RealGM

I'll go ahead and preface this by saying a lot of people are going to REALLY HATE these answers.

Key Takeaways
-Weltman says they're trying to build a winning team, so finishing "in the middle" is not disconcerting.
-Says he believes the Bucks series would have gone differently if the Magic had Gordon, Carter-Williams, Bamba, Isaac and Aminu healthy. (my thoughts: YIKES)
-Despite missing all of next year, Isaac remains a very important part of the future.
-Weltman thinks that we have a very balanced roster that fits and complements each other. (my thoughts: YIKES X2)
-Thinks the team is headed in the right direction.
-Thinks the team acquitted itself well in the bubble
-“If only we had our full roster at our disposal for the playoffs, who knows what would have happened?” (my thoughts: YIKES X3)
-Doesn't consider Okeke a "true rookie" and has no issue with having multiple rookies on the roster next season.

This was, quite frankly, an extremely unrealistic portrayal of how things really are. Not only did Weltman pretty clearly throw cold water on the idea of rebuilding, but he made it out like the team was a lot better and a lot closer to contention than they really are. He blamed injuries a lot more than was deserved.

https://theathletic.com/2055668/ ($)

Meh, expected... would've been hilarious to see him say, "We're putting Vuc on the trade block".

Knightro wrote:

Read on Twitter

I'll go ahead and preface this by saying a lot of people are going to REALLY HATE these answers.

Key Takeaways
-Weltman says they're trying to build a winning team, so finishing "in the middle" is not disconcerting.
-Says he believes the Bucks series would have gone differently if the Magic had Gordon, Carter-Williams, Bamba, Isaac and Aminu healthy. (my thoughts: YIKES)
-Despite missing all of next year, Isaac remains a very important part of the future.
-Weltman thinks that we have a very balanced roster that fits and complements each other. (my thoughts: YIKES X2)
-Thinks the team is headed in the right direction.
-Thinks the team acquitted itself well in the bubble
-“If only we had our full roster at our disposal for the playoffs, who knows what would have happened?” (my thoughts: YIKES X3)
-Doesn't consider Okeke a "true rookie" and has no issue with having multiple rookies on the roster next season.

This was, quite frankly, an extremely unrealistic portrayal of how things really are. Not only did Weltman pretty clearly throw cold water on the idea of rebuilding, but he made it out like the team was a lot better and a lot closer to contention than they really are. He blamed injuries a lot more than was deserved.

https://theathletic.com/2055668/ ($)

"Denial ain't just a river in Egypt"

It's not surprising. I doubt they could survive a rebuild, even a short one. This roster was begging for a rebuild when they took over, yet they chose to sit idle. That opportunity is gone now. Every time an opportunity presented itself, they chose to double down on the roster that Hennigan built.

If this team wins 35 games next year and misses the playoffs, they will be cooked. We are all trapped on the SS Hennigan with a broken rudder. The present is hopeless and the future looks bleak. Weltman will lose his job and go back to a role he is suited for: an inoffensive man in a gray flannel suit that nods and agrees with someone else's ideas. He is ill-equipped for his present circumstance as he doesn't seem to have any of his own.

Xatticus wrote:If this team wins 35 games next year and misses the playoffs, they will be cooked. We are all trapped on the SS Hennigan with a broken rudder. The present is hopeless and the future looks bleak. Weltman will lose his job and go back to a role he is suited for: an inoffensive man in a gray flannel suit that nods and agrees with someone else's ideas. He is ill-equipped for his present circumstance as he doesn't seem to have any of his own.

But deep down you know what's going to happen.

They're going to stay healthy and unexpectedly go like 43-39 after smoking a bunch of bad teams in March and April. They'll lose in the first round (again) and then to top it all off, they'll give Fournier a new contract

The gig is up. Nobody is buying what this conman is selling anymore. Except for the only person who matters in our case, Alex Martins.

PrimeThyme wrote:The gig is up. Nobody is buying what this conman is selling anymore. Except for the only person who matters in our case, Alex Martins.

I firmly believe ownership and Martins would take 35-40 wins and "fighting" for a playoff spot 100 times out of 100 over a 20-25 win tank season.

I’m going to read in the morning but not shocked this FO is clueless

There are some statements there you can kinda agree with... I mean if you squint at them really hard on a dark night... And you don't have the past 6 years of memories floating about your mind.

But even if you give benefit of the doubt on injuries and say sure, they gave a good short handed effort in the bubble, that doesn't give you a free pass to stand pat next year when Isaac is out and many teams on the East will be shooting for our playoff spot.

Isaac is out, Bamba and Fultz still have major flaws, Okeke is unproven, you have no backup PG, no-one who can create his own shot with any kind of regularity and your only above average 3 point shooter is mismanaged to the point where we are all ready to shove the fork in the power socket when he puts the ball on the floor.

I predicted it in the other thread though; Evan will opt in, and we will ride him to the trade deadline and only move him if we are out of the playoff picture. If Okeke/Aminu play well we will look to move AG but otherwise ride him to another first round exit while Okeke plays 8-12mpg.

If we are in the playoff picture next season without Isaac, we all need to brace for the Magic keeping and re-signing Fournier*.

*Also, in case it isn't clear, above thoughts are what I think will happen, not what I want to happen.

If he truly believes half of what he said, then he's way in over his head and we're all in for a really rough next few years.

They used injuries in the 2017-2018 season as a crutch to stand pat. And they're going to do it again.

Honestly, did we expect them to say anything else but this? Part of a GM/President of B-ball Operations job is to massage the media and the fan base into thinking things are improving. Weltman isn’t going to go on record and mirror what a bunch of die hards on a chat board think.

My thoughts are Weltman and Hammond got this off season to put the Magic back on the path to contendership, or the rebuild gets green lit and they’ll be let go after 20-21. So they’ll be working the phones to find a star, any star to get this situations stink smelling a little rosier. Chuma coming in doesn’t move the needle, neither does a resigned Fournier. At best we’re a better first round team only if Markelle takes a leap and Issac comes back as Karl Malone.

I honestly have no faith in Weltman and Hammond to turn this roster into a championship contender. I’d welcome an entire regime change next summer. Clifford is the only person in this current organization I’d keep. I do believe his quality as a coach isn’t truly known until he gets a roster with championship level talent. He’s done a good job here.

Max Power wrote:Honestly, did we expect them to say anything else but this? Part of a GM/President of B-ball Operations job is to massage the media and the fan base into thinking things are improving. Weltman isn’t going to go on record and mirror what a bunch of die hards on a chat board think.

Exactly.

What else is he going to say? "This team isn't good enough and we need an overhaul"?

Max Power wrote:My thoughts are Weltman and Hammond got this off season to put the Magic back on the path to contendership, or the rebuild gets green lit and they’ll be let go after 20-21. So they’ll be working the phones to find a star, any star to get this situations stink smelling a little rosier.

It definitely feels like the off-season when Henny traded for Ibaka but I don't get the sense WeHam are in the hot seat as much.

No matter how you look at it, coming off two playoff appearances and another compromised season from a financial point of view, I don't think Martins is going to "demand better or else."

Max Power wrote:I honestly have no faith in Weltman and Hammond to turn this roster into a championship contender. I’d welcome an entire regime change next summer. Clifford is the only person in this current organization I’d keep. I do believe his quality as a coach isn’t truly known until he gets a roster with championship level talent. He’s done a good job here.

While I agree that this team doesn't appear to be on trajectory to reach contender status, I'm still of the mind that staying around the 6-9 seed is the second best place to be.

I'll keep saying it — one star or one of our young guys making a major leap is all you need to go up in the standings by 3-4 slots.

I bet Buford and the Spurs are thinking the same thing and I'll follow them.

And I agree, Max, I think Clifford has given all you can ask for.

I have faith in weham

We r not that far away

Go magic

Says he believes the Bucks series would have gone differently if the Magic had Gordon, Carter-Williams, Bamba, Isaac and Aminu healthy

lol
delusional old man

pepe1991 wrote:Says he believes the Bucks series would have gone differently if the Magic had Gordon, Carter-Williams, Bamba, Isaac and Aminu healthy

lol
delusional old man

It would have been

As PBO, he said what's expected. Though it's telling how low he's setting the barrier for success in the future.

Here's the one good thing; if they sit idle this summer and next season hoping something will change, then they'll be forced to make changes when all of Fournier, Fultz and Isaac are up for extension at once. They can't afford to break the bank on this kind of mediocrity again AGAIN can they?

Big pressure on this 2020 rookie to be the saviour right now. Come onnnnnn Kira/Maxey/Terry/Nesmith/whoever.

Also, WeHam must send Henny a gift basket every summer with a card saying "thanks for the job!". Complete with a jar of Everglade Oils hair slick, from Alex Martin's personal supply.

Only shocking thing is any sensible fan expecting a different commentary. Nobody (Maybe Riley) says “this is the summer we light it up”, “nobody is off the block” “we especially want to move Gordon””this team sucks-I don’t know why the fans keep paying”...PR is PR, they have no obligation to spill and it wouldn’t help them in any way.

No way we’ll nake a fire sale eapecially with next season starting when January/December?

Didnt expect WeHam to say anything significant anyway. Veteran gms like him will likely say politically correct things.

Skybox wrote:Only shocking thing is any sensible fan expecting a different commentary. Nobody (Maybe Riley) says “this is the summer we light it up”, “nobody is off the block” “we especially want to move Gordon””this team sucks-I don’t know why the fans keep paying”...PR is PR, they have no obligation to spill and it wouldn’t help them in any way.

This. Saying anything other than what he did would be stupid.

If we've learnt one thing from this regime, it's that what they say in the media and what they believe are two different things.

This front office won't survive a rebuild. The time for a rebuild was when they first got here and they decided against it. Now they're going to ride this thing until the wheels fall off. Which for them will probably be at the end of next season. Then the new front office will begin a rebuild.

If no major changes are made, i'm not watching next season. I struggled to even watch the playoffs. Enough is enough.

MagicStarwipe wrote:This front office won't survive a rebuild. The time for a rebuild was when they first got here and they decided against it. Now they're going to ride this thing until the wheels fall off. Which for them will probably be at the end of next season. Then the new front office will begin a rebuild.

If no major changes are made, i'm not watching next season. I struggled to even watch the playoffs. Enough is enough.

I think the most major trade they could make is trading for someone they already know. DeRozan or Middleton (if the Bucks pursue Paul). But they'll probably only do it if it's a steal for us.