http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...?coll=orl-sports-headlines&ctrack=1&cset=true Stevie's position undergoing transition Team wants Francis to create magic at shooting guard Published January 17, 2005 Presto! Change-o! Steve-O!? The Magic know they can't change the way enigmatic Steve Francis plays the game. So they have set about to change the way they want the game played, working around his often bewildering brilliance. Therefore, Francis no longer owns exclusive rights to the point-guard position. The Magic say he can be a better player and they can be a better team -- by altering his job description, especially at the end of games. The Magic want to reduce the risks and increase the rewards with Francis, who is prone to making mind-boggling plays and head-scratching turnovers. He'll be playing off the ball more, making fewer decisions, free to do what the dynamo does best: create magic. Why else does General Manager John Weisbrod say he wants Francis to be a "new kind of player?" This is a tricky, and certainly touchy, venture when it involves your best player. But the project has been launched, whether Francis acknowledges it or not (he doesn't.) "I'm still going to play the same way. I think you're reading too much into it," he told the Sentinel. The trading of his best buddy, Cuttino Mobley, officially began the reshaping of Steve-O. The Magic waited one game to use newly acquired guard Doug Christie at the point Saturday night in Indianapolis. After Francis fouled out, Christie, who said he knew three plays, closed out the victory. Grant Hill already had been making cameos at point guard. He and Christie -- along with rookie Jameer Nelson -- can now allow Francis to play more at shooting guard, which, ironically, was occupied by Mobley and will be manned by Christie. "Are we trying to change Steve? Yes and no," Weisbrod said. "We're not trying to change his game because obviously the spontaneity and competitiveness and that gunslinger mentality is what makes him good. "You put the shackles on him, you're not making him a better player. Do you give him more outlets and different outlets for the way he already plays so that he involves more guys and makes himself and the whole five-man the group more effective? Sure." The split Weisbrod says splitting up the two-man game of Francis and Mobley was for the best because, the GM said, "I think Steve can be a better player than even he realizes." "He knows, intellectually, that's the case [splitting him and Mobley]. He talked about the fact that it was said to him before by whomever -- Rudy [Tomjanovich, his former coach] and John Lucas [another former coach]. Steve knows. He knew it was coming." Weisbrod is a guy big on team chemistry and he's is flirting with disrupting a chemistry forged mostly by the dearly departed Mobley. Believing it will be better for everyone in the long run, he risked losing Francis' loyalty by purposely knocking him out of his comfort zone. "Cuttino has always been there for him through his headaches and his issues and sometimes people misunderstand Steve," Weisbrod said. "Because Steve has a loud game and sometimes a loud mouth, they think he has a stronger personality than he does. "He's scared. His security blankets are being taken away a little bit. I try to make him understand it's in his best interest. I want to push him outside his comfort zone. Sometimes I feel I've got bigger plans for some of these guy than they have themselves. You can't mistake comfort for success. Sometimes a little brother doesn't reach his full potential until he's out of big brother's shadow." Francis told the Sentinel on Saturday he still disagrees with Weisbrod's vision and the trade. Weisbrod shrugs because he is as hard-headed as Francis. "Everybody has their own opinions, and that's what Weisbrod feels," Francis said. "I think brothers work better together than apart." Race tightens on Hill OK, Magic fans. Grant Hill needs your vote. Jermaine O'Neal of the Indiana Pacers is quickly gaining on Hill in the all-star game voting among Eastern Conference forwards. Hill has 1,118,795 votes and O'Neal 971,019 for the second starting job. Vince Carter leads all East forwards with 1,294,646. You can vote on NBA.com. Or punch a ballot at a Magic game. Of course, if more Magic fans actually attended games, Hill would be a shoo-in by now. So go vote. (Yeah, I'm supposed to be impartial and I am. Just not when it comes to Grant.) Inside trader With Tracy McGrady returning Thursday night, we ask the question: So what did the trade between the Rockets and the Magic accomplish? Well, it produced two teams who are, eerily, much alike in the standings. Records: Magic 20-16; Rockets 20-17. I know what you're saying: Houston plays in the tougher Western Conference. Fact: Magic are 11-5 vs. the West; the Rockets are 13-9. Players scorecard: T-Mac's still the best player in the trade, but Steve Francis is in the photo. Edge: Rockets. Kelvin Cato gives Magic an inside presence that Juwan Howard did not. Plus, they got out of Howard's contract. Edge: Magic. Cuttino Mobley and Tyronn Lue were traded, but Orlando received Doug Christie for Mobley. Edge: Magic. Reece Gaines' position (sitting) hasn't changed. Winners: Magic, who got more volume out of the deal. They got next Tuesday -- Detroit Pistons at Magic: The Pistons are finally playing like defending champs. Their bench isn't as formidable. The Magic lost in Auburn Hills on Friday night when they couldn't match up with Rip Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace. Can Doug Christie make a difference? Can Jackie Christie? Can The New Christy Minstrels? Thursday -- Houston Rockets at Magic: Somehow, I don't think Magic fans will be as loving to T-Mac in his return as the Pistons were to Grant Hill. Just a guess. McGrady admitted to SI that he didn't play hard at times last season. They'll be no anecdotal evidence of that on this night. Saturday -- Philadelphia 76ers at Magic: We could just kick everybody else off the floor and let Steve Francis and Allen Iverson play one-on-one. Of course, that could happen anyway. Laying a goose egg Before his trumpeted return to face the Pistons, Hill told Matt Dobek, the club's VP of public relations, not to treat him "like Allan Houston if I put up a goose egg." When Houston, a former Piston, came back as a Knick, he went scoreless. And after the game at The Palace, some smart-aleck scoreboard operator removed every Knicks player's name -- except Houston's, leaving Houston and the 0 on the board. Monday morning point guard I'm thinking that a better reality TV show would be pairing no-nonsense GM John Weisbrod and Jackie Christie. . . . Rookie Dwight Howard should be touching the ball every other possession in any lopsided game. . . . How nice it was to watch an NBA game in Minnesota and not be subjected to ear-splitting music throughout the game. Are you listening, Magic? Notable, quotable "In my 13-year career, I've killed everyone. There might be some new Ninjas trying to come up, but I am Shogun, loved by no one." -- Shaquille O'Neal "I wish he was single and my daughter was older." -- Celtics Coach Doc Rivers on how much he respects Grant Hill "I said, 'Hey, Joe, you're ruining my homecoming.' " -- Hill, after referee Joe Crawford whistled him for a quick second foul against the Pistons
I think everyone wanted to see Francis play more as a 2 guard. But the system that is in place in Orlando is actually VERY well set up for this. With Grant Hill as the point forward and Christie able to handle the ball, Francis has just the right pieces around him to perhaps make it work. These are exactly the types of players we wanted here in Houston when Francis was here to try to make it work. It will be interesting to see what happens.
Exactly. They are just now realizing what we've known all along. One little note, Steve does not play like a traditional SG, who catches and shoots ... So far I think Orlando is moving toward using Steve the right way. Use Hill and Christie to control the ball, the pace, and decide what play needs to be run. If it calls for Steve, then set him loose to do his thing.
hahaha... that didn't take long. the "enigmatic label" the trial at SG... we've seen all this before...
I dont, this is basketball the players demand more respect than hockey.. when they dont get respect from management they tend to take it personal and not play as well in the long run...
Chad "Village Idiot" Ford (ESPN Insider): The Upside Orlando Magic: Steve Francis is getting some tough love for the second time in his career. Once again, it's a good thing. Magic GM John Weisbrod could care less what Francis wants to call himself or what his stats say. He's watched Francis long enough to know this – Francis is a two guard masquerading as a point. If that wasn't evident last year when Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy tried to turn Francis into a real point guard and failed, then it became more obvious midway through this season when Magic head coach Johnny Davis started using Grant Hill and Jameer Nelson to play the point. With Francis' best friend Cuttino Mobley out of the way and Doug Christie aboard, the change should become more apparent. The Magic would prefer that Christie handle the ball, thus moving Francis to off guard. Christie has a rep as a great defender, but he's also a good distributor with an unselfish streak – something the Magic backcourt badly needs. "Are we trying to change Steve? Yes and no," Weisbrod said. "We're not trying to change his game because obviously the spontaneity and competitiveness and that gunslinger mentality is what makes him good. "You put the shackles on him, you're not making him a better player. Do you give him more outlets and different outlets for the way he already plays so that he involves more guys and makes himself and the whole five-man the group more effective? Sure." Francis remains a fantastic player. He can score at an All-Star clip, is one of the best rebounders in the game and has a good handle. But he doesn't see the floor well enough, nor does he get his teammates involved the way a point guard should, to be a full time point. Weisbrod and Davis are giving him some tough love right now, but it's the right call for the Magic and Francis. Freed up from the duties of playing the point all the time, Francis can still get his numbers while the rest of his teammates benefit. While Francis still remains in denial about the split from his long-term pal, Mobley, and the position change, he's going to do little to change the Magic's mind about it. Weisbrod has been looking to make this move since the summer and would be willing to move Francis as well if he doesn't make the switch. According to one league source, the Nuggets recently offered the Magic Andre Miller, Nikoloz Tskitishvili and Voshon Lenard in a trade for Francis. While the team said no, that could change if Francis doesn't get with the program.
It has shown some short term bebefit, but then a #1 overall pick + (return of) GH can go a long way towards positive results. I suspect the long term prognosis is poor, very poor for Weisenpucker (unless he has some really good glossies).
Couldn't agree more... btw, I agree with this article, however, I don't think Stevie would agree...He has to be the ball, you know, become one with the ball...
If that Denver deal went down (and Orlando already said no), this would be the updated Rox-Magic trade: T-Mac + Howard + Gaines + Barry = Miller + Tskitishvili + Lenard + Christie + Cato
I noticed that, this isn't the first time the Orlando Sentinel has called him that. They're clearly trying to change his nick from Stevie to Steve-O. Except Steve-O's a totally lame nickname
I respectfully disagree -- Stevie - O (as in O-rena, O- 'lando). It works there better than Stevie Fran-chise.
weisbrod is a guy who seems to like attention. what other gm talks as much as weisbrod? i really don't like that guy...he seems to have a huge ego.
That would of sent the Magic back to the bottom. I think that's a name he choose. I saw one Orlando fan call him Steve-O, O for offense because he can't be Steve-D, D for defense. That was kinda funny.
