Solid Snake wrote:All I care about is results. These guys can continue to spout nonsense about the flaws of our team and the ineptitude of management. These were the same people saying Charlotte and Atlanta would have better records. That the Magic would be fighting for the 8th seed at best but probably finish with 33 wins. Now that we are on pace for 50+ wins, their attitude changes to the predictable "regular season doesn't matter" bull crap. Just trying to cover up their horrible misjudging of the Magic season. Its fine though. They claim they have "higher standards". Oh, well, excuse us. I thought you were the guys who thought the Magic had little to no chance to make the playoffs, while most of us did, yet now you have the higher standards for the team. My how things change.
What it comes down to is, we are the most impressive 36-22 team in history. I mean, we have no starting power forward. Our point guards are awful. We have no starting shooting guard. We have no bench. We have no rebounding or defense aside from 1 player. Management is among the worst in the league. We waste draft after draft. Don't you guys think it is quite impressive to have the record we do?
Don't know who had the Magic winning 33 games. I had this team winning 45 wins. Do I think that there much better than I thought because they win 50. Not really because if I knew the East would suck this much 50 wins would remain a potential possibilty.
The fact is how do you judge your GM. IMO what happens on the floor does not give credence to the GM many times. The players play the coaches coach and the GM watches.
A GMs job is to add talent around the team. Fix holes. Put the best team he can out on the floor. Since Otis has become GM how well has he done that job? Wouild these be fair statements?
The Magic have gotten less talented at PG under Otis.
The Magic have gotten less talented at SG under Otis
The Magic have no true PF
The Magic have less big man talent than prior to Otis.
The Magic are compariable in talent at SF with Hedo, Rashard in comparison to Hedo and Grant Hill.
The Magic are in worse cap situation than prior to Otis
Just to put some stats to those statements here are the numbers.
http://www.82games.com/0708/0708ORL5.HTM
http://www.82games.com/0506/0506ORL5.HTM
Now looking at the numbers you see 1 level of improvement. The Center position is as productive as any in the league. What has Otis done as GM outside watch Dwight go from a rookie to one of the best bigs in the league. He did do a good job hiring SVG but is that enough to say he is a good GM.
Basing a GM by record is a waste of time. If that was the case Presti has done horrible and Danny Ferry has done great. Perhaps there should be a statue of Jerry Krause outside the United Center. Last year I heard Bulls fans say how great John Paxson was because look at the record. Even though he gave a ridiculous contract to Ben Wallace, passed on LeMarcus Aldridge, gave away Tyson Chandler and consistently let his expiring contract expire without compensation.. Couldn't make a big trade to ever get the kind of player they needed to make the next step.
The reality is you have a great improving player your team should improve. What level of credit should the GM get then. I'm looking at Otis and thinking if Dwight was still playing like he did when he was a kid then this team be a barely playoff team in a horrible conference at best.
)
