Hotshot Hower wrote:A lot of you guys focus on what we didn't get in the trade, look at it from such a "literal" perspective.
If Dwight had more years left on his deal the complexity changes, the offers are better. I don't think you understand that. It's one thing to speculate, it's another to argue something you have absolutely no idea about (what Rockets were offering, etc).
In my mind, it's one or the other when it comes to trading someone of Dwight's magnitude who's literally forced his way out of Orlando, while being on the last year of his deal. I'm sure Henny had multiple scenarios when it came to actually acquiring a lotto pick or even a "star", but that's where his options become limited as he couldn't have BOTH. Make no mistake, "rumors" swirled that certain teams would take a chance on Dwight, rent him without assurances but in no way shape or form do we know what these teams were ACTUALLY offering.
Also, everyone is fixated on what "Star" we didn't get, what lotto pick we didn't get. As well as arguing that none of the star players (Iggy/Bynum) in the 4-way deal didn't come to Orlando.
Dwight's departure was inevitable. With that in mind, we could've let him walk and got ZERO in return. Though, we'd be stuck with the toxicity of deals as I mentioned above, crippled financially, and in a mediocre state with few options to turn it around, compete for the Larry O' Brien.
Anyhow, you can't look at it from "did we win or did we lose in trade, talent-wise?" Rather, the BIG picture, not the black and white. The deal we accepted gives us MANY more options now and down the road than a deal for Bynum (or Gasol) would. It gives us flexibility, not just with cap space but in our decision making (trades, draft, FA) as an organization. It's a process, it's about building and developing an identity and sustaining it. The goal for every NBA team is to win a championship, not be eliminated every year in the 1st round, drafting #16-20. With that, you need a mixture of components to achieve that.
That's why Hennigan's plan is to develop these nice prospects (Harkless, Vucevic, Eyenga, Nicholson, O'Quinn) while having good locker room guys/leaders in Jameer, Big Baby, Redick, Affalo. You need a mixture of both to be successful, hence the Spurs blueprint. Then, by the time 2013-2014 season rolls around these prospects are developed, have a role with team, and then Magic capitalize with cap room by signing a "STAR" to add to an already "solid" foundation. I'd like to call it "the cherry on top". That's a recipe for success. Don't put so much stock into these "un-protected" late 1st rounders, they're just assets to HELP facilitate a BIGGER trade down the road as we already have an abundance of youth to develop.
Hypothetically, do you think we could compete for a championship w/ Bynum (or Gasol) and current core? I mean, we already know what we have on our team (w/ exceptions of this year's picks and Ayon). With Miami in East and OKC in West, we don't even come close and Hennigan knows that. He's a realist, a visionary. That's why he took a different route, one that many aren't too fond of but that's because most people are quick to re-act, lack logic and critical thinking.
Brilliant post. Deserves to be seen again.
