2014 Draft Thread

[magicblue 315]

It seems that a lot of people are in favor of trading Afflalo to move up a few spots from 12. Just wondering why? I'm not saying it's a terrible idea or anything, but has anyone considered that he might be just as valuable to our team as any of the other lottery teams that we assume would want him and our 12th pick? Disclaimer, I don't claim to know what I'm talking about, just had a few thoughts and wondering if anyone agrees.

 

 

I think most are hoping we can use AA and filer to add an additional top 10 pick, not combine AA with #12 to move up. At least that's what I think most are hoping for.

[Catman 380]

AA is a great player, but he takes minutes from Dipo and is not a good fit at SF. Better to trade him if you can get more youth out of the deal.

 

If you can trade into a top 10 pick in this draft, then you have to do it. Aaron Gordon looks like he will be Noah but much better. We need that more than we need AA.

[Nyce_1 311]

It seems that a lot of people are in favor of trading Afflalo to move up a few spots from 12. Just wondering why? I'm not saying it's a terrible idea or anything, but has anyone considered that he might be just as valuable to our team as any of the other lottery teams that we assume would want him and our 12th pick? Disclaimer, I don't claim to know what I'm talking about, just had a few thoughts and wondering if anyone agrees.

 

First, Afflalo seems to be just the type of guy we should want to keep around. He plays solid on both ends of the floor, I think he's been known to adapt well to whatever role a team has needed him to play, I haven't been in the Magic locker room before (could've gone in about 15 years ago when they played a game in Utah, but that's a story for another time) but I imagine he provides a solid veteran presence, and looking around the league, his $7.5mil contract doesn't seem unreasonable at all, especially where our salary situation is starting to look less and less like it did when we made lists that included the Lakers, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and the Yankees.

 

Second, sure, Afflalo has a player option at the end of the year and he could hit the market next summer, but why not try to keep him around as a solid contributor on a team that will hopefully be making noise in the playoffs a couple years from now? If he really wants to leave next summer, perhaps a sign and trade? While it might be great to move up and grab Gordon or whoever else is on that second tier, rookie contracts are going to expire, guys will be up for big raises, and, assuming our accumulation of youth starts reaching the potential we hope it will, we won't be able to keep everyone (James Harden). I know that many look to OKC and San Antonio and how they've been able to build through the draft, but they're the exception not the rule. One of those teams has had Gregg Popovich to bring out the absolute best in players, and both teams have had their share of luck.

 

Unless we feel like we're going to land, or have already landed, the next Tim Duncan/Tony Parker/Manu Ginobili or Kevin Durant/Russell Westbrook/Serge Ibaka combo (we won't, and we haven't), we need to start keeping some proven guys around and looking to free agency as opposed to moving up in the draft. (Yes, we once drafted our own Shaq and Penny combo, but let's not press our luck like we've done with Pat Williams the last two draft lotteries.)

 

Finally, with respect to free agency, the Summer of 2015 could potentially have several big names available, and I'm assuming our management will be looking to spend. I think we'll need more than just cap space and a lack of state income tax to be players. I think FAs considering us and some other team with cap space (and possibly no state income tax) will be a lot more enticed by a team that, in addition to all the youth and potential, has a proven guy like Afflalo (assuming he exercises his player option in a summer where, although yet to be determined, he'll likely be nowhere near the top of the FA class), as opposed to a team that, in addition to all the youth and potential, just has more youth and potential, like Gordon, etc.

 

I want to land two studs in this draft as much as anyone else, but I'm just not sold that trading Afflalo and the 12th pick to move up a few spots will really benefit us much in the grand scheme of things.

This is how Rob & Co. see Afflalo and why they won't trade him for just a few spots move. He's a great example for the kids and he'd only be moved for a great offer we couldn't refuse. Rob always said you can't have too many young guys or too many old guys; just need the right mix. Afflalo fits that.

[MagicFanInNevada 51]

I think most are hoping we can use AA and filer to add an additional top 10 pick, not combine AA with #12 to move up. At least that's what I think most are hoping for.

 

Yes I agree, we want to add another pick and not give one away even if it means trading up. I think giving Charlotte Afflalo and Nicholson for #9 overall would be ideal. Then we'd end up with #'s 4, 9, and 12.

[Marc Acres 3:16 418]

From Chad Ford's article....

 

 

 

I checked Dipo's stats since I didn't watch the boring Magic a lot last year and the dude shot less than 33% from the arc....Exum would be easy to guard, just back off him and encourage him to shoot negating his ability to get to the hole.

 

Of course the one postive from drafting a backcourt that can't shoot is the Magic sucking again....Next years draft is gonna beast with with big men....At least from UK that is.

 

Lastly, Magic Fan in Fresno....Man makes a lot of sense....I like your thought process.

 

You're on the clock Henny....All your boys in this Forum say they trust you to get the job done....Guess we'll see.

 

How well did Wall shoot coming into the league?

[Capo d'Orlando 85]

Even if Afflalo isn't packaged with the 12th pick, I'm still not convinced that it's in our best interest to trade him for another pick. I think Catman makes a good point about Afflalo maybe taking time away from VO5, but we've already got a ton of young guys to develop and do we really need 1 more in addition to the two we're already slated to get? Unless people think we can get lucky and build a contender almost exclusively through the draft like San Antonio or OKC (I'm not confident we can), then we've got to start looking sexier to upcoming FAs. I think a year, or two or three from now, having Afflalo on our roster looks better than whoever we can nab at 7-9 with a year or two under their belt. Perhaps that 7-9 pick turns out to be better than Afflalo years from now, but even if that's the case, I think Afflalo on our roster will do more to help us land a FA or FAs in the next couple years that will be better than whoever we can get at 7-9. Therefore, in the grand scheme, I think it's still better to try and keep Afflalo around.

 

Catman, as far as the Gordon comparison to Noah, I'm assuming you're talking about Joakim. Admittedly, I've seen very little of Gordon, but he's not a 7 foot center and I don't believe he stands out among bigs for his defense and/or passing. Unless he celebrates like a moron after winning an NCAA championship, or I wasn't paying attention to his shot, and it too is among the ugliest on the planet, I'm just not seeing the comparison.

[bhnole 153]

33% is pretty good for most rookies who are still adjusting to NBA game.

 

Dipo has good form but looked like he rushed shots at times...not to mention having to take a lot of 3's with the clock running out.

 

A couple years working on his shot and adjusting to game could easily get him to high level.

[KandiKane 136]

33% is pretty good for most rookies who are still adjusting to NBA game.

 

Dipo has good form but looked like he rushed shots at times...not to mention having to take a lot of 3's with the clock running out.

 

A couple years working on his shot and adjusting to game could easily get him to high level.

 

That's the thing, when he shoots he looks like he is going to make them, he shoots with confidence and shoots with good form. He will be getting much better looks as he progresses and we add/develop our players. He has the work ethic, he will become a higher percentage shooter I reckon.

[Murphy13 185]

I'm just not seeing the comparison.

 

I don't see Noah either, more like Shawn Marion as someone else said earlier.

[HeHateMe 697]

I don't know if I believe this or not. I can see pairing the two, but why trade the reigning rookie of the year and then draft a guy who's game and measurables are so similar? It just doesn't make sense to me. Is MCW a bad seed or something? Otherwise why would they want this floating around? The whole thing just seems fishy, maybe they're trying to get a team like us to move up in fear of them drafting Exum? I'm trying to make sense of this, anyone got an opinion? I smell smoke.

 

It's complete BS. The Sixers are in no way trading MCW. This is about as accurate of a report from Chad Ford as when he said last year the Magic will pounce on Noel if he is available. There is a better chance of Embid falling to the Magic then MCW getting traded from Philly.

[ball junkie 277]

How well did Wall shoot coming into the league?

 

Much better than Exum's 60% free throw percentage….Wall was a 75% ft at Kentucky…Is now 79% as a Pro….Shot the 3-ball horribly for 3 seasons until this season shooting 3's at a 35% clip.

 

It took him 4 season's to get Wash to the playoffs.

[ball junkie 277]

33% is pretty good for most rookies who are still adjusting to NBA game.

 

Dipo has good form but looked like he rushed shots at times...not to mention having to take a lot of 3's with the clock running out.

 

A couple years working on his shot and adjusting to game could easily get him to high level.

 

Do you think Magic fans want to wait 2 more seasons after sucking horribly the last two ???