Top 10 Worst Moves Post Dwight

[eyriq]

What moves post-Dwight do you think belong on a top ten most detrimental list? I'll start:

1. The Serge Ibaka Gambit (2016–17)
This marked a shift from patience to panic. It was a multi-stage blunder that resulted in Orlando trading away Oladipo, Ilyasova, and Sabonis for Terrence Ross and a pick that was eventually flipped for Markelle Fultz.

2. 2016 Free Agency Lunacy
The win-now mindset led to squandering massive cap flexibility on Bismack Biyombo and Jeff Green. The resulting logjam stifled Aaron Gordon’s development. A nonsensical strategy.

3. Coaching Instability (2012–2018)
Rotating through Jacque Vaughn, Scott Skiles, and Frank Vogel, each with different systems and philosophies, created chaos and undermined player development.

4. Tobias Harris Salary Dump (Feb 2016)
Just months after extending a then-23-year-old Harris, Orlando traded him for Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova to appease Skiles. A short-sighted move with little long-term value.

5. J.J. Redick Trade (Feb 2013)
They traded Redick, Gustavo Ayón, and Ish Smith for Beno Udrih, Doron Lamb, and 20-year-old Tobias Harris. While Harris had upside, Redick was in the middle of a career year. He was one of the league’s elite shooters, a rare archetype, homegrown, and a fan favorite. Context matters.

6. Elfrid Payton Trade-Up (2014)
Orlando gave up the #12 pick (Dario Šarić), a future first, and a second-rounder to move up two spots for Payton, who turned out to be a bust. Brutal opportunity cost.

7. Drafting Mario Hezonja (2015)
Busts happen, but missing on Devin Booker is a gut punch. High opportunity cost.

8. Channing Frye Signing and Giveaway (2014–16)
They overpaid Frye in free agency for leadership and floor-spacing. Then they reversed course and dumped him for Jared Cunningham and a future second. Poor asset management.

9. Aaron Gordon Trade (Mar 2021)
While a rebuild was underway, the return for Gordon — Gary Harris, R.J. Hampton, and a future first (Jayson “Jase” Richardson) — felt underwhelming given his market value.

10. Drafting Andrew Nicholson (2012)
Using the 19th pick on Nicholson, who ultimately busted, isn’t egregious by itself. But passing on Fournier, Draymond Green, Khris Middleton, and Will Barton? Yikes.

[CarraT]

Worst move was making no trades in last 8 years if not forced to by own players.

[orlando_joe]

who freaking cares why always these bummer crap threads come up...

[eyriq]

Worst move was making no trades in last 8 years if not forced to by own players.

Not making panic trades is why the team finally has a core. Trading just to trade is how we got the Ibaka mess in the first place.

[eyriq]

who freaking cares why always these bummer crap threads come up...

Because pretending the bad stuff didn’t happen is how you repeat it. If you only want feel-good fluff, the team store has plenty of merch.

[ORLMagicGirl15]

Serge Ibaka, Jeff Green, Bismack Biyombo, Channing Frye, Chris Duhan, Brandon Jennings…I did not enjoy watching these guys play.

Also, I don’t know if you guys remember but during Jacque Vaughn last season with us, a lot of posters said that they wish the offense was faster. I don’t remember what game but there was a turning point when the team actually started playing faster and they started pointing the finger at each other in the post game interviews. Some of the players saying they were the ones telling the coach they need to play faster and then Jacque telling us it was his decision. I hated it because they put it out in public when it didn’t need to be there. You could just tell the friction between him and the players. I hated that season.

[Bensational]

1. Trading Dwight for Vuc and Afflalo and picks we squandered as trade collateral. I wish they’d opted for Igoudala instead of Afflalo. In hindsight the BKN Brook Lopez deal looks like it would’ve been better.

2. Firing Stan. Should’ve kept him. He was my favourite coach until Mosley came along.

3. Drafting Oladipo over Giannis. I’m not pretending it was a no-brainer move because nobody was thinking about it, but taking Oladipo #2 was a poor start to our rebuild. I would’ve picked McCollum over Oladipo, personally - or traded back for him plus extra assets at the very least. But drafting Giannis would’ve changed the trajectory of the team for the last 12 years.

4. Winning either the Dallas or Washington games at the end of the 2017-18 season. Either win could’ve cost us the chance to get Luka or Trae. Instead, we got Bamba (and we could’ve picked SGA).

5. Hiring Hennigan but no senior basketball president to oversee and ensure a respectable culture was built. I think Hennigan’s lack of maturity is what prevented the team he built from reaching its full potential.

6. Trading Oladipo and Sabonis for Ibaka. We got an 18 month rental of a never-was for the same package which would net Paul George (who would later net SGA).

7. Hanging on to Vuc as long as we did (although it ultimately paid off by bringing us Franz). I think he’s a high character guy, but his talent was/is only enough to inspire mediocrity at its peak, and ruin proper tanking chances when it wasn’t.

8. Every coach between SVG and Clifford. JV, Skiles and Vogel just weren’t cut out to get the most out of the guys we had.

I think every other misstep could be attributed to these main inflection points.

[byeganyo]

Drafting Bamba is clearly top 10. Considering who else was in the draft and Vuc still being here...

[pepe1991]

Fultz trade.

[Skybox]

With all respect, I don't know how you leave out a second draft in three years with TWO lottery picks and coming away with very little to show for it.

[fendilim]

Aaron Gordon is so overrated. He is nothing but a glorified 3and d player since day 1. Just put into spotlight and popularity is because of allstar dunk contest, thats it.

We got what we deserved that time.

[VFX]

How much time do you have?

[jezzerinho]

No 1 of them all is Ben's No 4.

Lose 1 more game (iirc) and you can draft Luka.

[eyriq]

1. Trading Dwight for Vuc and Afflalo and picks we squandered as trade collateral. I wish they’d opted for Igoudala instead of Afflalo. In hindsight the BKN Brook Lopez deal looks like it would’ve been better.

2. Firing Stan. Should’ve kept him. He was my favourite coach until Mosley came along.

3. Drafting Oladipo over Giannis. I’m not pretending it was a no-brainer move because nobody was thinking about it, but taking Oladipo #2 was a poor start to our rebuild. I would’ve picked McCollum over Oladipo, personally - or traded back for him plus extra assets at the very least. But drafting Giannis would’ve changed the trajectory of the team for the last 12 years.

4. Winning either the Dallas or Washington games at the end of the 2017-18 season. Either win could’ve cost us the chance to get Luka or Trae. Instead, we got Bamba (and we could’ve picked SGA).

5. Hiring Hennigan but no senior basketball president to oversee and ensure a respectable culture was built. I think Hennigan’s lack of maturity is what prevented the team he built from reaching its full potential.

6. Trading Oladipo and Sabonis for Ibaka. We got an 18 month rental of a never-was for the same package which would net Paul George (who would later net SGA).

7. Hanging on to Vuc as long as we did (although it ultimately paid off by bringing us Franz). I think he’s a high character guy, but his talent was/is only enough to inspire mediocrity at its peak, and ruin proper tanking chances when it wasn’t.

8. Every coach between SVG and Clifford. JV, Skiles and Vogel just weren’t cut out to get the most out of the guys we had.

I think every other misstep could be attributed to these main inflection points.

Totally agree, especially on Hennigan. The real mistake wasn’t just hiring him, it was giving him full control with no experienced voice to guide him. He had talent but was too naive, lacked discipline, and clearly had no clue how to manage ownership pressure. That’s how you end up with panic trades like the Ibaka deal.

A lot of the mess really comes down to his inexperience and no structure around him.

[eyriq]

Drafting Bamba is clearly top 10. Considering who else was in the draft and Vuc still being here...

I get the frustration but I don’t think it cracks the top ten. There were worse decisions with bigger long-term impact. Bamba didn’t work out but that pick wasn’t as damaging as some of the trades and signings that actually set the team back.

[eyriq]

With all respect, I don't know how you leave out a second draft in three years with TWO lottery picks and coming away with very little to show for it.

I hear you, but I think it’s a little early to call that draft a failure. AB is already a key rotation piece with real impact on defense and pace. Judging a draft class after just two seasons feels premature, especially when both guys are still developing. There’s a big difference between a slow burn and a true setback.

[eyriq]

Aaron Gordon is so overrated. He is nothing but a glorified 3and d player since day 1. Just put into spotlight and popularity is because of allstar dunk contest, thats it.

We got what we deserved that time.

That’s a wild rewrite of history. Gordon was miscast as a go-to scorer in Orlando but still flashed elite defensive versatility, rebounding, and playmaking flashes. Since moving to Denver and being used properly, he’s been a key starter on a title team. If that’s just a “glorified 3&D,” then every contender could use one.

[CarraT]

Worst move was making no trades in last 8 years if not forced to by own players.

Not making panic trades is why the team finally has a core. Trading just to trade is how we got the Ibaka mess in the first place.

So there is either „panic trades“ or not doing any trades in 8 years that you’re not forced to by your own players. Nothing inbetween?

[eyriq]

Worst move was making no trades in last 8 years if not forced to by own players.

Not making panic trades is why the team finally has a core. Trading just to trade is how we got the Ibaka mess in the first place.

So there is either „panic trades“ or not doing any trades in 8 years that you’re not forced to by your own players. Nothing inbetween?

That’s just not true. We’ve made trades the last eight years. Vuc for Wendell and Franz, AG for a first and Gary Harris, Fultz for a late first, Bol came in a deal too. The front office hasn’t been inactive, they’ve just made smarter moves instead of repeating the kind of mistakes that set us back in the first place.

[basketballRob]

Keeping Vuc and Fournier so long was a big mistake.

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