<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Jacksonville.com - Otis Smith is expected to be named Orlando's official general manager within the next few weeks and is looking to the models used by Joe Dumars and R.C. Buford as examples of how to build a successful club. "You still need talent to win in the pros, but you have to have character guys," Smith said. "I think we get enamored with individual talent in our league and not team talent. We have to take ownership of mentoring our players. "Teams like San Antonio and Detroit have a higher level of trust in each other. They have confidence in the head coach, management and people around them. We want to get to that point."</div> Source
Well that would be smart since we have quality guys on and off the floor here in orlando. I think good things are goin to happen for this team. Smith will be GM of the year next year if we can keep up the positive movement.
Man, I can't wait till next year. Orlando should be the most improved team in the league. I think we are in a much better situation now than we were with Francis or even T-mac. Alot of that has to do with Otis Smith
That's not bad company to model your team after, eh? I've got a good feeling about Otis, he's gonna be good for Orlando.
He has to do something good with this draft. Whether its trading the picks for a vet or drafting future talent. Between the draft and free agency Smith has a lot of work to do. I think he can do it, he is a very head strong guy.
Fran isnt needed anymore I guess, you guys brought in Darko, Fran would've been the same thing. If the draft goes well and the magic pick up a few good players in Free Agency I think they'll be a playoff team.
We could definetely use some big man depth. Right now we just have Darko/Dwight/Battie, if you throw Fran in there we have the youngest and possibly the most talented group of bigs in the league.
Gators, I wouldnt say most talented... yet. Not until Dwight comes into hi sown on both sides of the floor. Right now I gotta give it to the Clippers. Elton Brand, Chris Kaman, Vladimir Radmanovic are pretty sick. But Dwight, Darko, Fran and possibly another big from the draft... cough... Patrick O'Bryant.... cough... could be a nice young group of bigs, but finding minutes for them would be a hard thing to do.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Buckets:</div><div class="quote_post">Gators, I wouldnt say most talented... yet. Not until Dwight comes into hi sown on both sides of the floor. Right now I gotta give it to the Clippers. Elton Brand, Chris Kaman, Vladimir Radmanovic are pretty sick. But Dwight, Darko, Fran and possibly another big from the draft... cough... Patrick O'Bryant.... cough... could be a nice young group of bigs, but finding minutes for them would be a hard thing to do.</div> O'Bryant? The Magic have bigger needs than a C. They already 3 players that can play there, and they have a bigger need for a SG or swingman. Brewer, Roy, Carney or Mardy Collins are better picks for the Magic than O'Bryant. I like where the Magic are going. They've established a core with Howard, Nelson and Darko, to go with complementary Players like Hedo, Battie, Dooling and Arroyo. If they can fill out the SG spot via the draft and tinker the team through Free Agency, they could be as good as the Wizards were this year. They could possibly surpase them, but that depends on how much Dwight's offensive game improves.
That's encouraging to hear. Otis is picking good teams to model after, and it shows he has a vision and a plan. That's what you want in a GM. I don't remember hearing much of any plan with Weisbrod. He just seemed to do things. I don't think he had any sort of idea on what he wanted to do, and he was just aiming to get talent.
