Lowest point in franchise history. Where do we go from here?

[PrimeThyme]

Ending our last road game of the season with the worst loss in franchise history seems like the most fitting ending to this disastrous season. Every goal management had for this season failed. Every gamble management took this season failed. We have taken big steps back when at this point in a rebuild we should be fighting for the playoffs we are instead fighting for ping pong balls once again. Not only is our franchise, in year five of the rebuild, in the longest playoff drought in its history but this is arguably the least hope the fanbase and franchise has ever had for the future.

With 5 top 11 draft picks in the last 4 years we have nothing closely resembling a star to show for it. Oladipo along with our lottery pick was traded for a player no longer on the roster. EP has shown that he can be a good player but with his faults will likely need to be in the perfect up tempo system with the right players around him to ever really be a truly effective starter in this league. Mario has taken big steps back in his 2nd year and many just hope he can be a bench player for us and not bust out and go back to Europe. AG has the most upside on the roster but still isn't a franchise player and his likely ceiling is as a all-star. Vuc and Evan with their defensive setbacks are both likely six men in this league. Our highest payed player is a backup center with a very hard to move contract and we have arguably by the numbers the worst bench in the league.

The future without a doubt is very bleak. This seems to be the bleakest its been since the 91' season when the honeymoon phase had worn off and we were fresh off a 21-61 season with our most promising players being Nick anderson and Dennis scott but similarly to now, no star or anything close to a franchise player on the roster. That offseason though we lucked into one of the greatest players of all time, Shaquille O'neal.

Though there are potentially great players in this draft, There is no Shaquille O'neal to save us from the current state we are in. That doesn't mean all is lost though. Despite how truly bleak things look now I still think there is some moves that can be made to get this franchise going in the right direction again. Even if it does require tearing everything down and hitting the reset button on the rebuild.

Here is how I would do it.

Fire Rob Hennigan: I have been a Rob supporter on here and a Rob supporter since we hired him. I still believe to this day that Rob has a very keen eye for talent and always has and that if he was allowed to see this rebuild through and not have had upper management get involved we would be in a different place right now. Rob's biggest mistake though (and this is partially due to inexperience) was letting upper management get involved and accelerating this rebuild. Unfortunately with everything that has transpired the last two years because of it Rob has to go and we need to get someone else in with a different perspective to help rebuild this roster and that has more experience.

Replacement: Mike Zarren (GM)

Hire a Bball Ops: I firmly believe that Martins should have absolutely zero input on anything basketball related. If i had it my way he would be fired but I know ownership will keep him around for everything he does on the business side. My hire for a head of Bball ops would be Travis Schlenk who is a very qualified candidate with experience that has spent the last five years as assistant GM in GS. His introduction to the NBA also came as a member of our basketball operations staff in 1997-98.

Trade Vuc and Evan for future picks: My first move would be to try and package Evan + 2017 clippers pick +second round pick to Sacramento for their New Orleans pick and Rudy Gay (Buyout). I would then try to package Vuc in a trade for a future pick or young prospect. If the Lakers fall out of the top 3 this year and we get their 2019 draft pick we would have our 2017 pick, New Orleans 2017 pick, Our 2018 1st round pick, Our 2019 pick, && the Lakers 2019 round pick to rebuild with. I would give Elf another year and see if he can put together a full season and be our starting PG then let him hit restricted free agency and let the market determine his value. This would stretch rebuild out 2-3 more years but we would have a much more talented and competent roster because of it.

Draft Isaac/Josh Jackson and Malik Monk

2017 Lineup:
Elf/Dj
Monk/Meeks
Tatum(Jackson)/Ross
AG/Mario
Biyombo/FA

[Optimus_Steel]

This has been the worst season in Magic history. Yes other Magic teams have won less but the train wreck this year is the worst. It is also the most uninteresting, most depressing team to watch. Even the players are openly depressed.

[Max Power]

There's going to have to be something drastic to pull this franchise out of apathy. I'm not entirely sure changing the GM, Coach and all 12 players on the roster isn't warranted. Payton and Gordon are improving but I've never seen them as the foundation for the team. They're role players. This team needs a game changer, not a washed up one like Paul Milsap, or hinging our hopes on Gordon to become that. The draft is the closest thing right now, and indeed there is no Shaq, Ewing, or Magic Johnson in the wings. It's going to be a busy summer. Strap in. I truly believe Hennigan will be dismissed, I think Vogel is safe, and can coach this team with a competitive roster.

I think we'll see a major roster overhaul, Vucevic, despite the fact that I like him may be traded. I hope Fournier is. Perhaps the two of them can bring an asset that makes sense for this team. I also think the Magic need to not even think about extending Gordon or Payton unless they take the team to a playoff birth next season.




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[pennypennypenny]

I'm in to the full rebuild mode, these years are lost. Fire RH, try to trade the "valuable veterans" for picks and young prospects and hope for the best. With this roaster we can go nowhere

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[Gomagic44]

Full rebuild. I like your idea prime Shaq. The only thing that can make this season worse is falling out of the top 3 and the lakers making it in. That would be rock bottom for me.


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[Ozoned]

Top to bottom rebuild. This "rebuild" we have been in the past 5 seasons has been disastrous and quite frankly hard to stomach. Maybe keep 1 or 2 players. Obv getting rid of everyone in the organization is practically impossible, but some drastic changes need to be made. We as a whole: fans, players, everyone, deserve better than this. This is honestly the worst season ever. I am from L.A. and never in my life have a ever thought of cheering for another team, but this season has made me think, I could've been a Laker fan. I'd never jump ship ever but dammit this SUCKS.

[PennytoShaq]

I agree with most posts in here, but the years are not lost IMO. Rob got us a ton of tradable players and got us out of cap hell. The new GM will have a very malleable roster that he can put together however he wants.

I think the Magic should try and trade up to #1 with their pick plus Vuc and Evan if possible and just go for Fultz if they love his workout. The reason I think this could be possible is if the Magic land pick 3 or 4, the C's may love a guy like Ball or Jackson here. A 3rd team could slide in and take on Fournier if BOS doesn't want him. The main thing would be to get picks here and shed salary. Fultz reminds me a lot of Lillard or Wall, but possibly better. The guy just can score so easily and to have a guy like that at the 1 will immediately change our team completely. In a draft where there is no clear #1, it is not an absolute lock that BOS won't move down a few spots if they can add a guy like Vuc and still get the player they want.

That also frees up a lot of cap space and allows us to go after Hayward at SF and offer him the max. Not saying he will sign here, but Hayward is a guy you just throw everything at because if you have Fultz, now you have 2 studs to build around.

Lets say that works. Well then, the summer is already a success to be honest. And yes, this is not a high % of happening, but I do believe it is something an aggressive GM would pursue. Especially if we got Zarren, a Boston guy.

Our team is already much better. But we need another big. I'd sign a vet like Nene or go for Alex Len. Nothing too expensive. Just someone to split time with Biz. The final FA move I make is to get Thabo Sefalosha. He made 4 million last year. Perfect, give him a little more. Now we have a solid bench. Here is how the roster would look:

Fultz/Ross/Hayward/Gordon/Biz - A spread team that can actually shoot the ball and has a go to guy on offense at SF and a potential star at PG. It's a Christmas miracle. Additionally, the poor defensive effort we saw all year is over with. Biz and Gordon are hard workers on that end, Hayward is a complete pro and Fultz and Ross have the speed and size at 1 and 2 to handle screens.

Payton/Draft pick - Kennard /Sefalosha/ Mario (and draft pick for size)/Nene or Len - an actual bench with guys who can score and shoot well.

[GameOver25]

if we truly want change for the now and the future, then the Alex Martins meddling into basketball Ops needs to stop. His slimy smile and greasy hair just oozes trouble no matter what. But I'm afraid he knows it. He probably reads RealGM and laughs at our posts thinking...

[npiper17]

Good post PrimeShaq. I've seen it written that the rebuild can be 'reset' or tweaked and I disagree. We need a total rebuild with the staying power required to see it through.

Since last summer, the franchise had lurched from one disaster to the next. The rhetoric coming from the organistion eg 'we're gonna be a smash mouth team' and 'who's ready to make the playoffs?' was embarrassing, luncheon-gate, white board-gate, Evan Fournier posting his favourite holiday snaps on instagram as the team gives up 120 points a night, Vuc moaning about his own play but being unable to do anything about it.

I agree with your solutions re basketball ops but I'd potentially keep Vuc in an Enes Kanter role off the bench.

[Ducklett]

We would need a Sam Hinkie type to come in and clean up this mess. Literally trade every player on the roster for draft picks. Field a 2017 draft picks + G-leaguers team next season and have the worst record.

[Nemesis21]

In a perfect world Alex Martins would be fired. This is not a perfect world.

Remove Martins from any basketball related decisions, stays CEO/PR.


Hire Grant Hill as PBO


Draft : with top 5 pick, draft Jackson/Tatum/Isaac. TOR/LAC pick, draft Ivan Rabb. With the two 2nd rd picks draft Frank Mason III and Sindarius Thornwell. Sign FA PF Amir Johnson to a 3 yr deal.


EP/Mason III/DJ
Ross/Fournier/Thornwell
Top 5 pick/Hezonja/Meeks
AG/Amir J/Rabb
Nik/Biz/Zimm


Ross is my starting SG. Split the Vucevic/Fournier bromance. Fournier better as 6th man.



Vogel & Forcier, step your game up!








LET THIS TEAM GROW TOGETHER!

[Mr Magic Fan]

We really need a President of Basketball Operations to limit the meddling from the business side. While Henny has made his share of mistakes and deserves to go, it's clear he hasn't had autonomy for a few years. It doesn't matter who the new GM is if they can't make the best basketball decisions due to business interference. Yes business matters, but tickets will sell themselves if you have a good exciting team. This organization needs to quit taking shortcuts or else we're right back in the situation in no time. This franchise has been lucky to have been gifted the talent it has, but mismanagement has squandered all the early luck we've experienced.

[anothermagicfan]

I'd make a bunch of really big posters of scores from the worst games this year like the Bulls a**kicking us the other night and hang them all over the practice facility and in the Amway locker room. I still like most of the group we got and still believe in the position we're in as far as draft picks and cap space. What I can't accept is the incredible lack of effort put forth against chicago. I know we're out of the playoffs. Chicago is still fighting. But that was the most attrocious uninspired basketball I've ever seen. I get it the seasons over and it won't change anything but these boys are all professionals and are paid accordingly. It should be an honor to wear a magic uniform. I consider it an honor to be a fan of orlando. Everyone on that roster and bench should be so completely embarrassed that they arent allowed to forget what a pathetic display that was. Not a single player should leave orlando this summer. They've all got way too much work to do if they want to be winners in this league.

[Skin]

We can't expect to trim the hedges and expect things to get fixed. This rebuild needs to be uprooted. It's dead. Alex Martins needs to be replaced. He can stay in the organization in some business capacity, but I agree he needs to relinquish basketball operations to another person. We can't just hire any fool either. That choice must be made with utmost care.

Rob Hennigan is not the worst GM, but he's had several chances to fix things and he certainly played enough cards wrong that he's lost the trust of the fanbase. I used to stick up for him valiantly. But the Tobias give away, the Pooper Mario pick and the Oladipo/Ibaka trade are 3 bad strikes. Henny also put his money on Fournier and Vuc and I feel that was a big mistake. They are Fool's Gold. They are soft players who are mentally weak and as leaders of this team it showed. Trading them is a huge priority.

That said, I don't think the cupboard is entirely bare, but we still lack a super star. We have young guys who I believe will be pretty awesome, but we still don't have a star. What we need to do is to get back to building organically. That Ibaka trade derailed Henny's train. I also believe our new GM needs to start building a cohesive team. BPA works when the difference between prospects is crystal clear. But if the grades on prospects are close, then we have to fill our needs. If we don't, we'll end up spending $17M on guys like Biyombo again, when WCS and Turner were starring us in the face and our BPA pick will struggle to find minutes in a crowded position and their value to the team and around the league will suffer.

[MagicStarwipe]

Vucevic and Fournier need to go. Period. We'll be in the lottery again next season as we should be and need to be. Enough pretending we're a playoff caliber team. We don't have a single all-star caliber player. Enough of these terrible vets coming in and taking opportunities from the only guys on the team that have a chance to turn into something one day. No more shortcuts. There has been nothing "organic" about this rebuild.

[The1llness]

I think all will be solved when Elfrid finally cuts his hair

[The1llness]

It really all depends on how the lottery shakes out. If the Magic get a top 3 pick they can use on Jackson then great, roll out a starting lineup of Payton-Hezonja-Jackson-Gordon-Biyombo, trade Vucevic & Fournier for some bench depth and see how it goes. If the Magic loss the coin toss with the Sixers and get lapped by a team below them in the lottery and end up with the 6th pick then they're screwed.

[pepe1991]

Coach who can't preach offense on roster with lot of misfits and complete lack of talent. Result was predictable from a start.

Even "best" Magic players are average players at best compared to starting players on contending teams. You see it with Oladipo who was by far best Magic player last year.
You have center who is offensive center in league where centers should be rim protectors and defensive minded and even his offense isn't that great.
You have point guard who pretty much struggles to defend anybody who can shoot because he goes under screens for no reason and who can't shoot in league where elite point guards like Thomas and Curry can rain 8 threes in your face.
You have PF who is not streach 4 , who is not rim protector and who really can't create his shots.
You have no SF.
And you have SG who is asked to do waaaaay too much, and who would probably come off bench on great team.

And you have expensive but awful bench.



It's like Celtics in 2008 decided to be championship team but only players they had were James Posey and Rondo. It simply doesn't work like that. NBA is star driven league, you should draft your star or collect assets until you have enough to trade for one. If you are not doing any of that you are wasting time of your fans.

[in-limbo]

I come here for all my magic news, haven't watched a game for a while.

I have a special dislike for this current squad. You have to try damn hard to make me lose interest in our team but these guys did it. I laughed my ass off when I heard they lost by 47, they deserve it. **** every single one of them.

City Stadium has been a blast this year, just sayin.

[rcklsscognition]

This list is way over the top, but in general, I'd like to see the team make some strides in these general directions:

I want a whole new vibe. No more weak sauce attitudes and pushovers. I don't want a bunch of thugs but I want some accountability from the players and some real grit on the court. I don't see any of that from anyone but Fournier and maybe 15 seconds a game from EP and AG.

On top of that I want a rebrand. New logo and unis. Wipe this era from our memory. Get rid of all management. Bring in some cuthroat experienced NBA execs. I want to see a President of BB Ops, a GM, and new assistant GM.

As for those on the roster, unfortunately they all must be traded. They abandoned Vogel's system too many times and the trust is gone. It cannot be reclaimed. Everyone must go. I will add that Jay Hernandez needs to be fired as well simply because there is no good reason the guy has stuck around through 3 coaching changes. He could be the main cause of our failures.

Finally, pick a style and punish teams. Stop building a team to adapt to others and build a team that others fear. We filled our roster with a bunch of hybrid losers and acted like the versatility was going to be our winning ticket. We failed on so many levels to empower the right players, to build a team, and let leaders take over the team from the ground up.