The Devos family

The_Watcher · Post #1 » by **The_Watcher** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 6:33 pm

I'll keep it short and simple -

Overall, do you like the Devos family as the owners of our team? Why or why not?

OrlandoNed · Post #2 » by **OrlandoNed** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 6:44 pm

I like them because they do the only thing an ownership group needs to do: scratch enough checks to support a franchise's desire for a title.

Blue_and_Whte · Post #3 » by **Blue_and_Whte** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 6:47 pm

Yup. They sign the checks. I like Devos actually.

NBlue · Post #4 » by **NBlue** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 6:50 pm

Its a mixed bag. The positives are that they have demonstrated a willingness to keep the team here in Orlando and demonstrated a significant effort to involve the team with the community through a wide variety of outreach efforts.

On the downside, the nepotism, highly questionable management decisions and the failure to have basketball people running the organization have created issues in maintaining a winning product on the court. The farce that allows Alex Martins to be calling the shots is a joke and the fact that grandchildren have been allowed to sit in on management meetings (See Grantland podcast with Zach Lowe of 2 years ago for cite) gives us the deserved reputation of being a Mickey Mouse organization.

Mr. Devos and his family certainly seem like good people and I think they have tried to do the right things. I just wish they hired people that know more about basketball and I continue to be upset at the way they failed to support SVG during the Dwight debacle.

cedric76 · Post #5 » by **cedric76** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 9:25 pm

Thx to the Devos family for everything they did for this franchise

Nemesis21 · Post #6 » by **Nemesis21** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 10:31 pm

NavalAviator94 · Post #7 » by **NavalAviator94** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 10:40 pm

I think they are one of the best owners in the league. We can nitpick anything but overall what more could you really ask for?

I'm a fan of the Orlando Magic because they started this franchise and built teams that we all loved to watch. They have always tried to hire the best people and when it came to spending money to win there was never a question. They aren't meddling in the operations department like so many of the new owners we see. They hire good people and let them do their job. Many of the Sr. folks in the organization have been with the Magic for many years if not the beginning. People don't stay that long unless there is a good culture that treats people well.

We can all nitpick certain decisions that have been made about any team really. Poor decisions happen and we all make mistakes but overall, they've been amazing owners and I wouldn't be a fan or on here posting if it wasn't for them.

RickB-Orlando · Post #8 » by **RickB-Orlando** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 10:43 pm

Yep, they are everything you could want in an ownership group. Willing to spend money, committed to keeping the team here, and cares more about building a winner than making a profit.

Orlwillbeback · Post #9 » by **Orlwillbeback** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 11:22 pm

absolutely do like them.

Optimus_Steel · Post #10 » by **Optimus_Steel** » Thu Mar 31, 2016 3:30 am

The Devos are good people who kept the team here when they could have sold it to Clay Bennett and his lying cronies. This is a small market and they always been willing to spend big and go into the luxury tax to win. Yes some of their nepotism and hires have been questionable but their commitment and desire to win have been fantastic. Compared to the rest they are awesome.

thelead · Post #11 » by **thelead** » Thu Mar 31, 2016 3:47 am

NBlue wrote:Its a mixed bag. The positives are that they have demonstrated a willingness to keep the team here in Orlando and demonstrated a significant effort to involve the team with the community through a wide variety of outreach efforts.

On the downside, the nepotism, highly questionable management decisions and the failure to have basketball people running the organization have created issues in maintaining a winning product on the court. The farce that allows Alex Martins to be calling the shots is a joke and the fact that grandchildren have been allowed to sit in on management meetings (See Grantland podcast with Zach Lowe of 2 years ago for cite) gives us the deserved reputation of being a Mickey Mouse organization.

Mr. Devos and his family certainly seem like good people and I think they have tried to do the right things. I just wish they hired people that know more about basketball and I continue to be upset at the way they failed to support SVG during the Dwight debacle.

Perfectly said.

Gomagic44 · Post #12 » by **Gomagic44** » Thu Mar 31, 2016 4:13 am

thelead wrote:
NBlue wrote:Its a mixed bag. The positives are that they have demonstrated a willingness to keep the team here in Orlando and demonstrated a significant effort to involve the team with the community through a wide variety of outreach efforts.

On the downside, the nepotism, highly questionable management decisions and the failure to have basketball people running the organization have created issues in maintaining a winning product on the court. The farce that allows Alex Martins to be calling the shots is a joke and the fact that grandchildren have been allowed to sit in on management meetings (See Grantland podcast with Zach Lowe of 2 years ago for cite) gives us the deserved reputation of being a Mickey Mouse organization.

Mr. Devos and his family certainly seem like good people and I think they have tried to do the right things. I just wish they hired people that know more about basketball and I continue to be upset at the way they failed to support SVG during the Dwight debacle.

Perfectly said.

I third this. A little too family oriented.

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EasternMagic · Post #13 » by **EasternMagic** » Thu Mar 31, 2016 4:47 am

I think Orlando has lucked out. Look at some of these other small market teams' ownership. Devos signs the checks when he needs to, he does his best to keep the organization a high character group. He's certainly not without his flaws, but overall, I'm pleased with his ownership.

thelead · Post #14 » by **thelead** » Thu Mar 31, 2016 12:09 pm

They will forever be a net positive just for keeping the team in this city. They could have easily cashed out.

BadMofoPimp · Post #15 » by **BadMofoPimp** » Thu Mar 31, 2016 12:19 pm

I only wish the Magic didn't tank so that they could have rebuilt faster and possibly win a ship before Devos moves on. It is an injustice to that family to lose this bad for 4 straight years. He deserves better.

thelead · Post #16 » by **thelead** » Thu Mar 31, 2016 1:02 pm

BadMofoPimp wrote:I only wish the Magic didn't tank so that they could have rebuilt faster and possibly win a ship before Devos moves on. It is an injustice to that family to lose this bad for 4 straight years. He deserves better.

Dwight was the one that caused that. He was our one big fish and he pretty much handicapped our ability to maximize his value in a trade.

BadMofoPimp · Post #17 » by **BadMofoPimp** » Thu Mar 31, 2016 1:07 pm

thelead wrote:
BadMofoPimp wrote:I only wish the Magic didn't tank so that they could have rebuilt faster and possibly win a ship before Devos moves on. It is an injustice to that family to lose this bad for 4 straight years. He deserves better.

Dwight was the one that caused that. He was our one big fish and he pretty much handicapped our ability to maximize his value in a trade.

Dwight didn't cause 4 straight years of bottom feeding.

NBlue · Post #18 » by **NBlue** » Thu Mar 31, 2016 1:12 pm

NavalAviator94 wrote:I think they are one of the best owners in the league. We can nitpick anything but overall what more could you really ask for?

Ummm, a commitment to winning basketball?

I'm a fan of the Orlando Magic because they started this franchise and built teams that we all loved to watch. They have always tried to hire the best people and when it came to spending money to win there was never a question. They aren't meddling in the operations department like so many of the new owners we see. They hire good people and let them do their job. Many of the Sr. folks in the organization have been with the Magic for many years if not the beginning. People don't stay that long unless there is a good culture that treats people well.

We can all nitpick certain decisions that have been made about any team really. Poor decisions happen and we all make mistakes but overall, they've been amazing owners and I wouldn't be a fan or on here posting if it wasn't for them.

I agree that they hire "good people" and that they are loyal willing to spend money in support of the team. They have many traits that should be and are lauded. But although Alex Martins seems like a generally nice guy, I see no evidence that he knows **** about basketball. This is the touchstone of the Devos ownership -- they reward their friends and family that have been loyal to the organization with positions of power instead of looking for the best person available. From Martins to Otis Smith to Scotty Skiles to Bob Vander Weide (until, of course, her divorced Devos' daughter) the Devos ownership strategy has been primarily based on loyalty to the organization and "comfort" rather than proven ability.

To say that they are one of the best owners in the league is laughable. Peter Holt, Micky Arison and Mark Cuban are probably the top 3 imo and they promote a culture of winning by bringing in basketball people to do a basketball job. Yes, we have a good family environment and our ownership is certainly better than some out there (I'm looking at you Jim Dolan) but to think for a moment the Devos' are anywhere near the top of the league is using the rosiest colored glasses imaginable.

Flannerz · Post #19 » by **Flannerz** » Thu Mar 31, 2016 3:13 pm

Optimus_Steel wrote:The Devos are good people who kept the team here when they could have sold it to Clay Bennett and his lying cronies. This is a small market and they always been willing to spend big and go into the luxury tax to win. Yes some of their nepotism and hires have been questionable but their commitment and desire to win have been fantastic. Compared to the rest they are awesome.

Did they try and buy the Magic? Are there other offers they've turned down over the years?

thelead · Post #20 » by **thelead** » Thu Mar 31, 2016 3:25 pm

BadMofoPimp wrote:
thelead wrote:
BadMofoPimp wrote:I only wish the Magic didn't tank so that they could have rebuilt faster and possibly win a ship before Devos moves on. It is an injustice to that family to lose this bad for 4 straight years. He deserves better.

Dwight was the one that caused that. He was our one big fish and he pretty much handicapped our ability to maximize his value in a trade.

Dwight didn't cause 4 straight years of bottom feeding.

You're right. After being forced to trade Dwight for peanuts (we got lucky with Vuc), we should have maxed out a few average players and looked forward to 5 straight years of 45 wins with no legit shot at winning a title.

Our biggest mistake (besides not tanking just a bit harder), was not finding another Brad Stevens.