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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:Dec 8, 2006
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As someone who is not a Magic fan at all.... I watched several of their playoff games including last night... and in my opinion... GET A POINT GUARD! Jameer Nelson is a nice player... but not a starting PG on a NBA Championship type team. There are a couple available in the draft (Rose, Augustin, Westbrook and Chalmers) or trade for one with some playoff experience!
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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:Mar 4, 2008
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There are definitely a lot of good ideas and possibilities for the Magic in the off-season. Obviously I'd love for them to be in the playoffs still and I know despite losing 4-1 to Detroit, Orlando could have won this series.
That being said, they definitely need a big man to compliment Dwight Howard. I know Hedu Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis are both 6-10, but they aren't true power forwards. Letting Lewis and Turkoglu play the small forward and shooting guard spots, give them a huge height advantage against most teams.
I think the Magic will have some room under the cap to make one nice signing. They could go for a lights out shooting guard like Michael Redd, giving him a championship caliber team to play with.
Or to address more strength in the front court, I'd love to see Elton Brand on this team.Jameer Nelson isn't a great point guard, but he could work. I'm not sure who is going to be a free agent point guard, but if they can get a shooting/point guard in the draft and get someone like Brand or even Jermaine O'Neal from Indiana this team would be more of a force in the East.
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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:Feb 13, 2007
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I dont know how you guys can say Nelson isnt a good point guard. Every time the Magic needed a big bucket in Game 4 and 5 Nelson would hit. He is a consistant guard who isnt afraid to drive and get fouled. Keep him at PG. Redd would be an amazing addition to the Magic. I would personally love to see him wear that Magic blue.
I think the Magic need to make 1 or 2 transactions this summer. A trade for a decent player and draft pick and a good free agent pick up would be just what the Magic need to make it to Eastern Champ status. Maybe trade Arroyo and Garrity for a 2nd round pick and another bench role player. Then try hard to get either Elton Brand or Micheal Redd. Kelenna Azubukie would be a good pick up to fill the 2-3 role. He has been a good fit for Golden State. Brandon Bass from Dallas is another good young talent that grew leaps and bounds this season. Anyone interested in trying to get Grant Hill back from the Suns? He will be a free agent again. Antwan Jamison will also be a free agent.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=2008freeagents
I know thats a lot of names, but those are the promising talents that will be free agents.
Then draft well, Try to get Roy Hibbert (georgetown) or Chris Douglas Roberts (Memphis) or Brandon Rush (Kansas) or Joe Alexander (W.V.) who had a very good season last year.
Those are just some names for draft consideration.
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Reputation:49
Level:Rookie
Since:May 31, 2007
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I would LOVE Jermaine O'Neal or Redd. Brand got hurt this year, and I am just not one for guys coming off big injuries. O'Neal is a GREAT PF with a huge frame, soild atheletiscism, and a decent short jumper. He is the player, I believe that Dwight should structure his game around. Dwight is the only rebounder we have, but O'Neal would fill that role.
Jameer is the PG now, and down the road. He may be a little small but he is so strong and physical that he makes up for his height a little bit when he takes it towards the rim. He's also a very solid shooter.
If we go the road towards Redd or another guard/small foward, I'd like Maressee Speights in the draft because he's a good rebounder and shooter. Gortat and him would be good coming off the bench as the 4/5, which is our big problem, the lack of depth down low.
Dooling needs to be locked up. He is bigger, fast, and has a good shot so he can play 1 or 2. Bogans and Evans should bothe be kept around because they are our two best defenders even though hamilton's flops took that reputation away a little.
Arroyo, garrity should be gone. arroyo does nothing and garrity just doesn't get in the games as much as he should. I think he played well enough during the regular season to earn play-off minutes, but SVG decided not to give it to him and go 8 deep.
My Ideal 2009 line-up
PG-
- Nelson
- Dooling
SG-
- Turk
- Evans
- Bogans
- Reddick
SF-
- Rashard
- Rush
- *Turk
- *Bogans
- *Evans
PF-
- Jermaine O'Neal
- Tony Battie
- Fran Vasquez
- Augustine
C-
- Dwight Howard
- Marcin Gortat
This is like my third rough draft for the line-up. Jermaine, Dwight, Rashard would make up the best front court in the NBA hands down if the current one isn't already. Turk, Jameer would make up a solid back-court. Three's flying everywhere and two top-teer rebounders down low. An un-beatable combo.
Go Magic.
Nest year-#1 seed, sweeping the Hawks in round 1
Beating Cleveland in 6 in round two
Finally getting over the Detroit hump in 7.
Beating NO in 7 for the NBA championship.
haha I hope
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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:Feb 13, 2007
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I also love the idea of going after Jermaine ONeal. He seems to want to get out of Indiana pretty bad. That would definitely put a big mound of dirt in that hole in the 4-5 spot.
My ideal lineup is
PG - Jameer
Dooling
SG - Lewis
Bogans
SF - Turk
Evans
Rush (good pick in draft)
PF - O'Neal
Augustine
Gortat
C - Howard
Mourning
I think Turk at a 2 and Rashard at a 3 is crazy. Definitely needs to be flipped. I also think 2 big free agent pick ups are available. I know Mourning is old but he can still rebound and block and score. He is an amazing player.
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Sep 19, 2006
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Jermain O'Neal would be amazing and would in my mind put this team in the ELITE caliber, only question is how much would he cost? Hedo at the 2 would cause a lot of problems for teams and so would Rashard at the 3. Another thing that you guys might wanna keep an eye on is the Magic getting a Center and moving Dwight to PF. Dwights natural position is actually Power Forward. They did it with Amare Stoudemire in Phoenix and he started to put up some amazing stats. Just imagine what Dwight Howard could do at the 4!
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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:Jan 20, 2007
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Jermaine O'neal made 19 mil last year and will be asking for close to that in his next contract. Maggette, Brand, Arenas will all want big contracts next year.
The players the Magic should target are Ricky Davis and Ron Artest. When the salaries for the extensions given to Howard and Jameer hit the books, we should be able to use our mid-level exception on one of these players. The are both UFA this offseason.
I would also like to target Desgana Diop and Anthony Carter as affordable, solid reserves who would probably like to play for a winner.
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Reputation:49
Level:Rookie
Since:May 31, 2007
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I actually don't think Dwight at the 4 is a great Idea. In his first year at Center, he put up his best numbers. Dwight doesn't have the mid-range game that Amare has. In SVG's system, the 4 needs to at least be able to shoot a little bit. Dwight obviously can't. Having Jermaine would just plain eliminate the chances of a double team on Dwight. Teams would have to think of which one to stop. Personally, I'd flip a coin.
Speaking of coin, I don't care how much it takes to bring him in. Orlando needs to do it. You can't just pay for stats, but you also need to pay for need. Rashard may have been over-paid for his production but what he did with decoying and other factors made every cent of that contract worth it. Orlando needs to spend whatever it takes to get him in here.
About Zo. I don't know if that's a bad idea. The only thing is that we will probabally not be able to sign him with the cap.
I'm not sure if I want Rush, CDR, or Speights. Rush and CDR both play the 2/3 but we really don't need a player like that because of Bogans and Evans that play the same style and are better perimeter shooters. I like the Speights pick because he can shoot decently and is a big body down-low. I heard a scout say that Speights is a top 5 pick with his raw ability but he hasn't shown that yet. My new Ideal line-ups
Starters
- Jameer Nelson
- Hedo Turkoglu
- Rashard Lewis
- Jermaine O'Neal
- Dwight Howard
Bench
- Keyon Dooling
- Keith Bogans
- Maurice Evans
- Maressee Speights
- Alonzon Mourning
I don't see many, if any holes there. I think during the play-offs, Jameer has hopefully proven his status to all Magic fans.
Go Magic. Stay tuned for my next line-up. haha
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Sep 19, 2006
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If the line-up Buc just gave was our line-up next year, I see no reason in us not winning the East and being serious Championship contenders. I don't know much on Speights so I can't really elaborate much on that topic. The Dwight at 4 thing was suggested just because I know his natural position coming into the NBA was the 4 and he actually could shoot a little in High school. Watch a video on You Tube on Dwight Howard in High school. I'm just throwing that out there.
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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:Jan 20, 2007
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It isn't the shooting I worry about as much as the dribbling. Perhaps with another body down low, it will be harder to get the clean strips that double teams are achieving against him now. All I know is that Dwight is a beast, but currently there is a 25% chance he will turn the ball over every time he touches it with our current gameplan.
I remember watching a lot of video on Dwight when he got drafted and he did have a decent short jumper. When you are as big as he is in high school, though, you can play a little more free-form. He is being rigorously coached right now and a jumper is probably fairly foreign to him by now. In a couple years when he gets his post moves polished up, he can work on that jumper again.
Again, I don't see how we can sign a high dollar FA like O'Neal until we get Battie and BCook off the books. If we don't resign Evans this offseason, I will have to regard that trade as among our worst for tying up valuable cap room (and we have had some bad ones).
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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:Feb 13, 2007
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Someone said earlier that they want to go after Redd. He isnt a free agent, according to the site I found and trading for him would mean loosing probably Turk or Lewis if you want to keep Howard.
I like the idea of getting ONeal and Mourning, if it can be afforded.
I know everyone on this board is probably a Florida fan and so they would love to see Speights go there. Honestly though, I wasnt terribly impressed with him. He is ok, good rebounder and goes up strong. Doesnt have a very good shot though.
I am a Kentucky fan, so I am not saying this because I cheer for Georgetown, because I dont. But Im telling you, if there is a way to trade up the draft, just a little bit to get Roy Hibbert. He would be a great pick up for the big man position. The kid works hard and has a shot from 3. Not Okur but he can hit if needed (like Duncan maybe?) and he is a rebounding machine. He is the man to help fill in the hole for the big man position.
So, if Hibbert is drafter and Jermaine O'Neal is taken in a FA signing. Maybe another big man (like Alonzo Mourning) or a guy that can play the 3-4 (like Ricky Davis). Funny that we are talking about filling up gaps in the Magic bench with players from a 15 - 67 team.
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Reputation:49
Level:Rookie
Since:May 31, 2007
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Someone said earlier that they want to go after Redd. He isnt a free agent, according to the site I found and trading for him would mean loosing probably Turk or Lewis if you want to keep Howard.
I didn't see redd as a FA either. I was wondering why a guy before me said that.
I know everyone on this board is probably a Florida fan and so they would love to see Speights go there. Honestly though, I wasnt terribly impressed with him. He is ok, good rebounder and goes up strong. Doesnt have a very good shot though.
He put up two Double-Doubles against you. What's not to be impressed at? His shot is what makes him dangerous. Any big guy can rebound and go up strong. His shot is his biggest asset. They guy practiced his entire freshman year against Chris Richard Joakim Noah and Al Horford arguably the best bigman combo ever in college basketball. Plus, his biggest minutes his freshman year came against Oden. That's pretty good competition.
I am a Kentucky fan, so I am not saying this because I cheer for Georgetown, because I dont. But Im telling you, if there is a way to trade up the draft, just a little bit | |
