We have finally reached the middle of this long NBA season. This season tipped off Orlando's 15th Anniversary, a season we were all looking foward to. After a terrible outing in the playoffs, the offseason was the chance to make up for it all. The Magic scored well in the offseason, acquiring Juwan Howard, a former All Star, and Tyronn Lue. This was the year of new faces, 8 to be exact. Juwan Howard, Tyronn Lue, Keith Bogans, Reece Gaines, Donnell Harvey, Zaza Pachulia, Rod Strickland, and Britton Johnson filled out the roster. Things were looking positive. This season has been more than a disappointment; you could call it a bust. [quoteright]Over the last five games, I've had some crazy thoughts, man, I was thinking that after this year, I'm done with basketball." Tracy McGrady[/QUOTERIGHT] McGrady, who wears the 'C' on his jersey and carries his team, has had his share of difficulties. He has had to face his critics, whom have blasted and bashed his desire for the game. He threated to hang up his jersey and quit the sport he once showed a passion for. Overcoming injuries have been a problem for this superstar. His backspasms have resurfaced once again, sidelining him for several ballgames. With McGrady out of the lineup, the Magic are winless. Juwan Howard was looked at as our much needed player. He provided veteran leadership and he was an inside presence who could rebound the basketball. Little did we know, he struggled playing alongside Drew Gooden. Orlando signed Tyronn Lue to fill the void at the point guard position. He was brought in to immediately start for the Magic, something he has never done before. As the season went on, it was very obvious he belonged on the bench, as a 6th man. Reece Gaines has been the biggest disappointment of them all. The Magic drafted him, expecting a point guard who would complement McGrady's game. Instead, he's lived on the IL, playing a meager 20 games. Players have been waived, signed and benched this season. There is one promising thing for the Magic: The Future. In all likelihood, Orlando will score Top 5 in the lottery. The draft is filled with young talent, something the Magic could use. Emeka Okafor has been looked at as the next Ben Wallace, with more offense. Magic GM John Gabriel has expressed interest in him, claiming to play him at the center position. Dwight Howard is a high school standout, who could play power foward for the Magic. He has phenomenal ball handling skills, and is an athletic freak. Pavel Podkolzine could be the big man the Magic have been longing for. At 7-5, he has long arms and a massive body. He is very raw, but has the potential to become something special. <div align="center"></div> Pack your bags now, the season is over. Build for next year Magic fans, let's wait for the future.
Anything's possibly in the East. But I too am forgetting about this season and looking forward to the next season. We just didn't come through this season I'm sad to say. We'll do better next season that's all we can do s do better. GO MAGIC GO MAGIC GO MAGIC.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Sir Desmond:</div><div class="quote_post">You're so disloyal Ice, we could still make the playoffs! Honest!</div> Why would you want to make the playoffs? We're not gonna win with this squad. We must lose as many games as we can and get the #1 pick so we can snatch Okafor. Praying for this 2005 line-up: C-Okafor PF-Gooden SF-Bogans SG-T-Mac PG-Hill Bench: Garrity, Giricek, Zaza,
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Sir Desmond:</div><div class="quote_post">You're so disloyal Ice, we could still make the playoffs! Honest! </div> I hear that a lot. Dammit. Haha Dez... too good. Crazytown, welcome to the boards. Hope to see you post here in the Magic forum. (Check your PMs and get that sig removed/resized) Sir Desmond was kidding, as he does often. Just look at his avatar.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Ice Breaker:</div><div class="quote_post"> I hear that a lot. Dammit. Haha Dez... too good. Crazytown, welcome to the boards. Hope to see you post here in the Magic forum. (Check your PMs and get that sig removed/resized) Sir Desmond was kidding, as he does often. Just look at his avatar.</div> Thanks for the welcome. How do I check PM's? I hope this sig size is ok. I don't know how to make sigs like everyone else has. Plus I don't my own web host so I can't resize them unless I upload them for my comp. Which I see can only be done for avatars and not sigs.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting sportsrock37:</div><div class="quote_post">Next year, Magic will be Champs... of our sorry division. </div> LOL. True. This might be the worst division in the HISTORY of ALL of sports!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TMac_OwNz:</div><div class="quote_post">what's it gonna be? </div> The division? Like Orlando, Washington, Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami.. Mostly all the bad teams of the east..
lol then we are going to be the champs..well that means we go to the playoffs even if we have a bad record right? so we'll be in the playoffs for sure no but seriously...Wizards are back...Hawks with all this cap room could be dangerous next season...Bobcats is a new team they can get just about everybody and the Heat are prolly in the playoffs this season...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TMac_OwNz:</div><div class="quote_post">what's it gonna be? anyways C - Okafor PF - Gooden SF - Bogans SG - T-Mac PG - Hill hmmz...i dunno </div> Grant Hill at PG?
lol thats what I was going to say but since I havent look at him since a hell long time I didnt want to look stupid if he was lmfao..anyways what is he? SF? C - Okafor*/Hunter/ZaZa PF - Gooden/Fizer* SF - Hill*/Bogans/Wally* SG - T-Mac/Wally**/Williams PG - Snow*/Lue/Gaines *Okafor #1 draft pick for the Orlando Magic. *Andrew Declerq and Gordan Giricek were traded for Fizer with the Chicago Bulls. *Hill played last 10 games and averaged 15ppg 5rpg 6apg and is back. *Wally was traded for Juwan Howard and a pick.(not sure of his position but I think he can play both) *Snow was traded for Rod Strickland Cash considerations and a pick. maybe that Wally trade wont happen..so I changed it to this.. **Trade with the sixers we got Snow Salmons and Kenny Thomas for Juwan Howard and Rod Strickland plus a pick and Cash(or Pat Garrity). so: C - Okafor/Hunter/ZaZa PF - Gooden/Fizer SF - Hill/Bogans/Thomas* SG - T-Mac/Salmons*/Williams PG - Snow/Lue/Gaines Thomas and Salmons can play both positions if im not wrong... what you guys think?
KENNY THOMAS?!!! NO!!!! They just signed him to a big ass contract.. That would stupid as hell if we got him.. NO GARRITY? Argh.. Everything else is fine.. I doubt that Giricek and Delcerq thing will go through.. its going to be Fizer for Lue, Williams and Giricek.. And hunters going to get traded.. As much as i hate to say it.. Argh... Thats ok.. Just.. I dont like the fact that we would take Kenny Thomas, thats plain out stupid with the contract he just signed... Snows contract is big enough..
ok then Pat Garrity is back and healthy for next season replacing Thomas in the SF spot? thats fine with me... ok lets be realistic..Williams and Hunter will probably be traded...I hope that doesn't happen and another thing Declerq will probably stay with the Magic forever! oh well..anyways I didn't know about that contract so...we might as well just keep Garrity.. C - Okafor/Hunter/ZaZa PF - Gooden/Fizer SF - Hill/Bogans/Garrity SG - T-Mac/Salmons/Williams PG - Snow/Lue/Gaines
I really like that lineup. Snow, Tmac, Hill/Bogans, Gooden, Okafor. Again the big issue will be chemistry. We could possibly even have Arroyo from the Jazz as our backup. This is the lineup I would like to see. PG-Snow/Arroyo/Gaines SG-Tmac/Salmons SF-Bogans/Hill PF-Gooden/Fizer/Garrity C-Okafor/Zaza IR-Declerq *We do the Giricek, Lue, Shammond for Fizer deal *We do the Snow, Salmons for Juwan and Hunter deal *We draft Okafor with our pick *We let Rod Strickland leave us for free agency or he retires. *Hill comes back healthy and gets around 10 pts and 3 assists. *We sign Arroyo to a small deal and long deal so that he will be able to learn from Snow and play with his favorite player(Tmac) The reason Bogans starting over Hill is because we need to bring Hill back slowly. Limit his minutes no matter what. Even if we need him on the floor, keep his minutes at around 15-20 for around 20 games, then slowly increase his minutes and then decide between Hill and Bogans who should start. I think we would be a top 4 seed with that lineup, but I thought we'd be this year 2. EDIT: We could even sign Giricek back if he wants to come back to play a backup role.
alright...I guess I could accept Arroyo for T-Lue...he is young and has talent ive seen him play..anyways hmm I just wish somehow Declerq gets traded! maybe in the Bulls trade instead of trading Hunter away or instead of trading shammond..so we keep Hunter and Shammond
Another possibility is dealing just Giricek for Arroyo and Howard for Kandi.(both are rumored) Then drafting either a center or sf depending on how Kandi does. Our lineup would be. PG-arroyo/gaines/lue SG-Tmac/bogans/gaines SF-Bogans/hill/dwight howard* Pf-Gooden/Dwight or Okafor*/Garrity c-Kandi/Okafor*/Zaza *If Kandi proves he's an all-star in the East when he returns from injury then we should go with Dwight Howard,we should have a good enough of a lineup to let him develop. If Kandi doesn't prove to be good or gets injured again, then draft Okafor. Note: This also will allow Arroyo to gain some chemistry with the team. I think he's shown a bunch of interests in Orlando, which means he would stay with us.
We'll let both of them go as free agents. Or we'll deal Hunter for a 2nd. I'll go with the Hunter for the Mavs 2nd and Shammond walking.
