Orlando is the only team this year with co-GM's,
they are:
Uncle Vasya and
Tom McGuigan
Orlando has the 27th pick in the NBA draft and select:
Efthimas Rentzias, C, 6'11, Greece
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Current Team Status, and Possible Off-season Moves.
Center:
Last season I wrote that Shaq dominated and back-up center was a problem.
Things were different this season. Shaq, beginning with the hand injury
in the pre-season, has not had the season he hoped. Despite continued
progress in developing his skills, free-throws have proved to be Shaq's
Achilles' heel. On the plus side, O'Neal's passing is much better, an
he now is averaging almost 3 assists/game. In addition his jump hook and
short turn-around jumper are now becoming reliable enough that opponents
cannot disregard them any more. Unfortunately, his free-throw percentage
dropped dramatically, especially in the play-offs. This caused the
media, particularly the local Orlando media (and many in r.s.b.p) to
(unfairly) question his dedication to the game. The truth is that Shaq's
FT problems are primarily a question of mental attitude. He shoots in
the 70% range in practice - he just needs to do the same things on the
court that he does in practice to succeed.
More troubling to me was the fact that his defensive game has not
progressed the same way his offensive game has. One reason could be the
added weight Shaq carried this season because of his aggressive weight
training last summer. Like Michael Jordan early in his career (and like
Penny Hardaway), Shaq thought that adding muscle would help his stamina.
Like Jordan, he found out it didn't. I expect that, like Jordan, he will
learn from the experience, and return to his normal playing weight. With
free-agency looming, the vultures and doomsayers are gathering as rumors
abound that Shaq will leave Orlando.
Two things to note: First, DeVos won't give away the franchise to keep
Shaq. An interesting quote from him appeared in the Atlanta papers - "I
don't want just your body. I want your heart. I want you to love playing
for this team. If not, then you should go to another team." Clearly
DeVos is not the type to kowtow. However, DeVos repays loyalty with
loyalty. He makes sure the team gets the best, and has in a very short
time earned a reputation among the players as one of the better owners
in the league. That will draw players, and guarantee success in the long
term.
Second, I believe that John Gabriel won't risk losing O'Neal without
compensation. If he thinks that there is a serious chance that he won't
be able to re-sign O'Neal, you'll see a pre-draft trade. IMO, O'Neal
will be back.
At least the situation at back-up center has been answered. While some
may question his skills, Jon Koncak has been a vast improvement over
Tree Rollins and Geert Hammink. The only problem is that Koncak played
too many minutes last season. Fewer minutes will help his knees, and
allow him to be more aggressive while he's on the court, a luxury he
could not afford this season, as he was often needed to give the team
30+ minutes per game.
Power forward:
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! became AAAAAUUUGGGGGHHHHH!!!!! again, as
Horace Grant suffered a string of nagging injuries. The Magic need a
healthy Grant, at least until one of the younger players develops a
similar dedication to hardnosed defense and emotional leadership.
Orlando barely managed a .500 record when Grant was out. Grant also
will be a free-agent this summer. There is no way the Magic will not
re-sign him.
At back-up PF, we've seen a total turn-over and no change at the same
time. Gone are Avent, Turner, and Dent. In are Wolf and Vaughn.
Still missing is defensive intensity and a zest for rebounding. The
primary back-up for most of the year was Joe Wolf, who, like Turner,
plays solid positional defense. Also like Turner, however, no-one
will ever accuse him of being a hardnosed defender or rebounder.
David Vaughn didn't get many minutes on court in his rookie season.
He needs to keep working on his fundamentals.
A change may be in the winds. Orlando has been looking for more
aggressiveness at back-up PF for the past couple of years - but has
ended up favoring scoring over aggressiveness when push came to shove.
This year may have pushed them over the edge. IMO, you'll see an
emphasis on rebounding and defense here next season. I don't think
Joe Wolf will be returning. David Vaughn still needs to improve
before getting the primary roll - but, he was aggressive and worked
hard this year, so I think the Magic will hold on to him. Anthony
Bonner, signed at the end of this season may not be the answer, but I
think he is the type of PF the Magic may be favoring. Joining the
team at the very end of the season, he never really had a chance to
show what he could do. However, there is no question about his
defensive intensity. If he does not stay with the team, I expect the
Magic will look for someone with the same focus on defense.
Small Forward:
Dennis Scott had his best season as a pro this year. He stayed
healthy, improved his rebounding, showed the beginnings of a post-up
game, and played respectable minutes at PF on occasion. Then he
disappeared at crunch time. Dennis always has shown a tendency to
fold under pressure - the more he thinks he has to score, the more
likely he is to begin rushing his shot, and the more likely he is to
get distracted on defense. The big question is: will he take this
as an opportunity and step up to the challenge to improve, or will
he retreat? The coaching staff's thoughts about how Dennis will
react will be the key to Scott's future with the team.
I wish I knew what happened to Donald Royal. Always a hard worker,
he had a lot DNP-CD's this season. The loss of minutes in part can
be explained by Dennis Scott's improvement (at least during the
regular season), and Nick Anderson's new found ability to play SF.
But, I think there is more to it than that. I was left with the
feeling this year, that Hill just didn't have confidence in Royal.
Had it not been for the injuries to Grant, I think he would have
gotten even fewer minutes. One thing is certain - unless Royal
finally manages to develop a reliable jumper he won't be back.
Shooting Guard:
Nick Anderson seems to have peaked. He continues to be one of the
better SG's in the league, often getting mentions when "top 10"
lists are generated. However, he, together with Dennis Scott,
disappeared against Chicago. More often than not, he'll outplay
his opponent; but he can disappear at critical junctures. At 28,
he is not going to improve significantly, so what you see is the
best you can expect to get. For a team that has to be looking at
how to improve its play-off performance, Anderson has trade value.
Any move will have to be based on Orlando's ability to find a
starter to replace Anderson. Neither Thompson nor Bowie (nor Shaw,
for those who want to move Hardaway to the 2 spot), are 30-40
minute per game players.
During the fourth quarter of game 4 against the Bulls, Brooks
Thompson showed that he might be ready to step-up for the Magic.
"Might" is the key word. Thompson will have to prove it during
pre-season camp in November. His shooting touch has always been a
strong point. If only he could play defense at the same level.
It mat take one more season before he can challenge for the primary
back-up role.
Anthony Bowie was cut at the end of the pre-season, and wasn't
signed until a few weeks in the season, despite being available.
IMO, he was signed only when it became clear that Thompson wasn't
ready to take over. I don't the situation has changed - Bowie will
be back only if a) Thompson is not ready, and b) Orlando can't find
somebody better.
Point Guard:
The voters said it all when they again named Penny to the
first-team all-NBA squad. And, things are only going to get better.
A key question is how Penny will react to yet another sweep exit
from the playoffs. I expect some real fire next season, and for the
first time, there won't be any contract negotiations to distract
him.
Backing up Penny is Brian Shaw. A strong defender and adequate
passer, he'd be a candidate for a starting job somewhere if he could
increase his fg% by 10%.
Darrell Armstrong works hard in practice, and is a fine cheerleader
in his suit on the bench (it's amazing how many nagging "injuries"
he has suffered). Last season I wrote; "The Magic never seem to use
such players much though. Their game is built on post-up play from
the PG position." That's not likely to change.
Summary:
I think Orlando has to make a major change this summer. After
being swept by the Bulls, John Gabriel has to confront the question:
Is it possible for this team, as it stands, to believe in
themselves enough, and to become as hungry as they will need to be,
to win it all? The change could take one of three forms: A change in
attitude/intensity. A change in players. Or, a new head coach.
The obvious focus will be on Brian Hill, Nick Anderson, and Dennis
Scott. There already have been rumors about Rick Pitino and John
Daly. People forget that Hill took the team to 60 wins despite the
injuries to Grant and O'Neal. DeVos won't have overlooked that - but
he will ask Hill if he thinks that he can inspire the team to take
the next step. IMO, if Hill wants the job, it's his. The only way a
coaching change will take place is if Hill acknowledges that it is
necessary for the good of the team.
I won't try to make any predictions about Anderson and/or Scott; too
much depends on who else is being offered, and it's too early to get
a good read on that. But, if any major player change occurs, it will
involve at least one of these players. The chances of Shaq not being
in Orlando next season - right at level of the proverbial
snowball-in-Hell. Orlando's salary cap situation prevents the Magic
from entertaining any thoughts of major free-agent acquisitions.
Best, of course, would be a change in attitude without the need for
major personnel changes. When this team plays hard it can be
awesome - whether in the half-court game or the running game. The
passing is crisp, the defense is hard, and everyone plays
unselfishly. Some people are calling for Orlando to take up the
triangle offense, or play more like Utah. Nobody complains when
Orlando is clicking. The coaches are looking for Penny to step up,
and I think he will.
All of this will have zero impact on the team's draft strategy,
which will be BPA. The player picked will not see much playing time,
and the team's only goal will be to find a player who will survive.
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Orlando's selection:
Efthimis Retzias (C, PAOK-Greece)
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Who we considered:
With Utah selecting, my co-GM (Uncle Vasya) and narrowed our wish
list to three (in preference order):
Efthimis Retzias (C, PAOK-Greece). Given Orlando's roster situation,
having Retzias spend another year in Europe is actually a plus. He
can slide right into Koncak's spot. Uncle Vasya says Jerry Reynolds
feels Retzias could be a top 15 pick.
Predrag Stojakovic (SF, PAOK-Greece). Zydrunas Ilgauskas held a
private workout in Chicago for selected teams. He invited Stojakovic
to tag along. The GM's and scouts reportedly weren't especially
impressed with Ilgauskas - but they really liked what they saw of
Stojakovic. He's only 18 and may stay in Europe for a year or two
more. That's fine with Orlando - they're more than happy to wait. I
have not heard any reports of his having withdrawn so I am assuming
he is still available.
Tony Delk (SG, Kentucky). We agree 100% with JazzyJ when he likens
Delk to Vinnie Johnson. With Shaq in the middle, he'll get lots of
wide open looks. His defensive quickness will take some pressure off
Penny Hardaway, who seems to have problems defensively with jitterbug
PGs. We'd love to see Orlando take him in the real draft.
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Who we did not consider:
Brian Evans (SF, Indiana). The main reason we did not consider Evans
was because we see too many similarities between Evans' game,
strengths, and weaknesses and Dennis Scott's. If we knew that the
Magic would trade Scott, we'd look at Evans more closely, but, Orlando
doesn't need two nearly identical players.
Ronnie Henderson (SG, LSU). He can score, but that's not a concern
for Orlando. What concerned us was the fact that he did not have a
strong showing in Chicago, while others that we rated more highly
did. In addition, numerous ratings reports expressed concerns about
Henderson being a "black-hole." Finally, Uncle Vasya reports that
there may be injury concerns lurking.
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Who the team will probably take:
As noted in my summary, I expect the Magic to draft the best player
available regardless of position.
In addition to the players I named above, I understand Orlando also
may be looking at Kevin Simpson, a sleeper from Dixie (Utah) Junior
College, and Shandon Anderson, who strikes me as a poor-man's Nick
Anderson.
I also would not be surprised to see Orlando look for a small quick,
PG (if Delk isn't available) to replace Darrell Armstrong - so I
would not be surprised to hear them select either Reggie Geary or
Moochie Norris. To date I have not heard any reports about Orlando
bringing in anyone for a workout.
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Draft Summary:
1. Philadelphia 76ers
GM: Albert Lee
Pick: Alan Iverson, PG, 6'1" Georgetown
2. Toronto Raptors
GM: Phil Bedard
Pick: Ray Allen, SG, 6'5", UCONN
3) Vancouver Grizzlies
GM: Carl Linder
Pick: Stephon Marbury, PG, 6'1", Georgia Tech
4) Milwaukee Bucks
GM: Adam Kick
Pick: Marcus Camby, PF, 6'11", UMASS
5) Minnesota Timberwolves
GM: Kevin Galbraith
Pick: John Wallace, SF, 6'8", Syracuse
6) Dallas Mavricks
GM: Gary Gaffney
Pick: Lorenzen Wright, PF, 6-11, Memphis State University.
7) Los Angeles Clippers
GM: Curtis Hill
Pick: Eric Dampier, C, 6-11, Mississippi State
8) New Jersey Nets
GM: Ryan Cole
Pick: Kerry Kittles, SG, 6-5, Villanova
9) Boston Celtics
GM: Ellie Cutler
Pick: Antoine Walker, SG, 6-8, Kentucky
10) Indiana Pacers (from Denver)
GM: Richard "T-Bone" Burton
Pick: Roy Rogers, PF, 6-10, Alabama
11) Golden State Warriors
GM: Russ Smith
Pick: Todd Fuller, C, 6-11, North Carolina State
12) Cleveland Cavs (from Washington Bullets)
GM: Steve Chapin
Pick: Zydrunas Ilgauskas, C, 7-1, Lithuania
13) Charlotte Hornets
GM: Thad Williamson
Pick: Kobe Bryant, SG, 6-6, Lower Merion HS
14) Sacramento Kings
GM: Kevin Slagle
Pick: Samaki Walker, PF, 6-9, Louisville
15) Phoenix Suns
GM: Jack Chu
Pick: Walter McCarty, SF, 6-10, Kentucky
16) Charlotte Hornets
GM: Thad Williamson
Pick: Jerome Williams, SF, 6-9, Georgetown
17) Portland Trail Blazers
GM: Simon Cushing
Pick: Dantae' Jones, SF, 6-7, Mississippi State
18) New York Knicks (from Detroit via San Antonio)
GM: Joshua Sher
Pick: Priest Lauderdale, C, 7-2, Greece
19) New York Knicks (from Atlanta via Miami)
GM: Joshua Sher
Pick: Jermaine O'Neal, PF, 6-11, Eau Claire HS
20) Cleveland Cavs
GM: Steve Chapin
Pick: Ryan Minor, SF, 6-7, Oklahoma
21) New York Knicks (from Atlanta via Miami)
GM: Joshua Sher
Pick: Randy Livingston, PG, 6-4, LSU
22) Houston Rockets
GM: John Carter
Pick: Steve Nash, PG, 6-3, Santa Clara
23) Denver Nuggets (from Indiana)
GM: Chuck D'Ambra
Pick: Moochie Norris, PG, 6-0, West Florida
24) Los Angeles Lakers
GM: Lee Rusk
Pick: Vitaly Potapenko, C, 6-10, Wright State
25) Utah Jazz
GM: Greg Fingas
Pick: Drew Barry, PG, 6-5, Georgia Tech
26) Detroit Pistons
GM: Tim Bates
Pick: Tony Delk, SG, 6-1, Kentucky
27) Orlando Magic
GM: Uncle Vasya
Tom McGuian
Pick: Efthimas Rentzias, C, 6'11, Greece
Next up:
28) Seattle Sonics
GM: Scott Simmons