RealGM

Despite working out mostly power forwards and shooting guards this week, Magic General Manager Otis Smith said that his most pressing need would be making sure he has a backup point guard for next season. He expects Jameer Nelson to be his starter again, but both backup Carlos Arroyo and backup Keyon Dooling are unrestricted free agents and expected to go wherever they can land the best contract.

"Tony coming back is like a free-agent signing for us. It's huge," Smith said. "We will have a proven power forward we didn't have last season.''

"I'd expect now that we'll take the best player available at 22," Smith said. "Whoever that is."

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/o ... 6213.story

Also mentioned in article

On Tuesday, they looked closely at front-court players, bringing in Marreese Speights (Florida), Joey Dorsey (Memphis), D.J. White (Indiana), Ryan Anderson (California) and Jason Thompson (Rider).

On Wednesday, they watched and listened to shooting guards such as Chris Douglas-Roberts (Memphis), Brandon Rush (Kansas), Courtney Lee (Western Kentucky), and Mark Tyndale (Temple).

Again, we have the draft, the mle, and the LLE, with us needing a sg, pf, and pg. Its figuring out which ones match up the best is the real trick here. I'm settled on the mle=sg, draft=pf, and LLE=pg. It seems like the most logical scenario given mle big men are tougher to find, and its too much to use on a pg when we already have Jameer. The draft is the next best resource, and big man is the next biggest need, plus there is a ton of them in this draft. The last match should leave the LLE.

very interesting, im happy to read battie will be coming off the bench, (wasnt it brian hill who said you wont lose your starting position due to injury LOL)....i hope otis can come through with these changes

watch otis draft two sfs

spinedoc wrote:Again, we have the draft, the mle, and the LLE, with us needing a sg, pf, and pg. Its figuring out which ones match up the best is the real trick here. I'm settled on the mle=sg, draft=pf, and LLE=pg. It seems like the most logical scenario given mle big men are tougher to find, and its too much to use on a pg when we already have Jameer. The draft is the next best resource, and big man is the next biggest need, plus there is a ton of them in this draft. The last match should leave the LLE.

Did u not read the article or something?? Otis just said Battie coming back is like the equivalent of us bring'n in a FA pf. That pretty much leaves open the possibilty of using the MLE on a PG or SG(probably SG gets us the best value player). So imagine how that would leave us having a roster w/ a new starting SG and PF next year(Otis has a "plan", hopefully that is it).......That plan would improve our depth significantly and truly allow us to draft the BPA(most likely whoever's left of Speights, Rush, CD-R, or Thompson). If everything worked out we could have Hedo coming off the bench to go along the two draft picks we'll likely get. im guessing PF isn't going to be THAT important, as it seems we have better overall talent there right now then we do at PG or SG. Just my .02.

Does anyone think that there is a way that we could trade to get back into the late first round and get Mario Chalmers? Chalmers and Rush/CDR would be a pretty quality draft, IMO. Then if we could buy a 2nd for a big man that'd be gravy. Not too sure what we'd have to give up to trade into the backend of the first round, but if we could do it relatively cheap I'd be all for it.

Magic.City.23. wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Did u not read the article or something?? Otis just said Battie coming back is like the equivalent of us bring'n in a FA pf. That pretty much leaves open the possibilty of using the MLE on a PG or SG(probably SG gets us the best value player). So imagine how that would leave us having a roster w/ a new starting SG and PF next year(Otis has a "plan", hopefully that is it).......That plan would improve our depth significantly and truly allow us to draft the BPA(most likely whoever's left of Speights, Rush, CD-R, or Thompson). If everything worked out we could have Hedo coming off the bench to go along the two draft picks we'll likely get. im guessing PF isn't going to be THAT important, as it seems we have better overall talent there right now then we do at PG or SG. Just my .02.

Yeah, I read it. He's been saying that for awhile now, but Otis and Stan have also said that they want some more size up front and have been working out big men in the draft. That line was for others who still want to get us a free agent big man with the mle and the reality of it, but I pretty much agree with the plan that you have laid out. I guess I don't understand the criticism.

i really hope hes not expecting Battie to be the answer at PF

Wilcox just got arrested for weapons charges.. so he can be had for cheap probably.. I'd still take him ;D

Soul wrote:Wilcox just got arrested for weapons charges.. so he can be had for cheap probably.. I'd still take him ;D

Now Devos will never trade for him.

Anyway, I'm fine with this. If we add another PF like Dorsey. I think Gortat is gonna be very solid for us next year. And Dwight will be better.

And still opens the door for Chris Duhon coming to Orlando. And it says Dooling or Arroyo are going wherever they get most money. And hopefully that is not here.

The Effect wrote:i really hope hes not expecting Battie to be the answer at PF

Earlier this offseason Smith mentioned the need for defensive help on the boards now he is mentioning the need for a backup pg.

It almost sounds like the Magic don't see themselves re-signing Dooling and Carlos.

Otis is just trying to obfuscate what he intends to do (i.e., doesn't want to tip his hand). It frustrates the hell out of you guys, I know....but he's trying to keep the other teams and GMs guessing, too, in hopes they don't go for the guy the team wants most. I'll bet you that he has at least a couple guys in mind, but he's sure not going to tell the world.

lovehoops01 wrote: obfuscate

I think this is the first time I have ever seen that word.

spinedoc wrote:Again, we have the draft, the mle, and the LLE, with us needing a sg, pf, and pg. Its figuring out which ones match up the best is the real trick here. I'm settled on the mle=sg, draft=pf, and LLE=pg. It seems like the most logical scenario given mle big men are tougher to find, and its too much to use on a pg when we already have Jameer. The draft is the next best resource, and big man is the next biggest need, plus there is a ton of them in this draft. The last match should leave the LLE.

This what several were saying the likely course would be.

Not much new here, but interesting none the less. Especially the parts about needing a back up point guard and having Battie fill the need at PF. Maybe Dooling is not a lock after all? I want either him or Evans, not both, and I'd prefer Dooling. What about Battie? Is he going to start next year or what? That will be pivotal.

craig01 wrote:I think this is the first time I have ever seen that word.

N4U, maybe TheGlyde as well, has probably used a .NET Obfuscator.

eyriq wrote:Not much new here, but interesting none the less. Especially the parts about needing a back up point guard and having Battie fill the need at PF. Maybe Dooling is not a lock after all? I want either him or Evans, not both, and I'd prefer Dooling. What about Battie? Is he going to start next year or what? That will be pivotal.

There were rumours of Jason, aka White Choclate, Williams coming over on the cheap.

spinedoc wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Yeah, I read it. He's been saying that for awhile now, but Otis and Stan have also said that they want some more size up front and have been working out big men in the draft. That line was for others who still want to get us a free agent big man with the mle and the reality of it, but I pretty much agree with the plan that you have laid out. I guess I don't understand the criticism.

Oh true, i understand. I guess just had a little misunderstanding thats all . I was simply trying to imply that the position of the player we get in the draft won't be that important if we plan to sign a SG to the mle.......most likely the best player on the board looks to be a SG as well(CDR or Rush), so unless Speights is still on the board, I wouldn't be against grabbing one them even if we still plan to get the FA SG. If all 3 are somehow gone tho, a guy like Thompson would be fine by me, cuz pretty much we'll just be looking to add the best talent avail to best help our depth across the board (we should not reach for Dorsey tho imo). Glad to see we are pretty much on the same tho, I just think that drafting for need as opposed to BP can get teams in trouble(like it has for us in the past).

Magic.City.23. wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Oh true, i understand. I guess just had a little misunderstanding thats all. I was simply trying to imply that the position of the player we get in the draft won't be that important if we plan to sign a SG to the mle.......most likely the best player on the board looks to be a SG as well(CDR or Rush), unless Speights is still on the board, so I wouldn't be against grabbing one them even if we still plan to get the FA SG. If all 3 are somehow gone tho, a guy like Thompson would be fine by me cuz pretty much we'll just be looking to add the best talent for depth across the board (we should not reach for Dorsey tho! jmo). Glad to see we are pretty much on the same tho.

Gotcha, and I hear ya about the best available in the draft, but your always going to hear that coming from gm's. They have a better idea then that I'm sure. I just think getting a decent backup big man is the safest pick after our history in the draft. And given that there is a bunch of them this year and very few pg's, it seems the most logical, to me anyway. McGee, Speights, Koufos, or Hibbert all would be a good pick at our spot imo, maybe even Dorsey if he continues to climb.