ESPN INSIDER: Blueprint Orlando

[bhnole 153]

Lots of good info!

 

quote:

With 21-year-old Dwight Howard in the fold and some sound financial positioning, the Magic have provided themselves with assets and fiscal flexibility to pursue any of several courses in the immediate future.

 

After turning heads with a 12-4 November, Orlando has not posted another .500 month the remainder of the season. They finished 36-46 each of the last two seasons and are on pace to better that record slightly this season.

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

DECISION MAKERS OWNER: RICH DeVOS

FACT SHEET

Paid $85 million for Magic in 1991

Current franchise value: $283 million

Owner's net worth: $3.4 billion (as of 2005)

 

Sources: Forbes.com, USAToday.com SCORECARD

Seasons: 16

Playoffs: 9

Division titles: 3

East titles: 1

NBA titles: 0

 

 

 

GM SCORECARD

By John Hollinger

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OTIS SMITH

General Manager

Seasons: 1

Playoffs: 1

Division Titles: 0

Conference Titles: 0

NBA Titles: 0

 

BEST MOVE: Trading Steve Francis

As assistant GM during the 2005-06 season, Smith essentially gave the Magic a mulligan on the previous regime's foolish trade for Francis by unloading him on the Knicks for Penny Hardaway's expiring contract and Trevor Ariza.

 

As an added bonus, Ariza is among the best young small forwards in the league and has made Larry Brown seem "delusional" for agreeing to deal him.

 

WORST MOVE: Drafting Fran Vazquez The Magic unfortunately used the No. 11 overall pick in 2005 on the Spanish forward without first verifying if he had any interesting in playing in the NBA.

 

Apparently, he'd rather spend two days a week playing for his team in Spain and the other five sipping espresso and watching topless sunbathers on the Costa del Sol. Can hardly blame the guy, but it's left the Magic frontcourt a man short ever since.

 

Did I mention he went 19 picks ahead of David Lee?

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

ROSTER/SALARIES

 

 

 

MAGIC TEAM ROSTER

 

Trevor Ariza

Pos: SF | Age: 21

Left: 2 yrs., $6.2M

Carlos Arroyo

Pos: PG | Age: 27

Left: 1 yr., $4.1M

James Augustine

Pos: FC | Age: 23

Left: 1 yr., $687K

Tony Battie

Pos: FC | Age: 31

Left: 3 yrs., $17.23M

Keith Bogans

Pos: GF | Age: 26

Left: 2 yrs., $4.99M

Travis Diener

Pos: G | Age: 25

Free Agent

Keyon Dooling

Pos: PG | Age: 26

Left: 1 yr., $3.59M

Pat Garrity

Pos: F | Age: 30

Left: 1 yr., $3.81M

Grant Hill

Pos: GF | Age: 34

Free Agent

Dwight Howard

Pos: FC | Age: 21

Left: 1 yr., $6.06M

Darko Milicic

Pos: FC | Age: 21

Free Agent

Jameer Nelson

Pos: PG | Age: 25

Left: 1 yr., $1.96M

Bo Outlaw

Pos: PF | Age: 36

Free Agent

J.J. Redick

Pos: G | Age: 22

Left: 3 yrs., $6.97M

Hedo Turkoglu

Pos: GF | Age: 28

Left: 3 yrs., $20.59M

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

MAGIC CAP/TAX SITUATION

Free agents (4): Travis Diener (restricted), Grant Hill, Darko Milicic (restricted), Bo Outlaw

Players under contract (8): Trevor Ariza, Carlos Arroyo, Tony Battie, Keith Bogans, Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, J.J. Reddick, Hedo Turkoglu

 

Total for players under contract: $31,236,943

 

First-round picks: To Detroit (protected 1-5 for '07; no protection for '08)

 

First-round pick cap hold: $1,605,900 (Fran Vazquez)

 

Team options: None

 

Player options (2): Keyon Dooling, Pat Garrity

 

Total for players with player options: $7,414,750

 

Limited salary protection: James Augustine

 

Total for player with limited salary protection: $687,456

 

Estimated NBA salary cap: $55 million

 

Maximum cap room for Orlando Magic: $14,143,300

 

Estimated luxury tax threshold:

$67 million (Magic not expected to reach threshold)

 

Compiled by ESPN.com staff

 

 

TEAM STATUS REPORT

 

 

Orlando selected Dwight Howard with the first pick in the 2004 draft, and he has been its cornerstone since that day. While Howard's numbers have grown each season and he is becoming a more demanding presence in the post, he is still only 21 and still has room to make significant progress in the coming years.

 

Aside from Howard, only Jameer Nelson, drafted the same year but entering the NBA as a college senior (rather than as a high school senior, as was Howard's case), represents one of Orlando's key components acquired through the draft.

 

Fran Vazquez, its 2005 lottery pick, elected to stay in Spain -- the Magic still retain his rights, but it is unclear as to his desire and timetable to play in the NBA. Last year's lottery pick, J.J. Redick, has played somewhat sparingly this season, due in part to injuries.

 

Darko Milicic and backup Carlos Arroyo were acquired through a trade with Detroit, and the rest of the core either through trade or free agency.

 

This year Orlando retains its pick if it is among the top five; otherwise it is conveyed to Detroit as completion of the deal in which the Pistons sent Milicic and Arroyo to Orlando.

 

In constructing the club, the Magic recently have been very cautious in awarding long-term contracts and as a result have exceptional cap flexibility as they move forward, beginning at season's end. They presently stand at less than $39 million of committed salary this summer.

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

THE FUTURE

 

MAJOR ISSUES FOR MAGIC

 

 

[bhnole 153]

Lots of good info!

 

quote:

With 21-year-old Dwight Howard in the fold and some sound financial positioning, the Magic have provided themselves with assets and fiscal flexibility to pursue any of several courses in the immediate future.

 

After turning heads with a 12-4 November, Orlando has not posted another .500 month the remainder of the season. They finished 36-46 each of the last two seasons and are on pace to better that record slightly this season.

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

DECISION MAKERS OWNER: RICH DeVOS

FACT SHEET

Paid $85 million for Magic in 1991

Current franchise value: $283 million

Owner's net worth: $3.4 billion (as of 2005)

 

Sources: Forbes.com, USAToday.com SCORECARD

Seasons: 16

Playoffs: 9

Division titles: 3

East titles: 1

NBA titles: 0

 

 

 

GM SCORECARD

By John Hollinger

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OTIS SMITH

General Manager

Seasons: 1

Playoffs: 1

Division Titles: 0

Conference Titles: 0

NBA Titles: 0

 

BEST MOVE: Trading Steve Francis

As assistant GM during the 2005-06 season, Smith essentially gave the Magic a mulligan on the previous regime's foolish trade for Francis by unloading him on the Knicks for Penny Hardaway's expiring contract and Trevor Ariza.

 

As an added bonus, Ariza is among the best young small forwards in the league and has made Larry Brown seem "delusional" for agreeing to deal him.

 

WORST MOVE: Drafting Fran Vazquez The Magic unfortunately used the No. 11 overall pick in 2005 on the Spanish forward without first verifying if he had any interesting in playing in the NBA.

 

Apparently, he'd rather spend two days a week playing for his team in Spain and the other five sipping espresso and watching topless sunbathers on the Costa del Sol. Can hardly blame the guy, but it's left the Magic frontcourt a man short ever since.

 

Did I mention he went 19 picks ahead of David Lee?

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

ROSTER/SALARIES

 

 

 

MAGIC TEAM ROSTER

 

Trevor Ariza

Pos: SF | Age: 21

Left: 2 yrs., $6.2M

Carlos Arroyo

Pos: PG | Age: 27

Left: 1 yr., $4.1M

James Augustine

Pos: FC | Age: 23

Left: 1 yr., $687K

Tony Battie

Pos: FC | Age: 31

Left: 3 yrs., $17.23M

Keith Bogans

Pos: GF | Age: 26

Left: 2 yrs., $4.99M

Travis Diener

Pos: G | Age: 25

Free Agent

Keyon Dooling

Pos: PG | Age: 26

Left: 1 yr., $3.59M

Pat Garrity

Pos: F | Age: 30

Left: 1 yr., $3.81M

Grant Hill

Pos: GF | Age: 34

Free Agent

Dwight Howard

Pos: FC | Age: 21

Left: 1 yr., $6.06M

Darko Milicic

Pos: FC | Age: 21

Free Agent

Jameer Nelson

Pos: PG | Age: 25

Left: 1 yr., $1.96M

Bo Outlaw

Pos: PF | Age: 36

Free Agent

J.J. Redick

Pos: G | Age: 22

Left: 3 yrs., $6.97M

Hedo Turkoglu

Pos: GF | Age: 28

Left: 3 yrs., $20.59M

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

MAGIC CAP/TAX SITUATION

Free agents (4): Travis Diener (restricted), Grant Hill, Darko Milicic (restricted), Bo Outlaw

Players under contract (8): Trevor Ariza, Carlos Arroyo, Tony Battie, Keith Bogans, Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, J.J. Reddick, Hedo Turkoglu

 

Total for players under contract: $31,236,943

 

First-round picks: To Detroit (protected 1-5 for '07; no protection for '08)

 

First-round pick cap hold: $1,605,900 (Fran Vazquez)

 

Team options: None

 

Player options (2): Keyon Dooling, Pat Garrity

 

Total for players with player options: $7,414,750

 

Limited salary protection: James Augustine

 

Total for player with limited salary protection: $687,456

 

Estimated NBA salary cap: $55 million

 

Maximum cap room for Orlando Magic: $14,143,300

 

Estimated luxury tax threshold:

$67 million (Magic not expected to reach threshold)

 

Compiled by ESPN.com staff

 

 

TEAM STATUS REPORT

 

 

Orlando selected Dwight Howard with the first pick in the 2004 draft, and he has been its cornerstone since that day. While Howard's numbers have grown each season and he is becoming a more demanding presence in the post, he is still only 21 and still has room to make significant progress in the coming years.

 

Aside from Howard, only Jameer Nelson, drafted the same year but entering the NBA as a college senior (rather than as a high school senior, as was Howard's case), represents one of Orlando's key components acquired through the draft.

 

Fran Vazquez, its 2005 lottery pick, elected to stay in Spain -- the Magic still retain his rights, but it is unclear as to his desire and timetable to play in the NBA. Last year's lottery pick, J.J. Redick, has played somewhat sparingly this season, due in part to injuries.

 

Darko Milicic and backup Carlos Arroyo were acquired through a trade with Detroit, and the rest of the core either through trade or free agency.

 

This year Orlando retains its pick if it is among the top five; otherwise it is conveyed to Detroit as completion of the deal in which the Pistons sent Milicic and Arroyo to Orlando.

 

In constructing the club, the Magic recently have been very cautious in awarding long-term contracts and as a result have exceptional cap flexibility as they move forward, beginning at season's end. They presently stand at less than $39 million of committed salary this summer.

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

THE FUTURE

 

MAJOR ISSUES FOR MAGIC

 

 

[Live or Die Magic 383]

You're right BH...that was some good info. Nice to see that you sometimes get your money's worth with ESPN insider. Of course, I still like being on the "free to friends" plan!

[jack daniel 999 27]

Wow !!!

 

Overload on info..

 

But good info .

 

Thanks

[The Solution 0]

Good thread bhnole.

I believe the Magic will do a sign and trade with Milicic and the team will look substantially different with a new coach. I also believe the Arena will be approved this summer. As the article says, this will be an interesting summer.

 

Meanwhile let's see if we can win some games in the playoffs despite the inability of the coach to make game to game and in game adjustments.

[morlegend 0]

quote:

ou're right BH...that was some good info. Nice to see that you sometimes get your money's worth with ESPN insider. Of course, I still like being on the "free to friends" plan!

 

 

that really is a lot of good info. But i must say, i've heard it all on this board. Not trying to say that the insider thing isn't worth it, it just makes me feel real good about the competency of the posters on this board.

[chosen12 75]

Excellent info, I know thagt I am going to return or go back to this post a couple of times today!

 

I couldn't help but notice, he did nothing on BHill was that by design, or did I miss it?? Good job on this post bnole!!!!!

[richnba 3]

We need to keep Darko over getting a sg, he is a big man something we are lacking and to let him go would be horrendous on Otis's part.He should have given him the extension last year.

[Murphy13 185]

all the more reason to forget about signing a max contract player like carter or lewis, and keep milicic and possibly sign gerald wallace. he wont require anything near what the other guys want.

[bhnole 153]

I think the big thing it shows is the cap room gives us A LOT of flexibility to do something this summer.

 

They did this same Blueprint for all the teams and we could very well be the only major player in the market this summer.

 

Both Milwaukee and Charlotte will have space but might be more focused on retaining their own players (i.e. Mo Williams and Gerald Wallace) than adding FA's.

[Emory889 353]

It looks like the key to this summer is whether Otis can sign Milicic to a reasonable contract as quickly as possible. If he can the we are golden but if he can't it will make for an interesting summer.

 

Its looking more and more that Otis might have made a mistake pulling that offer off the table last summer.

[Mat 4]

i belive otis do the right thiong to retain Darko ,sign some fa agentes roleplayers,and fire bhill.

 

I believe in Otis.