John Hollinger from Espn on Orlandos offseason moves

[tjm384]

Midlevel mayhem

Mickael Pietrus inked a four-year, $23 million deal to become Orlando's defensive stopper. Last season, he fouled so often it's inconceivable he could stay on the court long enough to have much of an effect, but the Magic won't be playing him at power forward in crazy smallball lineups. Nonetheless, this seems like the classic "midlevel curse" contract -- Pietrus never was much good at Golden State and was signed as much for potential as for production.

I don't get it

Orlando inked Anthony Johnson to a two-year, $3.97 million deal to be its backup point guard, but his game slipped in the latter part of last season. In all likelihood, he'll be a major dropoff from the Keyon Dooling-Carlos Arroyo pairing that held the job a year ago.

Bottom fishing

Orlando's Adonal Foyle is a great guy and a decent third center.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/s ... rap-080909

[UCFknight84]

isnt this the dude thats always bashing us

[tjm384]

Yup like when that guy from espn on college football Mark May always bashes Notre Dame

[Orange Ave.]

the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts.

Time will tell, but these three guys seem to "fit" the team needs perfectly. I don't much care what they did last season or what they look like on paper.

[lovehoops01]

He might not be wrong. ESPN does have a history of bashing every move the Magic make and underestimating them. But on the other hand, I don't think we can plan on all these moves they make just to reduce costs coming out to benefit them. For instance, Foyle didn't really help the Magic all that much last year (face it, you wanted Dwight back in ASAP almost every game), but Foyle is back anyway. Otis said he was going to get someone to protect Dwight's back and improve the Magic point guard situation. He did neither.

Anthony Johnson is getting older. And he has tended to go from team to team throughout much of his career anyway, making you wonder if he really is a team player. I certainly don't think he is better than Keyon, just cheaper, and he doesn't play with more energy. And Keyon seemed to be a team player when he was here.

I myself have said that I'm not sure that Pietrus does anything particularly well, but I hope he proves me wrong.

Did he hate Courtney Lee, too? In case things don't work out with Pietrus? To me, I am hoping he works out because that is the only player I think has a chance at keeping their offseason from being a disaster. I hope I am wrong.

[Kent]

isnt this the dude thats always bashing us

Actually, when I've come across Hollinger's stuff he's pretty positive toward us. In fact, he usually puts us pretty high in his NBA Power Rankings.

[UCFknight84]

oo interesting thanks kent

im just suprised he didnt mention how improved our team chemistry will be with 4 returning starters playing another full season together.


But about pietrus, he thinks pretty damn low of him. I didnt watch much Golden State games but i did watch when they beat the Mavericks, I watched every game of that and was very impressed by Pietrus defense,spectacular plays, and clutch 3's. That was the playoffs too not many players have it inside them to step up like that in the playoffs.

Am i the only person who thinks Pietrus has potential to be a Bruce Bowen type (with stans help)? With our other offensive weapons we can afford him fouling out once in a while, assuming Courtney Lee is the player i think he is.

Pietrusaveraged about 11 pts a game as a starter for GS, i wonder if Hollinger realizes that we have so many good players on this team with 4 having improved chemistry (playoff chemistry most importantly) will benefit with a 10-16ppg defensive minded shooting guard? Did he ever ponder the thought of Courtney Lee ever playing PG for us?

Lee
Bogans
Lewis/Hedo/Pietrus (hmm, who will be the backup SF? they all have good endurance)
Cook
Battie

I love that 2nd unit

[aleZ]

Much of the offseason "success" rests on the Pietrus signing, if he does become more consistent, Hollinger will have to eat his words once again. The problem in GoldenState was he never fullfilled (for a whole season at least) his potential, but I'm positive the Magic are the right environment for him.

[drsd]

Pietrus needs to be considered through the glasses that view Evans and/or Bogans as NBA starters. This signing was a clear upgrade.

As well, one cannot question that Johnson is a downgrade over Arroyo and Dooling.

All in all, the Magic lost guard depth. Only if Lee has a surprising season can this be a push.

[Jersey Generals]

Don't really see where he bashed the Magic...at all. What he says is pretty truthful, to be quite honest.

[damo[23]]

Don't really see where he bashed the Magic...at all. What he says is pretty truthful, to be quite honest.

Because most people dont follow the Magic they dont really understand what we needed.

To the outside MP is a complete liablity; to the majority on the inside it was a required upgrade at the SG spot in which we had two perenial bench players manning the full 48 minutes each game. MP might be inconsistent, but no more than Evans or Bogans, and his good games, or even his average will be a big upgrade on both ends of the floor. Not to mention to even keep Evans, was going to cost us not that much less than it did for MP.

To the outside, AJ is a downgrade; to alot on the inside it gives Orlando a stable vetern PG that knows his role, we dont need fireworks here, we just need a guy that can pass the ball without giving it away when he's on the court, and correct me if I am wrong AJ was top 14 of all the PG's in that ratio last year? Many were getting tired of running a bench tweener [though most loved his hustle] as our back up guard in Dooling, a complete lack of ability to run the offense, Dooling wasnt a PG, he was a "hold down the fort and dont give 2 much away" player at the PG. Arroyo, most of us wanted him gone, how can we downgrade over a player most didnt want here?

Mostly peoples opinions come from the fact they watch a handful of games, see the odd box score and make misinformed opinions on that. While the jury is going to be out on whether MP was worth the money, I fail to see how our SG spot is in any shape weaker than it was last year.

[Optimus_Steel]

Don't really see where he bashed the Magic...at all. What he says is pretty truthful, to be quite honest.

Because most people dont follow the Magic they dont really understand what we needed.

To the outside MP is a complete liablity; to the majority on the inside it was a required upgrade at the SG spot in which we had two perenial bench players manning the full 48 minutes each game. MP might be inconsistent, but no more than Evans or Bogans, and his good games, or even his average will be a big upgrade on both ends of the floor. Not to mention to even keep Evans, was going to cost us not that much less than it did for MP.

To the outside, AJ is a downgrade; to alot on the inside it gives Orlando a stable vetern PG that knows his role, we dont need fireworks here, we just need a guy that can pass the ball without giving it away when he's on the court, and correct me if I am wrong AJ was top 14 of all the PG's in that ratio last year? Many were getting tired of running a bench tweener [though most loved his hustle] as our back up guard in Dooling, a complete lack of ability to run the offense, Dooling wasnt a PG, he was a "hold down the fort and dont give 2 much away" player at the PG. Arroyo, most of us wanted him gone, how can we downgrade over a player most didnt want here?

Mostly peoples opinions come from the fact they watch a handful of games, see the odd box score and make misinformed opinions on that. While the jury is going to be out on whether MP was worth the money, I fail to see how our SG spot is in any shape weaker than it was last year.

Good post.

[MitchellUK]

I don't know, I can see his points - Pietrus was plagued by inconsistency and foul trouble in Golden State. He is simple making the point that Orlando has signed a guy to a moderate sized contract in the hope that he reaches the potential he has shown glimpses of, which is true. Hollinger does concede that much of Pietrus' inconsistency was born out of the fact that he was played ridiculously out of position by Don Nelson.

However, as Damo points out, guys like Hollinger watch the entire NBA rather than a single team, so the odds are that he saw a handful of Magic games last season, a handful of Golden State games, and is basing his opinion on what he saw in those as well as stats. We all know that shooting guard was a very weak spot for us last season, and that Pietrus is an undeniable upgrade over Mo Evans (no disrespect to Mo, who I thought did a great job for us last year) in terms of talent. We will know whether or not he is an upgrade in terms of production soon enough, but Mo serves as a perfect example of what a guy can give you when he is offered consistent minutes and a more secure role (in his natural position, too).

On the Anthony Johnson front, yes his production declined in the latter half of last season, but that's almost certainly due to the fact he got traded to Sacramento, where he was in and out of the lineup, and got fewer (and more inconsistent) minutes than in Atlanta. I think he'll do fine as a $2m per year back up. The more pressing question regarding our PG position is whether Jameer continues as the aggressive, productive (and less turnover prone) player we saw from the All-Star break into the playoffs, or whether he goes back to the hot-and-cold, inconsistent floor leader he was up until February.

[MagicMadness]

Pietrus seems like a crapshoot to me. He didn't do too much in GS, but he also didn't have consistent playing time, and like Hollinger said, he was often put into "crazy smallball lineups".

Likely being a 4th-5th option on the court (while the starters are in), hopefully PIetrus can focus mainly on being a defensive stopper. I'm not sure if he'll be an overall upgrade (on both ends) over Mo Evans, but here's hoping.

[eyriq]

I like Hollinger a lot, and thought his analysis was in line with what most outside observers say about our moves so far.

The criticism that Pietrus fouls to much to gain significant playing is interesting, but seriously overstated and probably a non factor when all is considered. He will be playing his natural position and in a system that preaches system defense and not the helterskelter, home run or strike out mentality of Don Nelson's Warriors.

The reason he is a clear upgrade and one of the better choices that the Magic could have made for that spot is that he can rebound with the best SG's in the league. He shoots the three about as well as Evans and Bogans do, and to top it all off he has the potential to be a lock down perimeter defender. That is something that any team with Championship aspirations has to have.

As far as AJ goes he is a clear down grade if your comparing apples to apples, but in looking at Dooling and Arroyo you are not comparing apples to apples. Dooling couldn't run the offense and Arroyo was erratic and couldn't play D. So instead of paying and playing the two guys to try and get a consitent backup to Nelson, you combine their abilities to a lesser extent in Jonhson and consider yourself better off. Face it, Dooling was expendable and Arroyo didn't cut it or wanted to much money. Johnson is a great compromise and when all things are considered is actually an upgrade at that position, due to Nelson getting more PT and actual guys who can play a clear position, like Lee or maybe even Reddick, getting Dooling playing time.

[MitchellUK]

I'd agree with Eyriq, the fouls thing is overstated. He averaged about 3 in just under 20mpg in GS, where I would be willing to bet that at least a small portion of his fouls came from the fact that a) he was being asked to defend PFs, despite being 6'6 and 220lb, and b) he was the only guy who seemed to play D played in a helter-skelter system that probably saw him trying to atone for other peoples mistakes/lack of effort.

[Devin 1L]

isnt this the dude thats always bashing us

Actually, when I've come across Hollinger's stuff he's pretty positive toward us. In fact, he usually puts us pretty high in his NBA Power Rankings.

He's probably thinking of Charley Rosen at FoxSports.

As for Hollinger's rankings, I believe they are purely statistical based, so he could absolutely hate the Magic and them be ranked high in his ranking provided their numbers work out well. With that said, I don't think he hates the Magic, or anything like that.

oo interesting thanks kent

im just suprised he didnt mention how improved our team chemistry will be with 4 returning starters playing another full season together.


But about pietrus, he thinks pretty damn low of him. I didnt watch much Golden State games but i did watch when they beat the Mavericks, I watched every game of that and was very impressed by Pietrus defense,spectacular plays, and clutch 3's. That was the playoffs too not many players have it inside them to step up like that in the playoffs.

Am i the only person who thinks Pietrus has potential to be a Bruce Bowen type (with stans help)? With our other offensive weapons we can afford him fouling out once in a while, assuming Courtney Lee is the player i think he is.

Pietrusaveraged about 11 pts a game as a starter for GS, i wonder if Hollinger realizes that we have so many good players on this team with 4 having improved chemistry (playoff chemistry most importantly) will benefit with a 10-16ppg defensive minded shooting guard? Did he ever ponder the thought of Courtney Lee ever playing PG for us?

Lee
Bogans
Lewis/Hedo/Pietrus (hmm, who will be the backup SF? they all have good endurance)
Cook
Battie

I love that 2nd unit

Hollinger relies on his PER, which is known (I think even admittedly) to be biased to scoring.

As I've said before, if Pietrus proves his worth here, it will be on the defensive end. I wouldn't be surprised that if Peitrus had a good year for us, that it may still not be reflected in his PER.

[UCFknight84]

true

[CourtsideTV]

question: who is courtney lee?

[Last Guardian]

I don't see how AJ is a clear downgrade to Arroyo and Dooling. AJ is both of those guys in one player. He is 6'3 and a good defender, like Dooling (though Dooling definitely is a little better on defense). And he can get decent assist numbers like Arroyo (and probably better at running an offense than Arroyo).