Magic Management

[YosemiteSam]

I've been wanting to write about this since the recent frustrations boiled over around the team's management decisions at the trade deadline (which I shared).

I happen to work for a popular company in an industry that has a "robust" online community built around it. I'm talking message boards, social network groups, Reddit boards, etc. Part of my role is to understand the sentiment around the brand and the company.

Now, these are passionate fans that care enough about our company and product to spend their personal time not only experiencing it but to create an online identity and engagement to communicate, speculate and pontificate about it. So we are so blessed to be in this position.

With that said, knowing how decisions are made across multiple situations in the company, the perspectives, opinions, assumptions, and speculation about almost everything on social media is narrow at best and wildly uninformed in general. The impact of other issues than what these engaged fans consider and how they impact both management and employee decisions and actions is so much more complex than any fan could or would be expected to know. I mean agendas and goals for ownership, different management layers, different functions, partners, investors, governments, employee groups, lawyers, communities, and dozens of other stakeholders and influencers, not to mention the wildly divergent needs and expectations of the broader customer base.

I'm not saying any individual, whether online or not, should have to adjust their personal opinions based on these other factors. But when people share opinions that are specifically critical of individuals or groups within our company that verge on disrespectful, without considering that those people have many directives to fulfill, it is not really very useful to any dialogue beyond them being able to vent. The biggest challengers are those who give into Confirmation bias or the Ego-Centric/Self-Serving bias or even the Availability bias such that they think that what they personally want or believe or what their local cohort believes is both obvious and right and anyone who behaves differently is flawed, wrong or even worse, incompetent.

So with this in mind, I am trying as a fan to consider the various parties that Magic management has to "serve" and how that may be impacting the decisions we critique. Maybe the owners or senior management have given direction that conflicts with our desires, maybe Finance or Marketing has a perspective on the team and business results, perhaps the competitors or league are not aligned with what we or the Magic would like to accomplish. Or maybe our time horizons or overall definitions of "success" are not the same. That doesn't mean as a fan we have to agree or like the decisions, or that we have to accept them, but it will make me a better and more informed fan if I try to understand the different perspectives. And for those who say "well they should explain themselves to us better then too", again in my company the need for confidentiality and competitive positioning as well as public relations and the press usually preclude the type of candor fans would prefer.

Not sure if anyone read this far, but I just wanted to share my perspective as I have been on this board for so many years it spans most of my business career, and I thought the connections were interesting, at least to me.

Go Magic!

[Kent]

In short, you're right.

It's also why taking a step away can be healthy for your fandom. I know that's been the case for me during the all-star break.

Last night was the first game I watched beginning to end on TV for the simple fact I don't have cable. But I was able to do so in a chilled and relaxed state, and just happy to see them play again.

We all want to win and, ultimately, win championships. But it's important to remember that, at the end of the day, we just love the team.

Getting too bogged down into the things we can't control is what creates the frustration more than anything.

[three3d]

This is why I don’t think ownership necessarily feels like FO is doing a bad job. Ultimately Weltman and to a lesser degree Parker are doing the job the way that the DeVos family wants it done.

[fendilim]

Each person has different tolerance.

Its like eating at a restaurant. Some people find the food good, some dont.people will always have something to say.

[YosemiteSam]

Each person has different tolerance.

Its like eating at a restaurant. Some people find the food good, some dont.people will always have something to say.

Completely. But if this is the case, I just naively wish people would say "I didn't like this meal" rather than "The chef sucks"

[dsg2003mach1]

nice try Weltman


the on court performance is, and has been, unsatisfactory for entirely too long and all responsible should be replaced.

How about that

[YosemiteSam]

nice try Weltman


the on court performance is, and has been, unsatisfactory for entirely too long and all responsible should be replaced.

How about that

Thanks Elon

[zaymon]

I am glad i can read something like this from time to time.
We all have different challenges in our lives and i prefer to spread and absorb more positive than negative emotions.
Sometimes everybody needs to vent and online forum is a safe space to do that, but personally i try to do it less and less becouse i learned that negative emotions spread like wildfire. Its possible to be critic while being constructive without venting. Hard but possible.

[jezzerinho]

I've been wanting to write about this since the recent frustrations boiled over around the team's management decisions at the trade deadline (which I shared).

I happen to work for a popular company in an industry that has a "robust" online community built around it. I'm talking message boards, social network groups, Reddit boards, etc. Part of my role is to understand the sentiment around the brand and the company.

Now, these are passionate fans that care enough about our company and product to spend their personal time not only experiencing it but to create an online identity and engagement to communicate, speculate and pontificate about it. So we are so blessed to be in this position.

With that said, knowing how decisions are made across multiple situations in the company, the perspectives, opinions, assumptions, and speculation about almost everything on social media is narrow at best and wildly uninformed in general. The impact of other issues than what these engaged fans consider and how they impact both management and employee decisions and actions is so much more complex than any fan could or would be expected to know. I mean agendas and goals for ownership, different management layers, different functions, partners, investors, governments, employee groups, lawyers, communities, and dozens of other stakeholders and influencers, not to mention the wildly divergent needs and expectations of the broader customer base.

I'm not saying any individual, whether online or not, should have to adjust their personal opinions based on these other factors. But when people share opinions that are specifically critical of individuals or groups within our company that verge on disrespectful, without considering that those people have many directives to fulfill, it is not really very useful to any dialogue beyond them being able to vent. The biggest challengers are those who give into Confirmation bias or the Ego-Centric/Self-Serving bias or even the Availability bias such that they think that what they personally want or believe or what their local cohort believes is both obvious and right and anyone who behaves differently is flawed, wrong or even worse, incompetent.

So with this in mind, I am trying as a fan to consider the various parties that Magic management has to "serve" and how that may be impacting the decisions we critique. Maybe the owners or senior management have given direction that conflicts with our desires, maybe Finance or Marketing has a perspective on the team and business results, perhaps the competitors or league are not aligned with what we or the Magic would like to accomplish. Or maybe our time horizons or overall definitions of "success" are not the same. That doesn't mean as a fan we have to agree or like the decisions, or that we have to accept them, but it will make me a better and more informed fan if I try to understand the different perspectives. And for those who say "well they should explain themselves to us better then too", again in my company the need for confidentiality and competitive positioning as well as public relations and the press usually preclude the type of candor fans would prefer.

Not sure if anyone read this far, but I just wanted to share my perspective as I have been on this board for so many years it spans most of my business career, and I thought the connections were interesting, at least to me.

Go Magic!

Yes Go Magic.

But out GM's performance speaks for itself. No need for over-thinking stakeholders or directives.

I doubt I'm wrong that Weltman has been the least active GM in the trade market in the NBA in the last 10 years. I stand to be corrected.

You can't be entirely deficient in one key aspect of the job, no matter how the other aspects have worked or not.

So, I disagree. I think we as fans (people of all sorts of personal and professional abilities themselves) might miss details and nuances, but there's no need for nuance with Weltman's trade ineptitude.

[Bensational]

Great write up. I love finding a good think piece like this on the board.

[JoshuaPotter]

Yes, I do have a ton of this in mind when I plant my criticism seeds. In a marginal way I have transcended the usual "my father was upset the Magic lost last night even though they had ZERO chance of winning to begin with."

At the same time, it can be fun to gripe. It can be fun to whine. It can be fun to read Eyrique (spelling alludes me, blame the brain) saying he will be downtown with his high heels on in case we lose. This can also be elements of fandom. How I can disagree about their team building, how we don't properly address our weaknesses. It's pure speculative, narrative fun.

I want everyone to take a step back and re-read my last paragraph. 99.9% of what I am saying should not be taken seriously as I see this and the sport as pure entertainment. I'm not even sure I can call it a competition until playoffs.

If you have em, hug your kids today if not soon. Hug your parents today if not soon. If that can't be done, call em. This forum is a hobby, this sport is an escape from real life (gasp not that phrase again), so enjoy it for that aspect.

Thank Sam, great post! I hope business goes well for you!

[MasterGMer]

Magic had all the assets to make a move. But they chose to hold those, even not for a marginal bandaid move. I do understand the logic tbh. Because getting a bandaid could probably mean giving up one first round pick or a young player. But you got to understand the leadership style of our front office and their plan plus vision.

I do understand. We will see this summer. Also during that, Paolo's max extension is coming up. Our roster is going to be very expensive considering Franz and Suggs contracts and now plus Paolo. That will easily put the Magic team above the first apron. A critical summer. As a fan, I am about to see.

[pepe1991]

I think worst thing about small market nba fans is coming to grips of reality that your team isn't in business of winning titles but in business of making money for his owner(s).
That's why every year there is at least one team that makes most "this makes zero sense" basketball move.
In short, because it's not sport's motivated move.

It's like being Arsenal fan in soccer, after they built stadium they flat out said they won't have money to compete. Once ownership and managment sell you idea of "we can't" , over time it becomes norm, expetations get lower, people who run it become more incompetent and fans become numb and stop caring. Basically you went from "title or bust" to " oh look, this is good, we are 3rd"


Ego problems.
When it comes to small to medium size markets, it simply makes both financial and basketball sense to make moves before rookie scale prospects sign new deals and become expensive.
Why teams time and time again don't do it? Imo because of two main reasons:
1) fear of playing hand too soon - 30% of time
2) irrational minds of egoistical people who think they know best- 70% of time

Why we held onto Bamba for 5 years? Fultz for 5 years? Why we are holding onto Jett Howard despite fact we have no funcional role for him? Because Weltman and his close circle of people who helped him make those decisions in past.
Giving up to him is simply accepting he made mistake. And his ego can't handle it.

This isn't just Magic related problem. This year Nico Harrison's ego ruined Dallas Mavericks.
If you just stick it with people around Dončić - Vlade Divac drafted Marvin Bagley over Dončić despite fact nobody in NBA knew how good Luka is more than him, but he had personal opinion about Luka's father. Divac nowdays goes around ( serbian media) and says that's not true but... Let's face it, it *probably* is, because it's same Divac who goes around telling people he had relationship with Petrović when in reality Petrović didn't want to hear about him due his political stands for last 2 years of his life.

Bryan Colangelo used fake twitter accounts to fight people who didn't like his moves. Bryan was hired as GM by his own father , after not even pretending they are in search for anybody else

For crying out loud, 10 years ago one of NBA owners was racist who thought he owns players, didn't allow his side chick to be seen around black people, blackmailed people to attend his parties and tried to run team with 8 players to save money.

[Fortune Teller]

I agree Magic management is awful, but not because we’re in a small market. They’re awful simply because they are awful.

Orlando is currently the 15th largest media market in the U.S. That's higher than:

Minneapolis (#16)
Denver (#17)
Miami (#18)
Cleveland (#19)
Sacramento (#20)
Charlotte (#21)
Portland (#23)
Indianapolis (#25)
Salt Lake City (#28)
San Antonio (#31)
Milwaukee (#38)
Oklahoma City (#47)
New Orleans (#50)
Memphis (#51)

Weltman just sucks. 8 years, 8 million excuses.

[T-Cat]

What role does General Manager Anthony Parker provide for this team? Every interview always goes to Jeff Weltman and makes me believe he makes all the decisions.

[89Magicfan]

Remember when Martins said 2030? We all thought that was funny?

I believe after his deadline they didn’t WANT to make a move. All the reputables talked about how they don’t even really call anyone about trades?

Wise man once told me you can lie to some people all the time. You can lie to everyone some time. You can’t lie to everyone all the time.

T minus 5 years and counting to 2030.

[Skybox]

I agree Magic management is awful, but not because we’re in a small market. They’re awful simply because they are awful.

Orlando is currently the 15th largest media market in the U.S. That's higher than:

Minneapolis (#16)
Denver (#17)
Miami (#18)
Cleveland (#19)
Sacramento (#20)
Charlotte (#21)
Portland (#23)
Indianapolis (#25)
Salt Lake City (#28)
San Antonio (#31)
Milwaukee (#38)
Oklahoma City (#47)
New Orleans (#50)
Memphis (#51)

Weltman just sucks. 8 years, 8 million excuses.

I don't think the media market size matters too much anymore. On the counterpoint, ORL is a very transient market, with a lot more transplants than many of the above...basically, no one is moving TO CLE or MIL or most others to the same degree as ORL - and they bring their favorite team loyalty with them.

As long as OKC and SAS (among others) can consistently outthink, outmove, and outperform our FO...there are ZERO inherent excuses for the garbage work - really, complete lack of work - done by this FO and it's predecessor. They're just not doing anything significant and when they do - it seems really misguided. Did they sign KCP because he was "BPA"? Outside of high draft picks, that's mindless...but, it's either that or a completely incorrect vision of how a modern NBA team works on offense...they could have done other obvious, fairly simple moves to balance things a bit...but they just didn't and the whole world can see it.

[Black and Blue]

Everyone is pointing fingers right now, at Paolo, the bench, Mosely, the front office and ownership.

Until something changes, this has to sit with the front office. They have only done half of the responsibilities of a rebuild in drafting and have refused to work in free agency all in the name of “timeline”. The issue with that is our players and coaches are forced to rely heavily on inexperienced kids to log heavy minutes and somehow contribute in a consistent way. That just doesn’t happen. Even good rookies are all over the place their first two years. Worse, it sends an unintended message to the rest of the league that your franchise isn’t trying to contend. That it’s a farm system for other, more legitimate teams.

Patience is running out with the fans and players, and unless something happens this offseason expect some pitchforks to come out. I do think the team will rebrand this offseason, which will help fan sentiment somewhat (hopefully), but the window to improve the team is now.

Until that happens, I honestly don’t fault Paolo for chucking, Mosely for making mental errors, or the bench guys for contributing nothing. The larger message for years has been “we are early in a rebuild and don’t even expect to contend”, so how do you expect the players and coaches to take things seriously?

[FFBlitzace]

Yes, I do have a ton of this in mind when I plant my criticism seeds. In a marginal way I have transcended the usual "my father was upset the Magic lost last night even though they had ZERO chance of winning to begin with."

At the same time, it can be fun to gripe. It can be fun to whine. It can be fun to read Eyrique (spelling alludes me, blame the brain) saying he will be downtown with his high heels on in case we lose. This can also be elements of fandom. How I can disagree about their team building, how we don't properly address our weaknesses. It's pure speculative, narrative fun.

I want everyone to take a step back and re-read my last paragraph. 99.9% of what I am saying should not be taken seriously as I see this and the sport as pure entertainment. I'm not even sure I can call it a competition until playoffs.

If you have em, hug your kids today if not soon. Hug your parents today if not soon. If that can't be done, call em. This forum is a hobby, this sport is an escape from real life (gasp not that phrase again), so enjoy it for that aspect.

Thank Sam, great post! I hope business goes well for you!

You're right, but also, it's not that easy for some people. Throughout my life, I have placed way too much of myself into the results of this team. I'm far better now than I used to be, but I truly don't know if I will ever be able to completely separate my emotions from it. It really is "just a game," but it's really annoyingly difficult to actually feel that way. I would love to, but it's hard.

[fendilim]

Remember when Martins said 2030? We all thought that was funny?

I believe after his deadline they didn’t WANT to make a move. All the reputables talked about how they don’t even really call anyone about trades?

Wise man once told me you can lie to some people all the time. You can lie to everyone some time. You can’t lie to everyone all the time.

T minus 5 years and counting to 2030.

May be realistic tbh. Franz and Paolo will be at their peak then. That’s really when star players more often than not, lead their teams to win a title.