O_SteveO 102 Report post Posted June 30, 2014 The Magic will be trying to win but they'll also be tanking at the same time given that this team won't score any points with its current personnel and Gordon will be more of a perimeter defender than interior defender. I think we'll win more games this year than last. This should really also be Tobias' year. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, he is our best pure scorer and AA/BBD won't be around to take his shots. I'm very curious to see how he responds. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Live or Die Magic 383 Report post Posted June 30, 2014 The Spurs were also "situational" tankers, in that Robinson was out injured most of the year prior to them getting Duncan. This is easily the best, most successful example of this. I can't see it ever happening again like that. Too many variables had to align perfectly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barnettej 263 Report post Posted June 30, 2014 This is easily the best, most successful example of this. I can't see it ever happening again like that. Too many variables had to align perfectly. Its all about timing.... Miami would not of done what they did, if Lebron and Bosh would of stayed with their teams... captain obvious, I know. Miami made a calculated risk in luring both Bosh and Lebron away to team up with Wade. I remember when the rumor broke, and I laughed.... didnt hear the rumor again until the deal was done. I was like wow they actually did it. the astonishing part was that Lebron and Bosh were just going into their strongest parts of their careers. Boston created their trio with aged players. guys who were looking for their 3rd contract and title hopes. Both Garnett and Allen just wanted to win and money wasnt the goal (where with younger players, its the opposite). Boston gutted their team (Jefferson, Gomes, Green, West, etc) for Garnet and Allen. Orlando Magic almost created this same type of team when they went after Tim Duncan, Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady. The problem was that Orlando were only able to secure 2 out of the 3... and then 1 out of the remaining 2 went down for a lot of games.... leaving 1 out of 1 to lead the team. So I guess you could say that we only got 1 out of 3 considering the end results. Knicks tried... failed. (Melo, Chandler, CP3) Brooklyn tried... failed. (Howard, Williams,?) Other than that, I cant think of any old teams that tried to team up 3 superstars and actually won a championship. Ofcourse there are not going to be Lebrons, Bosh's, Howard's, Melo's coming out year after year in free agency.... just like the draft. Tanking is a risk calculation, there better be a good amount of talent for the year your planning to tank... or that you already know that your targeting a free agent in the future (which last as little as 1-3yrs for GM's and Coaches). We all knew about Parker, Wiggins, and Randle 2yrs before they went to college... just like Lebron, Howard, Garnett... you could plan for these. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BN 44 Report post Posted June 30, 2014 You are 100% correct. The best we could get out a few drunken nights dt with Magic friends was that it was looking like PF then PG but the Magic wanted to go for Wiggins first just to exhaust all options. I think that is why Nick Anderson told a poster here it was Randle. He just made the guess that Randle was more suited for winning now. 2 things Rob did that threw me off. He promised Ennis at 12, which was a total smokescreen. He could have taken Ennis and instead traded up for Payton. I was thinking on draft night it would be Ennis since Payton was gone. Passing on Ennis and trading for Payton shows me how much Rob wanted this guy, which is exciting. The other thing he did was accidentally get leaked a month before that they wanted to trade AA for a 7-9 pick and grab Gordon there. I think that leak was real and Rob shut that down by pumping up Vonleh aggressively. I could see either guy fitting the Magic as I was saying, but I did not expect Gordon at 4. That was a nice surprise to me. I'm really happy with those 2 players. I would have preferred Wiggins, but these picks actually make our team better faster. Shoot, wish I could remember this exactly... but wasn't it something like Nick supposedly said it was 100% going to be a power forward (and then most likely Randle)? Just curious if anyone recalls exactly what was claimed... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ball junkie 277 Report post Posted June 30, 2014 Shoot, wish I could remember this exactly... but wasn't it something like Nick supposedly said it was 100% going to be a power forward (and then most likely Randle)? Just curious if anyone recalls exactly what was claimed... Good call, lol....I remember that....Then Acres came on the thread and told everybody his Nick story and how Nick had no clue about Henny's decsion decision making, lol. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CTMagicUK 1,488 Report post Posted June 30, 2014 The post in question said that Nick said (paraphrasing) "It would be a PF, either Vonleh or Randle". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marc Acres 3:16 418 Report post Posted June 30, 2014 Good call, lol....I remember that....Then Acres came on the thread and told everybody his Nick story and how Nick had no clue about Henny's decsion decision making, lol. Yes, and he still doesn't. Just because he knew about PF doesn't mean he knew which one, hence my comment about him saying we were going to pick your favorite person in the universe. edit-...lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ball junkie 277 Report post Posted June 30, 2014 Yes, and he still doesn't. Just because he knew about PF doesn't mean he knew which one, hence my comment about him saying we were going to pick your favorite person in the universe. edit-...lol Yep, we finally agree on something the word "lol"..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fultz4thewin 2,464 Report post Posted June 30, 2014 Yes, and he still doesn't. Just because he knew about PF doesn't mean he knew which one, hence my comment about him saying we were going to pick your favorite person in the universe. edit-...lol And considering 4 or 6 players in the lotto (depending on what you consider Parker and McDermott) we're PFs. It's not like he went out on a limb. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MagicFanInNevada 51 Report post Posted June 30, 2014 Tanking works if you can keep it to a season or two....too much and you build an organization with a losing mentality. Time to let the young guns loose and try for the playoffs in a weak East. I think we have 4 guys who have All-Star potential in Vuch, Dipo, Gordon and Payton but only way to find out is to let them play now. I totally agree with all of this. We've tanked for two years and now it's time to go out and compete on a nightly basis. The East is wide open IMO so I say let's try and get that 7th or 8th spot and give our young guys some confidence. Even if we get swept or lose in 5 games it'll at least give us some high hopes going into the next season. I say start all the young guns and let them get after it. Vucevic, Gordon, Harris/Harkless, Oladipo, and Payton should be the starters from day one IMO. I think Harris would be an excellent sixth man. Good scoring and great energy off of the bench. We would probably have more scoring off of our bench with Harris, Fournier, and Nelson. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Catman 380 Report post Posted June 30, 2014 Yes exactly. Nick is not going to get any info because he is a public figure who gets asked that stuff all the time and is not the brightest guy in the world. He probably guessed by need and it's pretty obvious we needed a PF and PG. If we keep Nelson. I am pretty sure he will start for a while. Payton will have to earn it. I think Nelson/Victor/Harkless/Gordon/Vuc are the starters. Just my prediction. We still have camp. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MagicFanInNevada 51 Report post Posted June 30, 2014 If we keep Nelson. I am pretty sure he will start for a while. Payton will have to earn it. I think Nelson/Victor/Harkless/Gordon/Vuc are the starters. Just my prediction. We still have camp. You're probably right, Nelson would probably start for at least the first 20 games or so. That starting lineup would be good. Oladipo, Harkless, and Gordon are tremendous athletes and it'll be fun to watch Share this post Link to post Share on other sites