<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> "I've said no because I was afraid to adapt to the American way of life and of not giving the level they have asked," Vazquez told the Spanish newspaper Malaga Hoy. "I'm not a coward, but I prefer to stay in Spain, progress, and who knows? Maybe jump to the NBA in a few years." The Magic knew Vazquez had a $650,000 buyout clause in his European contract when they drafted him, but they insisted it wouldn't be a problem. "Yes, we're a little surprised," Magic co-general manager Dave Twardzik said. "The message we've been getting all along -- before the draft, after the draft -- was that he was excited about playing here. He said it was his dream to play in the NBA." http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2119473 </div> How does Dave Twardzick keep finding work in the NBA? He had all the opportunity in the world to pick up a guy like Danny Granger or Gerald Green and he goes for a PF. Didn't the Magic already have Dwight Howard for that position? I swear with some of these GM's from these lotto teams, I doubt the draft could help them that much. Man, thank goodness we don't have Twardzick as GM anymore. I feel sorry for Orlando though.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting custodianrules2:</div><div class="quote_post">How does Dave Twardzick keep finding work in the NBA? He had all the opportunity in the world to pick up a guy like Danny Granger or Gerald Green and he goes for a PF. Didn't the Magic already have Dwight Howard for that position? I swear with some of these GM's from these lotto teams, I doubt the draft could help them that much. Man, thank goodness we don't have Twardzick as GM anymore. I feel sorry for Orlando though.</div> lol Why are there always threads about other teams in the Warriors forum? Anyway I definitely blame Magic management for what happened. They reportable did not even work out or talk to Fran before drafting him. Supposable Fran and his agent were both taken a back when Orlando selected him. Now we know why he was slipping from top ten talents to the Magic. I am guessing he told all the teams who worked him out he might not have been able to come over, but the Magic thought they would be smart by taking him. Well that move back fired. After all the draft day busts, and disappointments you get use to it after a while. Also they had planned to move Howard to center, and play Fran at power forward this season and see how that worked. Since Cato is not expected to be ready early in the season due to injury.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Best Kept Secret:</div><div class="quote_post">lol Why are there always threads about other teams in the Warriors forum?</div> You get out of our business. We are far superior than any other fan, we just cant have conversations with the likes of your kind.
Vazquez is a big boy. He came down, worked out for teams and appeared at the f*ckin draft. No excuses. He will not get better in Europe. I've heard some comments about Vazquez's reluctance to adapt to American culture and prefers to live in Spain. He can live wherever he wants but: a)you had an entire year to figure this out before putting your name in the draft b)The magic own his rights. His plan is to stay overseas a few years then come over. Well Einstein, in a few years you'll have to adapt to American culture anyways when you live here and play for the magic. What kind of logic is this man using? It's pretty funny this happened to Twardzik. That man is a jinx.
Fran Vazquez is 22, so he could not pull his name out of the draft. I love how the Magic say they are not surprised, when just the other day they said they were surprised because Fran's agent assured them his client would be playing in their summer camp. I also read in the Magic forum, Dave Twardzick, only saw video footage of 6 games, and the team never worked out Fran, in fact Fran was shocked the team drafted him. Fran also told the Magic he had reservations of playing in the NBA right away. I think a new word needs be added to NBA lingo and then the dictionary ... Twardzicked - adjective/verb - Making an irrational decision effecting the future of one's operation Example as a verb- The team Twardzicked that draft pick. Example as an adjective - That Twardzicked trade just cost his team a chance at the playoffs.
Well, sometimes you take risks, but usually calculated risks (like Gerald Green). I think Vasquez couldn't deal with the buyout that he had to pay - it would be much less cash next year, despite all of the promises made by his agent and such. Man, I'm glad Mullin didn't Twardzick our draft pick.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">Fran Vazquez is 22, so he could not pull his name out of the draft. I love how the Magic say they are not surprised, when just the other day they said they were surprised because Fran's agent assured them his client would be playing in their summer camp. I also read in the Magic forum, Dave Twardzick, only saw video footage of 6 games, and the team never worked out Fran, in fact Fran was shocked the team drafted him. Fran also told the Magic he had reservations of playing in the NBA right away. I think a new word needs be added to NBA lingo and then the dictionary ... Twardzicked - adjective/verb - Making an irrational decision effecting the future of one's operation Example as a verb- The team Twardzicked that draft pick. Example as an adjective - That Twardzicked trade just cost his team a chance at the playoffs.</div> Rob Babcock also Twardzicked his pick last year.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Bobcats:</div><div class="quote_post"> Rob Babcock also Twardzicked his pick last year. </div> Not to mention this year's Twardzickery.
Twardzick - noun - A person making an irrational decision effecting the future of one's operation Twardzick - verb - To make an irrational decision effecting the future of one's operation Example: I'm glad Mullin isn't a twardzick because that would twardzick any hope of the Warriors making the playoffs this year... or ever. That would be a very twardzicked scenario. If Fran Vasquez is the next Foyle/Joe Smith/Todd Fuller that would be really funny (probably not though). I like the Dwight Howard pick though. The guy averaged a double double though and I'm sure he had a say in the pick last year.
Twardzik just got permoted this year. I'm pretty sure Weisbrod was running the show. Even if Twardzik did put in minor input he only had two options for the pick 1) Okafor 2) Howard. You can't go wrong in either scenario. This year, Twardzik went wrong.
That's questionable, upsidedownside7. If Twardzick had the overall say in 2004 instead of Weisbrod, with two choices consisting of either Okafor or Howard to take as the number one overall draft pick... he'd take Rafael Araujo or any tweener with no true position.
It's official now, Fran just signed a 4 year deal to play in Spain. I guess in the end he could not give up the 3 hour lunch siesta's in Spain, the homemade Chianti, and a chance to run with the bulls and sport his bright red scarf. Twardzickery at it's finest.
Wow. It didn't take Twerdzik to twerdzik Olando. I never thought after drafting Smith over McDyess, Stackhouse, Wallace and KG, and Fuller over... basically everybody, he couldn't possibly make worse draft choice, but it appears that I underestimated his ability. Granted that part of blame goes to Vazquez, because he showed an interest to play in NBA, and after making a committment, he should have backed his committment. However, major blame goes to Twerdzik because it's not a good idea to draft a player when you didn't scout + you are not sure he is actually coming to US. Also, since I came from a foreign country, I can understand why Vazquez chose Spain over NBA. But I am sure Twerdzik will make up the draft disaster with FAs and trade. After all, he traded Hardaway and Gatling, both made All-Star, for Willis, who lasted half season in meaningless season, and Coles, and brought Mark Price, who didn't do a thing for this club. If both Francis and Howard turns into Sprewell and Smith ver. 2, he would complete his mission. Is Euro fever in NBA gone? After obvious Darko and Skita fiasco, now Vazquez also embarrassed Olando. Also, there hasn't been any euro drafted above 10th for last 3 years except Darko. And bottom line is that there just hasn't been too many euro stars in last few years. For that, I do give a lot of credit to both Saint and Mullin. Saint brought Pietrus, and Mullin drafted Biedrins and eventually got Zarko, whom he wanted in Pietrus draft...
That's funny, Shape! Kwan, could be the Eurofever/International trend is going, going, gone, until the next proven player and freak of nature appears. But I kind of wonder what the draft might have been if guys like Tiago Splitter, Rudy Fernandez or Andra Bargnani stayed in the draft. But it seems like the new trend is to take mature guys who have hinted they could play at a high level rather than wind up with the Dajuan Wagners, the Dasagna Diops, Kedrick Brown, the Nikolov Tskitishvilli, etc who just don't grow any as players and are either too young or unproven. Like our own highschoolers, some of these Euros who even play professionally are either too young or they aren't getting playing time to improve in real time game situations. Vasquez and Petro are probably the exceptions, but one has to question the amount of skills they have, their effect on a team and the abilities to learn more (There's some degree of limited upside that people miss on draft day obviously). I mean there's talent that's coming out of there, but the guys coming out are either way too young, so they fall into the highschooler category, or they have no true position (which falls into the career bench guy category) or lack of universal belief that there is a high ceiling on the scouted player. I think most teams, generally just want to get tougher inside because the last couple of drafts had big men going high. 2001 had Curry, Gasol, Chandler, Brown. 2002 had Yao Ming go #1 overall, the first international to do so. With the exception of Lebron, Dwayne Wade, and Carmelo, guys like Bosh, Kaman and Darko went high. Dwight and Okafor in 2004, and even Toronto desperate or dumb enough to go for Araujo at #8 (about 8 spots higher than what he was projected at going at). In 2005, we know what happened. Bogut went #1 overall and the Knicks and Toronto wanted to get bigger and it resulted in some guys going higher than anticipated (aside from any draft promises that gave away the suprise.). We went for Diogu instead of Green or Bynum or any of these guys with talent that would be really good one day (hopefully). So yeah I think it was the demand for big man talent, huge mismatches at the 4/5, double teams and toughness inside that is present every year, whether it's the Euro/International kind of big man, highschooler or whatever. Now it seems teams are choosing very wisely when it comes to big men and the skillset they have proven now whether it be the Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, or Elton Brand kind of game. I can't really comment on Darko because the guy is so young and temperamental, but he does have skills, reflexes, size, athleticism few big men posess. Confidence is probably also a factor. I definitely believe in Pietrus, Zarko, or Biedrins, but the problem is these guys are still bench guys, so it is hard to say how they will do in major minutes at starter where they'll have to play at a slower pace. Foyle was projected to go through the roof with his per 48 minute numbers and didn't deliver. Could we blame Murphy for this? That's definitely arguable.
