conceded over 110 points and lost the next two games and in game three only scored 86 points. In game five they restricted the Cavaliers 83 points and won. Final two games they conceded 109 points and lost in game six, then despite conceding only 87 points they lost game seven because they scored only 79 points. When you consider they were missing Kyrie and Hayward, they deserve a ton of credit for what they achieved last season and for nearly getting past the Cavaliers. However, what conference finals series proved was that as important as defense is, you still need to be able to score and put a multi-faceted offense on the court otherwise when you do face the best teams you will struggle to keep up with them no matter how good your defense is. So while I would agree that defense can win championships, in today's NBA the greater priority is being able to score in a multitude of ways just like the Warriors do. Like I said, when teams try to stop them shooting outside they attack inside, when they try to stop them inside they attack outside. Good luck stopping that in a best of seven series. All you can do is try to restrict them but you need an offense to capitalize and that line up arguably would struggle offensively. 

[LaVar 108]

5 hours ago, Justin Jaudon said:

I just can't help but think of what a lineup with Smart/Ross/Isaac/Gordon/Bamba could do on defense. How do you score on that team? At all? We'd be beating teams 85-75 on a regular basis.

In today's offensive league, you have to score. Getting stops with no scoring is pointless. .. the best teams are top in Def and offense. You want to be good with point differential. 

 

I would be nice to see lock down Def like the 90s again though 

[Mack1085 57]

32 minutes ago, LaVar said:

Getting stops with no scoring is pointless. ..

Can’t argue with that. 0-0

[Magicman28 295]

We need Kemba Walker or Lillard.

[All Eyes On Me 1,196]

Hearing Kyler say that talks with IT fell apart just makes me think we’re gonna sign him today...

[TrueBlueDrew 75]

2 hours ago, Magicman28 said:

We need Kemba Walker or Lillard.

You know I was thinking about Lillard the other day and while I never think that he would leave a playoff team in the West for a team that has been on the bottom of the East. I do think if there is an all-star calibur player who will leave the craziness of the West and make a run in the East for a while...Dam Lillard makes sense to me. I don't think that team as it is assembled will ever be more than a 5-8 seed playoff team that gets bounced in the first round year after year. 

 

I think someone like Lillard would be the ideal scenario for the Magic........but it'll never happen haha

[Magicfan1987 266]

10 hours ago, HeHateMe said:

I have no issues with holding out a few days and seeing what else might pop up. 

We only have so many wrist pops in us this offseason. Every other team went Hungry Hungry Hippos and now they have capral tunnel. Hopefully we get some of the more pretty, coveted marbles for cheap.

[Magicpassion 4]

I have a strange feeling Weltman is waiting on Boston who will shortly have to make some decisions and we will swoop in for a trade for Rozier; at least that’s my hope. Danny is going to have his hand forced soon. Rozier is perfect for our timeline! IT is just going to use us to get a contract, but we could get a asset at the trade deadline if and that’s a big IF he’s healthy and productive. He probably wants more then our mid which means luxury tax. I wouldn’t be so pumped to sign Isaiah as he’ll be 30 with a lot of hard miles on his little body; His best years are behind him. He will be best suited if healthy for spot minutes when you need a boost like Nate Robinson/Ben Gordon was later in their career; Plus he doesn’t fit our profile. I think a trade of Vuch because they need a good back up center and they had previously asked about Vuch and our Oklahoma first round pick maybe even throw in a second, we may have to take a contract back but that would be a  more then fair exchange. 

[Nyce_1 311]

15 hours ago, TheNameIsOrlando said:

So after watching the Summer league game I think I am definitely against signing IT. 

You know what, I'm not against it, but I've cooled on it.

If the ball will be in JI and AG's hands more, I'd prefer a PG that can do more off-ball. Someone that can contribute to winning without being ball dominant and still help our guys' development. 

 

[TheNameIsOrlando 310]

23 minutes ago, Nyce_1 said:

You know what, I'm not against it, but I've cooled on it.

If the ball will be in JI and AG's hands more, I'd prefer a PG that can do more off-ball. Someone that can contribute to winning without being ball dominant and still help our guys' development. 

 

Pretty much. DJ is already that guy. If we roll with him I'm fine. Ideally I'd like to grab an upgraded version of him but if that guy isn't out there lets just roll with it.