2025 Off-Season Thread

[Jay Magic]

5 hours ago, TrueMagicFan07 said:

I've seen Bane when the Grizzlies played against the Magic and the Warriors. Correct me if I'm wrong but I have never seen him play the point guard position. 

I don't think JJZL and I are questioning Bane's ability to contribute and help make the team better. It's just that it won't matter if the Magic does not have a point guard who can distribute the ball. Bane is a shooting guard.

 

Edit: A point guard can't help the team if they can't or don't see the floor and cannot stay upright. Former Magic player Michael Carter Williams is a good example. He and Suggs have a similar style of play.

Suggs is the same as MCW? Nothing like each other. Jalen can shoot and shoot good and he in a different league defensively 

[Jay Magic]

4 hours ago, CTMagicUK said:

This is such a dumb argument. Dude comes into the league and gets labeled a "SG" and we all have to pretend he can't handle the ball and make plays for others because of some archaic archetypes? Do we think the 5 assists a game he averaged last year just fell into his lap? Ja Morant did all the ball handling and then at the last minute he passed to Bane who then passed it to someone else for the assist?

Literally go to YouTube and type "Desmond Bane triple double" and you can watch full game highlights where he brings the ball up the court, creates off the dribble, makes plays for others etc. 

It's hard for me to believe someone can watch Desmond Bane play basketball and say with a straight face "well that's all well and good but who's going to pass him the ball?" 

Coz they just like to moan and pick apart everything as usual 

[MagicFanDan]

9 of the 10 guards on the above list are generally considered the best guards in the league. The one excluded is Bane, because the national media and casual NBA fans don’t pay much or any attention to Memphis. The reality is Bane is much more than just a 3 and D SG. Yes, he’s a great shooter and plays great D. But, each of the last 3 seasons he’s been top 10 in transition points and last year he averaged 5.3 assist per game. For reference, that’s 15th in the NBA and ahead of guys like D.White, C.White, Garland or other supposed traditional PG’s that people want. 

Therefore, comparing him to KCP is criminal in my opinion and almost laughable. 
 

Bane is a lead guard and I wouldn’t be surprised by year end if he’s considered by many in the media and on this board as our second best player and Franz is relegated to our 3rd option offensively. If Franz is our 3rd option meaning his usage rate drops significantly, I’d expect his efficiency to increase which will do wonders for him and us.

 

Health Depending, I wouldn’t be surprised if Paolo and Bane are all-stars next year and Franz/suggs are considered elite role players. 

[MagicFanDan]

6 hours ago, JJZFL said:

If he doesn’t get many touches it won’t matter.  Who is going to distribute?

Bane was 8th in the NBA among guards in self created shots made last year. 8th!!! That’s ahead of Donavan Mitchell and Trae Young. He, isn’t some guy who stands in the corner and waits. He will create for himself and others. 

[fan for too long 2]

19 minutes ago, Jay Magic said:

Coz they just like to moan and pick apart everything as usual 

And your blind loyalty and belief is per usual. 
 

Some have said on here that Franz is a star.  And that his shooting will come around. This is not correct at all. His shooting has steadily declined the last 3 years. He has not figured it out.  Will he? Who knows. Your blind faith in that happening is foolish to say the least.  “Stars” do not shoot 30% or worse from 3. Unless he bulks up and becomes Giannis lol, he will not be a star, just a good solid player. Stop looking at the Magic players with rose colored glasses. 
 

we have one star on this team and that is Paolo. Who after the season two years ago expressed his desire to get a playmaker, ie point guard. To take the pressure off him.has this happened yet? Heck no. I and Paolo are still waiting. 

[Jay Magic]

4 minutes ago, fan for too long 2 said:

And your blind loyalty and belief is per usual. 
 

Some have said on here that Franz is a star.  And that his shooting will come around. This is not correct at all. His shooting has steadily declined the last 3 years. He has not figured it out.  Will he? Who knows. Your blind faith in that happening is foolish to say the least.  “Stars” do not shoot 30% or worse from 3. Unless he bulks up and becomes Giannis lol, he will not be a star, just a good solid player. Stop looking at the Magic players with rose colored glasses. 
 

we have one star on this team and that is Paolo. Who after the season two years ago expressed his desire to get a playmaker, ie point guard. To take the pressure off him.has this happened yet? Heck no. I and Paolo are still waiting. 

Not seen you write something that long in a while hahaha

I'm loyal to the end. Loyalty has nothing to do with this...

Maybe my belief in us beihg better than we was maybe... 

But now I'm 1000000% CERTAIN WE ARE CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS 

[MagicFanDan]

This is a good video if you got a few minutes. 

[Jay Magic]

55 minutes ago, MagicFanDan said:

9 of the 10 guards on the above list are generally considered the best guards in the league. The one excluded is Bane, because the national media and casual NBA fans don’t pay much or any attention to Memphis. The reality is Bane is much more than just a 3 and D SG. Yes, he’s a great shooter and plays great D. But, each of the last 3 seasons he’s been top 10 in transition points and last year he averaged 5.3 assist per game. For reference, that’s 15th in the NBA and ahead of guys like D.White, C.White, Garland or other supposed traditional PG’s that people want. 

Therefore, comparing him to KCP is criminal in my opinion and almost laughable. 
 

Bane is a lead guard and I wouldn’t be surprised by year end if he’s considered by many in the media and on this board as our second best player and Franz is relegated to our 3rd option offensively. If Franz is our 3rd option meaning his usage rate drops significantly, I’d expect his efficiency to increase which will do wonders for him and us.

 

Health Depending, I wouldn’t be surprised if Paolo and Bane are all-stars next year and Franz/suggs are considered elite role players. 

Say it louder for those at the back!!

[Jay Magic]

38 minutes ago, MagicFanDan said:

Bane was 8th in the NBA among guards in self created shots made last year. 8th!!! That’s ahead of Donavan Mitchell and Trae Young. He, isn’t some guy who stands in the corner and waits. He will create for himself and others. 

This!!! My sentiments exactly 

[fan for too long 2]

55 minutes ago, Jay Magic said:

This!!! My sentiments exactly 

So now we have 3 guys who can get theirs. Get two more and we can go one on one the whole time. That should be fun. Who needs ball movement? Then the coach can just sit back and teach defense. That’s all he wants to do anyways.
 

 And Jay I hope you are finally correct. Hehehe. 

[JJZFL]

8 hours ago, Soul Bro said:

On the surface I agree with you, but Bane is a better facilitator than many of the guys I was hoping we’d target (e.g. C. White, D. White, J. Holiday, etc). I think the bigger question is can Mose run an effective offense that includes a lot of movement, passing, etc? 

I think that's a very fair assessment.  At this point it's not clear to me whether Bane or Suggs would have the primary role of bringing the ball up the floor and setting up the offense, but as you point out it won't really matter if the offense doesn't evolve along the lines you mention in your comment.

[Luke_FfS]

9 hours ago, Jay Magic said:

We are better than the Pacers.

LOL

I've heard that one million times, but they're playing game 6 of the Finals, they're a great group with their own style and a great coach, while our guys are watching them on TV since end of April. We're not better than anyone until we show that on playoffs, not on a forum.