Is there some sort of grassroots movement we can start to get Kevin Durant to sign with Orlando?

[Blue_and_Whte]

We would have to make it past Round 1 of the playoffs to even have a chance of Durant looking at joining us.

That would be immensely short sighted of him if he's expecting something that rarely happens (an 8th seed beating a #1 seed). I think if we keep the series close and show some toughness to hang with a more talented team than I think that would be attractive to any FA. I disagree on the premise that we HAVE to make it past the first round in Durant's mind. We have the money and young talent, that alone has him looking at us.

That's EXACTLY what he is... Short Sighted. Because he wants to win a championship NOW.

I highly doubt that. I'm not saying we're a lock to land Durant but I doubt he has that much of an unrealistic expectation. He could very well take the easy road and sign with GS. Nobody knows whats going to happen, Im just glad we're in a position to make some noise in free agency finally.

[PennytoShaq]

Look at your last post. There are a lot of "would have" scenarios that very well could have happened. You adamantly argue that none of them are possible.

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2007-06-12-duncan-notes_N.htm

http://www.csnchicago.com/bulls-talk/remembering-t-macs-2000-free-agency

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/10/AR2007061001393.html

The hypotheticals are the only way that McGrady could have ended up in Orlando if Duncan and Hill both signed. The Magic would have had zero money to offer him. The article you cite as McGrady being willing to take less money is specifically referencing the differential between what he would have earned if he signed directly with the Magic versus a SnT with the Raptors. Then, just as now, a team could offer a larger and longer contract to re-sign a player than said player could garner in free agency. The Magic traded a first round pick to Toronto just for the opportunity to pay McGrady more money. It was the fact that the Magic could sign him to the 67ish million that forced the Raptors to agree to a SnT to get any compensation.

This is essentially like saying the Magic could sign LeBron, Durant, and Drummond to max deals this summer if just one of those teams agrees to a SnT. The Magic could acquire any player in the NBA if only the other team would willingly take 50 cents on the dollar in a trade. It is both plausible and yet inherently absurd.

Writers embellish to get readers.

Simply stated. McGrady wanted to come to Orlando. What made that a possibility, was that Tim Duncan didn't.

Unfortunately you are not 100% correct. I remember the situation very well, and the Magic DID indeed plan to sign all 3. The visits and courting started with Duncan and Hill, but McGrady was always in the plans:

"Thanks to shrewd moves over the previous 15 months by general manager John Gabriel, the Magic had enough money to sign Duncan and Hill to maximum contracts and also try to convince McGrady to join them. Four years after franchise center Shaquille O'Neal left for the Lakers as a free agent, team officials were desperate to become nationally relevant again."

http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/84138736/failed-big-three-tracy-mcgrady-tim-duncan-grant-hill-magic

[Skin]

That would be immensely short sighted of him if he's expecting something that rarely happens (an 8th seed beating a #1 seed). I think if we keep the series close and show some toughness to hang with a more talented team than I think that would be attractive to any FA. I disagree on the premise that we HAVE to make it past the first round in Durant's mind. We have the money and young talent, that alone has him looking at us.

That's EXACTLY what he is... Short Sighted. Because he wants to win a championship NOW.

I highly doubt that. I'm not saying we're a lock to land Durant but I doubt he has that much of an unrealistic expectation. He could very well take the easy road and sign with GS. Nobody knows whats going to happen, Im just glad we're in a position to make some noise in free agency finally.

What do you think of Woj's comments below?

"The Lakers are not front-runners for Kevin Durant, he wants to win a championship," said Wojnarowski. "If he leaves Oklahoma, he may end up staying there and I've written that. Golden State is a team that is worrisome for Oklahoma City -- that's a team that has Kevin Durant's attention. Kevin Durant wants to win a championship right away and either he wants to do that in Oklahoma City with the group they have or he's going to go somewhere where he can win a title right away.

He's at a point in his career where he cant wait two or three years and hope that it happens. I think part of his criteria, sources tell me, will be, 'Is that team good enough to beat Golden State with me on it? Or is it Golden State? Or can I stay in Oklahoma and continue to be able to do that and compete for a championship?

I think the same logic would apply to us as it does with the Lakers.

[j-ragg]

I don't disagree ^ but we have a lot more assets/future potential than LAL. Like... way more.

[SD2042]

That's EXACTLY what he is... Short Sighted. Because he wants to win a championship NOW.

I highly doubt that. I'm not saying we're a lock to land Durant but I doubt he has that much of an unrealistic expectation. He could very well take the easy road and sign with GS. Nobody knows whats going to happen, Im just glad we're in a position to make some noise in free agency finally.

What do you think of Woj's comments below?

"The Lakers are not front-runners for Kevin Durant, he wants to win a championship," said Wojnarowski. "If he leaves Oklahoma, he may end up staying there and I've written that. Golden State is a team that is worrisome for Oklahoma City -- that's a team that has Kevin Durant's attention. Kevin Durant wants to win a championship right away and either he wants to do that in Oklahoma City with the group they have or he's going to go somewhere where he can win a title right away.

He's at a point in his career where he cant wait two or three years and hope that it happens. I think part of his criteria, sources tell me, will be, 'Is that team good enough to beat Golden State with me on it? Or is it Golden State? Or can I stay in Oklahoma and continue to be able to do that and compete for a championship?

I think the same logic would apply to us as it does with the Lakers.

On paper and on the court, they would be lethal and dangerous to contend with.

The thing that puts me against the Warriors getting Durant is they have a lot of talent and chemistry, but one ball. Who's likely to get screwed? Draymond Green and maybe Klay Thompson. Even if they consider a S&T deal for KD, do the Warriors take the risk of breaking up such a strong chemistry jus get KD regardless of how great he is?


As for the Magic going after KD and making him a Magician, I'm all for it. Getting someone of his caliber would make a world of difference on both ends of the floor. I'm also prepare to face the facts if the Magic do not get KD in the offseason. As long as we do something to better the team for the future and spend the money well. I can be content with that.

[Xatticus]

Unfortunately you are not 100% correct. I remember the situation very well, and the Magic DID indeed plan to sign all 3. The visits and courting started with Duncan and Hill, but McGrady was always in the plans:

"Thanks to shrewd moves over the previous 15 months by general manager John Gabriel, the Magic had enough money to sign Duncan and Hill to maximum contracts and also try to convince McGrady to join them. Four years after franchise center Shaquille O'Neal left for the Lakers as a free agent, team officials were desperate to become nationally relevant again."

http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/84138736/failed-big-three-tracy-mcgrady-tim-duncan-grant-hill-magic

The Magic definitely courted McGrady before the Duncan decision was made, but they had no money to offer to him if Duncan and Hill signed. There is a semantic implication that the author knows his false, which is why he worded it so poorly. The Magic succeeded in convincing McGrady before Duncan made his decision. He desperately wanted out of Toronto, but signing all 3 was never a possibility. Acquiring McGrady would have required a trade where the Magic would have to have dealt back more than 9 million in contracts.

Something else that hasn't been mentioned is that Duncan would have been sacrificing a good bit of money to join Orlando, San Antonio refused to consider a sign-and-trade as that would have undermined their own position to retain him.

[JF5]

Unfortunately you are not 100% correct. I remember the situation very well, and the Magic DID indeed plan to sign all 3. The visits and courting started with Duncan and Hill, but McGrady was always in the plans:

"Thanks to shrewd moves over the previous 15 months by general manager John Gabriel, the Magic had enough money to sign Duncan and Hill to maximum contracts and also try to convince McGrady to join them. Four years after franchise center Shaquille O'Neal left for the Lakers as a free agent, team officials were desperate to become nationally relevant again."

http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/84138736/failed-big-three-tracy-mcgrady-tim-duncan-grant-hill-magic

The Magic definitely courted McGrady before the Duncan decision was made, but they had no money to offer to him if Duncan and Hill signed. There is a semantic implication that the author knows his false, which is why he worded it so poorly. The Magic succeeded in convincing McGrady before Duncan made his decision. He desperately wanted out of Toronto, but signing all 3 was never a possibility. Acquiring McGrady would have required a trade where the Magic would have to have dealt back more than 9 million in contracts.

Something else that hasn't been mentioned is that Duncan would have been sacrificing a good bit of money to join Orlando, San Antonio refused to consider a sign-and-trade as that would have undermined their own position to retain him.

This... I clearly remember the Magic only had the ability to sign 2 guys... The only reason why this article exist was because it was after the Miami Big 3 occurred and the guy wanted to sell his propaganda, and say that Orlando was the first team who attempted to get a big 3 through Free-agency.

The goal was always Hill/Duncan... McGrady was just a good player at that point and a fall back guy...

[Blue_and_Whte]

That's EXACTLY what he is... Short Sighted. Because he wants to win a championship NOW.

I highly doubt that. I'm not saying we're a lock to land Durant but I doubt he has that much of an unrealistic expectation. He could very well take the easy road and sign with GS. Nobody knows whats going to happen, Im just glad we're in a position to make some noise in free agency finally.

What do you think of Woj's comments below?

"The Lakers are not front-runners for Kevin Durant, he wants to win a championship," said Wojnarowski. "If he leaves Oklahoma, he may end up staying there and I've written that. Golden State is a team that is worrisome for Oklahoma City -- that's a team that has Kevin Durant's attention. Kevin Durant wants to win a championship right away and either he wants to do that in Oklahoma City with the group they have or he's going to go somewhere where he can win a title right away.

He's at a point in his career where he cant wait two or three years and hope that it happens. I think part of his criteria, sources tell me, will be, 'Is that team good enough to beat Golden State with me on it? Or is it Golden State? Or can I stay in Oklahoma and continue to be able to do that and compete for a championship?

I think the same logic would apply to us as it does with the Lakers.

The problem I have with that logic is that HE's the one that turns any club he signs with INTO a contender.

Even moreso if Hennigan successfully lands Horford who's a guy Durant said he wants to play with. We are firmly ahead of the Lakers in our rebuild process and are currently in Playoff contention. Hypothetically, if we re-sign Jennings, then sign Durant and Horford along with the players we currently have then that IS a team that would contend for a title. Otherwise he's just taking a pay cut to go to an established contender like GS, SA or Cleveland which I'm not saying cant or wont happen because like everyone else who's saying "Durant wont do this, Durant wont do that." I'm not clairvoyant. (Obviously staying in OKC is a strong option)