2023 NBA Summer League Watch Thread

[TreyMachine 398]

55 minutes ago, DestroidMengars said:

Nope. The Cavaliers first season with LeBron was actually very similar to Paolo's first season: "The Cavaliers lost their first five games of the season, leading them to an awful 6–19 start. However, they played .500 basketball for the remainder of the season, finishing fifth in the Central Division with a 35–47 record."

This is the kind of stat that gets me hyped for next season. I don't think Paolo is Lebron, but the parallels in this example of uncanny. 

[orlandoholic 134]

2 hours ago, DestroidMengars said:

Nope. The Cavaliers first season with LeBron was actually very similar to Paolo's first season: "The Cavaliers lost their first five games of the season, leading them to an awful 6–19 start. However, they played .500 basketball for the remainder of the season, finishing fifth in the Central Division with a 35–47 record."

Context is needed here.. Lebron played on a terrible team! 

Paolo on the other hand played on a decent team and had a rising star in Franz, great center in WCJ and a kinda deep roster once we were healthy. 

no knock on Paolo, but that’s a completely different situation as the Magic only had the first pick because they had really terrible health issues the season before. 
 

Again, Paolo is great. He had a great rookie season and he is a franchise player for sure.. But he did not change the NBA like Lebron did when he came into the league. 

we could also make a list on rookies who kinda changed the NBA when they were drafted.

Without research and without thinking about it too much i’d  say

- Shaq

- Penny

- Duncan

- Lebron

- Wembanyama (possibly)

 

those i saw myself.. I can’t really talk about rookie Olajuwon, Robinson, Bird, Jordan or others.. i was to young to have watched them shine as rookies

[CTMagicUK 1,482]

Putting Penny with that group is wild. 

[MagicMan1979 105]

4 minutes ago, orlandoholic said:

Context is needed here.. Lebron played on a terrible team! 

Paolo on the other hand played on a decent team and had a rising star in Franz, great center in WCJ and a kinda deep roster once we were healthy. 

no knock on Paolo, but that’s a completely different situation as the Magic only had the first pick because they had really terrible health issues the season before. 
 

Again, Paolo is great. He had a great rookie season and he is a franchise player for sure.. But he did not change the NBA like Lebron did when he came into the league. 

we could also make a list on rookies who kinda changed the NBA when they were drafted.

Without research and without thinking about it too much i’d  say

- Shaq

- Penny

- Duncan

- Lebron

- Wembanyama (possibly)

 

those i saw myself.. I can’t really talk about rookie Olajuwon, Robinson, Bird, Jordan or others.. i was to young to have watched them shine as rookies

Oh this make me feel old.  Magic and Bird changed it the most followed by Jordan who took it to a whole other level.  Lebron didn’t change the game nearly as much.  If anything Steph changed the way people play more.  I just read an article over the weekend that showed that game 6 of the 1998 Finals is still the most watched basketball game ever.  There has been a steady decline since this time according to the article. 

 

On the Paolo side of things.  Orlando had the most wins improvement in The Eastern conference after drafting him.  If Paolo is only on the Barkley or KG level of player, I’d be fine with that.  I definitely don’t think he will be as good as Shaq or Lebron for example.

[orlandoholic 134]

34 minutes ago, CTMagicUK said:

Putting Penny with that group is wild. 

not for me.. Lol.. he’s the reason i’m a Magic fan to begin with.. He changed the way i watched the NBA for sure.

[TreyMachine 398]

Wemby has been shut down for the rest of SL. Wild but understandable. 

[Jay Magic 1,246]

AB is looking fantastic..

Jetts shot looks like its always going in 

[Jay Magic 1,246]

 

[ball junkie 277]

I was just typing up a post to brag on AB and he shoots the ugliest 3 ever …but the Magic are playing well …Indiana playing with a lot of their regular season guys …they are undefeated …we need to put an L on them 

[Jay Magic 1,246]

 

[fan for too long 2 531]

Impressed by black until he shoots. Lol. Like Jett a lot. Caleb? Yawn. Very un impressed. Hides in the corner and I really don’t know  why. 

[ball junkie 277]

Offense bogs down without AB in the game …it’s summer league get his butt in there