Orlando will be a force to be reckoned with

Yup.

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My company declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy, then agreed to merge with another company, which also declared for Chapter 11 bankruptcy... should I be worried?

 

Could they win the East? Yes. Could they win the title? No, not unless they get some major help in the middle fast, and don't think that Antonio Davis is the answer. He would certainly help, but Shaq would still eat him alive. If you don't get some help in the middle you are stuck with 2 soft, jump shooting big men in Doleac and Amaechi.

Why do you think Webber would go to Orlando? The only 2 things I see him liking about Orlando are the city(great place to live I hear) and the fact it's a good place for music artists which Webber is. I'm not sure that's going to lure him to O-town though. Also, wouldn't Orlando have to do some major house cleaning to sign him? Because they're not gonna be able to do a sign and trade that Sac would like.

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Hill, McGrady & Miller will be interesting as a 1-2-3 combo, but from what I've read, the Magic are technically over the cap. So outright signing of Top Tier FA's may be tough.

The sign and trades are limited by Amaechi, DeClerq & Hutson all having player options and the salaries of Doleac, Garrity & Outlaw only amounting to $8.6M.

On the postive side - you won't be bored (but I'd wait until after Christmas to put down a deposit on playoff tiks!)

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Let's get Raef 2001-2002!!


[This message has been edited by GATER (edited May 02, 2001).]

 

GATER is your sig talking about Raef Lafrentz?

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tpl - yup, thanks. I keep forgetting it's f-e-a-r backwards!

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GATER

 

If Orlando really wants to go to the next level, they need to do a sign & trade with Sacramento, something like Webber for Hill. Then they'd have Webber at PF, McGrady at SF & Miller at SG. I think that would be a better team than Hill/McGrady/Miller. 3 stud players filling 2 positions isn't as good as 3 stud players filling 3 positions.

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Problem is Sac already has a 3 in Peja. There will be no sign and trade between Sacramento and Orlando.

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I'm really not sold on how much Orlando will improve with Grant Hill back (even if he returns to 100% of his ability).

If Hill is on the floor with McGrady, then either Miller or Armstrong has to sit. This makes for a stronger bench, because you'll have quality players at SF/SG/PG more or less the entire game (no offense to Troy Hudson ).

But it also means that Bo Outlaw has to keep playing out of position as an undersized PF, and it doesn't solve their gaping hole at C. Milwaukee couldn't exploit this problem, being a donut team as well, but the Lakers and Spurs will chew up Orlando and spit them out (along with probably the Hornets and any other Eastern team with a strong inside presence).

The Magic's dreams of returning to title contention died when they failed to get Duncan. Without him, they'll be a nice team, like the Suns. But nothing more.

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[This message has been edited by Swopa (edited May 02, 2001).]

 

damn swopa, once again, you hit the nail on the head.

swopa will always get my vote for best othernbateamfanposter.



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snap crackle pop

 

Swopa's right. Their 4 best players all play PG, SG, and SF. No big men. The Grant Hill at PG experiment is an interesting one, but he's best at SF. Defensively, he will have a real hard time chasing quick guards. Plus I don't know how ready McGrady will be to share the ball with another star.

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I'm about to boldly go where many men have gone before.

 

how healthy will hill be?

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"Considering Mobley for His First Son's Name"

 

As long as they win, I think things between McGrady and Hill will be great. McGrady wasn't expecting to be the #1 man when he signed on. I think with the MIP award, he won't (and shouldn't) be so concerned about playing in someone's shadow. Not to mention, Grant Hill is hardly an offensive black hole. However, if the team does poorly, I don't know how happy McGrady will be. I know this is hardly brilliant analysis, but I think they'll be cool with each other. But I agree with everyone that they need at least one very solid big man, or they won't go too far in the playoffs.

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What can I say? I get plenty of time to think deep, analytical thoughts about other teams during garbage time of Warriors games.

Best 5 players, actually -- Outlaw, Hill, McGrady, Miller, and Armstrong. And I'll predict right now that you will see that lineup on the floor next year whenever Doc Rivers thinks he can get away with it. And somewhere, Don Nelson will beam with pride.

Good point about the possible "whose ball is it" conflict between Hill and McGrady, although it may be not so much a matter of ego/willingness to share as a simple incompatibility in their games. Both guys have thrived most when it's been their role to break down the defense, surrounded by spot-up shooters.

Is Hill really suited to being a spot-up shooter off McGrady's penetration/being double-teamed, or vice versa? You could probably work up a nifty offense with them on opposite sides of the floor (so defenders can't tell which side the attack is going to come from), but they won't adjust to it overnight.



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I thought Amaechi was going to be a serviceable big man, but he is obsessed with shooting perimeter shots, and has a less than stellar post game. I almost wish he had signed with the Lakers when they offered him that big contract.

Outlaw provides a good energy boost, gets hustle points, and runs the floor. I wonder who they will pursue this offseason in the FA market, if anyone, to bolster the front line.

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"You never know what might trigger someone to say jump off that bandwagon, which we like that they're on it."
-Karl Malone, 1992 Barcelona Olypics, referring to the elbow Barkley threw at an Angolan player. WHAT did he say?

 

I thought the reason T-Mac left Toronto was partly that he didn't want to play in Vince's shadow. You are right the Hill isn't a selfish ball player; in fact one of the major criticisms against him in the past was that he was too unselfish. But (I'm growing tired of saying this!) Swopa's right in saying that both guys are used to playing with the ball. Neither is a great spot up shooter. Nor are they used to moving without the ball like a Reggie Miller. Theoretically I guess you could have them both post up smaller guards (that is a SERIOUSLY huge backcourt) but I don't think that is their gameplan, either. It will be interesting, anyway. Mike Miller and Armstrong are gonna get a helluva lot of open looks.

On Amaechi - what a tragedy. Dude should have taken the major money offered to him last season instead of signing for pennies (actually, about half a mil) with Orlando. Now he couldn't even command somebody's mid-level exception.

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I'm about to boldly go where many men have gone before.

 

This is a good draft for a team like Orlando, there is some nice size available.

Orlando will be fine. I'd start TMac, Hill, and Armstrong, and bring Miller off the bench as the 6th man.

Now that's an AWESOME collection of perimeter talent!

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I think Seattle is going to let Patrick Ewing go... that may be the chance for Orlando to pick up a big man for cheap...

armstrong is getting old, it'll be nice to see how the Hill at pg works out... armstrong is most effective when he plays in spurts rather than long periods of time.

remember, dee brown should be healthy, he led the nba in 3pts made 2-3 seasons ago with the raptors... heres what i think they should do... -- brown, armstrong at pg... (they rotate and give each other breaks)... tmac and hill at SG and SF... Miller off the bench part of a 3 man rotation for SG and SF... Theres lots of options, including Hill at PG... then you got Outlaw at PF, and maybe... EWing at C.

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