Worst Move in last 5 Years
Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2018 3:07 pm
I don't intend this to be a negative thread however the question begs to be asked. Which of these 5 decisions within the past 5 seasons do you believe has been the absolute worst move?
*in no particular order*
Tobias Harris Traded for Jennings, Illyasova
Harris was obtained by the Bucks for JJ Redick. After displaying promising play, he was eventually traded for Jennings and Illyasova because of a logjam at the time. Both Jennings and Illyasova didn't come close to surmounting to the same value Harris provided. Tobias is now an all-star candidate at 26 years old averaging 22/8 on 50% shooting and 42% from three. A lot of Magic fans questioned his 3pt shooting ability and gave up on him at such a young age.
Trade Elfrid Payton for future 2nd round pick
Although Payton was mostly hated due to his inability to be a consistent jump shooter and make free throws, he still brought all the other intangibles to the table and shot at a respectable overall shooting percentage. This season we have a back up point guard as a starting point guard, and a 3rd string point guard as a back up point guard, and yet we traded Payton last season for essentially nothing. He remains a starting PG in this league for the New Orleans Pelicans when healthy. What was the point?
Sign Biyombo to a $72 million dollar deal when we just obtained Ibaka
The Magic have Nikola Vucevic coming off back-to-back career seasons, one of those averaging 20ppg and 12 rpg. The Orlando Magic draft Aaron Gordon the season prior, who is now healthy returning from injury, a forward who is projected to likely shine better as a Power Forward. The Magic also trade prized #2 pick Victor Oladipo (which we'll discuss below) for Serge Ibaka, a power forward/center. So what do we do? We sign Bismack Biyombo because of a one-off playoff performance, and for $72 million dollars! This obviously majorly prohibited the Magic with FA signing capabilities and now we have Mozgov riding the pine getting paid the big bucks eating up our cap space.
Draft Mario Hezonja when he did not fit on our team
Of course it can up for debate whether you feel Mario was a fit on our team or not, but the fact of the matter is that the Hezonja experiment didn't work out. We tanked and wasted a season just to miss by ONE draft spot on the true prize of 2015, which was Porzingis. Also can be added the multiple players that were drafted below Hezonja that are evidently better; Cauley-Stein, Frank Kaminsky, Justice Winslow, Myles Turner, Trey Lyles, Devin Booker, Kelly Oubre, Terry Rozier, etc. In hindsight, maybe the Magic should have leveraged that #5 pick in a trade during the offseason for a valued asset.
Oladipo, Sabonis traded for Serge Ibaka
We all know now the player that Victor has become. Just like Tobias, there was hate for Victor as he seemed to not meet people's expectations and the coaches didn't utilize him appropriately. Of course Victor has grown substantially since his playing days in Orlando, however quite a few foresaw his potential to be this great. Now an all-star, Oladipo appears to be a perennial candidate for not only all-star teams but all-NBA teams and MVP talk as well. Ibaka was the player we obtained for Victor which also added more insult to injury, as it didn't make any sense to obtain him considering Vucevic just came off career jumps and we already have Gordon and Hezonja. And we eventually signed Biyombo, too.
*in no particular order*
Tobias Harris Traded for Jennings, Illyasova
Harris was obtained by the Bucks for JJ Redick. After displaying promising play, he was eventually traded for Jennings and Illyasova because of a logjam at the time. Both Jennings and Illyasova didn't come close to surmounting to the same value Harris provided. Tobias is now an all-star candidate at 26 years old averaging 22/8 on 50% shooting and 42% from three. A lot of Magic fans questioned his 3pt shooting ability and gave up on him at such a young age.
Trade Elfrid Payton for future 2nd round pick
Although Payton was mostly hated due to his inability to be a consistent jump shooter and make free throws, he still brought all the other intangibles to the table and shot at a respectable overall shooting percentage. This season we have a back up point guard as a starting point guard, and a 3rd string point guard as a back up point guard, and yet we traded Payton last season for essentially nothing. He remains a starting PG in this league for the New Orleans Pelicans when healthy. What was the point?
Sign Biyombo to a $72 million dollar deal when we just obtained Ibaka
The Magic have Nikola Vucevic coming off back-to-back career seasons, one of those averaging 20ppg and 12 rpg. The Orlando Magic draft Aaron Gordon the season prior, who is now healthy returning from injury, a forward who is projected to likely shine better as a Power Forward. The Magic also trade prized #2 pick Victor Oladipo (which we'll discuss below) for Serge Ibaka, a power forward/center. So what do we do? We sign Bismack Biyombo because of a one-off playoff performance, and for $72 million dollars! This obviously majorly prohibited the Magic with FA signing capabilities and now we have Mozgov riding the pine getting paid the big bucks eating up our cap space.
Draft Mario Hezonja when he did not fit on our team
Of course it can up for debate whether you feel Mario was a fit on our team or not, but the fact of the matter is that the Hezonja experiment didn't work out. We tanked and wasted a season just to miss by ONE draft spot on the true prize of 2015, which was Porzingis. Also can be added the multiple players that were drafted below Hezonja that are evidently better; Cauley-Stein, Frank Kaminsky, Justice Winslow, Myles Turner, Trey Lyles, Devin Booker, Kelly Oubre, Terry Rozier, etc. In hindsight, maybe the Magic should have leveraged that #5 pick in a trade during the offseason for a valued asset.
Oladipo, Sabonis traded for Serge Ibaka
We all know now the player that Victor has become. Just like Tobias, there was hate for Victor as he seemed to not meet people's expectations and the coaches didn't utilize him appropriately. Of course Victor has grown substantially since his playing days in Orlando, however quite a few foresaw his potential to be this great. Now an all-star, Oladipo appears to be a perennial candidate for not only all-star teams but all-NBA teams and MVP talk as well. Ibaka was the player we obtained for Victor which also added more insult to injury, as it didn't make any sense to obtain him considering Vucevic just came off career jumps and we already have Gordon and Hezonja. And we eventually signed Biyombo, too.