Great News For Shabazz

[aceboon]

Magic are going to exercise their 3rd year option for him, nice to have that security in your back pocket given his opportunity
for playing time might be limited, although I think he can compete with Watson for backup minutes.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...z-napier-third-year-option-20151020-post.html

Ater using the last several weeks to evaluate point guard Shabazz Napier, the Orlando Magic are planning to exercise their third-year option on him for the 2016-17 season.

In five preseason exhibitions this month, Napier has averaged 10.2 points, 2.2 assists and 1.2 turnovers in 17.0 minutes per game

 

[Kitaman]

Good news. It seems that Bazz just needs a team to believe and invest in him. He's about 2-3 years away from being NCAA Bazz.

 

[James]

shooting the ball very well in preseason ( in the paint as well as from deep), a big difference from last year.

 

[aceboon]

shooting the ball very well in preseason ( in the paint as well as from deep), a big difference from last year.

Its only preseason and it was against a Brazilian team(champs of their league), but in watching the game Saturday he seems way more comfortable with what he's doing out there, alot more freewheeling and confident.

 

[Joobie]

So happy for Bazz! He is one of my favorite people on the planet...wish great success for him!

 

[rip7774]

I don't flow nba at all. I presume Payton is starter. Is he backup or who is? Thanks. I can get to magic game occasionally if he is playing.

 

[aceboon]

I don't flow nba at all. I presume Payton is starter. Is he backup or who is? Thanks. I can get to magic game occasionally if he is playing.

Payton is the starter, CJ Watson and Bazz are the backups, I think Bazz can challenge Watson for backup PG minutes, its only preseason but he looks more comfortable.

 

[Yankees32123]

He's been getting more minutes as the preseason goes along. 1.8 assists to every turnover is pretty good too. As long as his shots are falling, he's distributing and he's not turning the ball over he is going to get plenty of minutes this season.

 

[James]

He's been getting more minutes as the preseason goes along. 1.8 assists to every turnover is pretty good too. As long as his shots are falling, he's distributing and he's not turning the ball over he is going to get plenty of minutes this season.

not really sure about that, skiles likes evan fournier in a playmaking role off the bench, which sort of renders napier useless in the rotation. I would like to see him get some nice minutes but wont go as far to say 'he'll get plenty'... he could easily see a very very limited role as the 3rd pg. If he continues to shoot the lights out into the season theres no doubt he'll deserve a boost in minutes, it also helps that they picked up his option and see him as a contributor at some point in the future.

 

[Matrim55]

not really sure about that, skiles likes evan fournier in a playmaking role off the bench, which sort of renders napier useless in the rotation.

A guy who can shoot in the NBA is never useless. We know that Bazz will do that - I'd wager he's over 40% this year.

The questions will be about his ability to finish in the paint (he looks much improved) and defend his position (also looks good there).

My hopes are high.

 

[3rdbass]

Magic are going to exercise their 3rd year option for him, nice to have that security in your back pocket given his opportunity
for playing time might be limited, although I think he can compete with Watson for backup minutes.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...z-napier-third-year-option-20151020-post.html

Ater using the last several weeks to evaluate point guard Shabazz Napier, the Orlando Magic are planning to exercise their third-year option on him for the 2016-17 season.

In five preseason exhibitions this month, Napier has averaged 10.2 points, 2.2 assists and 1.2 turnovers in 17.0 minutes per game

So only the first two seasons are a guaranteed contract for rookies now? The 3rd year is a team option? When did this change? I always thought it was 3 year guaranteed contract for first round picks.

 

[aceboon]

So only the first two seasons are a guaranteed contract for rookies now? The 3rd year is a team option? When did this change? I always thought it was 3 year guaranteed contract for first round picks.

the full length of a rookie contract is 4 years, first 2 years guaranteed with team options for the 3rd and 4th years. Not sure when it went into affect but they've been opearating under this structure for a while now because I remember when it was big news when Joe Alexander didn't get this 3rd year picked up as a lottery pick and he was drafted in 2008.

 

[aceboon]

So preseason concluded last night with Bazz thoroughly outplaying CJ Watson in about the same number of minutes(22 for Watson vs 25 for Bazz), and Bazz shot 60% from the 3 for the preseason and led the Magic in made 3s with 12. We obviously can't see practices but I'm hoping Skiles looks more his way for backup PG minutes behind Payton, not sure how much stock you want to put in it but he had a better preseason than Watson.

 

[Chief00]

Bazz never became part of the Heat's team chemistry or fabric - much like 2012 UConn - he may be making the same types of adjustments he made in college.

 

[aceboon]

Bazz never became part of the Heat's team chemistry or fabric - much like 2012 UConn - he may be making the same types of adjustments he made in college.

Not sure how you would have any idea of this but that hasn't stopped you from speaking on things you don't know before. DWade also went out of his way to speak highly of him following the first game against Miami in the preseason.

 

[BUConn10]

That's cool and all but teammates don't make trade decisions, the front office does. There were some whispers after Bazz was traded that Pat Riley is a very meticulous, borderline control freak, and that he didn't like how Lebron used his leverage to force them into drafting Bazz the year before, and now that he was gone wanted to exercise his control of the team so he moved Bazz out in favor of players he himself had selected personally (aka Tyler Johnson who I for the life of me can't see how he is better than Bazz, since this is who was taken in place of Shabazz).

 

[aceboon]

When Chief talks about fitting into team chemistry and team fabric and how he had to make the same changes and growth like he did from the failed 2012 season, I interpret that as Bazz being the same kind of poor leader and somewhat disruptive presence that was talked about often with that team. I read the same report that you did about Riley wanting him off the team because of Bron exercising his power to get him drafted("no more smiling faces with hidden agendas"), but Riley also likes his guards to have the size and athleticism to play 2 positions, which is why he also went with Josh Richardson, Tyler Johnson, and Chalmers over Bazz, who can only play 1. I'm not really sure how that relates to Bazz not fitting in with team chemistry and needed to grow like he did from 2012. Right now Bazz just looks like a flat out better player and more comfortable on the floor.

That's cool and all but teammates don't make trade decisions, the front office does. There were some whispers after Bazz was traded that Pat Riley is a very meticulous, borderline control freak, and that he didn't like how Lebron used his leverage to force them into drafting Bazz the year before, and now that he was gone wanted to exercise his control of the team so he moved Bazz out in favor of players he himself had selected personally (aka Tyler Johnson who I for the life of me can't see how he is better than Bazz, since this is who was taken in place of Shabazz).

 

[BUConn10]

When Chief talks about fitting into team chemistry and team fabric and how he had to make the same changes and growth like he did from the failed 2012 season, I interpret that as Bazz being the same kind of poor leader and somewhat disruptive presence that was talked about often with that team. I read the same report that you did about Riley wanting him off the team because of Bron exercising his power to get him drafted("no more smiling faces with hidden agendas"), but Riley also likes his guards to have the size and athleticism to play 2 positions, which is why he also went with Josh Richardson, Tyler Johnson, and Chalmers over Bazz, who can only play 1. I'm not really sure how that relates to Bazz not fitting in with team chemistry and needed to grow like he did from 2012. Right now Bazz just looks like a flat out better player and more comfortable on the floor.

True, I was saying in reference to the video of the Heat players showing love to Bazz, I never had doubt that the players liked Bazz.

Also isn't Chalmers the same size as Bazz? Riley may like the longer, oversized guards that can play the 2, but honestly besides Wade none of the guards on that team fit that bill.

 

[aceboon]

True, I was saying in reference to the video of the Heat players showing love to Bazz, I never had doubt that the players liked Bazz.

Also isn't Chalmers the same size as Bazz? Riley may like the longer, oversized guards that can play the 2, but honestly besides Wade none of the guards on that team fit that bill.

They're both listed at 6'1"(can't find predraft measurements on Chalmers), but Chalmers weighs more and looked considerably bigger and longer than Bazz when they were paired together on the floor together. Chalmers played pretty much a combo guard position last year and was Wade's primary backup at SG and starter in place of him when he was injured. I don't really think Richardson, Chalmers, or Johnson are really any good, but the size and/or athleticism is what Heat reporters wrote Riley usually prefers, Bazz kinda falls short in both categories.

 

[BUConn10]

They're both listed at 6'1"(can't find predraft measurements on Chalmers), but Chalmers weighs more and looked considerably bigger and longer than Bazz when they were paired together on the floor together. Chalmers played pretty much a combo guard position last year and was Wade's primary backup at SG and starter in place of him when he was injured. I don't really think Richardson, Chalmers, or Johnson are really any good, but the size and/or athleticism is what Heat reporters wrote Riley usually prefers, Bazz kinda falls short in both categories.

You may be right, I still think it's mainly Riley's ego at play here.