How are you taking this season?

[shmarc02]

2012/2013

It is always hard when you lose nearly every game but in my opinion we are now in a situation which is almost ideal for a rebuild.

Last summer I had a lot of ideas how we can rebuild in a shot timeframe. For me the trade idea with the Rockets was the best way to rebuild in a short period of time. I had a wish for a deal which brings Martin, Motiejunas, Jones and muliple picks to Orlando. But if I compare what we have now I am sure that the way Henny choosed was almost the best we could go.

Now we have guys like Vucevic, Nicholson, Harkless, Harris on the roster and multiple 1st Rounders.

2013/2014

This will be our last ride on the tank. Because of that I would not sign any free agent which helps us short term. If there is a young guy with potential available we could think about him but now pay over $4 million / year for him.

I assmume that the minimum team salary will be arround $50 million for the next season. If we are going to be the sencond worse team in the league at the end of the season pick #5 will be the the worst pick we could get. This means our Rookie would earn between $2,812,200 (#5) and $4,286,900 (#1) in his first year. Including a secont round pick we could be barely under the salary cap minimum.

So what should we do with the contracts of Harrington and Turk? It depends on our cap situation after the draft. If we are going to be under the minimum I would keep Turk and try do deal Harrington for some more talented players or a pick. An than letzs see what Henny can do with Turks contract at the next trading deadline.

I would go with McLemore, Smart or Noel (although he won't help us the first season) in this years draft and let our young players do their thing. The main goals: development and wiggins/parker.

2014/2015 will be the season we will be be back knocking on postseasons door and in 2015/2016 we will be able to resign Vucevic and (best case) sign to max-free agents (Rondo, LMA, Love). I trust in henny and think that we will be a contender in that season.

[SD2042]

This season is going the way I'm expecting it to be. We are in the rebuilding process and need to find our identity. It's like a teen coming out of high school and entering into college for the first time. We set plans in place for us to follow. The plan will have it's shares of successes and failures along the way. The idea is to maintain that endgame which is to make a success out of yourself. In the Magic's case, reinvent themselves much better than before.

[Optimus_Steel]

I was here in the 21 win season and I will be still here. I am taking the losses in stride, although I do want to win a game here and there. I have fun watching the young guys do good and develop. Last year was not fun at all, it was depressing. Even when the team won it sucked because more rumors kept coming out. Dwight seemed to change his mind every 2 mins and it tested my love of basketball. I had no confidence in Otis, the team was in cap hell, and our young players sucked. There was literally a dark cloud hanging over.

This year was like a much needed refresh button. Hennigan has earned my trust and the young players he acquired are not only talented, but really fun to watch and root for. The man and his staff are smart, work really hard, and they do their homework. There is finally a legit plan in place and new management is willing to make the tough decisions (like trade away the veterans, hold off on FA, be willing to lose many games) that guys like Otis are too afraid, stubborn, and dumb to do. Thinking about the future gets me really excited because its bright.

[Potterman]

I'm taking it as were tanking.

[BadMofoPimp]

I can't personally say that going from Championship contenders to a possible decade of bottom feeding as a bright future, but it is just a game. Thus, I will still follow, but the sport has lost its luster for avid visual entertainment value.

[dsg2003mach1]

I think part of the problem is when the team is this bad, its not even that much fun to watch the other teams. Watching the other team get wide open layups and dunks, hitting wide open shots hardly trying isnt that entertaining when you're on the receiving end. Its just not the same as watching a great offensive player like Durant, Kobe, LBJ etc face a great defense and pull off the incredible.

[surflawyer]

I feel like I just woke up from a Comma and my team has players I've never heard of .... I tired to log on to realGM today to check in after months of inactivity ...... I actually forgot my password .... nuf said

[Realist2001]

I enjoy watching the growth of this team. I don't watch every game but the games I watch, though most of the time painful, show promise. Big difference from seeing aging vets year after year and a team that you knew had a ceiling that wasn't going to end in the NBA Finals. We are in good hands and I'll enjoy the bumps along the way

[OrlandoMagician]

This season is totally fine by me.

In a weird way, I think I thrive off low expectations when it comes to the Magic, it takes the heat off. I've spent the last couple of seasons justifying my team's underwhelming playoff performances (exits to the Hawks and Pacers in particular, even if D12 was missing for Pacers), and having to rationalise why we had such a dominant big man but were no longer able to translate that into success. Blaming Otis - true and fair though it is - just made me seem petty and desperate for excuses in the eyes of my Heat-supporting and Celtics-supporting friends.

We're 16-41 this season and yet I have no feeling of embarrassment or disappointment about my Magic. We're going about things the right way: we're blooding the youth, we're (usually) playing hard each night, and there's now a tangible sense of camaraderie and togetherness that's been lacking for at least a year.

Things'll only get better. This is, or at least should be, the 'worst' of it - and yet I'm enjoying this season. Onward and upward for the Orlando Magic.

P.S. Otis - I don't miss you.

[mbn23]

Let's go Magic! I am and always will be a Magic fan. They are going thru a tough time wins/loss wise, but I'm excited to see what happens. Going to go see a Magic game later this month for my bday. Let's get that win!