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

[magicblue 315]

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.

 

 

 

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.

 

You and balljunkie need to turn off the Depeche Mode, put down the razor blades, and just enjoy watching this young team develop. Good grief.

[JJZFL 619]

You and balljunkie need to turn off the Depeche Mode, put down the razor blades, and just enjoy watching this young team develop. Good grief.

I have to admit I didn't enjoy watching them much the past two years. And I haven't seen much sign of development, either. I don't expect much better this year, unfortunately. At this point, the team has no character or identity. If , and it's a big if, that starts to change, I'll enjoy watching them more even if there aren't a lot more wins.

[The Neighborhood Bully 266]

Maybe McHale when he traded giftwrapped KG to Boston.

 

On July 31, 2007, Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff, cash considerations, Boston's 2009 first-round draft pick (top 3 protected), and the 2009 first-round pick which Minnesota had traded to Boston in the Ricky Davis-Wally Szczerbiak trade of 2006.

Their own pick they got back from Boston turned out to be the 5th pick in the draft, which could have netted them Steph Curry had they chosen him instead of Jonny Flynn. Jefferson/Curry would have been an excellent return for a 31 year old Garnett. Their draft selection was the failure, not the trade.

[O_SteveO 102]

At this point, the team has no character or identity.

Considering we've put an emphasis on drafting hardworking, defensive-minded kids, I'd say we are strongly developing both.

[magicblue 315]

I have to admit I didn't enjoy watching them much the past two years. And I haven't seen much sign of development, either. I don't expect much better this year, unfortunately. At this point, the team has no character or identity. If , and it's a big if, that starts to change, I'll enjoy watching them more even if there aren't a lot more wins.

 

Cool.

[Catman 380]

LOL, DOM has been on fire lately.

 

I can;t believe someone thinks the 94-95 teams were not our best. Thats incredible.

 

It seems like the biggest naysayers are the newest or most casual fans.

[JJZFL 619]

Considering we've put an emphasis on drafting hardworking, defensive-minded kids, I'd say we are strongly developing both.

 

I was hopeful that would be the case, but didn't see much improvement in our defense last year, despite being young and athletic.

[God Hates Otis Smith 153]

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.

that's what i would favor, you shouldn't be getting 3 number 1 picks in 4 years.

 

i think it should be capped at 2 for every 5 years, and top 3 picks should get capped as well

[O_SteveO 102]

I was hopeful that would be the case, but didn't see much improvement in our defense last year, despite being young and athletic.

I meant more this year. We should be far more athletic. If we can get consistent stops, this team should be tough in transition as well. It's not a night-to-night formula for success, but they could be pretty fun to watch. Particularly a Payton/Dipo/Harkless (or Harris really)/Gordon/Any center lineup.. holy crap.

[Miller4Prez66 545]

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.

 

 

 

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.

 

Otis tried? Tried to do what, just make reckless moves with no consideration for the team's future at all? Fans aren't going gaga over Hennigan's moves because they aren't sexy in the short term but those kind of moves are what we needed after Otis just said ***** it, I'm going all in. Hennigan has done a pretty good job for the most part, not everything is perfect but he was thrown in a bad situation. Our rebuild is looking fine for now, we clearly are missing a piece or two but there was nothing short of miraculously signing LeBron James that could've made us contenders this offseason. As far as downgrades, the only real one was losing Afflalo but when has he helped us win anything? He was either going to get a big undeserved extension or be shown the door, I think we chose the better of the options. I feel like having Frye and Ridnour as veteran guys is an upgrade over the Maxiell and Price duo we brought in last offseason for veteran leadership. I don't know what to say about Ben Gordon, clearly they feel like he's worth gambling on and if he busts who cares. We effectively signed him to a 1 year contract and could get rid of him with ease.

[Franchise408 116]

LOL, DOM has been on fire lately.

 

I can;t believe someone thinks the 94-95 teams were not our best. Thats incredible.

 

It seems like the biggest naysayers are the newest or most casual fans.

 

Because the '09 team had just as many wins, got to the NBA Finals, and won a game? Something that the '95 team didn't do?

 

And yea, there are plenty of GM's out there who spin their wheels and don't make moves in the best interest of the team. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many perpetual lottery teams out there.

 

Outside of the last year or so, Otis got results.

 

Been a fan since I was about 10, and as long as I've followed basketball, so no, you can't throw out the "newest" or "casual" fan card to try to make yourself feel more important.

[JJZFL 619]

I meant more this year. We should be far more athletic. If we can get consistent stops, this team should be tough in transition as well. It's not a night-to-night formula for success, but they could be pretty fun to watch. Particularly a Payton/Dipo/Harkless (or Harris really)/Gordon/Any center lineup.. holy crap.

 

So do you think they'll be in the top 1/2 of the league in defense? That seems like a reasonable goal to me, I just don't think they're going to get there. But I would love to be proved wrong.