The Orlando Magic Have to Be the Team to Beat
NBA July 14th. 2009, 10:15am
No NBA team has had a better offseason than the Orlando Magic. They’ve added SG Vince Carter, PF Brandon Bass, and surprisingly retained backup C Marcin Gortat. (Otis Smith 1, Mark Cuban 0.) These acquisitions trump Shaq to Cleveland, ‘Sheed to Boston, and Jefferson to the Spurs. While the basketball world waits for Lamar Odom to decide between LA and Miami … can we just say the Magic are the best team in the NBA?
Keeping Gortat was a major shocker. ESPN’s John Hollinger writes:
This is Lucy pulling the football out from Charlie Brown, folks. Orlando created the impression that it was going to let Gortat leave, the Mavs fell for it hook, line and sinker, and as a result the Magic got to sign the player they coveted at power forward (Bass), in addition to keeping Gortat like they always knew they would.
All the newbies will cost Orlando significantly – owner Rich DeVos (estimated net worth: over $4 billion) will have to pay a luxury tax of $10 million next year, and possibly $20 million the following season – but fresh off a trip to the NBA Finals, and clearly not wanting to lose its franchise center the way it lost Shaq over a decade ago, one has to assume it’s worth it.
PG: Jameer Nelson
SG: Vince Carter
SF: Rashard Lewis
PF: Brandon Bass
C: Dwight Howard
Key reserves: Mickael Pietrus, Marcin Gortat, Ryan Anderson.
One potential concern – Last year’s tear through the playoffs was mostly due to the Magic’s three-point accuracy in the tough-to-defend 1-4 offense. How much has the apple cart been upset by keeping Bass and Gortat, two big bodies who will make the Magic more … conventional?
As for the Mavericks … forget about all that gushy “3rd in the west?” stuff from last week when it looked like Gortat was going to be their starter. Still like the Mavs with the addition of Marion; just don’t love them as much as we did with Gortat.
70 Responses to “The Orlando Magic Have to Be the Team to Beat”
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July 14th, 2009 at 10:18 am
They have to be moving someone with all the money they are spending.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:19 am
uhhhhhhhh no.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:19 am
If Odom stays it is still LA. If Boston stays healthy (big question), it will be them in the East. Let’s not forget it was a 7-game series without KG.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:20 am
/fix’d
July 14th, 2009 at 10:20 am
Traded expiring contracts and breakout rookie C. Lee for the 4th/5th best SG in the league. Turned the Dooling TPE into a “system fit†type power forward in Anderson. Turned a now redundant and over payed Hedo into a 7mil TPE. Used part of the MLE on a promising big in Bass. Matched on a serious prospect in Gortat
July 14th, 2009 at 10:23 am
Vince carter is a bitch, just like his cousin. Boston/cleveland in the east, la/san antonio in the west.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:24 am
The NBA season’s over, right?
/jpq’d
July 14th, 2009 at 10:25 am
They are now a more standard basketball team. I’m not sure that the changes will make them better. The Magic’s chemistry and unique brand of ball got them to the Finals last year.
They made changes… lots of them. Bass is a great pickup. Vince for Hedo is a question mark. Will Vince give the Magic what they need? VC has been a notorious play for a check kind of guy. Lee was huge for them athletically last year and I think they will miss him.
I think it’s a toss-up on whether they are better now than they were in May. Definitely not giving them the role of best team in the league just based on these moves. One of the best, yes. But, the changes will have to be proved on the court first.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Whore-lando is dead to me. I can’t root for them anymore, even against Icon.
P.S. I hope Amway goes under.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:27 am
Coach: Master of Panic
July 14th, 2009 at 10:30 am
I think people underestimate the loss of Hedo. They hear Vince Carter and just assume he will be great for them, when in reality he is the 3rd option (or at least should be). Now that Hedo is gone, they have one less 3 point shooter on the court, and I don’t know if that is a good thing or not.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Agree with everything Wally said, the moves are good, can’t deny that. Will they be easier to defend now that they have a more conventional set, time will tell.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:32 am
The Magic could still use a guy like Kirk Lowdermilk up front.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Well I think the way Hedo played in the post-season (not necessarily the way he shot) will be sorely missed. So you can talk about adding Vince, but will he be 1/5th as clutch in fourth quarters with timely baskets? The answer is a resounding no. Hedo’s size and playmaking was matchup hell, and now that’s gone. Vince can still play no doubt, but decision making has always been extremely questionable and his streaky shooting will be tough to count on.
I like Brandon Bass, but losing Courtney Lee will hurt them as well.
The Lakers are still better, no doubt about it. And if they don’t sign Odom, that doesn’t necessarily kill them – they’ll have flexibility around trade deadline to make a huge move with that void and Fisher’s expiring contract.
Kobe/Gasol/Artest/Bynum is the best starting lineup in the league, and it’s not ever close now.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:33 am
did irish write this??
More football lists.
Fuck Amway/Quixtar… especially during a bad economy when it’s easier to sell your koolaid to folks.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:35 am
I don’t like the losses of Hedo and Lee. I really don’t like the addition of Vince. Absolutely not the “team to beat” at this point. LA and Boston are better, if healthy the Spurs are better, and I think this lineup is less suited to take on Cleveland than last years lineup was.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:35 am
That’s a toughie. Warm weather, sunshine and beautiful women or… warm weather, sunshine and beautiful women?
July 14th, 2009 at 10:37 am
So you can talk about adding Vince, but will he be 1/5th as clutch in fourth quarters with timely baskets
Carter scores at a much more efficient rate. Carter is a more lethal offensive player than Turkoglu, no matter the score or situation
July 14th, 2009 at 10:37 am
Coach: Master of Panic
+1
The key for me will be how Carter meshes with Lewis and Howard. Last year the Magic worked so great because Lewis and Turkoglu could share the ball and pass it around. Can Carter buy into it? Can Carter defer to Howard when he’s got obvious mismatches — which should be every night he’s not against Boston or Cleveland?
July 14th, 2009 at 10:38 am
I think its huge moving Rashard from the 4 to the 3. PF’s didnt like guarding him all the way out to the 3 point line and he was fast enough to take most of them off the dribble. Not to mention he took another big body out of the lane giving Dwight room to maneuver.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:38 am
orlando, almost at every position with the celtics, are younger. they now have 4 bigs (if you count Anderson, who isn’t terrible) who bang against the Lakers.
Lee is a loss? Not when you bring in VC
July 14th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Needs more Penny Hardaway
July 14th, 2009 at 10:40 am
Miami, outside of south beach, is a shithole.
The weather is better in LA, too. And the team. No brainer for Odom.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:40 am
I believe he was talking about full, hostile arena’s in pressure packed May/June games, not half empty meaningless January games between lottery teams.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:40 am
The NBA season’s over, right?
/jpq’d
Last thing I remember,
I thought the NBA was done
I had to hope I wasn’t banned
before football had begun
relax, said TBL man,
Links we are programmed to receive.
You can come here any time you like,
But the NBA will never leave!
hotel california hangover’d
July 14th, 2009 at 10:40 am
And, while the Gortat deal may have been a Cuban facial, it is still a questionable deal… They are spending $35m for 5 years on the guy who backs up the best center in the league. They can’t play together, at least not regularly. Gortat is ticked off, rightfully since he knows he will be sitting for at least 2/3 of most games. That has to affect chemistry, right?
July 14th, 2009 at 10:41 am
sure, because losing your best perimeter defender is a good thing.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:42 am
+100 for the great work there. Henley would be proud.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Defense is half the game. Kind of important.
Anderson is not a banger, haha. Have you really seen him play?
You’re talking scoring, I’m talking about playmaking and decision making. There’s no stat for that Irish, but Hedo was making all the right decisions in the Cavs series. I remain doubtful that VC can do the same. And he’s nowhere near the matchup problem.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:43 am
jpq – were you inspired by the Berman post?
July 14th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Really, really hate the Carter addition, as he’s a gigantic pussy. He makes Pat Burrell look like one of the Road Warriors.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:45 am
They are spending $35m for 5 years on the guy who backs up the best center in the league
NBA doesn’t have many centers(at least good ones). Orlando has 5 years invested in him. Just let him go and get nothing in return? Orlando can wait till December and trade him(not to Dallas) to desperate teams. Throw in JJ expiring contract and you can get a nice piece
July 14th, 2009 at 10:45 am
jpq – were you inspired by the Berman post?
it was playing on itunes while I’m on this call I’m not paying much attention to-lol
July 14th, 2009 at 10:46 am
July 14th, 2009 at 10:49 am
@cursed- I have been watching Hedo for the past 5 years. He has hurt us more than he has helped us. believe it or not
Anderson is not a banger, haha. Have you really seen him play
Rashard Lewis is not a banger. He will help bring the 4 out to the perimeter just like Lewis does. Have you seen him shoot?
July 14th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Agree, in principle, but how much of this will matter if Dwight Howard does not develop his offensive game this offseason? He’s a force of nature, but he does not exactly have a plethora of low post moves to draw upon.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:51 am
JPQ never ceases to amaze me. +Ω (I couldn’ find the infinity symbol on my keyboard, Omega will have to do)
Yeah, what everyone else said about defense being important. And, I don’t think Carter is quite half-man, half-amazin’ anymore. Those days are well behind him.
Hell, I’d rather have Iverson than Carter right now.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:53 am
Hell, I’d rather have Iverson than Carter right now
wow. Iverson is garbage
July 14th, 2009 at 10:54 am
Irish, I know Anderson’s skillset very well, I watched a bunch of their games in college (for no reason), TBL specifically said he could bang – he can’t. He can shoot the three well but from nowhere else at this stage in his career.
I’m not shitting on the Magic Irish, I just think their edge late in games is now gone and now they have to depend on a not-so-dependable guy. They’ll still be good. But I don’t think they’re the best.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:55 am
I hope Iverson to the Clippers happens for the nightlife aspect alone.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:58 am
I just think their edge late in games is now gone and now they have to depend on a not-so-dependable guy
Cursed- we have had Hedo closing games for us for the past couple years. Ask Coop, he knows the Magic never had a reliable closer. I would much rather have Vince shooting the last shot for my fave team than Hedo
July 14th, 2009 at 10:58 am
Uh…actually Lee was their only legit perimeter defender, and VC isn’t exactly Scottie Pippen, if you catch my drift.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:59 am
I’m speechless, not even sure what to say to that. The man single handedly beat the defending champion Celtics on the road in Game 7. He won two games against the Cavs with insanely clutch shots late in games. He was the only Magic player to consistently show up against the Lakers.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:59 am
@sparty:
Damn you.
/rushing through comments to get my voice heard’d
July 14th, 2009 at 11:02 am
He won two games against the Cavs with insanely clutch shots late in games
Rashard did
actually Lee was their only legit perimeter defender
Air France is no good?
July 14th, 2009 at 11:03 am
@cursed- where is NickP? on vaca?
July 14th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Irish, careful!
July 14th, 2009 at 11:12 am
there’s no way that Lee is a better perimeter defender than Pietrus.
Lee was a nice rookie and has his moments … Carter should easily be able to bump up his 3-point shooting playing with Howard, Lewis, etc
July 14th, 2009 at 11:12 am
Ix-nay on the anned-bay ommenter-cay.
July 14th, 2009 at 11:12 am
Irish, usually you are on, but it looks like you have been drinking more than the water down there. If your Orlando peers feel the same, okay have it your way, as definitely as a Lakers fan, and Boston and Cleveland fans chime in as well, we do want Carter instead of the departed Hedo to take that last shot for you then.
Nick P kicks ass really, and today cursed so does your post here.
July 14th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Good to see TBL come around to the Orlando Magic. Last year it was chuckers this chuckers that
July 14th, 2009 at 11:26 am
Speaking of which, let’s look forward to that Vince Carter too boo-yah!
/Irish Homer’d
Okay back to you in Cleveland “Brit” …
July 14th, 2009 at 11:27 am
Are you guys serious, what the hell did NickP do?
July 14th, 2009 at 11:31 am
@Paolo- Im looking forward to watching Vince. He has never be surrounded with talent like this before
July 14th, 2009 at 11:32 am
what the heck did NickP do?
July 14th, 2009 at 11:34 am
No idea whether Orlando will be better or worse but I think the change in either direction will be marginal. They’re definitely there with Boston and Cleveland.
Having said that, it never ceases to amaze me that people consider Vince Carter to be an elite player. I’ve probably seen him play more than most and he never ceases to amaze me with his ability to get minimum results from his talent. He’s strictly a perimeter player at this point who can be totally neutralized if he’s knocked around a bit.
If he’s willing to accept the role as a third option, spot-up 3-point shooter he can definitely be an important piece for Orlando. It could happen. He has to grow up at some point…right?
July 14th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Either Clown must be starting something up again as usual from his basement playhouse dungeon after his latest soiree with his captive female mimes, or whatever Nick P said was really, really good and not SuperAndy’d. Stay tuned but for whom with more information? Calling out to Ohio?
July 14th, 2009 at 11:38 am
Clearly, I never cease to be amazed. I’m also an idiot.
July 14th, 2009 at 11:41 am
@Garland- Do you think playing in his hometown will help him “grow up”?
July 14th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Irish, you are killing yourself with these parroted homer media lines! Dude give it up for now geez!
July 14th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Damnit wrong line got copied Irish …this was your homer line parroted …
July 14th, 2009 at 11:50 am
You know he joined a Nets team that had made the Finals two straight years and still had first ballot HOFer Jason Kidd?
July 14th, 2009 at 11:56 am
but coop – he joined those teams and they instantly got buried with injuries. id have to look it up but i think kmart went down in his first season (out for year), RJ too. they nearly missed the playoffs, if memory serves, and lost in the first round.
then they lost k-mart the next year but go into the playoffs. i think that year cliff robinson failed a drug test in the postseason.
not giving VC a free pass here – the guy’s a prick, or so i hear – but this will be as good a team he’s had, and he wont be the ‘the guy’ with all the pressure.
July 14th, 2009 at 11:57 am
You know he joined a Nets team that had made the Finals two straight years and still had first ballot HOFer Jason Kidd?
I stand corrected. J Kidd and Richard Jefferson. my fault. K Mart left. Kittles left. Rodney Rogers left.
July 14th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
if memory serves, and lost in the first round
yep. swept by the Heat
July 14th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
You guys are going to eat your words about VC next year. As for what coop said, VC has been clutch in the times that he has been to the playoffs. And no, he’s never been surrounded by this much talent before. He still has some hops, and as far as clutchness goes, check 82games.com’s clutch list, I’m pretty sure VC is in the top 10 (too lazy to look it up right now).
He averaged 20/5/5 on a shitty nets team while he let the youngsters play thier game. Plus, ORL is his hometown. You guys don’t know the fury of a motivated VC apperently (think his first season as a Net).
ATLEAST 25 ppg if he becomes the go-to guy.
July 14th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Get the fuck out of here…
July 14th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
nice Karma
July 14th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
TBL, I agree the Magic are the best team he’ll have been on, but its not like he was playing with trash his whole career.
But isn’t that part of the problem, Dwight wants his touches, Rashard wants his shots, we KNOW Vince wants his shots, there’s only so many basketballs to go around. Hedo was willing to defer sometimes and take over other times.
July 14th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Irish and Karma, definitely way too heavy on the “Black ‘n’ Tan” or “Jameson’s” down there …
Tampa thanks for that spicy update last night great stuff!