Magic fanbase needs legitimate playoff hopes !!! (bleacher report)

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

This!

 

I was a huge Otis fan until I saw him dismantle our Finals roster trading our youth (C-Lee, Gortat, Future picks, etc.) for aging vets instead of letting the roster continue to gel.

 

Eh, the lee trade was still a good one. We got the best two guys in that deal.

 

Our mistake is not resigning hedo (when viewed through the lens of trading gortat and Vince for him later on) and the arenas trade.

[My 6th Rebuild 6]

Okay I suppose I will spill some beans on the subject. For my day job when im not ranting on the Magic boards or challenging Captain, I do a bit of large scale consulting and selling of security technology and attend security conferences to talk to many companies and organizations. Boring stuff.

 

About a month ago, there was Chief Information Security Officer event where all the major guys come and check out the latest and greatest. This event was held in my former home town Orlando and ofcourse being in Orlando, im always wearing something Magic. At this event, I had my Magic hat with me. I checked the roster of people attending to see who I might be talking too and what industry vertical they are from. Surprise, surprise someone from the Orlando Magic is going to be here... their top guy.

 

Excitely I let my Sales Rep know about my Orlando Magic crush and that one of their people will be here. I waited about half the day before I got my chance to introduce myself. And when I did, I made sure to quickly put on the Magic hat and act all shocked that someone from my team is going to be here. It works, me and him have a good laugh and then I start telling him my sports crush on the Magic and the many years I have followed (Groupie move i know).

 

We get on the subject of the Magic team now (keep in mind this was 1 month ago), I told him that some fans are suggesting a 3rd tanking season and he totally stopped me in mid sentence and said "Thats not the plan". I plainly said, good because I cant handle another year of that.. so what is the plan?. He said that "The big guy on top doesnt want to see anymore empty seats in the arena and that the time is now to start our push to the playoffs. I was happy just to hear those words. Then we got on the topic of IT Security and what not.

 

So there it is.... My only insider information that I have ever got from the Magic. I asked him to save me a position in there for when they need a top security guy.. he laughed (im thinking that was a no)....lol

 

WTF dude!!! I was on the edge of my seat. Finish your story about the IT security.

 

 

 

[God Hates Otis Smith 153]

this is nothing close to a playoff team

[Marc Acres 3:16 418]

Article on revisions to the draft lottery on Yahoo, Dwyer echoed what a lot of people have said on the board.

 

This sounds so familiar

 

In capitulating to a supposed media firestorm about tanking, the NBA is underestimating the intelligence of both its general managers (in previous seasons, not exactly a bad idea) and its fans. Of course paying customers want their teams to be very good and straightaway, but let’s give the diehards some credit, here. We’re at a point in NBA fandom where followers understand that shortsighted, win-now moves can often hamstring a team for years at a time. Fans in Milwaukee even raised billboards last season begging their team’s front office to stop going for mediocre players in the hopes of grabbing a low playoff seed for what seemed like the 14th time in 15 years.

 

Fans in Philadelphia want to see Joel Embiid play this year, and they wanted to see Nerlens Noel play last season, but they’ll be more than happy with the team’s outlook heading into 2015-16, with five lottery picks on the team’s roster, one former Rookie of the Year and heaps of cap space to use on complimentary players who are in line with their young roster’s age and skill set. Sixers fans don’t want their team to go after Jodie Meeks. Again.

 

You know what’s not a problem? Danny Ainge fleecing Billy King. Sam Hinkie taking advantage of New Orleans’ impatience, that ain’t a problem. Rob Hennigan intelligently figuring out how to restart a franchise without a 2012 lottery pick already in hand is not a problem. These are smart executives taking mindful, long-term approaches to rebuilding when an obvious solution (or, in many cases, a future problem disguised as a solution) isn’t available. Losses will result, and chances will be taken, but history has proven that if properly executed this is the right way to build, even on top of salted crops.

[Captain Hi-Top 791]

You know what would be nice? Something like that pic the Lakers owe us being more valuable because of revisions to the lotto.

[Marc Acres 3:16 418]

You know what would be nice? Something like that pic the Lakers owe us being more valuable because of revisions to the lotto.

 

I would have a good chuckle over that. I think they are missing the boat here with these revisions. I think the real issue is a team that continues to stink over a long period of time. They are going after a team that tanks for a year but that may be a team that was just really bad and needs the help, they should go after teams like Cleveland, decrease the odds on a sliding scale for repeat offenders.

[Captain Hi-Top 791]

That's an idea I could get behind. Especially in situations where you have a team that's just horrible and poorly managed in perpetuity like the Clippers had been.

[magicblue 315]

Or have a system where if a team wins the lottery the best they can finish is #2 for X number of years. 3-5? It's unfair that teams like MN have never selected first overall while Cleveland gets 3 of 4 despite the long odds.

[Franchise408 116]

This!

 

I was a huge Otis fan until I saw him dismantle our Finals roster trading our youth (C-Lee, Gortat, Future picks, etc.) for aging vets instead of letting the roster continue to gel.

 

Eh, I never hated Otis as much as most around here.

 

Surely, he made some mistakes on the back end of his tenure, but it was all well intentioned. After the Finals run, he lost Turkoglu and needed to make a move to replace him. He brought in Carter to try to fill our biggest weakness in '09, which was missing a slasher that could create his own shot. Vince might not have been that guy anymore at that point in his career, but Otis at least tried. Then Rashard fell off, and we basically had to retool from the beginning. Then of course Dwight happened.

 

Otis didn't handle the last couple seasons properly, but I really don't begrudge him. He built the best team this franchise has ever seen, and then **** hit the fan.

 

this is nothing close to a playoff team

 

I agree.

 

I don't particularly get what we're doing. We get rid of Nelson and Afflalo in the name of cap space, and then use that cap space on downgrades in Gordon and Frye. We're sitting on a bunch of cap space but not using it on upgrades for the team. I mean, I don't want us to sign free agents for the sake of signing free agents, because that's not going to get us anywhere and only hinder future moves, but I don't get the purpose of getting rid of the vets we do have only to sign downgrades.

 

This team is spinning it's wheels. This team is nowhere close to a playoff team, and I don't foresee us being close anytime soon.

 

I've truly never felt this hopeless about a Magic rebuild as I do with the Hennigan rebuild.

[Secretly Space Jesus 670]

Surely, he made some mistakes on the back end of his tenure, but it was all well intentioned

 

....do you imagine that their are GMs out there who make deals while twirling their mustaches and tying girls to railroad tracks?

 

 

Otis didn't handle the last couple seasons properly, but I really don't begrudge him. He built the best team this franchise has ever seen, and then **** hit the fan.

 

Otis had nothing to do with the '94 or '95 teams.

 

I don't particularly get what we're doing. We get rid of Nelson and Afflalo in the name of cap space, and then use that cap space on downgrades in Gordon and Frye.

 

You can repeat this as many times as you want to. You're going to continue to be wrong every single time you do.

 

We're sitting on a bunch of cap space but not using it on upgrades for the team. I mean, I don't want us to sign free agents for the sake of signing free agents,

 

I'm always impressed when someone makes a statement and then immediately contradicts it.

 

 

I've truly never felt this hopeless about a Magic rebuild as I do with the Hennigan rebuild.

 

I'm sure that there's a really good Tumblr entry you could write about that topic. It'll be a nice change of pace from the Supernatural slash-fiction and the Doctor Who quotes.

[The Neighborhood Bully 266]

....do you imagine that their there are GMs out there who make deals while twirling their mustaches and tying girls to railroad tracks?

[Captain Hi-Top 791]

....do you imagine that their are GMs out there who make deals while twirling their mustaches and tying girls to railroad tracks?

 

Maybe McHale when he traded giftwrapped KG to Boston.