RealGM

Two news items today.
Hedo turned down a $35 million dollar contract offer.
http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wireta ... extension/
After the Carter trade, it was expected that Hedo may be on the move.

What wasn't so expected is that Orlando GM Otis Smith came out and said that they weren't going to match offers above 5 million for Gortat. This means that Gortat will walk to any team willing to offer the MLE, which we should expect to happen. They also traded Battie in the Carter deal.
http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wireta ... or_gortat/

If the Magic lose both Turkoglu and Gortat, the team will definitely be downgrading even after adding Carter. The future of their team seems to depend upon signing Rasheed. If Tanguay has any credibility and they can't do that, I think they'll slip to the 4th or 5th seed.

They will have the best starting 5 in the NBA hands down but their bench needs work. However free agency has not started yet and I do not see why the cannot land a decent player or two.

Ensoul wrote:They will have the best starting 5 in the NBA hands down

I strongly disagree.

Unfortunately for us, NBA players like Orlando and other warm-state destinations.

Not a rhetorical question, should they lose Turk and move shard to the 3, who is their PF?

JHTruth wrote:Not a rhetorical question, should they lose Turk and move shard to the 3, who is their PF?

I have always felt this is what they should do. Especially now that VC is in the picture, because as over-rated as some people on this board make him out to be, he offers many of the same playmaking abilities Turk does. Shard would move back to his natural position and they should try to get a vet that can hit a jumper with range much like KG but can actually defend the 4 spot. Maybe Charlie V. if he wasn't so set on Cleveland. Maybe even Dice or Joe Smith. I'm sure there are more just throwing out some more talked about options.

The other thing is, although he may not be ready for starter minutes, I feel like getting Ryan Anderson in that VC deal as well is a STEAL. He could be the perfect 4 in that Orlando system if they feel he is ready.

JHTruth wrote:Not a rhetorical question, should they lose Turk and move shard to the 3, who is their PF?

Assuming they do not sign anybody that can start here is what I believe their starters would be.

C-Howard
SF-Carter
PF-Lewis
SG Reddick
PG-Nelson

Ensoul wrote:

JHTruth wrote:Not a rhetorical question, should they lose Turk and move shard to the 3, who is their PF?

Assuming they do not sign anybody that can start here is what I believe their starters would be.

C-Howard
SF-Carter
PF-Lewis
SG Reddick
PG-Nelson

Seems awfully small but who knows.

Lineup is more like:

Howard-C
Anderson-PF
Lewis- Sf
Carter- SG
Nelson- PG

http://www.basketball-reference.com/fc/ ... 01&y4=2009

Deal looks like a net gain in everything but defense for Orlando but Howard may help coverup those faults

Anderson never impressed me. If they lose Hedo, they've gone stayed about the same; if they lose Gortat, they've lost ground.

I bet this is a trick with Gortat - they'll match up to 6 mil, and hope someone offers him just over 5, thinking they won't match.

Carter to Orlando is no different than Iverson to Denver, they will get better when he is gone. He is no longer a go to guy, he requires a lot more shots than Hedo to be effective.

Banks2Pierce wrote:

Ensoul wrote:They will have the best starting 5 in the NBA hands down

I strongly disagree.

Ditto.

Let's take a glance at other possible eastern conference lineups. I'll take these lineups over what Orlando would employ.


Boston

4 - Garnett
3 - Pierce
5 - Perkins
1 - Rondo
2 - R. Allen

Washington

4 - Jamison
3 - C. Butler
5 - Haywood
1 - Foye
2 - Arenas

Chicago

4 - Tyrus Thomas
3 - Deng
5 - Noah
1 - Rose
2 - Hinrich

Versus...

Orlando

4 - R. Lewis (or R. Anderson)
3 - V. Carter (or R. Lewis)
5 - D. Howard
1 - J. Nelson
2 - Pietrus (or V. Carter)

How about magic spend mle on Bass/sheed/mcdyess?

nelson
Carter
lewis
Sheed/mcdyess/bass
Howard

this lineup looks scary. About hedo, he ll test his value. Gortat wants money and starting role. he said this numerous times

Ensoul wrote:They will have the best starting 5 in the NBA hands down but their bench needs work. However free agency has not started yet and I do not see why the cannot land a decent player or two.

That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. (Just kidding)

You made fun of my trade ideas so you opened yourself up for this. I'd take the Celtics starting five over them every fricking time.

The best starting 5 thing is pretty laughable when their own GM couldn't know who would start.

Rashard Lewis natural position is PF. The only thing that could possibly make a bigger defensive mess of Carter and Lewis on the wings is Ryan Anderson starting at the PF spot.

I think if this is the Orlando Magic come the start of the season SVG just go fired or hell he might quit again.

If Gortat is really up for grabs, we should snatch him up. It can't have escaped everyone's attention that we have no backup center and Perkins is still subject to foul trouble. Also, Gortat really is pretty good - or at least I thought so watching him during the playoffs.

Brett43 wrote:If Gortat is really up for grabs, we should snatch him up. It can't have escaped everyone's attention that we have no backup center and Perkins is still subject to foul trouble. Also, Gortat really is pretty good - or at least I thought so watching him during the playoffs.

We probably should make an offer but we have no chance at him. He wants money and a starting gig.

sully00 wrote:The best starting 5 thing is pretty laughable when their own GM couldn't know who would start.

Rashard Lewis natural position is PF. The only thing that could possibly make a bigger defensive mess of Carter and Lewis on the wings is Ryan Anderson starting at the PF spot.

I think if this is the Orlando Magic come the start of the season SVG just go fired or hell he might quit again.

Sully: there is talk about them bringing in Outlaw and Blake when they S&T Turkgolu. Sliding Outlaw in as the wing defender between VC and Shard makes them a very dangerous team and Blake is better than Reddick...

I love heinsohn wrote:

sully00 wrote:The best starting 5 thing is pretty laughable when their own GM couldn't know who would start.

Rashard Lewis natural position is PF. The only thing that could possibly make a bigger defensive mess of Carter and Lewis on the wings is Ryan Anderson starting at the PF spot.

I think if this is the Orlando Magic come the start of the season SVG just go fired or hell he might quit again.

Sully: there is talk about them bringing in Outlaw and Blake when they S&T Turkgolu. Sliding Outlaw in as the wing defender between VC and Shard makes them a very dangerous team and Blake is better than Reddick...

Outlaw's not a great fit for Orlando. He's an iso player but not a playmaker, not a great shooter, and hardly an elite defender. Blake is exclusively a 1, and he wouldn't do them a heck of a lot of good unless Nelson went down again. I wouldn't mind if they did this at all.

they're one PF away from Elite.

Carter is a superman version of Hedo. His passing skills are 10x better and he'll help make that tension filled offense flow.

They could even get a guy like McNice to play for him. He'd be a perfect fit at PF. Veteran, knowes his role.

They have Pietrus too coming of the bench who is everything Tony Allen would be if he was healthy.


Nelson
VC
Shard
McDice
D-12

That's basically 4 all-stars. Although only VC and Dwight will put up the numbers in that kind of lineup.

I'd equal that with

Rondo
Ray
Pierce
KG
Perk

Really just depends on how ORL shoots that given night on who would win between these two lineups against any team in the NBA. (we have an advantage in a matchup with Perk on D-12 that no other team has. Only Sheed can guard him as well as Perk)