It's time to start winning and quit talking about "potential"

[HighAngleDad 36]

I have also been a fan since the beginning, and took my son to the preseason game played in the Ocean Center in Daytona before their first season. One thing I am tired of is what seems the inevitable cycle. We are at the bottom and have a top draft pick or near the top. We draft an awesome player, and over the next couple of seasons we start the climb to the top. We get there, we go way deep into the playoffs, and then our magic player leaves for the bright lights of the big city. We go back to the bottom, draft another awesome player... oh well just call it what it is: lather, rinse, repeat.

 

Right now we are playing short-handed due to a long run of injuries. We also seem to be playing mostly playoff teams. If you look at the stats at the end of the game, in most categories we play them dead-even. Our problem is the final two minutes of the game, we play very hard for 46 minutes but can't seem to put anyone away. We also give up what seems like a ridiculous number of three point baskets.

 

In my opinion, we need just a few pieces and we will be back at the top: we need a consistent deep shot threat to spread the floor, and at the other end we need to defend the deep shot threat much better. We need a dominating power forward who can help control the paint while we still have the 3-point line covered, and we need a stronger team defense. Get those items, and play all 48 minutes, and we will go far. An experienced head coach can help with a lot of those points.

 

Feel free to chime in with some more weaknesses. Overall I like where we are headed, but we won't get there without a much more experienced coaching staff. The pieces we have now need more help to develop to their potential.

[Magicman28 295]

I have also been a fan since the beginning, and took my son to the preseason game played in the Ocean Center in Daytona before their first season. One thing I am tired of is what seems the inevitable cycle. We are at the bottom and have a top draft pick or near the top. We draft an awesome player, and over the next couple of seasons we start the climb to the top. We get there, we go way deep into the playoffs, and then our magic player leaves for the bright lights of the big city. We go back to the bottom, draft another awesome player... oh well just call it what it is: lather, rinse, repeat.

 

Right now we are playing short-handed due to a long run of injuries. We also seem to be playing mostly playoff teams. If you look at the stats at the end of the game, in most categories we play them dead-even. Our problem is the final two minutes of the game, we play very hard for 46 minutes but can't seem to put anyone away. We also give up what seems like a ridiculous number of three point baskets.

 

In my opinion, we need just a few pieces and we will be back at the top: we need a consistent deep shot threat to spread the floor, and at the other end we need to defend the deep shot threat much better. We need a dominating power forward who can help control the paint while we still have the 3-point line covered, and we need a stronger team defense. Get those items, and play all 48 minutes, and we will go far. An experienced head coach can help with a lot of those points.

 

Feel free to chime in with some more weaknesses. Overall I like where we are headed, but we won't get there without a much more experienced coaching staff. The pieces we have now need more help to develop to their potential.

 

Our most talented players are young, raw, and inexperienced and have had JV for a coach.

[Franchero MVP 391]

Henny is definitely safe for at least the next 2-3 years no matter, and he has earned it. He inherited a giant mess a la Otis Smith and managed to win out an almost impossible trade scenario (the D12 trade), cleaned up our cap space, and drafted solid young talent within 3 years (likely our future back court, all without Cavaliers-type luck may I add).

 

The same people mad about Henny are the same ones who complained that we didn't get Bynum in return or draft Exum with our #4 pick. If they were our GM, oh lord we'd be in trouble.

 

The only mistake he made was signing JV, but honestly, his job as tank commander was fulfilled appropriately and now we are moving on to bigger and better things.

 

Gonna be a big off-season this year. If anyone can pull it off, it's Henny. The man has an eye for talent.

[HighAngleDad 36]

Yes, that is why we need a much more experienced coaching staff, we have players with great potential who need to be developed properly.

 

Our most talented players are young, raw, and inexperienced and have had JV for a coach.

[harveycoolbreeze 5]

What if we're purposely tanking to get better draft picks?

Wouldn't doubt that at this point

[JJZFL 620]

 

Gonna be a big off-season this year. If anyone can pull it off, it's Henny. The man has an eye for talent.

Sorry, but this is giving Henny way too much credit. He hasn't shown he can build a winning team yet. IF/when he does, I'll be singing his praises also but not yet.

 

JV was not the only questionable move. How about the Frye/Gordon signings? And it was also a choice for us to become this incredibly young which, while maybe it works out in the future, means non-competitive seasons (three so far and counting).

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

Sorry, but this is giving Henny way too much credit. He hasn't shown he can build a winning team yet. IF/when he does, I'll be singing his praises also but not yet.

 

JV was not the only questionable move. How about the Frye/Gordon signings? And it was also a choice for us to become this incredibly young which, while maybe it works out in the future, means non-competitive seasons (three so far and counting).

 

How was Vaughn a questionable move?

[O_SteveO 102]

Sorry, but this is giving Henny way too much credit. He hasn't shown he can build a winning team yet. IF/when he does, I'll be singing his praises also but not yet.

 

JV was not the only questionable move. How about the Frye/Gordon signings? And it was also a choice for us to become this incredibly young which, while maybe it works out in the future, means non-competitive seasons (three so far and counting).

Where do you think this team should realistically be, and what (specifically) should Henny have done differently to accomplish this?

[Murphy13 185]

Henny is definitely safe for at least the next 2-3 years no matter, and he has earned it. He inherited a giant mess a la Otis Smith and managed to win out an almost impossible trade scenario (the D12 trade), cleaned up our cap space, and drafted solid young talent within 3 years (likely our future back court, all without Cavaliers-type luck may I add).

 

The same people mad about Henny are the same ones who complained that we didn't get Bynum in return or draft Exum with our #4 pick. If they were our GM, oh lord we'd be in trouble.

 

The only mistake he made was signing JV, but honestly, his job as tank commander was fulfilled appropriately and now we are moving on to bigger and better things.

 

Gonna be a big off-season this year. If anyone can pull it off, it's Henny. The man has an eye for talent.

 

This is an overly simplified perspective. Henny most certainly is NOT safe for the next 2-3 years, that is a lifetime in the NBA. He shouldn't be either, he hasn't done nearly enough to warrant that kind of slack. Otis made terrible terrible moves, but less than two years after he was gone-so were all scars. That just tells you how long 2-3 years in the NBA is-you go from the GM who crafted a team 3 wins from a ring to being considered a complete idiot by the fan base you brought unprecedented success to. Rob guessed right on the Dwight trade, despite other options out there. That being said I actually do not like his returns on any of his trades aside from that one-the Harris trade seemed good, but as time has gone on I think it could have been handled differently/better. His strength is through drafting, clearly. Not so much with Gordon(too soon to tell), but with his later picks. That shows a quality eye, but that's not nearly enough to guarantee him a cool seat for the next 3 years. He had no mechanical effect on cap space other than being in the right place at the right time.

 

The people 'mad' at Henny aren't really mad, they aren't just rushing to bandwagon judgement like you and others did then lambast others for pointing out a differing perspective. Of course you are free to act this way but understand that there are many, many people out there that aren't as impressed with what's gone down and aren't frankly inclined to have blind faith given egregious missteps like you.

 

JV was not the only mistake, just the one closest to him. He is out of excuses now, so you are right, it is a big off season for him. You better believe that the Magic will give him one more full season to bring his vision to reality then make changes as warranted.

[Mike1989 68]

Henny is definitely safe for at least the next 2-3 years no matter, and he has earned it. He inherited a giant mess a la Otis Smith and managed to win out an almost impossible trade scenario (the D12 trade), cleaned up our cap space, and drafted solid young talent within 3 years (likely our future back court, all without Cavaliers-type luck may I add).

 

The same people mad about Henny are the same ones who complained that we didn't get Bynum in return or draft Exum with our #4 pick. If they were our GM, oh lord we'd be in trouble.

 

The only mistake he made was signing JV, but honestly, his job as tank commander was fulfilled appropriately and now we are moving on to bigger and better things.

 

Gonna be a big off-season this year. If anyone can pull it off, it's Henny. The man has an eye for talent.

 

Hennigan could be safe for now because rebuilds like ours don't happen overnight; however, I don't think we can rule out a regime change if this team doesn't start to show significant improvement next season. We are in the third season of this rebuild and have gone 20-62, 23-59, and it is likely we won't improve on our current 22 wins. So how long does he get to turn this team around? Does he get a pass if this team remains in the 20-win range in year four (this year we can blame JV, but next year he'll have hired his second head coach)?

 

I think they are fair questions. Hennigan can't hide behind the rebuild forever, because sooner or later this team needs to start winning otherwise he has failed at his job. For all the talent we have on this roster, and for all the flashes of star potential some have shown, this team has still failed to make a jump in a weak eastern conference. A majority of our fans believed we could realistically improve to the 30-win range, we won't get close to that. Some even voiced the potential of an 8th seed, we haven't got close to that. So what must be asked at this point is this - was the aim of this season talent development, not wins; or was the aim to be competitive and win more games?

 

If it is the former, then Hennigan should be safe for [at least] the next 2-3 seasons because they are being patient with the rebuild, and not trying to rush and become what the Charlotte Hornets have become (ie. not good enough to contend, not bad enough for a difference making draft pick). Potentially this is the right way to go because what we want to become is a legitimate title contender, and not become a team with a 7th or 8th seed ceiling. So if it takes a couple more seasons of rebuilding to get on that track, then so be it. We already have three cornerstones to build around in Payton, Oladipo and Vuc; and hopefully with a good draft, and use of free agency and trades, then the team will continue to grow. But, for all of this, this team still doesn't have an identity after three seasons...

 

If it is the latter, then Hennigan is going to be entering a make-or-break period. When I watched the coaching change press conference, I did not get the impression that Alex Martins was happy with what had unfolded this season. He expected better and that is why Hennigan is going to be on the clock. There is only so long you can be patient in a rebuild before you start seeing results on the court, and also, the draw of a losing product hurts attendances and the money they make. So it is not mad to suggest that he enters this season on the hot seat, because he cannot afford to make a mistake on his next head coach, nor can he afford to draft another long term project, or have a lacklustre free agency. He needs to hit all three out of the park, or at least the first two out of the park. And if he does that, he's off the hot seat. But if he fails with his next head coach and we see another 20-win season, then the finger should rightly be pointed at Hennigan because this is his team, built on his transactions, and not Otis'. At this point, some teams would fire their general manager after four consecutive 20 odd win seasons, and get someone in to make the team take that next step.

 

Now don't get me wrong, I am not calling for Hennigan's head - he needs more time to turn this team around - but it isn't mad to say that patient is beginning to wear a little thin. He needs a big off season, and if he fails, I wouldn't be surprised to see this team make a change because it cannot afford to let a losing culture to establish itself.

[Murphy13 185]

How was Vaughn a questionable move?

 

It was a worthy risk that didn't pan out.

[Franchero MVP 391]

How about the Frye/Gordon signings? And it was also a choice for us to become this incredibly young which, while maybe it works out in the future, means non-competitive seasons (three so far and counting).

 

So you criticize the signing of two vets, then say that we need to sign vets.

 

Gordon's contract are non-guaranteed. We basically signed someone who could come off the bench and spark our scoring because we drafted some young guys not known for their scoring. This was basically a brilliant, low-risk signing.

 

We signed Frye because not only was he a veteran, but the thought was to provide spacing for our young rookies and Dipo to be able to drive in. His contract isn't even a big deal, especially with the cap going to set to explode in 2016 and 2017.