[SubZeroParticipant]

If you had to bet on one of these teams to make the ECF first, who do you pick? They both have a great, young potential starting lineup and I’m not so sure one is better than the other and I’m curious as to which team yall think has the better future

Bucks:
Michael Carter-Williams
Khris Middleton
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Jabari Parker
Greg Monroe

Magic:
Elfrid Payton
Victor Oladipo
Mario Hezonja
Aaron Gordon
Nikola Vucevic

[JR RyderParticipant]

Bucks has the better squad, and I predict they will be a surprise team and finish top 3 team in the East. I really like their starting line up, and they are also deep with their bench with Henson and Mayo and Bayless.

They are strong defensively as well, every position in their line up are capable defenders.

[JR RyderParticipant]

Bucks has the better squad, and I predict they will be a surprise team and finish top 3 team in the East. I really like their starting line up, and they are also deep with their bench with Henson and Mayo and Bayless.

They are strong defensively as well, every position in their line up are capable defenders.

[SkalAndJamalParticipant]

 Bucks. But If Magic realized they need to hire Thibs, then Magic. 

[SkalAndJamalParticipant]

 Bucks. But If Magic realized they need to hire Thibs, then Magic. 

[ChicagoCaseyParticipant]

 I have to go with the Milwaukee Bucks mostly due to Jabari Parker having the potential to be a go to superstar offensive player, I don’t see Orlando having that player. Other notes is the potential of other Bucks players in the Greek Freak and MCW.

[ChicagoCaseyParticipant]

 I have to go with the Milwaukee Bucks mostly due to Jabari Parker having the potential to be a go to superstar offensive player, I don’t see Orlando having that player. Other notes is the potential of other Bucks players in the Greek Freak and MCW.

[Bucks1234Participant]

 I’m a huge bucks fan obviously but they do have the better chance. The Magic will be good and Oladipo can be a star for the future and I’m a fan a Nikola but they have a few years to go. Bucks could be in the Eastern finals in the next 2-3 years. They should be a top 4 team this season if healthy.

[Bucks1234Participant]

 I’m a huge bucks fan obviously but they do have the better chance. The Magic will be good and Oladipo can be a star for the future and I’m a fan a Nikola but they have a few years to go. Bucks could be in the Eastern finals in the next 2-3 years. They should be a top 4 team this season if healthy.

[mgreener_34Participant]

 Bucks, and for me it’s not even close really. Lets break it down on a few levels:

Managment: Bucks. For all the hate they get for trying to stay competative and living in mediocrety, at this point that has to be considered a positive for the Bucks. They have a new owner who has made all the right moves up to date, and has shown that he’s willing to spend already to get the team to where it needs to be, and isn’t afraid to shake things up a little. The Magic on the other hand, are good, but I don’t trust that their managment has a clear vision like the Bucks does, and because of that their roster has a ton of overlap (We’ve already seen them give up on Harkless and Oquinn). Time will tell what they turn that overlapped talent into, so for right now I’m going with the Bucks. It’s also worth mentioning that both teams draft exceptionally well. 

Coaching: Bucks. At this point I would take Kidd over Skiles as a coach, and really liked what I’ve seen from him early on. Skiles is going to try and do what Kidd already did this year, and turn the Magic into a top defensive team (Bucks were #4!). Bucks were ranked 6th in def. last year, and that number should only improve as their young guys get older/muture, and they gain more cohetion as a unit. So I’ll take the Kidd over Skiles. 

Roster: Bucks. And I’ll break it down. 

Vucevic vs. Monroe is pretty much as wash as both big men are double-double guys who share the same stregths and weaknesses. I think at this point Monroe is better, but Vucevic has better offensive potential, and is the better rebounder. So the C spot for both is equal in my opinion. 

Olidipo vs. Middleton is an interesting debate, but I think right now and for another year or so Middleton is the better player. He’s the superior shooter, has better size, can play 2 positions effectively, and is just as good on the defensive side as Dipo is. Both players are around the same age and are up and coming SG’s in the league, so who knows how this one will play out. I’ll take Kris now, but in 3 years give me Dipo any day of the week. So i’m going to say this is a wash right now too, because while I think Dipo will be better, Bucks are looking to compete now, and right now Middleton is strictly the better player. 

Payton vs. MCW. Disgustingly similar PG prospects, and both were arguably the best rookies of their class in their first year, neither can shoot, and both have great size for their position. Anyone who watched ball last year though knows that Payton is the better prospect than MCW, so I have to go with him in this one. He just has a great feel for the game, and can score effectively and efficiently unlike MCW. 

Giannis and Parker vs Hezonja and Gordon. It’s crazy how similar these two teams are, even with their prospects. What position do these guys play? What’s their potential? Will Hezonja and Parker become the elite scorers we think they should be? Does Gordon and Giannis become the mismatch/versatile nightmares we want? At this point their are so many questions involving these 4 players that I have to go with the only thing I do know, and that’s that Giannis, at this time, is a bonafide NBA player who can contribute on both ends of the floor. He might not reach his ceiling, but today he is a head above the rest of these guys, so I give the Bucks the nod in this one. 

That leaves the rest of the rotations. Magic have:

Tobias Harris

Evan Founier

Channing Frye

Shabazz

While the Bucks have:

Chris Copeland

John Henson

OJ Mayo

Vaughn

Both of these groups have a lot to be desired, but both bring a lot of potential. I give the Magic the edge because I actually like Tobias more than most, but the Bucks are going to be able to put out a lot of versatile lineups with that bench. 

Both teams overpaid for a good but not great starter (Monroe and Tobias), and both got a steal of a great player (Middleton and Vucevic). I think how the teams go depends on who can develope their players, and like I said above I’m going with the Bucks because they already have an identity in place as a tough minded defensive team. 

[mgreener_34Participant]

 Bucks, and for me it’s not even close really. Lets break it down on a few levels:

Managment: Bucks. For all the hate they get for trying to stay competative and living in mediocrety, at this point that has to be considered a positive for the Bucks. They have a new owner who has made all the right moves up to date, and has shown that he’s willing to spend already to get the team to where it needs to be, and isn’t afraid to shake things up a little. The Magic on the other hand, are good, but I don’t trust that their managment has a clear vision like the Bucks does, and because of that their roster has a ton of overlap (We’ve already seen them give up on Harkless and Oquinn). Time will tell what they turn that overlapped talent into, so for right now I’m going with the Bucks. It’s also worth mentioning that both teams draft exceptionally well. 

Coaching: Bucks. At this point I would take Kidd over Skiles as a coach, and really liked what I’ve seen from him early on. Skiles is going to try and do what Kidd already did this year, and turn the Magic into a top defensive team (Bucks were #4!). Bucks were ranked 6th in def. last year, and that number should only improve as their young guys get older/muture, and they gain more cohetion as a unit. So I’ll take the Kidd over Skiles. 

Roster: Bucks. And I’ll break it down. 

Vucevic vs. Monroe is pretty much as wash as both big men are double-double guys who share the same stregths and weaknesses. I think at this point Monroe is better, but Vucevic has better offensive potential, and is the better rebounder. So the C spot for both is equal in my opinion. 

Olidipo vs. Middleton is an interesting debate, but I think right now and for another year or so Middleton is the better player. He’s the superior shooter, has better size, can play 2 positions effectively, and is just as good on the defensive side as Dipo is. Both players are around the same age and are up and coming SG’s in the league, so who knows how this one will play out. I’ll take Kris now, but in 3 years give me Dipo any day of the week. So i’m going to say this is a wash right now too, because while I think Dipo will be better, Bucks are looking to compete now, and right now Middleton is strictly the better player. 

Payton vs. MCW. Disgustingly similar PG prospects, and both were arguably the best rookies of their class in their first year, neither can shoot, and both have great size for their position. Anyone who watched ball last year though knows that Payton is the better prospect than MCW, so I have to go with him in this one. He just has a great feel for the game, and can score effectively and efficiently unlike MCW. 

Giannis and Parker vs Hezonja and Gordon. It’s crazy how similar these two teams are, even with their prospects. What position do these guys play? What’s their potential? Will Hezonja and Parker become the elite scorers we think they should be? Does Gordon and Giannis become the mismatch/versatile nightmares we want? At this point their are so many questions involving these 4 players that I have to go with the only thing I do know, and that’s that Giannis, at this time, is a bonafide NBA player who can contribute on both ends of the floor. He might not reach his ceiling, but today he is a head above the rest of these guys, so I give the Bucks the nod in this one. 

That leaves the rest of the rotations. Magic have:

Tobias Harris

Evan Founier

Channing Frye

Shabazz

While the Bucks have:

Chris Copeland

John Henson

OJ Mayo

Vaughn

Both of these groups have a lot to be desired, but both bring a lot of potential. I give the Magic the edge because I actually like Tobias more than most, but the Bucks are going to be able to put out a lot of versatile lineups with that bench. 

Both teams overpaid for a good but not great starter (Monroe and Tobias), and both got a steal of a great player (Middleton and Vucevic). I think how the teams go depends on who can develope their players, and like I said above I’m going with the Bucks because they already have an identity in place as a tough minded defensive team. 

[machu46Participant]

Pretty good breakdown.

I always find the Payton vs. MCW debate to be interesting though.  Why do we assume Payton can score effectively and efficiently but MCW can’t?  Payton’s TS% this year was lower than MCW’s has been in any of his years and MCW is far more aggressive in trying to score (which considering their efficieny, probably isn’t a good thing, but the point is that Payton doesn’t currently have the mentality of a scorer or the efficiency).

My gut feeling is that MCW will continue to be the better PG, but we’ll see.

In terms of the OP’s question, I think the Bucks currently have a much better chance than the Magic, but we’ll see.  You never know if Jabari & Giannis will reach their potential or if a guy like Gordon or Hezonja will become better than expected.

 

 

 

 

[machu46Participant]

Pretty good breakdown.

I always find the Payton vs. MCW debate to be interesting though.  Why do we assume Payton can score effectively and efficiently but MCW can’t?  Payton’s TS% this year was lower than MCW’s has been in any of his years and MCW is far more aggressive in trying to score (which considering their efficieny, probably isn’t a good thing, but the point is that Payton doesn’t currently have the mentality of a scorer or the efficiency).

My gut feeling is that MCW will continue to be the better PG, but we’ll see.

In terms of the OP’s question, I think the Bucks currently have a much better chance than the Magic, but we’ll see.  You never know if Jabari & Giannis will reach their potential or if a guy like Gordon or Hezonja will become better than expected.

 

 

 

 

[HitsterParticipant]

 The Bucks were an 8th seed contender for a number of years prior to the horrific 15-67 season in 2013-14 and got back into the play offs last year so I do wonder if last season’s bounce was as much a blip the year before.

The Magic meanwhile have been a high lottery team since Dwight Howard departed and have never won more than 25 games in a season since then.

The Magic have aquired several high draft picks and despite a number of players putting up good stats cannot seem to kick on back into any sort of contention.

If I was looking into the next few years I have to say I’d see the Bucks being the stronger of the two teams. They were .500 last season and that was with Jabari missing for all bar 25 games and without Greg Monroe on the roster. When you add in Jabari’s potential and that of the Greek Freak too – both guys are still only 20 years old then I can see the Bucks having a quite scary potential.

The Magic look to have drafted fairly well and have a very good set of young players – Vucevic is a very solid C and Oladipo looks like a star in the making too. Herzonja and Payton could have great upside too but it will still take a big leap for the Magic to get to where the Bucks were last year.

Of both rosters I’d say that Jabari is also the one guy who may have real superstar potential and could possibly carry a team almost on his own if his game clicked. I’m one of the Greek Freak’s biggest fans and also a huge Oladipo fan and these two guys in particular could go right to the top but I feel Jabari’s ceiling could be that little higher.

The Bucks have also had a year under Jason Kidd already whilst the Magic have yet to work with Scott Skiles.

I could see the Magic back in the play offs in 2 to 3 seasons but I think the Bucks should be there most years going forward so that is why I’m siding with them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[HitsterParticipant]

 The Bucks were an 8th seed contender for a number of years prior to the horrific 15-67 season in 2013-14 and got back into the play offs last year so I do wonder if last season’s bounce was as much a blip the year before.

The Magic meanwhile have been a high lottery team since Dwight Howard departed and have never won more than 25 games in a season since then.

The Magic have aquired several high draft picks and despite a number of players putting up good stats cannot seem to kick on back into any sort of contention.

If I was looking into the next few years I have to say I’d see the Bucks being the stronger of the two teams. They were .500 last season and that was with Jabari missing for all bar 25 games and without Greg Monroe on the roster. When you add in Jabari’s potential and that of the Greek Freak too – both guys are still only 20 years old then I can see the Bucks having a quite scary potential.

The Magic look to have drafted fairly well and have a very good set of young players – Vucevic is a very solid C and Oladipo looks like a star in the making too. Herzonja and Payton could have great upside too but it will still take a big leap for the Magic to get to where the Bucks were last year.

Of both rosters I’d say that Jabari is also the one guy who may have real superstar potential and could possibly carry a team almost on his own if his game clicked. I’m one of the Greek Freak’s biggest fans and also a huge Oladipo fan and these two guys in particular could go right to the top but I feel Jabari’s ceiling could be that little higher.

The Bucks have also had a year under Jason Kidd already whilst the Magic have yet to work with Scott Skiles.

I could see the Magic back in the play offs in 2 to 3 seasons but I think the Bucks should be there most years going forward so that is why I’m siding with them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[XYRYXParticipant]

I pick both teams to make some noise in the future. I think Giannis begins to mature physically and Greg Monroe is a great fit for them as well even if not very cheap but who cares, the Bucks have Cap Space in the Future as well. 

Orlando has an incredible talented roster as well and I think Hezonja is fitting in perfectly for them too. I expect Dipo to really show another strong season as his last one was already more efficient and Hezonja and especially Fournier will but carry the offense and spread the floor very well which should help Victor A LOT in my opinion. He can create and has the tools to be an all NBA defensive team player down the road and good shooting guards are hard to find these days. 

Skiles will let this team run much more and if they all stay realatively healthy, both teams could really be tough to beat in the playoffs and both are defensive minded teams as well while I pick the Bucks the above the Magic but not really by much to be honest. Payton and Oladipo or MCW and Middleton can cover any guard duos in the league. 

[XYRYXParticipant]

I pick both teams to make some noise in the future. I think Giannis begins to mature physically and Greg Monroe is a great fit for them as well even if not very cheap but who cares, the Bucks have Cap Space in the Future as well. 

Orlando has an incredible talented roster as well and I think Hezonja is fitting in perfectly for them too. I expect Dipo to really show another strong season as his last one was already more efficient and Hezonja and especially Fournier will but carry the offense and spread the floor very well which should help Victor A LOT in my opinion. He can create and has the tools to be an all NBA defensive team player down the road and good shooting guards are hard to find these days. 

Skiles will let this team run much more and if they all stay realatively healthy, both teams could really be tough to beat in the playoffs and both are defensive minded teams as well while I pick the Bucks the above the Magic but not really by much to be honest. Payton and Oladipo or MCW and Middleton can cover any guard duos in the league. 

[HeroescantdieParticipant]

I think they are simmilar in terms of Defense and Offense, Without Jabari and Monroe and Vucevic and Harris, it’ all about defense, Greak Freak long limbs can cause havoc on the defensive end while Gordon’s relentlesness, athleticism and motor can guard anyone on the floor. Payton and  Oladipo agruably the best defensive backcourt in the east while MCW and Middleton length can be a problem fr opposing backcourts. Harris and Parker are somewhat the same in a way they are versatile scorers Hybrid forwards that can drive bigs, or shoot over smaller 3’s. Vucevic and Monroe are two crafty post scorers with Mid range touch and can held their own on the post. But I think I’ll go with the Bucks beacuse of Jabari’s Melo like scorer potential, a go to player like him was the main factor I picked Bucks. If you look at the Magic rosters, I think Harris potential as a go to scorer to me is not as high as Jabari. although Gordon and Oladipo’s development and Jabari will be a huge difference maker. The coach will also a factor, Kidd’s system is already intact because Bucks spent a season running it while Skiles will run his system for Magic this season.

 

 

 

[HeroescantdieParticipant]

I think they are simmilar in terms of Defense and Offense, Without Jabari and Monroe and Vucevic and Harris, it’ all about defense, Greak Freak long limbs can cause havoc on the defensive end while Gordon’s relentlesness, athleticism and motor can guard anyone on the floor. Payton and  Oladipo agruably the best defensive backcourt in the east while MCW and Middleton length can be a problem fr opposing backcourts. Harris and Parker are somewhat the same in a way they are versatile scorers Hybrid forwards that can drive bigs, or shoot over smaller 3’s. Vucevic and Monroe are two crafty post scorers with Mid range touch and can held their own on the post. But I think I’ll go with the Bucks beacuse of Jabari’s Melo like scorer potential, a go to player like him was the main factor I picked Bucks. If you look at the Magic rosters, I think Harris potential as a go to scorer to me is not as high as Jabari. although Gordon and Oladipo’s development and Jabari will be a huge difference maker. The coach will also a factor, Kidd’s system is already intact because Bucks spent a season running it while Skiles will run his system for Magic this season.

 

 

 

[T Rex]

Bucks still need a replacement for Brandon Knight. MCW isn’t as good as the fantasy basketball fans around here like to believe. The Bucks season was Knight and day different after the trade for MCW. The Bucks really need a 3 point shooter at PG, given the complete lack of shooting at SF, PF, and C.

 Hezonja probably has more potential as a scorer and all around player than Jabari.

Like most of the players on these two teams, Jabari lacks outside shooting touch. 

I think Orlando has the higher upside, but the Bucks have already turned the corner as a franchise. We don’t even know for sure that Orlando will turn the corner this year.

But Aaron Gordon looks ready to make a name for himself, and Hezonja is lighting up Europe as we speak. How good will he be as a rookie? Probably better than most people realize.

I think Orlando should bring Elfrid Payton off the bench. His inability to shoot is a real problem, and Oladipo made major progress as a 3 point shooter last year. Hezonja, Harris, and Aaron Gordon are all good ball handlers, so Payton isn’t as vital to the starting lineup as you might think.

Hezonja, Harris, and Gordon all like to handle the ball, so having a pg who can’t shoot just doesn’t help.  

In the second unit, Payton would have some good catch-and-shoot guys like Fournier and Frye, two guys who Payton’s defense would also help cover for.

With Vucivic alone in the middle, surrounded by 4 good shooters and dribble drivers, Orlando would finally have a well balanced, high functioning offense.

The Bucks simply don’t have that, unless Rashad Vaughn is able to earn the starting pg spot. A tall task for a rookie shooting guard.

 

[T Rex]

Bucks still need a replacement for Brandon Knight. MCW isn’t as good as the fantasy basketball fans around here like to believe. The Bucks season was Knight and day different after the trade for MCW. The Bucks really need a 3 point shooter at PG, given the complete lack of shooting at SF, PF, and C.

 Hezonja probably has more potential as a scorer and all around player than Jabari.

Like most of the players on these two teams, Jabari lacks outside shooting touch. 

I think Orlando has the higher upside, but the Bucks have already turned the corner as a franchise. We don’t even know for sure that Orlando will turn the corner this year.

But Aaron Gordon looks ready to make a name for himself, and Hezonja is lighting up Europe as we speak. How good will he be as a rookie? Probably better than most people realize.

I think Orlando should bring Elfrid Payton off the bench. His inability to shoot is a real problem, and Oladipo made major progress as a 3 point shooter last year. Hezonja, Harris, and Aaron Gordon are all good ball handlers, so Payton isn’t as vital to the starting lineup as you might think.

Hezonja, Harris, and Gordon all like to handle the ball, so having a pg who can’t shoot just doesn’t help.  

In the second unit, Payton would have some good catch-and-shoot guys like Fournier and Frye, two guys who Payton’s defense would also help cover for.

With Vucivic alone in the middle, surrounded by 4 good shooters and dribble drivers, Orlando would finally have a well balanced, high functioning offense.

The Bucks simply don’t have that, unless Rashad Vaughn is able to earn the starting pg spot. A tall task for a rookie shooting guard.

 

[ExumInfernoParticipant]

 Bucks are way ahead of the Magic schedule, they got the better pick so they landed Jabari and now they have spent all their money.

 

Magic still have lots of money to spend, and could still land a top 3 pick.

Magic can still improve with high picks and spending, Bucks have to improve by keeping their roster together and growing as a team and as individual players.  

Both seem to have good rebuilds, but Milwaukee is a playoff team now while Magic are not there yet.

For the conference finals, Milwaukee would be the pick.  They can defend as a team, Parker and Monroe should be able to score, they can win a first round and maybe soon get past someone like Hawks in a second round.  Maybe not this season, possibly one after.

 

 

 

[ExumInfernoParticipant]

 Bucks are way ahead of the Magic schedule, they got the better pick so they landed Jabari and now they have spent all their money.

 

Magic still have lots of money to spend, and could still land a top 3 pick.

Magic can still improve with high picks and spending, Bucks have to improve by keeping their roster together and growing as a team and as individual players.  

Both seem to have good rebuilds, but Milwaukee is a playoff team now while Magic are not there yet.

For the conference finals, Milwaukee would be the pick.  They can defend as a team, Parker and Monroe should be able to score, they can win a first round and maybe soon get past someone like Hawks in a second round.  Maybe not this season, possibly one after.

 

 

 

[Arc12345Participant]

I just really think everyone is underestimating the Magic. The bucks are very good and I do like Giannis, Parker, Middleton, and Monroe but I don’t know…something about the Magic makes me wonder how far they can take it. 

Gordon has improved a ton and we all know what Payton, oladipo, and Harris will bring to the table. Obviously by Vucevic is a real stud too.

But again, I STILL think Hezonja will be the best player on this team. He’s so talented and competitive. I haven’t seen someone that fiery…well since Westbrooke or Kobe. He’s going to be a great one, and I think a lot of their success will depend on his.

[Arc12345Participant]

I just really think everyone is underestimating the Magic. The bucks are very good and I do like Giannis, Parker, Middleton, and Monroe but I don’t know…something about the Magic makes me wonder how far they can take it. 

Gordon has improved a ton and we all know what Payton, oladipo, and Harris will bring to the table. Obviously by Vucevic is a real stud too.

But again, I STILL think Hezonja will be the best player on this team. He’s so talented and competitive. I haven’t seen someone that fiery…well since Westbrooke or Kobe. He’s going to be a great one, and I think a lot of their success will depend on his.

[mgreener_34Participant]

 It’s not that I sleep on the Magic, they are actually one of 5 teams I follow through out the year, it’s just that I don’t like the overlap/limitations to their talent pool (like i mentioned above). Vucevic/Payton both have short-comings in their ability to score and defend respectively, so the roster they put around those two is going to have to really work well off of that, and I’m sorry, but that’s just too hard to do for some teams. I’ve seen the same thing with the Celtics for years now (Rondo as a non 3pnt threat, and no shot blocker in the middle), and while it can lead to wins, they are two components of the game which will be exploited in the playoffs by better teams. 

For the Magic to succeed with Payton they are going to need shooters. I do think Hezonja and Dipo will be able to be good shooters,  but how long will Hezonja take to develope? They just gave Tobias a 17 mil deal, so I think it’s safe to say he isn’t going to be starting anytime soon, and can Gordon become a solid threat as well as a stretch 4? 

I think the Magic’s success actually hinges on the shoulders of Aaron Gordon, and personally, that scares the **** out of me. They need him not only to become a confident shooter to open up space for Payton and the other guys, but they also need him to become that versatile defensive beast that can cover Vucevics back and switch on pick and rolls. 

I like Gordon, but do you really think I’m going to put all my faith into a teenager who broke his jaw "horsing around with his brother" and who already missed 35 games his rookie year? I just can’t do that right now.

If Gordon just turns into another Derrick Williams, than the Magic are going to have a couple years were they need to purge the roster. But if he can become a Kenyon Martin/Shawn Marrion/Draymond Green/Josh Smith type of player than the sky is the limit for this team because of their superior athleticism and talent. 

But I also want to reiterate what I said above about the Magic and their overlap. Giving up on Harkless and OQuinn, two talented players who both played good defense, was a real sign, and with the drafting of Hezonja they are pretty much giving up on Fournier as well, who is another extremely talented young player. The addition of CJ Watson also kind of made the addition of Shabazz a wash as well. I just don’t like that kind of developement for a rebuilding team, and think that the Magic might regret it if they aren’t able to get the most out of this core group of players. 

[mgreener_34Participant]

 It’s not that I sleep on the Magic, they are actually one of 5 teams I follow through out the year, it’s just that I don’t like the overlap/limitations to their talent pool (like i mentioned above). Vucevic/Payton both have short-comings in their ability to score and defend respectively, so the roster they put around those two is going to have to really work well off of that, and I’m sorry, but that’s just too hard to do for some teams. I’ve seen the same thing with the Celtics for years now (Rondo as a non 3pnt threat, and no shot blocker in the middle), and while it can lead to wins, they are two components of the game which will be exploited in the playoffs by better teams. 

For the Magic to succeed with Payton they are going to need shooters. I do think Hezonja and Dipo will be able to be good shooters,  but how long will Hezonja take to develope? They just gave Tobias a 17 mil deal, so I think it’s safe to say he isn’t going to be starting anytime soon, and can Gordon become a solid threat as well as a stretch 4? 

I think the Magic’s success actually hinges on the shoulders of Aaron Gordon, and personally, that scares the **** out of me. They need him not only to become a confident shooter to open up space for Payton and the other guys, but they also need him to become that versatile defensive beast that can cover Vucevics back and switch on pick and rolls. 

I like Gordon, but do you really think I’m going to put all my faith into a teenager who broke his jaw "horsing around with his brother" and who already missed 35 games his rookie year? I just can’t do that right now.

If Gordon just turns into another Derrick Williams, than the Magic are going to have a couple years were they need to purge the roster. But if he can become a Kenyon Martin/Shawn Marrion/Draymond Green/Josh Smith type of player than the sky is the limit for this team because of their superior athleticism and talent. 

But I also want to reiterate what I said above about the Magic and their overlap. Giving up on Harkless and OQuinn, two talented players who both played good defense, was a real sign, and with the drafting of Hezonja they are pretty much giving up on Fournier as well, who is another extremely talented young player. The addition of CJ Watson also kind of made the addition of Shabazz a wash as well. I just don’t like that kind of developement for a rebuilding team, and think that the Magic might regret it if they aren’t able to get the most out of this core group of players. 

[HitsterParticipant]

 The trading of Knight for MCW was an interesting move by the Bucks. There has always been a questionmark over MCW with Philly moving him and Phoenix not going in directly for him.

At Milwaukee MCW has the benefit of playing under one of the greatest PG’s of all time as his Head Coach and can concentrate on being more a pass first PG without having to shoot so much. He can learn how to be selective when he shoots and look for the best option. Also with a stronger on court team around him than he had at Philly he’ll get more space to shoot when required.

 

[HitsterParticipant]

 The trading of Knight for MCW was an interesting move by the Bucks. There has always been a questionmark over MCW with Philly moving him and Phoenix not going in directly for him.

At Milwaukee MCW has the benefit of playing under one of the greatest PG’s of all time as his Head Coach and can concentrate on being more a pass first PG without having to shoot so much. He can learn how to be selective when he shoots and look for the best option. Also with a stronger on court team around him than he had at Philly he’ll get more space to shoot when required.

 

[T Rex]

 The Bucks went 10-18 after the trade for MCW. 

Lucky for them, the regular season ended.

Now everybody acts like they’re a team on the upswing, but it’s all based on the performance of the Brandon Knight dominated team that no longer exists.

That’s the power of early impressions.

Early impressions are why the Celtics aren’t even listed with Orlando and Milwaukee as one of the top young teams in the east.

Celtics finished the season 24-12. Another two weeks and the Celtics would have been 3 games ahead of Milwaukee.

Now the Celtics have a whole season to dominate the east.

If you want to know who will play well in November, look at who was playing well the second half of the year before, not the first half of the previous year.

This is going to be enjoyable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SubZeroParticipant]

Even if that were true, you still need to add Jabari Parker and Greg Monroe to that team, which easily makes them one of the best young teams in the league

[T Rex]

 Just like the Pistons were one of the top young rising teams, for 4 years.

Funny how the Pistons fans don’t really miss Monroe, even though he led them to many a pre-season playoff prediction.

 

 

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 Pistons fans don’t miss Monroe because he isn’t a PF and was a terrible fit next to Drummond.  Monroe actually averaged 20.3/13.4 per 36 on 53.3% shooting when Drummond was on the bench.  Both Drummond and Monroe are better off being on different teams.

Plus, the Bucks were actually better on the court with MCW than with Knight.  Not because MCW is better, but because the rest of the starters were better later in the season.  The problem is, the Bucks’ bench, which had been the best in the entire league over the first couple months of the season, collapsed post-ASB, as Dudley busted his back again, OJ Mayo tweaked his hamstring and Jerryd Bayless slumped big time.

MCW’s ability is a major question mark, but he didn’t really sink the team.  The Bucks did lose a lot of super close games post-ASB that perhaps they could have won with Knight’s shot making, but the Knight trade probably only cost the Bucks a couple games at most.

Plus, don’t be surprised if Giannis breaks out next season.  He has been showing out at Eurobasket, shooting 6-11 from downtown over one two game stretch and he has gained a ridiculous amount of muscle.  He is way bigger than he was last season.  He could really emerge next seaon.  

Bucks should still be a playoff team next season.  That is probably unlikely for Orlando.

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 Pistons fans don’t miss Monroe because he isn’t a PF and was a terrible fit next to Drummond.  Monroe actually averaged 20.3/13.4 per 36 on 53.3% shooting when Drummond was on the bench.  Both Drummond and Monroe are better off being on different teams.

Plus, the Bucks were actually better on the court with MCW than with Knight.  Not because MCW is better, but because the rest of the starters were better later in the season.  The problem is, the Bucks’ bench, which had been the best in the entire league over the first couple months of the season, collapsed post-ASB, as Dudley busted his back again, OJ Mayo tweaked his hamstring and Jerryd Bayless slumped big time.

MCW’s ability is a major question mark, but he didn’t really sink the team.  The Bucks did lose a lot of super close games post-ASB that perhaps they could have won with Knight’s shot making, but the Knight trade probably only cost the Bucks a couple games at most.

Plus, don’t be surprised if Giannis breaks out next season.  He has been showing out at Eurobasket, shooting 6-11 from downtown over one two game stretch and he has gained a ridiculous amount of muscle.  He is way bigger than he was last season.  He could really emerge next seaon.  

Bucks should still be a playoff team next season.  That is probably unlikely for Orlando.

[T Rex]

 Just like the Pistons were one of the top young rising teams, for 4 years.

Funny how the Pistons fans don’t really miss Monroe, even though he led them to many a pre-season playoff prediction.

 

 

[SubZeroParticipant]

Even if that were true, you still need to add Jabari Parker and Greg Monroe to that team, which easily makes them one of the best young teams in the league

[T Rex]

 The Bucks went 10-18 after the trade for MCW. 

Lucky for them, the regular season ended.

Now everybody acts like they’re a team on the upswing, but it’s all based on the performance of the Brandon Knight dominated team that no longer exists.

That’s the power of early impressions.

Early impressions are why the Celtics aren’t even listed with Orlando and Milwaukee as one of the top young teams in the east.

Celtics finished the season 24-12. Another two weeks and the Celtics would have been 3 games ahead of Milwaukee.

Now the Celtics have a whole season to dominate the east.

If you want to know who will play well in November, look at who was playing well the second half of the year before, not the first half of the previous year.

This is going to be enjoyable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DrivingDownTheStreetinmy64]

 Yup goIng with the magic.. Aaron Gordon on the verge of becoming the next Shawn kemp..

[DrivingDownTheStreetinmy64]

 Yup goIng with the magic.. Aaron Gordon on the verge of becoming the next Shawn kemp..

[T Rex]

 Ranked:

Hezonja

Gordon

Oladipo

Giannis

Jabari

Monroe

Middleton

Tobias

Elfrid

Vucivic

MCW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[T Rex]

 Ranked:

Hezonja

Gordon

Oladipo

Giannis

Jabari

Monroe

Middleton

Tobias

Elfrid

Vucivic

MCW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[abyers22Participant]

 The Bucks have by the far the better team than the magic. The magic are relying on the unknown commodities of Mario Hezonja and Aaron Gordon and will struggle to score. Only Hezonja and Vucevic are offense first players and Hezonja’s NBA impact is still to be determined. They should elite defensively, but the Bucks will be as well and they have more ability to score than the Magic do. They will be the better team and have the brighter future

[abyers22Participant]

 The Bucks have by the far the better team than the magic. The magic are relying on the unknown commodities of Mario Hezonja and Aaron Gordon and will struggle to score. Only Hezonja and Vucevic are offense first players and Hezonja’s NBA impact is still to be determined. They should elite defensively, but the Bucks will be as well and they have more ability to score than the Magic do. They will be the better team and have the brighter future

[NBAjunkie81Participant]

 Orlando has Four straight years of Losing badly but they have accumulated some really nice talent…. The Bucks have One winning season in the last Dozen years & they have collected some good talent as well… I’ll just compare the rosters… I’m interested to see what Monroe will do as a Center rather than trying to play PF but until we know, I’d have to give the former Sixer Nic Vucevic the edge. At PF I give the Greek the edge over Young though not as much as people think. At SF I luv Parker & I believe he is the Bucks Only legit Star possibility but peopl eare very high on Hezonja but for now I give Parker the edge if he can stay healthy (he Only played 25 games in his Rookie year. At the Guard positions it’s Oladipo with a Big advantage over Middleton & Elfin Payton with a considerable edge over MCW – I don’t Love Payton but MCW is simply terrible…. Watching D. Rose & Butler just Destroy him in the first round of last year’s playoffs I hope finally helped people understand that Milwaukee should have just bit the bullet & held on to that Lakers Lottery pick. B/C Carter-Williams is long he’s a decent off ball or help defender but he’s a Terrible "on-ball" defender & the better guards in the League are going to just eat him alive… In the end we left out Harris who is an excellent young player & the Magic will have a chance to grab another Lottery pick in 2016… The Bucks have settled into that area of mediocraty… Monroe was a really good signing but he’s not a great player, the Greek is very over rated & MCW is below average…. Parker looks like a stud but not "Super Star" level so I’d say the Magic are closer b/c they still have some unknowns that could pan out whereas the Bucks will sit in the #7,8,9 or 10 seed for years… After a decade of losing, the Media is on the Buck’s nuts but be honest & tell me which of the Top 10 teams (in both conferences) that you think the Bucks can beat in a 7 game series? (Warriors, Cavs, Spurs, Thunder, Bulls, Hawks, Clippers, Rockets, Grizzlies) I would also put the Pacers, Wizards & Raptors above the Bucks & probably the Heat & Pelicans too… 

[NBAjunkie81Participant]

 Orlando has Four straight years of Losing badly but they have accumulated some really nice talent…. The Bucks have One winning season in the last Dozen years & they have collected some good talent as well… I’ll just compare the rosters… I’m interested to see what Monroe will do as a Center rather than trying to play PF but until we know, I’d have to give the former Sixer Nic Vucevic the edge. At PF I give the Greek the edge over Young though not as much as people think. At SF I luv Parker & I believe he is the Bucks Only legit Star possibility but peopl eare very high on Hezonja but for now I give Parker the edge if he can stay healthy (he Only played 25 games in his Rookie year. At the Guard positions it’s Oladipo with a Big advantage over Middleton & Elfin Payton with a considerable edge over MCW – I don’t Love Payton but MCW is simply terrible…. Watching D. Rose & Butler just Destroy him in the first round of last year’s playoffs I hope finally helped people understand that Milwaukee should have just bit the bullet & held on to that Lakers Lottery pick. B/C Carter-Williams is long he’s a decent off ball or help defender but he’s a Terrible "on-ball" defender & the better guards in the League are going to just eat him alive… In the end we left out Harris who is an excellent young player & the Magic will have a chance to grab another Lottery pick in 2016… The Bucks have settled into that area of mediocraty… Monroe was a really good signing but he’s not a great player, the Greek is very over rated & MCW is below average…. Parker looks like a stud but not "Super Star" level so I’d say the Magic are closer b/c they still have some unknowns that could pan out whereas the Bucks will sit in the #7,8,9 or 10 seed for years… After a decade of losing, the Media is on the Buck’s nuts but be honest & tell me which of the Top 10 teams (in both conferences) that you think the Bucks can beat in a 7 game series? (Warriors, Cavs, Spurs, Thunder, Bulls, Hawks, Clippers, Rockets, Grizzlies) I would also put the Pacers, Wizards & Raptors above the Bucks & probably the Heat & Pelicans too… 

[Author]

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