Great Look by Yahoo Sports: What If Tim Duncan Joined Magic in 2000

[Kent]

https://sports.yahoo.com/alternate-nba-endings-what-if-tim-duncan-joined-tracy-mcgrady-and-grant-hill-in-2000-free-agency-144626322.html

Many of us Magic fans have lamented on "what could have been" had Timmy joined T-Mac and Hill in 2000.

Yahoo Sports did a great job this week looking back on the super team that almost was and how it could have ended for more than the three players involved.

It's nice when a national writer takes the time and effort to talk about us and made me think of things I hadn't considered, like if John Gabriel becomes mentioned in the same sentence as Jerry West and Pay Riley.

Curious how folks here think things could have been different for us.

[RookieStar]

this is soooo sad.

We could have been the first ever super team.

[Skybox]

We WERE the first ever shameless tank...but then we kept winning and some rookie coach wins coach of the year.

[Skybox]

:D We WERE the first ever shameless tank...but then we kept winning and some rookie coach wins coach of the year.

I doubt forums like this existed but that would've been a blast. I forget the total number of transactions but it was INSANE.

[Kent]

Even if Grant's recovery timeline was the same and he didn't come back until 2004, Timmy and T-Mac would've been enough to carry them into the ECF if not the Finals those first 4 years.

[dc]

:D We WERE the first ever shameless tank...but then we kept winning and some rookie coach wins coach of the year.

You guys didn't so much do the first shameless tank as much as you guys did the first shameless "blow it all up" and start over.

I think you guys were the #3 seed in the lockout shortened 99' season....then proceeded to blow things up, trading more talented players for less talented players that expired the next season without getting anything else in return. That was an unprecedented move at the time. Nobody ever thought to be as bold as that. It was practically inconceivable that anyone would have the gall to try it. The Magic made the expiring contract a valued asset; also sort of a first.

A few years later, Denver basically tried copying the Magic blueprint, shedding LaFrentz, McDyess and Van Exel for cap space (though McDyess did get back the #7 pick in the draft).

And it would've all worked, if not for Hill's ankle...and I suppose Duncan's then wife.

[Bensational]

This is one of my favourite what-if hypotheticals to think about from time to time.

But you know an underrated one? What if we'd never traded Tmac? What if we gambled his last season and hoped he'd become inspired by the new additions that summer. Because, had he stayed, we could have had a lineup of:

Dwight
Gooden/Juwan
Hedo/Hill
Tmac/Giricek
Lue/Jameer

And had we not fired Doc so early into that season? Tmac was still only 24, even though his back problems were beginning. I would have gambled on Tmac staying after he got a taste of Dwight.

[Kent]

This is one of my favourite what-if hypotheticals to think about from time to time.

But you know an underrated one? What if we'd never traded Tmac? What if we gambled his last season and hoped he'd become inspired by the new additions that summer. Because, had he stayed, we could have had a lineup of:

Dwight
Gooden/Juwan
Hedo/Hill
Tmac/Giricek
Lue/Jameer

And had we not fired Doc so early into that season? Tmac was still only 24, even though his back problems were beginning. I would have gambled on Tmac staying after he got a taste of Dwight.

So much this!!! Thank you, Bensational!

I don't give this enough thought actually.

But to think what that team could have done even with Johnny Davis at the helm is fun to think about.

As much fun as T-Mac and G Hill working together would've been, adding Dwight to that mix would've been amazing.

I know T-Mac praised Dwight during and after his career so you're right, it would've likely been a worthwhile gamble.

Heck, he'd have a healthy dominant big man to work with. What's not to like?