I love Hennigan, but...

[imnumberthree]

I'll take a little heat for this, because I do feel like some folks on here blindly support Henny in everything that he does, but I really dislike his FA recruiting ability thus far. He has an uncanny ability to win trades, except Rhyno, and has a great eye for talent. But 3 summers in a row now and this is what I'm left to choose from...

E'Twuan Moore
DeQuone Jones
Jason Maxiell
Ronnie Price
Dwayne Dedmon
Willie Green
Ben Gordon
Luke Ridnour
CJ Watson
Jason Smith

One I'll give you that that list trends upward, however you would need to concede that when your two standout signings are E'Twuan Moore and Dwayne Dedmon there's a problem in the recruiting department.

[OrlandO]

Most of those were tank/mentor-motivated moves.

[SOUL]

Here's what I don't get from people that get angry at these signings.. this is what you're saying in my head:

"I'm fully cognizant that we are running a team with young talented players like Payton, Oladipo, Fournier, Gordon, Harris, Vucevic, Hezonja, Dedmon (even Harkless and Nicholson to an extent) but I am concerned about our third and fourth stringers not being slightly better than what they are."

It's just a weird gripe. Who do you expect? Which players do you want that would be better that actually doesn't totally **** up our future by making a player that should get more minutes not get more minutes?

If you want better players, those players expect more minutes. They also would want more money and not 1-year contracts.

You do have your rogue cases, like Willie Green - nobody thought he'd play that much, and he shouldn't have - but I'll chalk that up to a Vaughn thing rather than anything else, but for the most part, we're actually a 2 deep team which is more than a lot of lottery teams can say.

edit: Frye sucks. I don't like that signing, and he was definitely brought in to help - but I loved the idea in essence and see where he was coming from. A shame he played like an idiot most of the year.

[ChosenSavior]

Most of those were tank/mentor-motivated moves.

This.

I'm perfectly fine with the C.J. Watson signing, he will help this team. I am still trying to sell myself on Jason Smith but one thing looks to be clear this season is that we are gonna strive to have better spacing and be a much better shooting team to help Elfrid and Vic while allowing Vuc to have more space in the paint.

[SOUL]

And it doesn't mean I necessarily co-sign these moves either, but there's a difference in moves that are centered around vet mentoring and letting the young players have their deserved expanded roles, rather than a GM trying to fill out a roster with perceived "depth" for the playoffs.. like Otis.

[MagicFan101]

As OrlandoO mentioned, most of the moves made in free agency the previous two season were for the sake of the tank-a-thon.

Last season he chose to gamble on not extending Harris for the chance at swinging big this summer and still matching Harris for perhaps (and inevitably) more.

We missed on Milsap but at least we were in a position to (and did) take a swing at him. It is just hard to get better vets to sign on when recent years have been so bad.

We still have cap flexibility in coming years and should have an improved team. We chose to build through the draft so that is how it is. Free agents will come soon enough.

[eyriq]

Great point soul. However, free agency is the one area that I can legit gripe at Hennigan, and since he traded Anderson I've been itching for a fight. Let me have this.

[SOUL]

Great point soul. However, free agency is the one area that I can legit gripe at Hennigan, and since he traded Anderson I've been itching for a fight. Let me have this.

BRING RYNO HOME 2k15

[imnumberthree]

Here's what I don't get from people that get angry at these signings.. this is what you're saying in my head:

"I'm fully cognizant that we are running a team with young talented players like Payton, Oladipo, Fournier, Gordon, Harris, Vucevic, Hezonja, Dedmon (even Harkless and Nicholson to an extent) but I am concerned about our third and fourth stringers not being slightly better than what they are."

It's just a weird gripe. Who do you expect? Which players do you want that would be better that actually doesn't totally **** up our future by making a player that should get more minutes not get more minutes?

If you want better players, those players expect more minutes. They also would want more money and not 1-year contracts.

You do have your rogue cases, like Willie Green - nobody thought he'd play that much, and he shouldn't have - but I'll chalk that up to a Vaughn thing rather than anything else, but for the most part, we're actually a 2 deep team which is more than a lot of lottery teams can say.

Here's the thing, I'm not as confident as you are that those young guys are the future of a championship team. I think on the Spurs or Warriors all but two of the guys you listed would be backups or bench warmers. I may be wrong, but I truly believe we need a big time FA (Millsap would have been nice) to pair with all the youth or we will continue to flounder.

The long route can be good, but you have to give your day to day fan something to look forward to.

[SOUL]

Here's what I don't get from people that get angry at these signings.. this is what you're saying in my head:

"I'm fully cognizant that we are running a team with young talented players like Payton, Oladipo, Fournier, Gordon, Harris, Vucevic, Hezonja, Dedmon (even Harkless and Nicholson to an extent) but I am concerned about our third and fourth stringers not being slightly better than what they are."

It's just a weird gripe. Who do you expect? Which players do you want that would be better that actually doesn't totally **** up our future by making a player that should get more minutes not get more minutes?

If you want better players, those players expect more minutes. They also would want more money and not 1-year contracts.

You do have your rogue cases, like Willie Green - nobody thought he'd play that much, and he shouldn't have - but I'll chalk that up to a Vaughn thing rather than anything else, but for the most part, we're actually a 2 deep team which is more than a lot of lottery teams can say.

Here's the thing, I'm not as confident as you are that those young guys are the future of a championship team. I think on the Spurs or Warriors all but two of the guys you listed would be backups or bench warmers. I may be wrong, but I truly believe we need a big time FA (Millsap would have been nice) to pair with all the youth or we will continue to flounder.

The long route can be good, but you have to give your day to day fan something to look forward to.

It's just the thing the front office has committed to though, whether you agree with it or not it's what they've preached and talked about for years and I mean, we have evidence that these guy's aren't busts and are good players - now it's time to see if their games can mesh. Them doing something that pretty much contradicts that would make me question them.

But I mean, we tried for Millsap. Was a good try too. But you can see why that's the only "big starter FA move" they'd make because it was for our perceived weakest starting spot (or, where we'll have to play somebody that probably should be a SF).

[MagicFan32]

jason smith sucks, he's channing frye without 3 point range. very very bad on defense, poor signing.

[OrlDave]

I'll take a little heat for this, because I do feel like some folks on here blindly support Henny in everything that he does, but I really dislike his FA recruiting ability thus far. He has an uncanny ability to win trades, except Rhyno, and has a great eye for talent. But 3 summers in a row now and this is what I'm left to choose from...

E'Twuan Moore
DeQuone Jones
Jason Maxiell
Ronnie Price
Dwayne Dedmon
Willie Green
Ben Gordon
Luke Ridnour
CJ Watson
Jason Smith

One I'll give you that that list trends upward, however you would need to concede that when your two standout signings are E'Twuan Moore and Dwayne Dedmon there's a problem in the recruiting department.

Signing sought after FAs when your team is averaging barely north of 20 wins a year is a tall task. Assuming we even want a high end FA considering how much young talent we have, this won't happen till we're knocking the door to the playoffs. Look at LAL and NYK. They both got passed over by the top guys. LAL traded for Hibbert, got a decent pick up in Lou Williams and meh in Bass. And that's the most storied franchise in the 2nd largest market. As our team starts to win they'll get better looks. You think the Bucks could have signed Monroe before their resurgence?

Anyway, I'm not in love with all Rob's FA moves. I think Frye has been an unmitigated disaster so far. He might turn it around, but so far it's been bad. The rest of your list isn't worth getting upset over. One year deals. Willie Green is the exception, that guy pissed me off more than any single Magic player since Duhon. Sure it was tied to me wanted AG to play, but still...

But all told, 2 moves out of 3+ years is pretty damn good imo.

[ORLMagicGirl15]

I wonder if teams get some type of incentive when signing vets? I feel like every team signs some vets only for locker room presence or incentive.

[BadMofoPimp]

FYI. It is extremely hard to sign prized Free Agents when your team is a bottom feeder. Even the Lakers and Knicks can't sign anyone. Why do people even think the Magic should be considered for the LMA's of the league.

Once we start winning and are a playoff team, then Free Agents may consider this team.

[OrlDave]

Here's what I don't get from people that get angry at these signings.. this is what you're saying in my head:

"I'm fully cognizant that we are running a team with young talented players like Payton, Oladipo, Fournier, Gordon, Harris, Vucevic, Hezonja, Dedmon (even Harkless and Nicholson to an extent) but I am concerned about our third and fourth stringers not being slightly better than what they are."

It's just a weird gripe. Who do you expect? Which players do you want that would be better that actually doesn't totally **** up our future by making a player that should get more minutes not get more minutes?

If you want better players, those players expect more minutes. They also would want more money and not 1-year contracts.

You do have your rogue cases, like Willie Green - nobody thought he'd play that much, and he shouldn't have - but I'll chalk that up to a Vaughn thing rather than anything else, but for the most part, we're actually a 2 deep team which is more than a lot of lottery teams can say.

Here's the thing, I'm not as confident as you are that those young guys are the future of a championship team. I think on the Spurs or Warriors all but two of the guys you listed would be backups or bench warmers. I may be wrong, but I truly believe we need a big time FA (Millsap would have been nice) to pair with all the youth or we will continue to flounder.

The long route can be good, but you have to give your day to day fan something to look forward to.

Sigh. People are so impatient. Yes those guys are bench warmers on the Warriors and Spurs, but they won't be for much longer. Steph Curry, that guy who just won a title and was the best player in the league didn't hit 20 ppg till his 4th season. And he was a junior coming out of college. Guys get better, you just need to be patient.

[Optimus_Steel]

These guys are bench players and roster filler. Nothing more so I don't understand the impatience. We made a run at Millsap and he turned us down because our team is not a contender. I am not a believer in spending money for the sake of spending money.

[didak]

I think our roster is at a point now where we wait for the ones currently on there to shine. Whether it be Tobias, Frid, Oladipo or Vuc. Whomever can gel together will fit for us whilst the rest will be moved on and Henny will find the parts needed to make this squad better.

Henny's made no really bad contract moves like managements in the past. Frye is questionable but I think he will be better for us this season.

Keep the faith!

[j_n]

Smith is an asset, Im pretty sure Hennigan could have signed him for less but for what? we had about 4.5 million in cap space before signing Hezonja so you either use that cap space or you lose it.

By signing him to 4.5 you can trade him for a contract of 5.6 so when the trade deadline comes and teams are looking to trade guaranteed contracts for next offseason his expiring is more valuable if its bigger.

[rcklsscognition]

Great point soul. However, free agency is the one area that I can legit gripe at Hennigan, and since he traded Anderson I've been itching for a fight. Let me have this.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ryananderson33/status/618556442077888512[/tweet]

[tooler]

He's yet to hit it out of the park, but he took a good cut this summer. Let's see if we can get Horford next year.