The Magic Dilemma

Posted on July 13, 2012 by wcornblatt

Listening to the sports news in the last couple days has involved a heavy dose of Penn State and a full on bombardment of Dwight Howard. I think most fans can agree that at this point, the world would be happy for Howard to go anywhere so we can simply move on. If we simple sports spectators feel that way, imagine how the Magic feel. They’ve been forced to degrade themselves over and over, pleading with Howard to give them a second chance. Imagine the sheer embarrassment that Rob Hennigan felt when he called Howard to convince him to try Orlando again…Howard obviously said no.

It really is an impossible situation for the Magic. Trading him to the Nets keeps him in the Eastern conference. It also sends a message that if a player holds out, the organization will cave into his demands. So here they are, with a top five player in the NBA on their roster, praying to get rid of him., and just when you thought they’d be forced to settle, the Rockets entered the scenario offering a significant amount of hope.

Not only would Houston take on the contracts the Magic are looking to get rid of, but they’d also give the Magic a group of young players and picks that would improve a grim future. For Orlando, the sooner they get this deal done the better. The team has lost its identity completely now that Howard’s whining has earned him a potential trade. Sure, the Magic screwed up last season with how they handled the Howard/Van Gundy situation, but the last thing they deserved was a summer of waiting and frustration. They got it, and the only way out is to send Dwight to Houston and start with a fresh slate.

The Rockets Pursuit of Dwight Howard

Posted on June 26, 2012 by wcornblatt

What are the Rockets doing? Have they been brainwashed so thoroughly by recent free agent bonanzas that they think trading a future for Dwight Howard is enough to win a championship? They’ve been trying to trade draft picks and Kyle Lowry to assemble a package of picks so compelling that the Magic trade them Howard.

And then what?

I’m sure Houston isn’t the glamorous big city that Howard was looking for, so the Rockets can look forward to a melancholy big man who’s star personality overshadows the team dynamic. Even if he commits himself to being a productive teammate, his supporting cast isn’t dramatically better than the one in Orlando. However because teams are convinced the way to win in the NBA is to add the big free agent at any cost, their mission continues. What they aren’t realizing, justifiably, is that securing Howard isn’t securing a future. If he doesn’t win in Houston, which I simply can’t see happening considering how dominant the Heat and Thunder looked, he’ll be looking for another contract in four years after his southern experiment is over. Oh, and he had surgery at the end of last season.

So you have a 26-year-old who is the best big man in the league, but injury and personality problems make him a questionable prospect. Do you really want to bring that drama to your team if you’re the Rockets? Do you really want to sacrifice a bounty of draft picks and one of your best players to put you into immediate playoff contention for the next five years? It’s a question of goals, if you’re aiming to just make your franchise competitive again to sell tickets and increase intrigue, then Howard’s your guy. He’s funny and charismatic when he isn’t destroying your locker room. People would flock to watch him, but if you’re looking to establish your team for the distant future and keep the locker room controllable, then he isn’t your guy.

The Rockets had a good season and showed they had a lot to build on, but by attempting to add Dwight Howard they’re destroying the cohesiveness of a young core that is sure to succeed eventually.

Shaq and the Magic

Posted on May 24, 2012 by wcornblatt

When I heard that Shaq was interviewing for the Magic’s GM position, I couldn’t believe it! It wasn’t that it was so hard to believe a former player could be a GM, Jerry West was genius for the Lakers. I just simply didn’t think Shaq was smart enough to run a team. He was an intelligent player who’s charisma and affability served him well in the search for a post-career job, and he found a niche at TNT where he was able to argue with the equally goofy Charles Barkley, but as expected TV wasn’t enough for the big man. The same way his film roles and rap albums took backseat to his dominant play, his role on TNT just wasn’t enough adrenaline to take him out of the basketball world. He needs to feel involved, he needs to feel needed.

The same shenanigans that entertained him as a player don’t grab attention like they used to now that he’s another analyst looking to make headlines. However for Shaq, a GM position in Orlando would be a dream world. He lives in Orlando and played for seasons with a Magic team that drafted him. He took them to the Finals, where they lost to a veteran Rockets team led by Hakeem Olajuwon. Even watching highlights of his time in a Magic uniform makes you understand why he would want to return. He was young and brash with boundless athleticism and personality. It’s an image any former player would like to return to. It’s like “Old School,” he’s returning to his glory days.

All of these reasons explain why Shaq wants to return to Orlando, but not why Orlando wants Shaq to return. He’s a hero there, but if they hire him and he fails, they are as bad as Otis Smith. The Magic have to worry about Dwight Howard, but they might very well have to worry about the off-season transaction of Shaq just as much.

The Magic Mess

Posted on April 5, 2012 by wcornblatt

As I’ve said all year, the Magic are a mess. Whether it’s Dwight Howard cackling on the sidelines while his team trails by double digits, or Hedo Turkoglu looking more disillusioned than Kwame Brown. And today, Stan Van Gundy told the media that Dwight has asked for him to be fired. The news came out that Howard wanted Van Gundy out during today’s shoot-around, and in a weird scene, Howard hugged Van Gundy before he had received the news that his coach had told reporters just moments earlier that his big man wanted him gone. They stood together, while Howard put his arm around Stan, it was an odd, sort of enduring image. Like Nixon with his peace fingers dangling in the air, It’s irony is painful and must-watch at the same time. How can a team this divided manage to win any games, much less one against the Knicks? The answer, like it always is for the Magic, is D12.

In this season of turmoil, Dwight Howard’s averages are near a career high. The problem is that Tyson Chandler is one of three centers that stands any chance against Howard. He’s physical, big and not afraid to play defense against the elite, but Dwight can create for his teammates no matter who his defender is. So once again, their offense will run through Howard, but the load will be on the supporting players. There’s only so much offense one man can create, and Howard’s presence alone should be enough to create for a team known for the 3-point shooting. They have the fourth best 3-point percentage in the league, but when they need their shooters most, they just seem to fail. Tonight is a rare opportunity for the Orlando Magic, after a season that feels like the Real World, they’re still standing. They’re in fifth place in the cluttered East with a chance to make progress. If they can convincingly beat a Knicks team that will be in the playoffs, it’ll prove something about their character that fans have been looking for all year. It’ll prove they can win when it matters, regardless of distractions.

Hedo Turkoglu and the Downfall of the Orlando Magic

Posted on March 28, 2012 by wcornblatt

After the 2008-2009 season, the Magic organization must’ve been disappointed, but excited. They made it to the finals after a thrilling victory over the favored Cavaliers and LeBron James. Sure, they lost to the Lakers, but what good team hasn’t. They were young and talented, poised to become a powerhouse beyond that postseason. Then a funny thing happened, Hedo Turkoglu opted out of his contract. The Turkish enigma was at the height of his career. In the 2007-2008 season, Turkoglu won the Most Improved Player Award, and averaged a career high in points. In the 2008-2009 finals season, he averaged 17 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds. Turkoglu then went to Toronto, where his numbers fell off and tensions with management built. He was seen out partying late after missing a game with a stomach virus, and was benched. Turkoglu voiced his displeasure and was traded to the Suns, where he continued to struggle. In 2010, Turkoglu was traded back to the Magic, the perfect move for the threat that had turned cold.

Now here we are, halfway through a terribly confusing season for the Magic, and Hedo is averaging just over 10 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists. At his best, Turkoglu was as dangerous as they come. He’s a 6’ 10 forward who can drive to the hoop. He’s shot around 40% from the three-point line his whole career. At his worst, he’s a lazy liability, jogging up and down the court with an ambivalent glaze in his eyes, you can feel his thought process. He’s at the end of a career that fell short of his hopes. He’s under performing while still getting large amounts of minutes.

The worst part is that the old Hedo Turkoglu is just what this Magic team needs. They rank 22^nd in points per game. They largely rely on their outside shooting, and true offense is hard to come by for a team that goes through a sub 50% free throw shooter (Dwight Howard). For all of the Magic, but especially Turkoglu who has wandered so aimlessly through the NBA, like a community college dropout pointlessly longing for the days of high school, things would be better if they went back to how they used to be. Who thought the Magic would be here in 2012, fighting to get back to the glory days of their 2008-2009 season, where the future seemed so bright and the past so irrelevant.