Catledge wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
It's clear that everything comes back to the Rashard Lewis signing to you, and I'll concede that it's a fair point on which to evaluate Otis (I disagree with your evaluation, but let's not get back into that), but to use that to summarily dismiss the fact that the Magic have several million less dollars to play with than either of the teams in the finals seems to indicate a willingness to dismiss any evidence that is not to your liking.
I respect your right to voice your opinion and make your argument -- and I appreciate you doing so without flinging about insults as magnino does -- but your refusal to admit into evidence anything that does not fit in line with what you've already concluded makes me wonder why you bother to read other people's posts.
You can't concede and say lets ignore that. What part of life are you in a situation where you can throw money around and then later use not having enough money as an excuse. Its like you bought a $3000 suit but complain you can't afford the shoes. Your the one handing out the cash. Just spend less on the suit and buy some decent shoes.
Taking notes on what?
How to get a high post All Star F/C for nothing but a rookie and an expiring contract?
I think that kind of deal has happened twice in the past 8 years - Rasheed Wallace and Pau Gasol.
Sure, there have been other stars traded for very little but those are the only two legitimate big men traded for next to nothing, pushing their new team over the top or near it.
Well this team is really in need of a guard which has been easier to fill. Also remember that Zach Randolph averaged 24 and 10 when he was traded for expirings and Channing Frye. Also Tyson Chandler was traded straight up for nothing but an expiring in PJ Brown.
How many major upgrades in talent or roster upheavals have the Spurs had during their recent run? Their team is based on the chemistry of Duncan/Manu/Parker, and lesser extent Bowen, the rest of their role players.
When the Magic have 3 players that are top 25 players and one of the best perimeter defenders ever then we can talk about keeping a group together. The Spurs may have the most talented top 3 players in the entire league.
The Lakers added talent with Malone and Payton .. how did that work out?
They went to the NBA finals and beat the Spurs in the process who had been together for years. Your point? The also beat a Wolve team that beat a King team that had been together for years. The Lakers lost to a Piston team that had 2 new starters in Rasheed and Prince. Like I said before show me a time since that the Pistons have played better than right after that Rasheed trade.
That's an outright fabrication.
I've never said that we don't need upgrades. I've repeatedly said our MLE should be used on a quality 2 guard. I was outspoken in my frustration in not using our expirings at the deadline.
I DEMAND a link to prove what you said isn't a lie or a retraction.
Oh well call your lawyer. I believe I said something about signing multiple players with the money we gave Rashard Lewis. Then potentially using those players in trades in the future. You started which has been a common theme of this isn't NBA live stuff and we need to build chemistry.
What your saying now is not meaning much. We sign a SG with the MLE. Who?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/stor ... FreeAgentsThere are the free agents. Who there is realistically signing for the MLE who is a big upgrade over Evans and Bogans. If you don't make a trade and there not much to offer with the MLE how exactly are you going to upgrade the SG position.
This isn't even about which managing style is preferred or if the Lakers blueprint can be followed, it is about hating on the Magic. You keep referring to Lewis as a 3rd option, refusing to look at his career as a proven 2cd option, nor his post season play this year where he was clearly our 2cd best player. You choose to view Hedo's success as Lewis's failure. You choose not to see the potential in Nelson to improve nor the consistency on offense that Lewis brings. The Magic's bright future is built around both the hope of improvement in Dwight and Nelson and the offensive stability to be provided by Lewis. He is taking a gamble on Nelson (a gamble which I like), but Howard is pretty much a sure thing, as is Lewis. Hedo is icing on the cake, another 2cd option talent, and what Otis does with him, coupled with Nelson playing at the level he did to start and end the year, could put us right in the same tier with the Lakers next year. Then throw in the MLE, especially if it is used to grab Childress, and I really, really, like our chances. Much as Otis says, I like our team!
I keep referring to Lewis as a third option because he is. What he did in Seattle is not important. In Seattle he was the number 1 post player on the roster. Is that going to happen here. Does he have the ball handling and play making ability to supplant Hedo as the primary ballhandler? If your answer is no to both to those questions then that would make Rashard the third option. This is not about Hedo's success but the limitations of Rashard as a player. Hedo would not be the number 2 option if Rashard was a better ball handler.
The rest of your comments are just homer talk. This team lost to the Pistons 4-1 without Billups even playing. Your talking about were right there with the Lakers. I'm sure you just like Otis believe we should be playing in the NBA finals. I believe a few weeks ago you was even talking about how we had the formula for a dynasty.
Just for note the Lakers were the number 1 seed in the West before Bynum was injured. They were contending before the Gasol trade.
DEFCON - FIRESALE ON THE MAGIC!