Official Speculation Thread (Pt. XLV "Re-Building" Edition)

[rcklsscognition]

I wouldn't be surprised if Kobe and Gasol mold Dwight into a real adult and Dwight goes on to win 5 or 6 rings in LA, but I also wouldn't be surprised if he can't shed the clown image and ultimately is a failure. He said for years he was a leader and never proved it, now he doesn't need to be one and I'll be interested if Kobe and Gasol can drag him to a championship.

[Chet Wagner]

@ catching up and reading BMP's posts

Dude is just mad because he's also a Heat bandwagoner and now they're endangered

I'm fine with the Lakers. We were never going to win anything for the next 4-5 years as long as the big 3 in Miami existed. So let the Lakers and Heat start a nuclear war and slug it out while we sit in a bunker out of the spotlight and carefully and quietly build up from scratch.

To me the best case scenario is the Lakers make the Heat break up, and then Kobe and Nash retire and Dwight is left with nothing in LA. He'll crumble under the pressure of being the main guy over there

Plus, that's without mentioning the Thunder will probably have to let Harden/Ibaka go too. This league will be prime for the taking in a few years for any team that plays it right

[rcklsscognition]

So Hennigan completely constructed this trade according to everyone. Henny called the Lakers, Henny got Philly in the deal and Henny got Denver in. He really wanted this trade I guess.

[NEM]

I'm more excited to watch Magic ball this season than I was last season.

Im about to And1 this

[mhi]

Welcome to the NBA Lottery guys. Not many teams can be said to be privvy to this exclusive club.

[NEM]

Welcome to the NBA Lottery guys. Not many teams can be said to be privvy to this exclusive club.

only 14 every year.... we however have had the most luck out of any team with it lol

[Chet Wagner]

So Hennigan completely constructed this trade according to everyone. Henny called the Lakers, Henny got Philly in the deal and Henny got Denver in. He really wanted this trade I guess.

The fact it happened so quickly I think is only further proof that he was told to make a deal to the Lakers

If you don't believe there was a promise with the whole ETO thing, that's fine and I don't fault you for not believing in things without proof. But I think just looking at it from the outside it seems like something was definitely there

[InFlames]

So Hennigan completely constructed this trade according to everyone. Henny called the Lakers, Henny got Philly in the deal and Henny got Denver in. He really wanted this trade I guess.

The fact it happened so quickly I think is only further proof that he was told to make a deal to the Lakers

If you don't believe there was a promise with the whole ETO thing, that's fine and I don't fault you for not believing in things without proof. But I think just looking at it from the outside it seems like something was definitely there

I remember when everyone around here was mad at Rob for taking as long as he was lol.

[rcklsscognition]

So Hennigan completely constructed this trade according to everyone. Henny called the Lakers, Henny got Philly in the deal and Henny got Denver in. He really wanted this trade I guess.

The fact it happened so quickly I think is only further proof that he was told to make a deal to the Lakers

If you don't believe there was a promise with the whole ETO thing, that's fine and I don't fault you for not believing in things without proof. But I think just looking at it from the outside it seems like something was definitely there

I have been the strongest supporter of the Dwight promise since early this year.

[glennathan]

Ya know, I was pretty upset about the Dwight Howard trade earlier. I was thinking that "Hennigan is outta his mind!" and "He turned our team into a joke." But, then I was thinking about another team that was pretty similar and was considered a joke of a franchise. Do you know who that other team was? The Seattle Sonics.

Then, I looked up Sam Presti's introductory press conference, where he got introduced as the new general manager of the Seattle Sonics, and everything he said sounded so familiar. I couldn't put my finger on it until I re-watched Hennigan's introductory press conference also. Rob Hennigan says and does everything just like Sam Presti!

In each of their press conferences, they talked about getting better incrementally, talked about wanting to change the culture (I don't know if Presti used the word culture though), talked about wanting to be a professional team, talked about wanting players who WANT to be there. Both were also hired at age 30.

Also, if you look at their transaction history, they're very similar also.

Rob Hennigan
Signed & Traded Power Forward Ryan Anderson to the New Orleans Hornets for Gustavo Ayon

Sam Presti
Signed & Traded Forward Rashard Lewis to the Orlando Magic for a future second round pick

Ron Hennigan
Traded our STAR Dwight Howard, Chris Duhon, Jason Richardson, and Earl Clark for Moe Harkless (Rookie), Arron Afflalo, Nikola Vucevic, Al Harrington, Josh McRoberts, Christian Eyenga, and 5 draft picks (3 first rounders and 2 second rounders) to form another super team in Los Angeles

Sam Presti
Traded the Sonic's STAR Ray Allen and a second round pick (Glen Davis) to the Boston Celtics to form a super team for a first round pick (Jeff Green) and Delonte West.

Rob Hennigan
Hired San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Jacque Vaughn as the head coach of the Orlando Magic

Sam Presti
Hired San Antonio Spurs assistant coach P.J. Carlesimo as the head coach of the Seattle Sonics

Do you see the pattern yet? Both are planning for the future. They are both consummate professionals and Hennigan will prove that soon enough. The thing that's funny is, that's only Sam Presti's first year, and he kept making a good decision after good decision that led to the Thunder eventually being as good as they are today.

Point is, I'm a Magic fan until I die and I'm going to be sticking it out and root for my team and be excited about them every time I watch them. I'm going to trust Hennigan and I'm going to trust the process that he is using to build our team. Eventually, we will be a good team again, it may take time, but we will be a good team and a championship contender.

For anyone that wants to watch the Sam Presti press conference, here it is.

http://www.nba.us/sonics/news/presti_video1.html

Nice comparison! It is a similar type of move.

[crazytown]

Just read what Houston was offering in the trade. Unbelievable. Makes zero sense why we didn't make that deal. Houston was more than willing to take on Dwight's drama and maybe trade him during the deadline.

I'm convinces Mitch had compromising pics of Devos.

[Def Swami]

Over/under 3 years before we talk about playoffs again??

[InFlames]

Just read what Houston was offering in the trade. Unbelievable. Makes zero sense why we didn't make that deal. Houston was more than willing to take on Dwight's drama and maybe trade him during the deadline.

I'm convinces Mitch had compromising pics of Devos.

You mean the Houston offer that didn't get released until after the trade with LA went down? Yea, the Houston offer was never as good as that, otherwise he would be a Rocket.

[Driguez]

Just read what Houston was offering in the trade. Unbelievable. Makes zero sense why we didn't make that deal. Houston was more than willing to take on Dwight's drama and maybe trade him during the deadline.

I'm convinces Mitch had compromising pics of Devos.

You mean the Houston offer that didn't get released until after the trade with LA went down? Yea, the Houston offer was never as good as that, otherwise he would be a Rocket.

Exactly.

[CPBalla2003 n da 863]

Over/under 3 years before we talk about playoffs again??

I say 2014 depending after Free Agency, the East is still open 5-12 imo.

[kasedafk_1]

Just saw the presser **** that big piece of ****. Hope he has a career ending injury. He thanks us lol yeah Dwight thanks for making us the laughing stock of the nba by only wanting to go to two teams. This trade is pathetic!

[PeePee la Fritz]

Over/under 3 years before we talk about playoffs again??

I said it when Henny got hired I'd give him 3 years. And I think going into that 3rd year it'll be reasonable to start expecting playoffs. 2 years of top 5 draft picks most likely, then a summer with big time cap space. 2014-2015 season here we come!

[ChildishGambino]

Just saw the presser **** that big piece of ****. Hope he has a career ending injury. He thanks us lol yeah Dwight thanks for making us the laughing stock of the nba by only wanting to go to two teams. This trade is pathetic!

[Def Swami]

Over/under 3 years before we talk about playoffs again??

I said it when Henny got hired I'd give him 3 years. And I think going into that 3rd year it'll be reasonable to start expecting playoffs. 2 years of top 5 draft picks most likely, then a summer with big time cap space. 2014-2015 season here we come!

I'm going to give it 3 years as well. We're going to need a lottery selection in 2013 and 2014 and then a year to acclimate those guys. I'm looking at 2015.

[Def Swami]

Josh Robbins ‏@JoshuaBRobbins
Rob Hennigan confirmed the hiring of #Pistons' Harold Ellis as Magic's new director of pro player personnel.