2018 Official Offseason Thread

[Odin 137]

1 hour ago, ?4thewin said:

No you can do unlimited I think

Hmm, looks like you are right.

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

David Aldridge says a lot of words without saying anything. He somehow simultaneously argued for the deal (you need to build towards something even if that thing isn't definitively a championship just to get your franchise going somewhere) while simultaneously arguing against the deal. 

It just seemed like that panel wasn't prepared to discuss him and used their "Aaron Gordon max contract" talking points they thought about for the last few days instead of updating them. 

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

5 minutes ago, Odin said:

Hmm, looks like you are right.

It's a mechanism that supports the hard cap in a theoretical situation where you have to keep signing guys as others get injured and need an avenue to create short term cap space. 

[Magicman28 295]

11 minutes ago, ?4thewin said:

David Aldridge says a lot of words without saying anything. He somehow simultaneously argued for the deal (you need to build towards something even if that thing isn't definitively a championship just to get your franchise going somewhere) while simultaneously arguing against the deal. 

It just seemed like that panel wasn't prepared to discuss him and used their "Aaron Gordon max contract" talking points they thought about for the last few days instead of updating them. 

I didn't interpret it that way. I think he's saying we gotta start building a winning team. The deal was fine because it says this is the guy we're building around but then we have to do so correctly. Pick a direction and stop going to the damn lottery.

[The Neighborhood Bully 266]

Quote

Aaron Gordon is staying with the only NBA team he’s ever known. The former Dunk Contest champion and No. 4 overall pick reportedly agreed to a four-year, $84 million deal with the Magic the same night LeBron took his talents to Hollywood. Gordon played in 58 games for Orlando last season, averaging career highs in points (17.6) and minutes (32.9) per game, as well as three-point percentage (33.6%.) With the deal, Gordon secures his first big-money contract and he has the ability to re-enter free agency at 26. Let’s grade the deal for the Magic.

OK, now that we’ve moved past the polite introduction, I want to talk about how much I dislike this signing for both sides. For the Magic, do you plan on playing a lineup of five centers at once? Sure, it would’ve been silly to let someone like Gordon walk out the door. You know what else is silly? Having Mo Bamba, Jonathan Isaac, Nikola Vucevic, Bismack Biyombo and Gordon on the same roster. That’s basically four centers and a fifth player (Gordon) who should probably be playing center more often. Sure, Vucevic likely won’t be re-signed, and Biyombo will probably be off the team in two seasons, but that still leaves three young players (Gordon, Bamba and Isaac) who are at best an awkward fit together and should likely never share the court.

For Gordon, it’s time to think about what you want your career to be. Gordon has the potential to be something of a Baby Draymond, a small-ball five with incredible athleticism who will chase sluggish bigs off the court when his team decides to spread things out. Playing center is a grind, I get it, so Gordon could’ve at least tried to attach himself to a spacier team that starts another big and finishes small. Who knows what his free agency was like, and most compelling teams didn’t have cap space, but I wish Gordon gave more thought to signing elsewhere. I just don’t know if he’ll ever reach his ceiling in Orlando, considering a bunch of seven footers are currently in his way. At some point, I think both parties will be better off once they part ways.

Grade: C-

https://www.si.com/nba/2018/07/01/grades-aaron-gordon-stays-orlando-magic-four-year-deal-nba-free-agency

A C- grade seems pretty harsh since we signed Gordon to a team friendly contract, but I agree the BIG fit is not ideal.

[Soul Bro 1,419]

6 hours ago, CTMagicUK said:

So the Lakers got LeBron and then added a cast of KCP, Lance and Javale McGee. I don't know if they're even getting out of the first round with those guys. The fact that they didn't immediately throw money at JJ Redick baffles me. He'd be ideal in a LeBron team.

Outside of Miami, which was led by Pat Riley, I’ve always thought Lebron’s teams discounted the “culture” factor of a winning organization. Watching the random pieces come around Lebron in LA, much like Cleveland, affirms my belief. You can’t dismiss character and chemistry in building a team.

[Mauro Pedrosa 1,032]

Gordon was not a slam dunk champion

[Magicman28 295]

8 minutes ago, The Neighborhood Bully said:

https://www.si.com/nba/2018/07/01/grades-aaron-gordon-stays-orlando-magic-four-year-deal-nba-free-agency

A C- grade seems pretty harsh since we signed Gordon to a team friendly contract, but I agree the BIG fit is not ideal.

Baby Draymond...What bull****. 

They keep going with this he's a center narrative.

[Mauro Pedrosa 1,032]

Let's see who goes all in for the finals now that LeBron is gone

[Odin 137]

17 minutes ago, The Neighborhood Bully said:

https://www.si.com/nba/2018/07/01/grades-aaron-gordon-stays-orlando-magic-four-year-deal-nba-free-agency

A C- grade seems pretty harsh since we signed Gordon to a team friendly contract, but I agree the BIG fit is not ideal.

WHY IS EVERYONE OBSESSED WITH TURNING ALL OF OUR GUYS (ESPECIALLY GORDON) INTO CENTERS?

This is just a very stupid narrative. This writer should be ashamed.

[ML6 520]

20 minutes ago, The Neighborhood Bully said:

https://www.si.com/nba/2018/07/01/grades-aaron-gordon-stays-orlando-magic-four-year-deal-nba-free-agency

A C- grade seems pretty harsh since we signed Gordon to a team friendly contract, but I agree the BIG fit is not ideal.

I wonder if this ridiculous write-up was from one of the same guys who was on their draft night show. That group of idiots decided the Bamba pick was bad because “Isaac needs to get some minutes” and “I guess they have to let Gordon walk now”. 

Morons. 

[Soul Bro 1,419]

17 minutes ago, The Neighborhood Bully said:

https://www.si.com/nba/2018/07/01/grades-aaron-gordon-stays-orlando-magic-four-year-deal-nba-free-agency

A C- grade seems pretty harsh since we signed Gordon to a team friendly contract, but I agree the BIG fit is not ideal.

That’s a very lazy article. Lowe, O’Connor and Pelton all like the deal. In the next couple of years, Orlando could really surprise people. Anyone who’s watched Isaac back to his FSU days knows he’s a wing, and we also know AG is best at PF. If we can just get rid of the big slug in Vooch and get a dynamic PG (Kemba please), Orlando will be off to the playoffs soon enough.