2023-2024 Season Thread

[orlandoholic 134]

im starting to read more into the new CBA. From what i understand, we are in no way limited to „only“ Franz and Paolo as max players. We can add a third star. We are also at an advantage right now, since we can offer more and have less restrictions to make a deal for a max (or super max) player. 

The new CBA also has some few other gimmicks like players being able to invest in gambling and weed companies and also invest in other NBA and WNBA teams as minority owners. lol. 

Invest in Gambling companies, possible Las Vegas expansion team and also player minority owners? What could go wrong?lol 

[ball junkie 277]

Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic

1. Would be just the fifth different player 21 years or younger to average at least 22 points, five rebounds and five assists in a season, joining Michael Jordan, LeBron James (twice), Luka Doncic (twice) and LaMelo Ball.

2. Ranks second (behind Stephen Curry) with seven buckets (on 16 attempts) to tie or take the lead in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime.

3. The Magic have been 8.4 points per 100 possessions better with him off the floor (plus-7.1) than they’ve been with him on the floor (minus-13). That’s the worst on-off differential among All-Stars, though there are three others – Bam Adebayo, Jaylen Brown and Stephen Curry – whose teams have been worse with them on the floor.

https://www.nba.com/news/all-star-notebook-key-stats-all-stars-2024?lid=esakw5m7s5zb&cid=nba%3Adynpage%3Aown%3Aemail%3Adaily%3Alink%3Aeg%3Anl%3Aeng%3At-crm%3AUS%3Aen%3A20240215:DAILY_NEWSLETTER%3A&lctg=633b282a0715ff25d1d18831

Good luck explaining point number 3 though I’m sure someone will try 

[All Eyes On Me 1,210]

35 minutes ago, ball junkie said:

Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic

1. Would be just the fifth different player 21 years or younger to average at least 22 points, five rebounds and five assists in a season, joining Michael Jordan, LeBron James (twice), Luka Doncic (twice) and LaMelo Ball.

2. Ranks second (behind Stephen Curry) with seven buckets (on 16 attempts) to tie or take the lead in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime.

3. The Magic have been 8.4 points per 100 possessions better with him off the floor (plus-7.1) than they’ve been with him on the floor (minus-13). That’s the worst on-off differential among All-Stars, though there are three others – Bam Adebayo, Jaylen Brown and Stephen Curry – whose teams have been worse with them on the floor.

https://www.nba.com/news/all-star-notebook-key-stats-all-stars-2024?lid=esakw5m7s5zb&cid=nba%3Adynpage%3Aown%3Aemail%3Adaily%3Alink%3Aeg%3Anl%3Aeng%3At-crm%3AUS%3Aen%3A20240215:DAILY_NEWSLETTER%3A&lctg=633b282a0715ff25d1d18831

Good luck explaining point number 3 though I’m sure someone will try 

You’re confusing, man… lol. You defend Markelle to no end and make up narratives about people being on “a witch-hunt” for him when there are clear and obvious faults to his game, but you share stuff like this with vague comments at the end immediately undermining anyone that might want to defend our 21 year old all-star, who just balled out last night and led us to victory right before the break, where he’s involved in all 3 nights of all-star weekend. If someone shared a similar link to an article like this about Fultz, you’d immediately undermine it and start making **** up again about how we all hate him and have it out for him.

Paolo is 21 years old, already has the keys to the car of an overachieving young team, and is getting double or triple teamed pretty much every time he touches the ball. You can cherry pick net rating, but if you look at the link, you can see our offensive and defensive ratings are both better when he’s on the floor. Advanced stats are easy to manipulate to fit narratives. You can cherry pick stats that tell you that Scottie Barnes is better than Paolo, for example, but I know who I’d rather have as the face of my franchise. I’m much more inclined to look at point 1 and get super excited than I am to look at point 3 and have misplaced doubt about Paolo’s abilities.

[ball junkie 277]

Reading to much into it bro …I was shocked by the stat …that’s it …I can’t explain it and was actually hoping someone else would …it’s mind boggling to me …I get links from NBA.com in my email with reading material and saw this …team is on a break so I posted it …doesn’t mean I think less of him loved his game last night 

[All Eyes On Me 1,210]

4 minutes ago, ball junkie said:

Reading to much into it bro …I was shocked by the stat …that’s it …I can’t explain it and was actually hoping someone else would …it’s mind boggling to me …I get links from NBA.com in my email with reading material and saw this …team is on a break so I posted it …doesn’t mean I think less of him loved his game last night 

Just wanted to make sure. The sentence about someone trying to explain it and “good luck” came across as confusing. I think it really comes down to sample size more than anything else. He’s on the court a whole lot more than he’s off it, so numbers can get skewed. Also, JI’s net positive is absurd.

[ball junkie 277]

1 minute ago, All Eyes On Me said:

Just wanted to make sure. The sentence about someone trying to explain it and “good luck” came across as confusing. I think it really comes down to sample size more than anything else. He’s on the court a whole lot more than he’s off it, so numbers can get skewed. Also, JI’s net positive is absurd.

I do know that FanforTooLong posts periodically that Banchero gives him Carmelo vibes …the comment does make me pause though it’s way to early to make that assumption .

[All Eyes On Me 1,210]

2 minutes ago, ball junkie said:

I do know that FanforTooLong posts periodically that Banchero gives him Carmelo vibes …the comment does make me pause though it’s way to early to make that assumption .

Nah, Paolo is already distributing the ball better than Melo ever did. Melo averaged 2.7 assists a game for his career, his career high in a season was 4.2 assists per game. Paolo is averaging 5.3 assists per game this season as a 21 year old. We surround him with better shooting that number could get up over 6 pretty easily.

[ball junkie 277]

https://orlandomagicdaily.com/posts/orlando-magic-stuck-with-markelle-fultz-for-the-winning-plays-he-makes-01hppakcbh41

Still, the Magic have a +1.4 net rating with Fultz on the floor, including a stellar 108.4 defensive rating. The Magic's offense is nothing to write home about, but Fultz is not the statistical drain everyone might think.

Here’s you a good Fultz story …it’s positive though lol …he makes no excuses about the shooting part …I’ll say again …Fultz has a contract coming up …he’s got the last part of year to prove his value …we shall see what happens .

Edit: winning and post season success is relevant 

[All Eyes On Me 1,210]

2 minutes ago, ball junkie said:

https://orlandomagicdaily.com/posts/orlando-magic-stuck-with-markelle-fultz-for-the-winning-plays-he-makes-01hppakcbh41

Still, the Magic have a +1.4 net rating with Fultz on the floor, including a stellar 108.4 defensive rating. The Magic's offense is nothing to write home about, but Fultz is not the statistical drain everyone might think.

Here’s you a good Fultz story …it’s positive though lol …he makes no excuses about the shooting part …I’ll say again …Fultz has a contract coming up …he’s got the last part of year to prove his value …we shall see what happens .

Let me be clear on my stance on Markelle. If he’s willing to stay around for a long term like $8-10 mill a year contract playing backup PG, I’m all for it. We can tailor our bench unit to surround him with shooters when he’s on the floor. The issue I have is with him being the long term plan at starting point guard. His play style just doesn’t bring out the best in our superstars. Franz and Paolo are already both excellent distributors for their age and both are most effective as being ball dominant. We need someone playing with them that is more off-ball than your traditional PGs and is a threat to hit some spot up 3s. Kelle is only giving us 15-18 minutes a game anyway, not finishing games in the 2nd half and not playing in back to backs, I think he’d even be more comfortable in a backup role.

[hootie249 293]

Well said. I think the Markelle as a starter ship has sailed. Cole has also regressed as a point guard and Suggs is a shooting guard. I don't think we can wait past this summer to secure the veteran point guard this team has needed for ten years. Nuff said.

[All Eyes On Me 1,210]

1 minute ago, hootie249 said:

Well said. I think the Markelle as a starter ship has sailed. Cole has also regressed as a point guard and Suggs is a shooting guard. I don't think we can wait past this summer to secure the veteran point guard this team has needed for ten years. Nuff said.

I think we could go 2 directions, either vet PG that can shoot and can play off-ball, or embrace “positionless” basketball and bring in another Wing that can shoot. Top of my wishlist in FA if we don’t trade is Malik Monk. Starting 5 of Suggs/Monk/Franz/Paolo/WCJ. Our primary distributors being Franz and Paolo.

[fan for too long 2 531]

4 hours ago, ball junkie said:

I do know that FanforTooLong posts periodically that Banchero gives him Carmelo vibes …the comment does make me pause though it’s way to early to make that assumption .

He still does but not as much as he develops. When he doesn’t give the effort on defense and settles for jump shots is when the Melo vibes flare up. Lol. I agree with All Eyes, in that he has become a better facilitator, but he is kinda forced to do that because of the point guard situation. And it has helped his game but he gets careless with the ball somewhat. Overall I would take him #1 in the his draft 10 times out of ten.