Official Speculation & Free Agency Thread (Pt V, Mods Close)

[G-Heel]

If Magic fans can't see this for what it is then i don't even know what to say anymore. I am so disappointed in Dwight. If ya'll want to give the keys to the franchise to an obviously immature super star like Cleveland did to Lebron then so be it. I support Otis 100 percent.

Even if we decide to trade Dwight, I still want otis gone. He has done nothing that deserves support. I can't see why people blindly supporting him. Just look at his moves over the years, history explain itself. I want a competent GM heading forward, it's not much to ask for.

[FFBlitzace]

I don't necessarily support Otis 100%. He clearly isn't perfect.

But I am inclined to lean towards his side on this. You can't just spoil your star and let him run the team. If we let Dwight be the GM, we'd be terrible. Players (most of them, at least) don't really get it. Things are a lot more black and white to them, and that's just not how it works.

Players play and GMs GM. Otis doesn't happen to be among the better GMs out there, and he should indeed be held accountable for that, but we're still better off having him call the shots than letting Dwight make every personnel decision. Let's not pretend like Stephen Jackson (who was among the few actually attainable players on that "list") would have been anything other than a colossal mistake.

[RickB-Orlando]

Please trade him. Getting sick of seeing of seeing this ego war between Otis and Dwight.

Can we just trade Otis instead?

[Bensational]

If Magic fans can't see this for what it is then i don't even know what to say anymore. I am so disappointed in Dwight. If ya'll want to give the keys to the franchise to an obviously immature super star like Cleveland did to Lebron then so be it. I support Otis 100 percent.

dude, give it up. Otis was given a free ticket to winning with Dwight, plus a boat load of prize money to spend along the way. don't be hating Dwight because he's the first person to hold Otis accountable for his actions.

[magicman123]

i agree that players should play and the gm's gm...but damn otis needs all the help he can get

[ADRajX]

i agree that players should play and the gm's gm...but damn otis needs all the help he can get

[thelead]

I'ld rather have Dwight as a player and gm than Otis and his roster without Dwight.

[Bensational]

I don't necessarily support Otis 100%. He clearly isn't perfect.

But I am inclined to lean towards his side on this. You can't just spoil your star and let him run the team. If we let Dwight be the GM, we'd be terrible. Players (most of them, at least) don't really get it. Things are a lot more black and white to them, and that's just not how it works.

Players play and GMs GM. Otis doesn't happen to be among the better GMs out there, and he should indeed be held accountable for that, but we're still better off having him call the shots than letting Dwight make every personnel decision. Let's not pretend like Stephen Jackson (who was among the few actually attainable players on that "list") would have been anything other than a colossal mistake.

i think if Dwight could be convinced that despite the fact we didn't get the exact players he wanted, but we instead got players that could bring what they brought, then he'd be more accepting.

but instead of CP3/Deron/Monta/Boozer we got VC/Hedo/JRich/Arenas - and we screwed our cap situation up at the same time.

Dwight just wants help, and i don't think he's got it. clearly he doesn't think he's got it. he obviously doesn't think he's good enough to win on his own, so we have to accept that as a franchise and get him the help that will instill him with that confidence.

[PeePee la Fritz]

I'ld rather have Dwight as a player and gm than Otis and his roster without Dwight.

AND HE TRIED TO HIRE BILLY F***ING DONOVAN!!!!!!!!!! I am on Dwight's side

[pogiro]

I don't necessarily support Otis 100%. He clearly isn't perfect.

But I am inclined to lean towards his side on this. You can't just spoil your star and let him run the team. If we let Dwight be the GM, we'd be terrible. Players (most of them, at least) don't really get it. Things are a lot more black and white to them, and that's just not how it works.

Players play and GMs GM. Otis doesn't happen to be among the better GMs out there, and he should indeed be held accountable for that, but we're still better off having him call the shots than letting Dwight make every personnel decision. Let's not pretend like Stephen Jackson (who was among the few actually attainable players on that "list") would have been anything other than a colossal mistake.

I'd be more inclined to defend Otis if Otis' moves worked. And they've been pretty disastrous. I don't know what Dwight had in mind. But like it's been said, he's not our GM. It's not his job to know what's best. It's Otis' job. And his judgment has been bad at best. It's not Otis' job to do everything Dwight wants. But he's not been doing his actual job very well, either. And now chances are Dwight's gone. I don't know how people can defend Otis.

[Bensational]

anyone else notice the pattern developing between Magic management never being able to keep their superstars happy by not getting them help?

we sided with Weis and chased Tmac out of town. we chased Penny out of town (hands were tied on that one). now we're siding with Otis and chasing Dwight out of town?

didnt they side with Penny first and chase Hill out?

yeah, but they didn't get him any help once Shaq left, did they? as i said, though, Penny obviously went on to be an injury prone player. Tmac did too. but we don't have hindsight in this situation so we can only assume Dwight will continue to be awesome.

[Coach_McGuirk]

The problem is Dwight wants the approval of everybody. Lets face it everybody can reach Dwight per twitter. It didnt help us either that everyone in the media is against Orlando. Every week we had to hear about even with Dwight we will never win. Since he is easily influenced it took over and he starts believing the reporters. It is sad thats all I can say,

[Tcarl67]

What list? Dwight has a list of possibles he wanted? Was this mad e Public or are these speculations too?

[EasternMagic]

I don't necessarily support Otis 100%. He clearly isn't perfect.

But I am inclined to lean towards his side on this. You can't just spoil your star and let him run the team. If we let Dwight be the GM, we'd be terrible. Players (most of them, at least) don't really get it. Things are a lot more black and white to them, and that's just not how it works.

Players play and GMs GM. Otis doesn't happen to be among the better GMs out there, and he should indeed be held accountable for that, but we're still better off having him call the shots than letting Dwight make every personnel decision. Let's not pretend like Stephen Jackson (who was among the few actually attainable players on that "list") would have been anything other than a colossal mistake.

Agree 100%

LeBron practically ran Dan Gilbert's desk, and he still walked.

[Magicalltheway]

this is now on Martin, to me the choice is clear. Player like Dwight are one every 15yrs, GMs like Otis, well many of us on this forum can do a better job.

[RickB-Orlando]

JohnDenton555 John Denton
@Orlando_Magic GM O.Smith: ``He’s had a relationship with me for seven years and now we don’t have one? I think our relationship is fine.’’

You know, there's a ton of contradiction going on. Dwight says one thing, Otis counters with another. It's pretty obvious that they're on different pages. So, with everyone knowing that and seeing it develop more and more by the moment, why isn't Alex Martins setting up a meeting with both parties to play 'mediator'?

I could be wrong, but if the air was cleared and the left hand knew exactly what the right hand was doing, who's to say Dwight even has to be traded?

So, I know Alex. Not really well, but I know him. He knows my wife pretty well through her job, and I've chatted with him at several functions over the past few years (curiously enough, once on draft night this year. I promised not to pester him for info, and he volunteered that they were trying hard to move up). To be clear though, I'm certainly not an insider, I don't have any keen insight into what's going on, and I am not claiming to be a conduit for insider information. But I know the guy. And I'll tell you, he is very, very smart, with a great head for business. He also seems to genuinely love the team.

He's a no nonsense guy, but he's also not one to make a snap decision without knowing all the facts, as best as he can. he also seems to have some faith in Otis and his ability to pull off the deals that the owners wanted to see - for example, they were very happy to get Hedo 'back where he belongs.'

My guess is there will be such a meeting - or at the very least, he'll meet with both Dwight and Otis individually - in an attempt to do just that (clear the air). That certainly seems to be his style, and I don't think he will just let this fester - unless he's (Alex) already decided that Dwight has to go, and they're just working on the best deal already.

[magicman123]

What list? Dwight has a list of possibles he wanted? Was this mad e Public or are these speculations too?

not all public, but he had talks with otis over the years about which players he would like to play with, not just stars, role players etc, said otis hasn't really listened

[EasternMagic]

this is now on Martin, to me the choice is clear. Player like Dwight are one every 15yrs, GMs like Otis, well many of us on this forum can do a better job.

Firing Otis now will not change anything. Martins can't change anything right now.

[JF5]

JohnDenton555 John Denton
@Orlando_Magic GM Otis Smith: ``I’m not close to anything. I’m still looking, but there’s nothing hard concrete. I don’t have a timetable.’’

Please get this over with.

Why? Because some fans are frustrated? No reason to trade him out anytime soon. Keep him on the team. See if this team can be successful. Come All-Star break, if this team has been successful up to then, throw a friggin huge extravaganza of a celebration in our shiny new arena. See if this triggers some pro-Magic attitudes with Dwight. If not. There'd be plenty of time to swing a trade before the deadline. And you'll get some desperate trades offers with teams bidding against each other.

Fans, deal with it. Put your hatred towards Otis aside. There's no rush.

There is no reason to toy with this situation any longer. Dwight is a goner regardless... No Superstar is coming here, and the Magic don't have assets to attain better players at this point to become an ideal contender. The longer you keep Dwight this season, the harder it is to tank in order to get better position in the 2012 draft.

I just don't understand Otis's logic in keeping Dwight for "the foreseeable future" when it's quite obvious he's going to leave come July.

I think the reason Otis is not so quick to pull the trigger is because he knows the sooner that Dwight leaves, he is going to be dismissed as well not to long after. That's my feeling at this point. He's just stalling the inevitable.

[FFBlitzace]

I'm not defending Otis. I'm simply not defending Dwight either. If Dwight's gonna act like a baby and whine about the GM not getting players on his list and letting him play armchair GM, then I'm not going to side with him. Doesn't really matter who the GM is or what the GM has done, with the possible exception of Isiah Thomas who is clinically insane.

Remember when Tmac wanted us to trade the #1 pick for "help"? Yeah. Letting players call the shots is a sure path to disaster.

"But Otis has led us to disaster!"

Okay. I don't necessarily disagree. We're looking at a situation now where Dwight wants out, and that's a certifiable disaster. So does Otis deserve to get fired? Yeah. I don't know if he will, but if he got fired today, you wouldn't see me complain.

The point isn't really about Otis or Dwight specifically. It's about not creating an environment where the GMs are just figureheads that indulge a star's every whim. That's not going to work, because players do not know best. Not all GMs do either, so when it becomes clear that yours doesn't, then by all means fire him.