Capo d'Orlando

Does loyalty sometimes lead people to ignore reality? Of course. But for the sake of my own enjoyment (after all, this is a getting to know you thread, so why not share my beliefs), I ask: have I misstated reality? (And before you get into this magicblue, I saw your smiley, I'm not taking anything seriously here; I never do on these boards.) Consider the following: Duncan and Popovich have beaten the 8th seeded Knicks, the Nets, the Pistons, that terrible Cleveland team featuring Booby Gibson (recall that the Spurs' road to those Finals was made much easier when Dallas was eliminated in the first round by the Warriors), and most recently, a Miami team that, while solid, was also very shallow and, at least with respect to Lebron, burnt out. Am I trying to discredit the Spurs' championships? Yes. Should they be discredited? Probably not. Championships are tough to come by. I just don't like the Spurs, no justifiable reason, I just don't. But you have to ask yourself, would any of those championship Spurs teams have beaten the Bulls teams of '97 and '98 which Malone and Sloan faced? Would they have beaten any of the championship Bulls teams for that matter? Would they have gotten past the Hakeem-led Rockets in '94 and '95? I'm inclined to say no. Michael Jordan doesn't lose in the Finals and a fundamental bank shot is no match for a Dream Shake. (Cool stat I came across: except for the Baltimore Bullets and Rochester Royals, the Chicago Bulls are the only team to have won the Finals without ever losing in the Finals.) In other words, had Duncan and Popovich reached their peaks at the same time as Malone and Sloan, they would likely also be championship-less. Conversely, could the prime Jazz teams of the '90s have beaten the Nets, the Pistons, that terrible Cleveland team and the solid, but shallow and burnt out Heat? I'm inclined to say yes. (I left off the Knicks because Malone and Sloan actually participated in those playoffs and lost in the second round. But that was a shortened lockout year, so it doesn't count. :)) Just some food for thought before we look no further than total championships to declare Duncan the greatest power forward of all time, even though he's a center. I'm obviously not being totally serious, but I kind of am, but since I'm not, don't bother arguing this issue with me because I can't be dissuaded from a position I've had since the first time someone claimed Tim Duncan is the GOAT several years ago. Here's their head to head stats in case you're interested: Malone v. Duncan If you take the championships out of the equation, which I believe are more a product of lucky timing than anything else, Karl Malone looks like the better player. Or at least, it's a much closer call than anyone seems to think. Do I have an obvious bias towards the Jazz? Yes. Have I hated Tim Duncan ever since I thought Keith Van Horn from the University of Utah should have been rookie of the year simply because he went to the University of Utah and I had his autograph? Yes. Do I realize that I'm the only person I've ever met that holds the aforementioned beliefs? Yes. But has loyalty made me blind to reality? I'm not so sure. And in case you're wondering (you're probably not), I'm convinced that if not for injuries, TMac would go down as a better player than Kobe Bryant. I even made a multimedia presentation in high school detailing how Dr. J passed the torch to Michael Jordan who then passed the torch to Tracy McGrady. I called it "Three Kings". But that's a discussion for another time. Need to get back to work.

Born and raised in Utah. Have always loved the Utah Jazz, but I love the Magic more. I liken it unto Archie Manning. You know he roots for Peyton and Eli, but when it comes down to it, he likes Peyton more. When I started playing basketball as a youth I really wanted Penny's first shoe. Penny soon became my favorite player and the Magic became my favorite team. I never got the shoe as a kid, though I was a proud owner of his second and third shoes. But I finally bought a white pair a few years ago, which, because I don't get the opportunity to play much anymore, is more symbolic than anything else. Penny left, but my love remained. He came back and I"m pissed that we waived him because he was ripe for a comeback. I'm loyal like that. In fact, the only former Magic player I have ever had ill feelings for (aside from passers-through like Chauncey Billups, who I hated with a passion, along with that whole stupid Pistons team) is Shaq and that's only because of his hatred of Dwight. I still love Dwight and was totally going for the Rockets out West last year. I still love TMac too and always have. The Spurs would have obviously won two years ago if Popovich had played him in the Finals. (Side note, I hate Popovich and Tim Duncan because there are people out there who support the absurd notion that they are better than Jerry Sloan and Karl Malone. Championships don't mean anything, especially when your prime is also Michael Jordan's prime. Again, I'm loyal like that.) It gave me great pleasure to take my little boy to his first Jazz/Magic game last season here in Utah. Funny story, I bought a Bo Outlaw jersey off ebay many years ago. Even though the listed size was questionable, I just looked at the picture of the jersey on a hanger and determined that it would fit me. It's actually meant for like a 5 year old. I'm thinking it will finally fit my kid this year, so look for a small blonde kid wearing the number 45 on December 5th. We'll probably be the only Magic fans there. Prior to Dwight there were literally like 5 of us at games. The numbers obviously increased in times of prosperity, but they're down again. I've only been to Orlando once, a couple of years ago, but it was in the summer, so I couldn't come see a game. Can't wait though. Aside from things that actually matter in the grand scheme, attending a Magic game in Orlando is at the top of my bucket list.

As long as we're taking names from the comics, Commissioner Gordon should probably get some love.

I'm excited about these guys. I think I was so convinced we'd be getting Exum that he was already a part of the team for me and so I'm a little sad that he ended up elsewhere. But I've moved on and can' wait to see the new guys in action. I don't think we'll regret taking Gordon when all is said and done and Payton seems like he'll be legit. Seems to have some attitude and swagger which is good. Just hope it's not as excessive as Russell Westbrook's because then it gets straight annoying. I still think Exum was probably the top PG on our board, but rather than look at who's the BPA at each pick, we considered the picks together and said what's the best guard/forward combo we can get? At 12 there were going to be better PGs than bigs and so we took the best big we could get at 4 and then, while we may not have gotten Exum or Smart, we got a PG that probably isn't that far behind, if at all. Then again, maybe Gordon was just on the top of our board, even though it didn't seem he was on the top of anyone else's. The most important question, though, when do you guys think they might start making Elfrid Payton wigs? I'd really like to get one.

I think we'll try to land Swaggy P this summer.

Assuming we hold on to him, I'm not so sure we couldn't get him to re-sign with us. Whether we would want that when the time comes, who knows. My argument for keeping him around was more geared to making our team a little more attractive to the FA class of 2015. I could definitely see him surveying the FA landscape in 2015 and, much like I believe Carlos Boozer did with the Jazz, saying, I'm going to opt in to the last year of my contract because I'm way down on the pecking order this summer and can likely make more next year. I would hope by that time (2016) we've had some big development from our young guys and used our cap space to add a big name or two and that we're in the conversation, at least in the East. But again, even if Afflalo weren't a FA until 2016, who knows what the rest of our guys will be doing, who they'll even be, and whether he'll even be a good fit here.

Like I said, I've seen very little of him, meaning I think I watched a high school mix tape before the college season and saw a few highlights from Arizona, never watched a full on game though and because we aren't likely to take him at 4 and he isn't likely to be available at 12, I haven't looked into him much. If you say he stands out on defense like it's common knowledge, I guess I'll take your word for it. All I've really heard is that he's a "poor man's" (hate that phrase) Blake Griffin, referring to jumping and dunking, not necessarily defending. I wonder though, if Gordon can reasonably be compared to Noah, who is considered one of the best bigs in the game right now, and a big that I'm sure almost any team would be glad to have, then why do mock drafts consistently have him behind bigs like Randle (who most commonly gets compared to Z-bo) and Vonleh? I'm not claiming that Gordon can't help a team like Noah one day, and I imagine many of the mock drafters don't know what they're talking about and are just copying someone else's mock draft, but if you're comparing him to Noah, just wondering if you think Gordon is better than Randle/Vonleh and/or should be drafted above those guys?

Even if Afflalo isn't packaged with the 12th pick, I'm still not convinced that it's in our best interest to trade him for another pick. I think Catman makes a good point about Afflalo maybe taking time away from VO5, but we've already got a ton of young guys to develop and do we really need 1 more in addition to the two we're already slated to get? Unless people think we can get lucky and build a contender almost exclusively through the draft like San Antonio or OKC (I'm not confident we can), then we've got to start looking sexier to upcoming FAs. I think a year, or two or three from now, having Afflalo on our roster looks better than whoever we can nab at 7-9 with a year or two under their belt. Perhaps that 7-9 pick turns out to be better than Afflalo years from now, but even if that's the case, I think Afflalo on our roster will do more to help us land a FA or FAs in the next couple years that will be better than whoever we can get at 7-9. Therefore, in the grand scheme, I think it's still better to try and keep Afflalo around. Catman, as far as the Gordon comparison to Noah, I'm assuming you're talking about Joakim. Admittedly, I've seen very little of Gordon, but he's not a 7 foot center and I don't believe he stands out among bigs for his defense and/or passing. Unless he celebrates like a moron after winning an NCAA championship, or I wasn't paying attention to his shot, and it too is among the ugliest on the planet, I'm just not seeing the comparison.

It seems that a lot of people are in favor of trading Afflalo to move up a few spots from 12. Just wondering why? I'm not saying it's a terrible idea or anything, but has anyone considered that he might be just as valuable to our team as any of the other lottery teams that we assume would want him and our 12th pick? Disclaimer, I don't claim to know what I'm talking about, just had a few thoughts and wondering if anyone agrees. First, Afflalo seems to be just the type of guy we should want to keep around. He plays solid on both ends of the floor, I think he's been known to adapt well to whatever role a team has needed him to play, I haven't been in the Magic locker room before (could've gone in about 15 years ago when they played a game in Utah, but that's a story for another time) but I imagine he provides a solid veteran presence, and looking around the league, his $7.5mil contract doesn't seem unreasonable at all, especially where our salary situation is starting to look less and less like it did when we made lists that included the Lakers, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and the Yankees. Second, sure, Afflalo has a player option at the end of the year and he could hit the market next summer, but why not try to keep him around as a solid contributor on a team that will hopefully be making noise in the playoffs a couple years from now? If he really wants to leave next summer, perhaps a sign and trade? While it might be great to move up and grab Gordon or whoever else is on that second tier, rookie contracts are going to expire, guys will be up for big raises, and, assuming our accumulation of youth starts reaching the potential we hope it will, we won't be able to keep everyone (James Harden). I know that many look to OKC and San Antonio and how they've been able to build through the draft, but they're the exception not the rule. One of those teams has had Gregg Popovich to bring out the absolute best in players, and both teams have had their share of luck. Unless we feel like we're going to land, or have already landed, the next Tim Duncan/Tony Parker/Manu Ginobili or Kevin Durant/Russell Westbrook/Serge Ibaka combo (we won't, and we haven't), we need to start keeping some proven guys around and looking to free agency as opposed to moving up in the draft. (Yes, we once drafted our own Shaq and Penny combo, but let's not press our luck like we've done with Pat Williams the last two draft lotteries.) Finally, with respect to free agency, the Summer of 2015 could potentially have several big names available, and I'm assuming our management will be looking to spend. I think we'll need more than just cap space and a lack of state income tax to be players. I think FAs considering us and some other team with cap space (and possibly no state income tax) will be a lot more enticed by a team that, in addition to all the youth and potential, has a proven guy like Afflalo (assuming he exercises his player option in a summer where, although yet to be determined, he'll likely be nowhere near the top of the FA class), as opposed to a team that, in addition to all the youth and potential, just has more youth and potential, like Gordon, etc. I want to land two studs in this draft as much as anyone else, but I'm just not sold that trading Afflalo and the 12th pick to move up a few spots will really benefit us much in the grand scheme of things.

Haven't posted for a long time, but just wanted to chime in real quick on the draft. First, I'm assuming that the draft order doesn't change, at least with respect to the top 4. Second, I'm assuming that Wiggins/Parker/Embiid/Exum are going to be the top 4 picks, in no particular order. That being said... I was actually about to post about how there's no way we land anyone other than Exum, my opinion being based on the fact that Cleveland and Philly are likely not looking for a PG and it being highly unlikely that the Bucks would pass on two of Wiggins/Parker/Embiid. Perhaps they pass on Embiid because he (or his agent) don't like Milwaukee, but that still leaves either Wiggins or Parker, and from what I've read/heard (presumably all the same stuff as you guys) it doesn't seem like anyone is valuing Exum higher than Wiggins or Parker. It then occurred to me that the Bucks have the Greek Freak. He's the same size, and I imagine plays the same position, as Wiggins and Parker, though I'm not sure. First, I thought I remember seeing Giannis in the skills challenge, a competition in which small forwards usually don't compete. Second, I never watched a Bucks game, but then again, who did? In addition, I'm assuming Giannis showed a lot of promise and potential, but again, never watched a Bucks game. I'm now wondering if anyone thinks that the Bucks, faced with a choice between Wiggins/Parker or Exum, might say, we've got a lot of promise right now at the 3 spot, we'd rather take Dante Exum. I don't think it's very likely since, from what I understand, Brandon Knight is a decent point guard (again, never watched a Bucks game and I don't care to go look at Knight's stats right now, or ever). Maybe Exum would thrive at the 2 spot and it doesn't matter that they have Brandon Knight, who knows? I'm still 99% sure that we'll end up with Exum, but I'm wondering if anyone really believes that the Bucks might take Exum over Wiggins/Parker, and why? Does Giannis factor in, or would they prefer Exum over Wiggins/Parker for some other reason, especially where they have Brandon Knight running point? I just can't see it happening, but it seems like some people consider it a possibility. Just wondering if there's any reason for such a belief aside from the notion that "Anything's Possible!" - Kevin Garnett.

By letting them walk, they were able to do the trade with the Warriors which gave them some valuable expirings and two unprotected first round picks. As a Jazz fan, I'm pretty happy with that. Just sad to see Milsap go, though it's probably for the best. (Acts 19:11).

I would say Darrell Armstrong's best attribute was his motor (it definitely wasn't dunk contests). I wouldn't mind another one of him. Granted, this is the No. 2 pick we're talking about here, but I love me some Darrell Armstrong.

I didn't think Chris Duhon really changed that much physically while he was here in Orlando. He always seemed a little flabby.

As much as I'm tempted to change my name to Capo di Cutestory, I can't do it. After watching Dwight hold the franchise hostage, I won't give in to Jareth doing the same to this board.

What about my purple Larry Johnson Hornets jersey made by Champion? That thing dominates and is still in pretty mint condition.