RealGM

Having followed sports for 30+ years I have never witnessed a strategy that Orlando is doing...that is, to sideline players for an unacceptable period of time just to blow the season and hope for another high draft pick. IMO, its never been done in sports before.

Of course, we hear of players being injured and sidelined, but not a large % of the entire team.

What is incredible about this is that I see no other team in the NBA doing this and the Magic are getting away with it.

I'm guessing that the FO feels that just by nature of growth in the population of central Florida that the Amway Center will still have good capacity at games.

I do clearly remember years ago when David Robinson was hurt and sidelined for the season; the Spurs got the #1 pick and drafted Tim Duncan. Subsequently, Duncan and Robinson won the NBA chamionship the following year. I believe this is the ultimate strategy being planned here with the Magic.

OKC last year?


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

The Process also (Embiid and Simmons both redshirted)...and Viper is correct as a healthy SGA took an early vacation (I wonder how long that young star will be OK with spending his prime doing that BS?). I wonder when OKC will suddenly pounce on the market with their unprecedented cap space and picks...and will it work (in OKC)? That might be the smallest market, newest fanbase in the NBA-how patient can they be, from a realistic business perspective before they blow the market and jump to Vegas?

I think if this was any NORMAL year there would be fines galore being sent to.our FO already.

However, with the covid protocols in place and the uncertainties gripping the world, our org is getting away with this tactic.

Thus, they are shamefacedly going all out
LOL

orthoman wrote:Having followed sports for 30+ years I have never witnessed a strategy that Orlando is doing...that is, to sideline players for an unacceptable period of time just to blow the season and hope for another high draft pick. IMO, its never been done in sports before.

Of course, we hear of players being injured and sidelined, but not a large % of the entire team.

What is incredible about this is that I see no other team in the NBA doing this and the Magic are getting away with it.

I'm guessing that the FO feels that just by nature of growth in the population of central Florida that the Amway Center will still have good capacity at games.

I do clearly remember years ago when David Robinson was hurt and sidelined for the season; the Spurs got the #1 pick and drafted Tim Duncan. Subsequently, Duncan and Robinson won the NBA chamionship the following year. I believe this is the ultimate strategy being planned here with the Magic.

Tanking has been going for years. Do you not remember the 76ers a few years ago? They had a whole bunch of G-leaguers playing for them while they tanked. It would've worked for them if they didnt get rid of Sam Hinkie for actually tanking. INstead they hired Brian Colangelo who destroyed what Sam Hinkie was building.

I think Orlando is doing it all right FINALLY! We arent going anywhere so why not try to improve your odds of landing a superstar? What is the purpose of winning 32 games and making the 8th seed to just get swept? We tried that and didnt lead us anywhere.

Teams didn't used to tank this shamelessly. OKC did it last year and I guess Philly started it, but the Magic are literally holding out half their roster on a nightly basis, and apparently intend to do it all season.

The problem (in addition to losing support and playing in front of a half-empty arena) is that tanking usually doesn't work. Teams that build championship contenders by tanking are extremely rare. None of the league's top teams tanked to get there.

I think everyone is actually hurt...you're overthinking.

Skybox wrote:I think everyone is actually hurt...you're overthinking.

Exactly, if you sign/draft/extend injury prone players that's what will happen eventually.

That's a good approach by our FO, they can hide their mistakes by having a lot of injured players and this way they can dodge the questions for some seasons.

MoMM wrote:

Skybox wrote:I think everyone is actually hurt...you're overthinking.

Exactly, if you sign/draft/extend injury prone players that's what will happen eventually.

That's a good approach by our FO, they can hide their mistakes by having a lot of injured players and this way they can dodge the questions for some seasons.

that's their evil plan?

Sometimes when the sky is blue, it's just blue...which "hurt" guys aren't really hurt? I don't think this is a tanking year...I think it's a "we know we're bad enough to get a high pick regardless of what we do so let's play and develop our young guys and find out what we've got". To me, that's not tanking. If you really feel like WeHam has guys ready to go at a high level and they are commanded to sit it out-that would be. I'm not saying they aren't being extra cautious with their vets with injury histories because there's no urgency...but I don't believe guys are 100% ready and WeHam are wringing their hands and cackling over their secret Process. #conspiracynation