Orlando Magic Blog

Group Blog talking about the NBA 2009 Eastern Conference Champions. Due to the amazing success of the 2009 playoff run comments are now frequently deleted to kill offensive comments, incoherence, or asininity. Comments can no longer be anonymous and require either a Blogger or OpenID account.

Sunday, April 02, 2006

Another view

I am no fan of Peter Vecsey's writing. But he actually had some kind words to say about our beloved Magic, as surprising as it may seem...

April 2, 2006 -- Orlando future bright with Darko
I'D LIKE to take this opportunity to thank the Mavericks for taking the suspense out of the NBA's last remaining division competition.
Losers of three straight and five of seven, Friday night's 108-99 collapse at Orlando was especially hideous because it wasted Dirk Nowitzki's 38 points and 15 rebounds.
The Magic, meanwhile, are infinitely better than their 29-44 record suggests. Since distancing themselves from Steve Francis, acquiring Darko Milicic, Carlos Arroyo and Trevor Ariza, committing to Jameer Nelson and G'ing up Tony Battie for $22 million over the next four years, Orlando has become what's known outside of New York as a "team." Let's hear some appreciation for Magic management. Co-GMs Otis Smith and Dave Twardzik, with plenty of input, no doubt, from coach Brian Hill, are re-building the rational way.
Half past their first year in charge, they dumped swollen salaries/egos, established Dwight Howard as the rightful franchise player upon Francis' extradition and took a relatively irrelevant financial gamble by agreeing to assume Arroyo's two-year, $8 million contract as the tax for attaining a luxury item such as Milicic.
Describing Milicic as a luxury item? Only those who haven't closely checked out how the lefty 7-foot, 21-year-old (come June 20) is doing in Orlando think I'm goofing on him. From where I'm scoping, he's an adept shooter, a clever-touch distributor, a skilled rebounder, an adroit outlet passer and a fertile shot blocker. Look, Ma, Darko's fundamentally flawless.
Furthermore, Milicic does something you rarely see anymore: he sets a pick and holds it. What that does, aside from freeing up his teammate, is make him a dangerous receiver the very next time they run the screen-and-roll. Because now Darko's man believes he's going to hold it. Instead, he rolls to the hoop for an open layup and has the hands to catch the pass
Finally, deep into his third season, I almost grasp what Pistons president Joe Dumars was thinking when he elected to take Milicic No. 2 behind LeBron James, instead of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh or Dwyane Wade.
"The day we traded Darko I told our media, given the daylight he's bound to get in Orlando, he'll put up 18 points, ten rebounds and four blocks from time to time," said Dumars, whose Hall of Fame selection will be announced tomorrow. So far in 20 games, Darko is averaging 7.9 (55 FG%), 4.7 and 2.4 in 21.4 minutes.
"He has that kind of talent. He just never got the chance to show it here because we had three All-Stars ahead of him, all in their prime. I'm aware what Darko's capabilities are, but over the course of time he became increasingly depressed. He couldn't take sitting anymore. "... Our media thinks I was blowing smoke, but I knew he was going to fulfill his promise once he cold relax and stop looking over his shoulder when he got in the game."
Orlando's Darko Deal, it says here, will go down in NBA history as one of th league's all-time player-jackings. Even if I'm rowdy wrong, even if Milicic should mysteriously suffer a relapse and turn into another Nikoloz Tskitishvili (No. 5 overall pick in '02 by Denver), his procurement still was meticulously worth the Magic's monetary investment; that's all they really gave. Unlike Isiah Thomas, who misused Penny Hardaway's supposedly precious $15.75 million expiring contract on three more years ($48.5 million) of Francis ("You mean to tell me he couldn't even get Larry Brown a role player he liked for that asset?" wrote LA Times columnist Mark Heisler), the Magic took a low-rent risk on Milicic.
In exchange for Kelvin Cato's virtually vanished $8.6 million salary, the Magic accepted Arroyo's two-year, $4 million-per obligation and Milicic's one year at $5.1 million. If the coaching staff falls out of love with Darko next season, his departure won't leave the franchise capsized a la New York. If he turns out to be a certified center, well, this is how championship contenders are constructed.

60 Comments:

  • At 5:02 PM, Blogger WeRDevos said…

    Prior to this article Vecsey has been calling the Magic "phony Orlando" all year long.

    Contrary to what he says, Arroyo and now Ariza are ALSO big parts of the turnaround in the past 13 games.

    I'm very high on the future right now, and am sticking to a prediction of 30 home wins next year.

     
  • At 6:15 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    I'm right with you weR,i think even with BSH at the helm,we'll still be able to win 30 at home and go 500% on the road,setting us up nicely for a 4-7 seed,we'll be better than the 8th spot team! Oh yeah,we all should expect poeple to start writing articles about the magic,there's gonna be lots of bandwagon jumpers come next season!

     
  • At 7:01 PM, Blogger Matt said…

    I hope that you all are right in your predictions. However, in my view, a young team without established systems on offense and defense, could get into a tail spin should the losses pile up due to fragile psyche, typical of young teams, or injuries. The winnings this late in the season does not indicate how the team is going to fare next season, since they are playing as loosely as possible, and the coach is letting them enjoy the ride. Additionally, if Grant doesn't suit up, the team would lack a floor leader. No disrespect to Jameer, but Jameer does not have that assertive personality, at least not yet to fill in for that task. All this brings me to my favorite subject of the coach. Brian Hill is the wrong coach, and whether or not the ownership realizes that and does something about it, the fact remains that he has messed up in the past and will do it again. Anybody who calls Garitty the best defender on the team and compares Darko to Garrity should have pea for brain, and when it comes down to Hill, it does not surprise me. He is pigheaded, stubborn and more importantly, lacks basic communication skills. As for the front office, why aren't they signing Ariza while the tide is high and players have fun playing with each other?

     
  • At 9:17 PM, Blogger Ken said…

    Everyone makes valid points I agree with. I also believe that 30 home wins are possible next year. This young group of players seem to be taking alot of pride on protecting the home court. And as long as we aren't bitten by the injury bug again a 4-7 seed is very much possible next year. It's also nice seeing a couple of sellouts at the TDW as the season winds down. I think those who seriously take a interest in the team have a really good feeling about these guys. But like big figure said, there are gonna be alot of bandwagon jumpers next season when they see what this young talent can do after spending more time bonding during training camp. And I agree with matt when he says BSH is the wrong coach for this team. I don't know if he is the reason the team has come together the way it has right now. Personally, I give more of the credit to the players for having a high basketball IQ and their endless energy they seem to have. The thing about BSH that worries me is how he handles other situations. His poor repore with the players, his heavy handed way of dealing with minor inncidents, his seemingly lack of communication with the team. He just has this way of alienating people. Respect has to be earned, BSH, It seems to me, demands it blindly, he is the coach and it's gonna be his way or the highway. That is all well and good, once you've earned the players trust and respect. And I have never seen BSH this time, or the last time he was here, do either one.

     
  • At 10:27 PM, Blogger Matt said…

    Omar, nice writing. I don't put a limit on the players' talents neither, as you all probably noticed. My point is can we trust Brian Hill not to mess up a good thing? What if going gets tough and losses pile up and true leadership from the coach is needed? Can we rely on Hill to be that leader? If there is any doubt, whatsoever, in our mind, I think we shouldn't be deterred by low probability of ownership dismissing him. I think we should pound the idea all the way home. I have never shied away from pursuing objectives that may seem out of reach. You will be amazed that when truth is on your side how far you can go. You start from a minority position and with perseverance push all the way to the consensus. Unfortunately, I have very limited time to give to building up consensus on this blog.

     
  • At 4:47 AM, Blogger Mike from Illinois said…

    While reading a summary on Sunday of the Cleveland/Miami game the previous day where LeBron had that incredible game with 47 pts and a triple double, I saw an interesting quote by CLE coach Mike Brown: "I can't say enough about my guy (LeBron). He makes me look like I can coach. He waved me off so many times, called a play, and got us over the hump."

    That quote makes me think of the Magic and the way they're playing now. They're making Hill look like he can coach. The offense is doing a great job, and Hill is doing a good job of staying out of the way and not imposing his usual limitations.

    Why in the world would he change next year when he can see how well things are going now? He must realize that this has the makings of a very special team. And if Grant is 100% healthy for next season... that would really be a bonus.

    Matt and Omar, I know you guys can't stand Hill and don't think he's the right coach for the team, and while I agree that Hill has many weaknesses as coach, I tend to be an optimist and believe he can learn from his mistakes.

    I agree with Big Figure and WeRDevos. We could very well win 30 games at home next season and wind up with home advantage in the first round, even with Hill as coach. 9 wins in the last 13 games... it may be more the players' doing than the coach's, but at least he isn't messing things up.

     
  • At 4:51 AM, Blogger Mike from Illinois said…

    I'm not a big fan of Peter Vecsey either, but it was nice reading about all the good things he had to say about the Magic.

     
  • At 10:41 AM, Blogger Matt said…

    It's beyond my comprehension for any one to admit to a coach's limitations and yet hope that he has learnt from mistakes and he is not gonna mess things up. Here are the flaws to that approach:

    1 - There is no evidence that Hill has learnt from his mistakes and/or that he will in the future. The Francis's situation, regardless of the nuances which we may or may not agree on, is an example. The guy is so paranoid of losing control that he would react irrationally in times of conflict.

    2 - As I have stated before, the fact that Hill is allowing the team to play freely now, does not indicate that he would stay out of the way, next season, when expectations are built up and the stakes are higher. On the contrary, all past experiences with Hill support that he would try to enforce what he thinks is best for the team, and with good intentions. Assuming that he does not enjoy a high IQ in basketball, it's safe to predict that attitude would ruin the team's overall harmony, and when losses pile up, we will be on that slippery slope. It is clear to me that what we are witnessing now with particular variables in play would not determine how an autocratic coach will act in a totally different situation with totally different variables in the equation.

    3 - Hill's lack of communication skills is well documented. He is not a players' coach, and too stiff in his approach to be one. The results are evidenced by his handling of conflict situations, and more clearly, in team's mental preparation prior to games or adjustments during the games.

    I can go on and on but I am too busy with a few pressing projects on my hand. If you all see it from the angle that I am looking at, great. If not, good luck to us all. Call me pessimist or what you will, but I can see the Doomsday Machine about to be started here. Remember that's the machine that when started cannot be stopped.

     
  • At 11:17 AM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    Matt,what you really mean is,summed up in one statement,is the fact that "you're" not willing to be "optimistic" with this guy any longer,with the evidence that you have shown,your position "is" the most logical one,but someone has to "keep hope alive" in the face of whats logical,i can be that person b/c i understand that this is just "sport" its not real life,my pride would not be effected if i were wrong,with that said,i'll "keep hope/optimism alive" for all of us that BSH will learn from mistakes and be a better coach next year,if BSH aint the coach we need to get us over the hump,that fact will be eventually recognized,and we'll get a new coach,but right now just b/c something is "beyond your comprehension" matt,doesnt make it impossible,we have to remember that even if past evidence says the opposite,b/c its just that "PAST"!

     
  • At 11:34 AM, Blogger OVERWADED said…

    I've never been a B Hill fan as I've stated many times, but as of right now, there is no reason he should go. The team seems happy, and they are playing like it. B Hill can get fired up, preach his defense; and Nelson and Arroyo will run this team.

    I've been calling for Jameer to be the starter for this team all year, even when there were still a few loyal Francis fans. Of course I've wanted Francis gone since last year... In my books, Jameer and Arroyo are proving they can run and lead this team. Which leads to my point... Grant Hill is a great guy, and was a great player, but having him around screws up the mindset of other players. I mean, IF the guy could ever been healthy, which he hasn't been ever since he's been here. In a perfect world I'd like Grant to be our VET off the bench, but I don't know if that's something I can see him doing. So, I think it just hurts the team and organization having him around and I think it's time the Grant Hill years end in Orlando.

    As for your reasoning on why the Magic are winning right now being because they are playing loose, I'm sure that helps... Still, I wouldn't credit a single win they have because of it. It'd be a hell of a lot easier for this team to meltdown after all they've been through. After everything, I think it shows character, responsibility, and leaderships qualities among our players. I expect the same thing, yet an improved product next year, and in no way would I pass that off as guys players loose because the winning of games not counting for anything.

    Finally, 30 at home, no problem... This team is going to surprise a lot of people next year. They are a cast of young stars in the making, with a lot to prove. People will be jumping on the bandwagon. Dwight should make his 1st all-star appearance. Jameer will put up all-star like #'s, but won't make it because the East is loaded with guards. And the team will roll into the playoffs, what happens there is unknown, because that's another world, but I think Jameer will shine, and the team will hold their own respectfullly. That's pretty much what matters for next year... Next year is is a red carpet year, whether it's for Lebron, Bosh, or someone else... And if they have the kind of year that I can see them having next year, landing that final piece will be that much easier. And pretty much how Vecsey wrapped up his article, there will be nothing left but a title contender in the near future...

     
  • At 12:02 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    IMO,BSH wont have to force any offensive style on this team,i truely believe that BSH will stay the same coach he is now when next year starts,reason being,The guys are learning how to play possession/playoff basketball,and running off of rebounds when you have the advantage! Credit needs to be given to the coach b/c he knows that detriot & san antone win championships b/c they have dominated this league with solid half court offense,they dont run to just be running like the suns,they run when they have the advantage,well "OUR ORLANDO MAGIC" have adopted that style b/c of BSH and have been winning with it,like the chicago game for example,we still dont run a whole bunch which is a "good example",but we win games now,which shows me the players are doing exactly what the coach wants b/c of "how we're winning",so there's nothing for coach hill to change or try to impose b/c he'd be going against his own style of play,they're playing his style,carlos & jameer still run pick and role a whole bunch,we still post up hedo,dwight and darko a whole lot,which is exactly what coach hill wants,it promotes ball movement and teaches our players how to playoff basketball,we beat dallas and chicago with "his" style,which is a combination of being a smart team who value's each possession,and a team that has such a deep bench that our reserves can run you out of the building if you come in our house "not" valueing the ball,while beating you up with dwight,darko & battie,who can run real well too might i add,i like this team's versatility,while none of this means we're gonna win every game,it does mean that we'll see the same coach and the same team come next year,b/c its his style were playing right now,not the other way around,all the players do is figure out who's gonna score and when!

     
  • At 12:16 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    With steve at the point,too many times we would see this team walk the ball up the floor,but i'm not so sure that was by design,jameer as soon as he was put into the starting line-up mid season,turned us into a team that can run when needed,while keyon kept pushing the ball when he came in off the bench,matt "IMO" what you call "playing freely" has nothing to do with the coach and all to do with "who's playing",steve "not being here" open's up alot for everyone,the ball can finally move from player to player during offensive sets,you know "ball movement" something we never had with steve!

     
  • At 12:20 PM, Blogger Matt said…

    Let me clear up a couple of misunderstandings:

    1 - I never said that the team is winning because they are playing loose. In reference to the coach's situation, I mentioned that he is allowing the players to play loose right now, which may not be the case come next season.

    2 - The guy has proven that he is not capable of learning from past mistakes, and yet we should believe that he may be.

    3 - There is nothing wrong with optimism and hope. However, it would be illogical to be positive in the face of evidence to the contrary. The fact that all is good right now does not count since most of us agree that has little or nothing to do with the coach.

    My last words on this issue in the form of a question... How many times should one try something or someone that has been tried, time and time again and the end results were not desirable?

     
  • At 12:25 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    Lets all remember that,as soon as jameer was given the starting job,we went on a five game win streak,and the magic was a different team,running,playing free,jameer gets hurt,steve's back at the point,we start losing again,and get virtually no run game!

     
  • At 12:26 PM, Blogger Matt said…

    Big Figure, my last post was written before having a chance to read yours. Don't take it as a challenge to your views although they are not totally aligned with yours.

     
  • At 12:41 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    "evidence to the contrary" is debateable,the only evidence we have to go on with jameer as the starter,is that this team will win "WAY" more than with steve,and thats with BSH as the coach,9-13 with jameer,5 game win streak mid season with jameer,BSH's resume with jameer looks real good,all we're asking him to do is stay the same,that shouldnt be hard,same coach,same point guard,same results! (oh yeah better team too!!!)

     
  • At 1:34 PM, Blogger Matt said…

    Big Figure, by evidence to the contrary I mean Hill's history of shortcomigns even in the shaq and Penny's area, relatively. I also mean his lack of communiaction skills. Do you agree that these are proven facts thus not debatable? I don't see the relevance to the starting PG. Jameer and the team, as a whole, will do at least as good if not better under a more competent coach. Do agree with this statement?

     
  • At 3:11 PM, Blogger Mike from Illinois said…

    Matt, you're assuming a lot of things about next season: 1) that BHill will not allow his players to play free and loose, like they are now. 2) Hill's attitude will ruin the team's overall harmony, and 3) because of that, the losses will pile up.

    Remember that old saying about trying to assume too much: Don't assume, because you will make an an ass of u and me.

    Don't take that the wrong way, I respect your opinions, but If you're making predictions on Hill based on his past, that's your right, but the fact is you don't know for sure what's going to happen in the future.

    Also, the Shaq and Penny Era is long gone. This is 10 years later, with a completely new team, comprised of a promising building block of talented young players, respected veterans, and lots of cap room to set up success for many seasons.

    The Magic comeback against the Bulls last week proves that Hill is able to be flexible enough to make the proper in-game adjustments to help the Magic win games.

     
  • At 3:52 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    Here's the relevance,one of the points you keep trying to hammer home is the fact that,that BSH wont let the players play the same way they are now(mike just posted the same thing),when in all actuality whats happening is,BSH can let jameer/carlos run the show without having to slow things down b/c jameer/carlos dont turnover the ball 2 to 3 times per quarter,what you have to understand is,steve used to turnover the ball "ALOT",if you average 3.7 turnovers a game,that means some games he could have had 7 or 8 turns,"THATS BAD",jameer & carlos dont turnover the ball that much combined,so when you see the difference in practice with ball movement & valueing possessions,its alot easier to let this team ("minus steve francis") be loose,after thinking about it i realized that at every stop steve has had his coaches have slowed the game down on him b/c he's so turnover prone,they figure less possessions,less turnovers,but in our position now,its alot easier to just sit back and let jameer & carlos make you look good!

     
  • At 6:19 PM, Blogger Matt said…

    It seems that some of you have made up your mind and now trying to justify it. I am not assuming too much. I am assessing risk factors based on prior history, the same way that any astute business owner will, and nothing more. The fact I failed to get a simple and clear logic across with all the time that I have spent proves that the noise level is so high that the communication becomes impossible.

     
  • At 6:20 PM, Blogger OVERWADED said…

    I thought I was the ultimate pessimist, and no offense Matt, but you might take that position. I understand being logical and realistic, but things change. The league has changed, the players have changed, the rules have changed, pretty much everything has changed in one way or another. So based off of how the Magic are playing, with this group of guys, and coach Hill, having played a hell of a tough year where they faced pretty much any problem a team could face, to focus on negatives, when we have so many positives to grow with and be happy about right now, is just a waste of energy. I am happy with the Orlando Magic as a whole right now.

     
  • At 8:17 PM, Blogger Mike from Illinois said…

    Matt, you were able to get your clear and simple logic, as you call it, across; however, most of us just don't agree with you, and we're very happy with the direction this team is taking and very much looking forward to the future.

    Like Introvert316 said, when there are so many positives right now about our team, the way they're playing, and the bright future, why focus on the negative and speculate that BHill might ruin everything based on his past.

    Matt, my friend, just be glad that you're not a NY Knicks fan. They have a coach who has won a championship, yet thanks to so many questionable player acquisitions by their front office, it might be years before they can ever hope to be in playoff contention, with their high payroll and unhappy players. They don't even get a first round draft pick this year (traded to the Bulls in the Eddy Curry deal).

    Maybe that will put into perspective about how much better off the Magic are, and how the foundation for success is in place here.

     
  • At 10:54 PM, Blogger Ken said…

    How about this scenerio..... We all agree we have many of the building blocks in place for a great team. Perhaps only one or two more pieces are needed and we could run the east... With that said.... With cap room, and the availability of players like Chris Bosh, Lebron James, and Dwayne Wade, Which of these players do you feel would best fit our team and style, and compliment the players we already have, to make everyone better?

    I'm thinking maybe Bosh or Wade. Landing Labron James would be like winning 10 lotterys, but i'm afraid he would over shadow the rest of the team and therefore disrupt the....for lack of a better term... harmony/balance that this group has formed. I think Bosh would blend in nicely with the players we now have, and same with Wade, maybe to a lesser extent... But with Lebron it could turn out being King James and his supporting cast-insert-your-name-here......type of team. Sometimes I think we'd be better off without a high price/high profile player right now. I mean, we already have a young superstar in the making, his name is Dwight. Add Darko to that and we got The Towers. I say, keep these guys we have together, let them grow and mature together, and you will see a championship caliber team in the very near future...

     
  • At 2:16 AM, Blogger Mike from Illinois said…

    Yes, I'm sure we all agree that many of the building blocks are in place for a great team.

    In answer to your question, Omar, all three players you mentioned are outstanding players. Personally, I would love to see DWade here, as I think he is one of the superstars in the league, and he plays a position that the Magic don't have much depth in (SG/SF).

    As for LeBron, I find it hard to believe that Cleveland would possibly not re-sign him. Same goes for Miami and DWade. Bosh will probably get more in the open market than if he stayed at Toronto, but I don't know how well he would fit in with the Magic with Dwight and Darko entrenched at PF/C.

     
  • At 2:32 AM, Blogger OVERWADED said…

    Wade is a nice player, but his lack of range really bothers me. Of course if he works on it, that can come around, but he'll never be "that guy" until he develops some range. Still, whether I like the guy or not, I'd take him aboard any day. It'd kind of be "karma like" to steal him from Shaq and Miami.

    I understand your point on James overshadowing everyone here, but the Magic would be fools to not make a huge push to steal him from a sub-par Cavs team. If they land King James, the 0-rena sells out, and we are instant contenders for the next 10 years. Oh yeah, the plans for the new arena will be approved within months also.

    Bosh is the likely candidate. Nobody ever wants to stay in Toronto. From what I've read, they would run him at SF with Darko and Dwight. Personally, I think this is the best most realistic fit of them all. Having a front line of Bosh, Darko, and Dwight wouldn't be fair for the rest of the league, like I care...

     
  • At 9:42 AM, Blogger Matt said…

    I think two of the 3 players (James and Wade) would be signed by their current teams, and the chances of getting them is very slim. However, I agree with Introvert316 that bringing LeBron would put Magic on a totally new plateau. I don't mind his stature if he proves to be a team player ... who minded Jordan's stature?

    As for Bosh, being the most realistic of 3 to catch, I tend to agree that his place is PF and that position for a starter is filled in Orlando. If we put him in SF, we loose the long range threat of Hedo that is clicking so well right now, especially since we don't have a SG with range.

    One last note ... there is no point to continue the debate on the coach's issue. I respect all the views contrary to mine. Being as positive as I could be, since I love my home town and the Magic, I have no doubt in my mind that Hill is the wrong coach, and the risk factors of retaining him is quite high. Having that said, I hope that I am wrong in my gloomy predictions since I wish no ill on the Magic.

     
  • At 11:40 AM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    Matt,i'm glad you said "since i wish no ill",b/c even though we know that fact,it can get lost within some of the things you point out/post,but i agree with you,the coaching debate is OVER,he's gonna be here untill they fire him bottom line,none of us can see the future,so lets stick to what we know,even if you make an educated guess/form an opinion based on past history,its still a "guess/opinion",meaning history can change,so that debate is over,but omar posed a good question,one i posed a few days ago,Lebron,vince,RLewis,wade & bosh,are all available,and who fits best is the question?

     
  • At 12:01 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    IMO,Lebron fits best,the reason cleveland wont ever win anything in the playoffs is b/c they've chosen to make lebron the focal point of their offense (a shooting guard)when he's not MJ,for a young guy (small forward is his natural position)he should play a complementary role to some big guy,they currently have that guy but Z is just too old and not mobile enough to dominate enough to allow LJ (lebron)to be a complement,so what you have is LJ trying to win every game as if its his responsibility to "pass","shoot","rebound" "and" take the big shots,"and" guard the other teams best scorer,cleveland is killing the guy,which they've never had a player of this caliber,and probably have never won anything,so why would we expect them to get it right with LJ,they have done a poor job of putting players around him,which is gonna be the reason he leave's cleveland if he does,but can you imagine if he decided to become a member of the magic,b/c cleve just isnt going anywhere,you'd have the best starting five outside of detroit in the league,jameer,hedo,lebron,darko & dwight,b/c lebron has a point guards mindframe in a small forwards body,he could play with any team in this league and make them better,just look at his numbers on a average cleveland team,and the hype that follows the king would be welcomed,the other four players are already in place so LJ wouldnt be able to overshadow anyone,he'd have to come in with a humble attitude to try and fit in and gain the respect of his peer's,obviously they know what he can do,but he's not a veteran yet,so he'll have to be a team player!

     
  • At 12:25 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    IF lebron doesnt want to leave cleve,i would shift my focus too vince and rashard lewis b/c wade is undersized and we already have jameer who is undersized,so there's no need for an undersized back court if you can do something better,oh and i like chris bosh but "intro" whoever/whatever you were reading sold you a bunch of lies,"chris bosh will never be a small forward in this league",he doesnt have the skill set first of all,he's a true PF nothing more,if bosh was brought here,darko would remain our first sub off the bench b/c bosh is an all-star,but bosh,howard & milicic all in the starting line-up is the stupidest thing i've ever heard,who ever said that/wrote the article is a moron,dwight and bosh as the PF and center would be a winning combo b/c bosh is a more established/all-star version of darko,they are both left handed,they both shoot the outside shot with consistency,darko blocks more shots but bosh is close,and bosh rebounds better but darko improving that also,so it wouldnt look any different if bosh was in the starting line-up,just be ready fo alot of wins if that happens,do we need another big guy is the question?or would filling the wing position that deshawn is holding be more important,"IMO" hedo can move over to the 2 b/c of his range,and lebron(1st choice),vince(second choice)& rashard lewis(third choice)can all play the three,i'm sure one of them would be willing to be our missing piece to the puzzle ala rasheed for detriot!

     
  • At 12:47 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    OK,so the five guys in question (lebron,vince,lewis,wade & bosh)i've given my opinion on,but there's one guy who trumps them all that the magic can aquire,how many of you were in awe (like myself) of kevin garnett the other night in minnesota? Well can you imagine putting kevin and dwight together? OH MY GOD,that would be the best frontcourt duo in the league,even better than rasheed & ben,garnett shuts down rasheed b/c sheed has become a perimeter player,when garnett still dominates the piant and can play the outside game if need be and hit three's and turnaround jumpers,then dwight gets to match-up with the other teams weakest big-man on any given night,although against ben he'd have his hands full,but still a match-up dwight wins b/c he's so much better of an offensive player than ben,obviously the rebounds and defense are about the same between ben & dwight! According to Brian Scmitdz,it would take parting with darko,and it'll be well worth it for a player of this caliber,parting with grant,easy,and giving them our lottery pick this year,boy that's cheap "IMO",three players we dont need,darko for garnett is a win for us,the pick could get messed up,and also ariza is a established player in our system and plays the position we were gonna draft so we dont need the pick,deffinitely dont need grant with the addition of a shooting guard (with our MLE) and KG,while darko would be the peice they could try and rebuild around while we go straight to a championship with KG,which is the only guy i would let darko go for,with him and dwight in the line-up together,and battie off the bench,with a solid second round pick big-man,this team would get to face detriot for the eastern crown every year!

     
  • At 1:11 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    OK with all that said,the question become's,Do we replace the PF position or the wing position with our max money? IF the answer is the PF position,then trading for garnett would be my first choice,bosh a close second,making dwight the center which is his only position until he can develope a jumpshot! IF the answer is wing position(two guard in our case:deshawn's replacemnet),b/c hedo already is like our scoring guard and deshawn just defends,you could upgrade the position that deshawn holds with lebron,vince or rashard lewis b/c all of them score better than deshawn and all of them play equally good defense,so either of the three would be an upgrade at that position,with lebron and rashard being very unselfish/young they probably go to the forefront! I say forget the max money next summer,and aquire garnett as soon as players can be signed or traded,get a veteran shooting guard with the MLE to replace deshawn so he can come off the bench,and we might just get to the conference championship next year!

     
  • At 1:17 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    Jameer,hedo,dwight,a veteran shooting guard and garnett,can you say "championship's"!

     
  • At 2:00 PM, Blogger OVERWADED said…

    KG will be 30 next month, still I'd take him in a heartbeat.

    Vince Carter will be 30 when he's a free agent, and I'd like to stay as far away from him as possible. I don't care if he is one of the most talented scorers in the league, I don't want him here in Orlando. Carter would be a HUGE risk. If we landed Carter, I'd picture him causing chemistry problems, and in time becoming the next Grant Hill. This guy has been plagued with injuries many of the past years, and being that he'll be 30, that is not worth the risk to drop him big dollars. I'd take Lewis in a second over Carter. I pray that Vince doesn't end up here, although I could see it happening since it's "home" for him. If it does happen, who knows, it could work out. I'd also hope we split our money with him and another free agent that summer. Vince would not be worth our "max". With all that said, I don't think Otis and the Magic will go after Vince. I think they've tried that kind of route for years, and I believe they are committed to bringing in guys younger in their years.

     
  • At 2:47 PM, Blogger Matt said…

    I think we are getting far too far ahead of ourselves. For high prized players there are too many factors that come into play besides who pays them most. Those factors include, but may not be limited to, the size of the market, the backbone of the establishment with regard to the ownership and the front office, the coach and the core of players. While Magic scores high on an attractive core of young players and veterans, it doesn't score much in any other determining factor.

     
  • At 3:04 PM, Blogger Mike from Illinois said…

    Wow... Kevin Garnett in Orlando... what an intriguing possibility. I would hate like heck to trade Darko because he has such tremendous potential, but for Garnett, it would be worth it. That being said, I doubt Minnesota would make that trade, as the Magic's lottery pick in the draft that would go to the T-Wolves would not guarantee MIN a star, with this being such an iffy draft, and it's still not clear if Grant can be 100% next year, so essentially the trade would be Darko for KG; even though Darko has shown his potential, I don't think that MIN would go through with the trade.

    However, KG is clearly weary of being in MInnesota, with them not making the postseason the last two years, and him having to carry the team, and this would be a fresh start for him in Orlando if somehow the Wolves would agree to it. Also, KG wouldn't have to carry the load here, because of players like Nelson, Howard, and Hedo.

    Again, I doubt this trade will happen, but it's fun to talk about.

     
  • At 4:17 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    Boy we're in great position,if KG wants to leave,the best free-agent destination is ORLANDO,and we have enough peice's (player's not money) to make a tempting offer to the wolves,something they could rebuild around,i'd even throw in a player to sweet'en the deal if need be,but putting dwight & KG together would be the ultimate mission from here on out if i were the GM of the magic,only jameer & dwight "IMO" are untouchable!

     
  • At 5:17 PM, Blogger OVERWADED said…

    "Factors" in regards to attracting other players...

    Pretty much no players in Magic past have complained about ownership. The only thing that has ever been said, including from stars such as Shaq, have been positive things about the Devos family.

    The Magic have had management issues, but as of now, there has been nothing but praise around the league in regards to what Otis is building for the future.

    The coach can obviously make a difference, but we're not talking about the coach anymore.

    The current roster of course is a huge attraction. Depending on how we play next season, I see no reason ANY free agent wouldn't want to play with the likes of PG's like Jameer/Arroyo, and big's like Darko, Dwight, and Battie. I should also include the solid supporting cast behind them...

    Location, location, location... Many players around the league wouldn't mind living in FL for lots of reasons. If it's not for the lifestyle, or just to get out of the big city, then I'll site the obvious, NO STATE INCOME TAX.

    Do I think the Magic will have a problem landing a nice free agent? No, they have a lot working in their favor.

     
  • At 5:45 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    Its not a surprise to me that the magic and the timberwoves could do a deal,they've had dialogue with each other for some time,steve was rumored to be on their wish list,but the magic didnt want zerbiack & hassell,they wanted a player and a expiring contract,so talks stalled and they did the deal with the knicks,if they keep it up over the summer,dont be surprised if the magic pull off the blockbuster deal,the magic have enough room to take on KG's enormous contract,but minnesota on the other hand doesnt have any lee-way to do anything around his salary,come first week of july KG could be a magic man!!

     
  • At 10:08 PM, Blogger Matt said…

    Let's not allow bias to cloud our sense of reality. Here are some points of reality:

    1 - Mr. DeVos is an old respected gentleman, but everybody knows that the ownership has run this business in a heartless and gutless manner looking at the bottom-line only. That was the case with low balling Shaq, and so many hirings, GMs and coaches with the exception of Daley. They were so scared of going over the salary cap that the best PGs they could hire were Lue, Strickland and Vaughn while the best centers would be Ewing and Kemp.

    2 - We have agreed to stop discussing the coach's shortcomings on this blog since it was pointless, but that doesn't mean it would not be a factor in free agents' decision making process.

    3 - Orlando is a small market and that's a fact. Orlando is even smaller than Tampa and Jacksonville.

    4 - The arena that we play in is an old and outdated one.

    5 - While we have a nice core of players with plenty of upside, we don't have a superstar for whom some free agents will take a salary cut to play with.

    6 - Otis whose title still is Assistant GM has arranged for a couple of good trades but that doesn't put him in the class of heavy weights and hard hitters in the league, somebody like West or Dumars who have the influence where their words of commitment could be taken to the bank. Ottis has done well for himself and the Magic, but the climb over the success ladder doesn't happen overnight.

     
  • At 2:29 AM, Blogger OVERWADED said…

    Matt, in regards to your last comments, I've come to expect nothing different from you.

    As for everyone else that has posted on this column; it's been fun thinking about and throwing around thoughts of what the future could hold in an optimistic way, as we should!

     
  • At 4:17 AM, Blogger Mike from Illinois said…

    Matt, you do bring up some valid, well-thought out points in your last post.

     
  • At 9:08 AM, Blogger Matt said…

    I understand and appreciate having fun for what the future holds for the Magic. I am optimistic and excited about many aspects of improvement, as well. Yet, I don't let all the excitement to cloud my judgement or lead to some naive conclusions. To dismiss all the points that were raised, in a general manner, as though the prevailing view is a clouded sense of optimism is wrong. I don't expect everybody to agree with my views but for your information, short of revealing what I do for a living, I am familiar with the theoretical, as well as the practical sides of running large business at the highest level. Therefore, it would be unwise to shut me out.

     
  • At 12:20 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    So matt,are you saying no max player will sign with us? B/C like "intro" said,everything you post is a negative view,1-6 (which 5 is incorrect,if we have max money why would someone have to take a pay cut?)while there are facts and opinion's mixed up into your post,it just "seems" like you go against any positive view of the future,your pessimism is clouding your ability to be optimistic,otis and dave have had the job less than a year,thats reason enough to at least give them optimism,sure ownership hasnt been great,but if the "current GM's" do their job by putting a winning product on the floor,ownership will never be in question again as far as wins and losses are concerned,what reason's have otis/dave given you to justify your pessimism? Two question's so i can understand your position clearly,not a debate!

     
  • At 12:53 PM, Blogger Matt said…

    Why is that everything that I post is misinterpreted or misunderstood? I am neither a pessimist nor an optimist but rather a realist.

    In response to your questions, number 5 was in reference to extra incentives for free agents to sign with a team which has at least one superstar. As for the second question about Otis, my point was directed to weight and calibre for deal making ... Is there any doubt that a West or Dumars type who have earned their feathers have more ability in deal making? Since all those points are simple facts, I don't expect any debate.

     
  • At 1:57 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    To answer your question,of cousre they are better GM's,simply put,but your still not answering the question b/c whats "REAL" is our franchise history is filled with "poor leadership" from the "ownership" to the "GM's" to the "coaches" to the "players" like you want us remember b/c like you said your a realist,we all know every example of how bad our franchise history has been,but you cant see the future,educated guess based on past history still makes it a "guess",so thats something that wouldnt be considered "real",but some of us have shown the ability to be optimistic about "our bright future" (your future too as a fan of the team),so are you saying that your gonna give us a dose of your "real History" everytime we show optimism? Again,just trying to be clear,b/c according to you,your not an optimist,which deals with expecting the best future or outcome in a situation!

     
  • At 2:05 PM, Blogger Matt said…

    To complete my response, I never said no max player will sign with the Magic, but I won't be of the opinion that everybody will die to sign with us ... Do you see the extreme ranges? I never denied the nice core of players with plenty of upside while advocating that a better coach could maximize the output from the same core. The problem with this ownership is while they know diddly do about the business, they will exert influence on the GMs and coaches to do things their way. That's why they like real green and inexperienced or low profile GMs and coaches. That works against GMs like Otis despite their potential business savvy but rather due to their lack of weight and experience.

     
  • At 2:22 PM, Blogger Matt said…

    To sum up my points, the rule is that "history repeats itself" and that any thing contrary to the rule is an aberration or exception. That's why we study history to avoid repeating mistakes. Do you think that past is in the past thus has no value in the future? That's wrong, my friend. We should accept that history will repeat itself unless we have evidence to the contrary. Business assess risk factors on daily basis ... that is not pessemism. One last thing, the reason that I don't repeat positives, although I do from time to time, is that you all are pointing them out all the time, and there is no need for me to get into it.

     
  • At 2:43 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    I understand 100%,so now that thats over i have a question for you? IMO when you look at franchise's around the league,and recognized the one's that have no winning history,if your a new GM coming into one of those situation's,what would you say would be the easiest way to turn the franchise into a winner? And if you were magic management would you try and deal for KG,bc he could attract other players? (IMO,i would take the most expensive player,and trade him for everything i could get,young promising players & picks)!

     
  • At 3:11 PM, Blogger Matt said…

    I will try to answer your questions as briefly as I could. Before I am hired as a GM, I will make sure that I have the trust and confidence of the owner to the extent that would allow me reasonable leeway in decision making including budgeting issues that won't impede the progress. Then I hire the best coach, most probably a young one with some playing experience ... coach's communication skills would be top on my list of merits. Then I would look into players' situation to devise a long term plan to collect a nice group of players through trade and drafts. Owners like Mark Cuban who have ignored salary caps were reasonably successful, although wasted some money, as well ... Why? Because they were smart enough to see long term benefits of going over the salary cap in a 3-5 year period, or have come up with innovative ideas to offset luxury tax expenses. as for the question about KG, yes I will go for that trade but not before assessing what is on the table. Getting into the details of the contracts, since the salaries of traded players should match, we might have to depart with Hedo in addition to Darko. Can we go for that? The answer is yes if we could come up with a SG with range either in that process or through another trade. we have to consider that if Grant doesn't come back, next year we could get crippled in SF position until Trevor develops some kind of jump shot ... quite possible.

     
  • At 3:24 PM, Blogger OVERWADED said…

    When speculating about the future, regardless of what the past says there can be no facts. Facts can be found in the past obviously, and you can make your "educated guesses" in regards to the future, but nothing that has been discussed in reference to the future can be considered facts.

    So since "history repeats itself"... I guess that means, we made the same mistake, brought back Brian Hill, and now the results will be the same, we'll lose Dwight? And then free agency will come around, we'll sign that big name free agent, maybe Vince Carter, and his injuries will crawl back up, and we'll have another Grant Hill on our hands? Who knows honestly...

    Otis has been involved with the Magic Organization pretty much since the beginning. Do we know what he has been doing behind closed doors for all these years? So who is to say how much knowledge or experience he has under his belt?

    Since when have the Magic not been able to land big free agents? Whether or not the guys work out, stay healthy, or hang around can't be known until the player is here. I'm just grateful the Magic haven't been a team to drop major dollars on average players like MANY teams around the league have done.

    Should it matter whether or not Dwight or Jameer have made the "all-star" team? Unless tragedy strikes, these guys are going to be major players for years to come. So if you were a young star right now, would you rather play with a guy like Shaq, sign a big deal with a team that might win for another year or two? Or would you rather sign with a young up and coming team, play with the likes of a man child known as Dwight Howard, and have the potential of being apart of a championship team for years to come? Either way it's a risk...

     
  • At 3:40 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    I love hedo,but he doesnt play any defense,so they could have him too,deshawn and ariza can play the three if grant's out,but i think grants gonna give us at least 50 games to try and make up for this year,and if you bring in a veteran shooting guard,you'd be two deep there also,with grant being a plus,the best thing would be putting KG & dwight together with jameer,grant and a player to be named!

     
  • At 3:41 PM, Blogger Matt said…

    I don't want to be argumentative so I would be brief. Yes, history would repeat itself unless we get in there, when we see signs of similarities, and break the link. To think otherwise would be a foolish risk to the business and its future. Let's assume that Otis has collected some experience ... Does he have the leeway from the ownership or the weight and name recognition of heavy hitters? The answer to the latter is that he might in the future, but the answer to the first question is never, since that is how this ownership is and operates.

     
  • At 3:48 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    You'd have jameer & carlos/trav at the point,a vet & keyon at the 2,grant & deshawn/trevor at the three,KG & battie/pat at the four,and dwight and mario at the five,thats a better team as long as the vet can shoot three's to replace hedo's production!

     
  • At 3:53 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    And dont get me wrong,hedo gives max effort,i truely beleive that,but his best effort at being tough defensively other players score right against easily!

     
  • At 4:00 PM, Blogger Matt said…

    Big Figure, I agree with your logic. There are only two other points that I want to put to debate. Assuming that the building block is Dwight, who is more compatible with him, Darko or KG? Also who would be there for a longer time ... a 20-year old Darko or a 30-year old KG?

    The answer would determine whether we want to build an immediate championship contender or a dynasty for years to come. You see ... I could be positive and future oriented, as well.

     
  • At 4:10 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    OK,well seeing as how KG had 24 pts and 22reb. last night,and putting him with dwight would make the best rebounding tandem in league history says alot to me,since you raise the question,i would take KG,b/c there's no guarantee on darko,we would have one with KG,and b/c his game isnt detrimental to his body,he can easily play 7-8 more years with dwight the way he takes care of himself,thats plenty of time for dwight and KG to play "prime years basketball" together,then you throw in grant & jameer,isnt that four thats hard to beat?,three we already have!

     
  • At 4:12 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    Oh,and compatibility isnt in question,KG can do everything darko does and better,KG's our leagues best all-around player!

     
  • At 4:15 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    We'd have a minny all-star team with grant,KG,jameer & dwight all in realistic contention,they might cancel each other out but you know what i mean,its like a pistons line-up,4 guys that could be all-stars!

     
  • At 4:16 PM, Blogger Matt said…

    Well said, Big Figure. Concise and right to the point. I will buy into that.

     
  • At 4:36 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    I knew i wasnt crazy,if KG is dealt this summer or whenever,it better be to the magic,or otis/dave will be the target of all of my posts,and they wont like what i have to say,great state,good young team,and plenty of peices to offer,better not mess this chance up!

     

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