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I need to disagree here. Miami has been crushing it in recent years in their scouting and development. Nunn, Herro, Robinson and Bam have all far outplayed their projections. Is that luck? I don’t think so. There’s a clear pattern and program in place in Miami that is better than what we have in Orlando. I’m still hopeful for the WeltHam regime but that’s based on their history not their production thus far in Orlando.

Sure. But process doesn't always equal results. Miami isn't finding a Duncan Robinson every off-season. They're not drafting a Bam every off-season either. Pat Riley has been doing this for years so he's built the track record. This front office we have here might be doing the right things but not getting the results down to luck or injuries or whatever. We don't know that they're not working the phones incredibly hard every off-season for aggressive moves that fail to materialize or that teams pull out of. It seems like I'm in the minority on this board but to me the default position should be to not make moves. Making a move has to have a reason and outcome that you deem preferable to your current situation. Not making a move isn't a sign of weakness. In fact I think, from all the criticism they've gotten, it's pretty brave to stand pat. We can't judge this front office by the work of previous front offices either. The history of the organisation and it's standing around the league compared to Miami and anyone really isn't really something Weltman could control before he was hired. I think he's made some ground up there by putting out a playoff team, showing loyalty to some of our free agents, backing Markelle, etc. Personally I think we are making smart small moves. The trades we acquired Jerian Grant and Jarell Martin, the MCW pickup, the Khem Birch signing. As much as it got roasted at the time the "the draft flattened out" trade worked out well. I think there are signs of making smart little moves. Who's to say we won't be proactive and bold when the time is right? Just because some fans think the time is right (without possibly knowing what's available on the trade market) doesn't mean the front office does. But that doesn't mean they won't hesitate to do it. I understand I'm definitely not in the majority on this. And I understand the skepticism, after-all, if there's no evidence to point to it's hard to say you can and will do something, but this is a long term project and 3 years isn't a huge sample size for judging these kinds of things. Saying that though it's a result based job, if process is good but results are bad eventually you get fired. So we'll see what happens. There was an article on bleacher report a while back with quotes from unnamed league sources about the Magic's rebuild and I'll always remember two entirely contrasting quotes, one was a rival exec that said "they've really only done the bare minimum to rebuild" and I can't remember who the other one was attributed to but it was something like "I think Jeff and John have a plan and we'll see it pay off soon." And I mention it to say I think a lot of people on the board are in that first camp whereas I, possibly out of blind optimism I'm aware, am in the second camp.

I am fairly certain that is not what is being said. I have to agree with CT that we have had plenty of trouble getting and keeping free agents so turfing Vuc as much as it sucks from an overall basketball perspective is what would look better to others around the league at the time. We don't have the luxury to wheel and deal like the Magic culture would definitively better us and attract people. Doesn't mean we can't trade them, but not valuing guys as assets and letting people walk is clearly not the team's MO now. I didn't want it to be this way either. A couple of years before and we had no culture to speak of and I guess the option was there more to just divest themselves of everything. I think we acknowledge Vuc's contract year probably was the nail in the coffin that we wouldn't blow it up. The playoff berths are worth something to ownership, the players involved and honestly the city too. I go through periods of patience and impatience, but having a fire sale a couple of years back may have just made us look more like the Kings, Wolves and the pre-Lacob Warriors instead of paying off any better than our current situation

What a terrific post!

Wrecking our culture was one of the main concerns I expressed when we decided to tank. At the time, very few agreed with me. They debated the idea that there was even such a thing as a “team culture”. The argument was that if you draft a great player, you have instant culture. Maybe that’s even true with a generational talent but as we have learned the hard way, they aren’t so easy to come by. And if you don’t get one and you ruin the team competitiveness, there isn’t much left.

I think what more than anything that Heat article highlights to me is that a middling team is only ever a couple of smart moves from being a contender. Now sure we don't have Pat Riley pulling the strings nor do we have a championship winning future HOFer out there whispering into the ear of a star about to be a free agent. But our refusal to tank. Our trust in our roster. These are correct steps on the path to being a respected organisation. People hated giving Vuc that new contract and I get that. But how would it look to future free agents if we didn't resign our first All Star since Dwight off the back of our first playoff appearance since Dwight. Miami has a reputation from years and years of being a winning culture, we don't have that yet but we have to start somewhere. You can't admire that about Miami while simultaneously lament the fact that we've commited to trying to win. Sure it's only 2 8 seed playoff appearances but that's progress. Playoff appearances make us more attractive to free agents immediately. Think about Toronto. 5 or 6 years ago nobody thought they were a model franchise. Since then they've won a championship, had a COTY and we hired their second in command. There's every chance 3 years from now we're exactly where we currently are. But maybe Chuma Okeke is a future all star, or maybe we draft a future all star this year, or maybe Fultz is that guy and Isaac gets healthy. Just because things don't seem hopeful at the moment doesn't mean hope isn't right around the corner. Things change fast in the NBA. ...This post got a lot more 'motivational talk'-y than I intended...

That block on Tatum was ....