Orlando Magic
30 Days, 30 Teams: Orlando Magic
Team Needs: Inside help for Dwight Howard at the center position, and a star in the backcourt.
Outlook: The Magic, who made an impressive late-season rally to nearly make the playoffs, have a future megastar in Dwight Howard. The problem is when you look at the rest of Orlando’s roster nothing special jumps out at you. Jameer Nelson is a solid point guard, and probably will be for many years to come, but I’m not sure he can win a game on his own. Grant Hill is great when he’s on the court, but new GM Otis Smith can’t count on that too often. Then there’s Darko Milicic, who has become the punching bag for every sports columnist and fan in America and remains one of Joe Dumars few miscues in Detroit. Someone to either complement Howard in the post, or to draw defenders to the perimeter and away from him is what the Magic should be looking for in the draft. If things go well, the Magic could sneak into the playoffs in 2007 in the weaker of the two conferences.
Most Suitable Prospects:
J.J. Redick - Redick could make things a lot easier for Howard next season if he brings the same shooters’ mentality that he possessed at Duke. He won’t be one of the quickest guards in the NBA, but his scoring ability could make for a nice career and a much-improved Magic line-up in 2006-2007.
Rodney Carney - The Magic need a guard, and he’s the most athletic of any available this year. With quite a few guards projected to be available in the middle of the first round, Orlando will have a lot to choose from. Carney may not be the scorer Redick is, but he holds the edge on the defensive end.
Shelden Williams - If the Magic don’t select a guard, a banger is their next biggest need. Williams will likely earn a good living in the NBA by doing just that. Someone like UCONN’s Hilton Armstrong may also be an option. Armstrong’s potential seems higher, but Williams might be a safer pick.
Best Case Scenario: Redick falls to the Magic and he becomes one of the league’s best shooters. Would it be a coincidence that Orlando holds the 11th pick, and in 1987, another sharpshooter was taken with the 11th overall pick by the Indiana Pacers ? Magic fans would be ecstatic if Redick turns out to be even a fourth of the player Reggie Miller became.
Worst Case Scenario: You might say that the worst scenario for the Magic would be that neither of the three prospects I mentioned where available at their pick, but that’s not likely to happen. Even if it did there’s plenty of guards available, and there’s always Hilton Armstrong as a back-up plan for Williams. They should get someone of good value at their pick, but the worst case scenario for Orlando would be that their selection didn’t mesh well with future All-Star Dwight Howard.
http://www.realgm.com/src_beyondthearc/24/20060609/30_days_30_teams_orlando_magic/
Team Needs: Inside help for Dwight Howard at the center position, and a star in the backcourt.
Outlook: The Magic, who made an impressive late-season rally to nearly make the playoffs, have a future megastar in Dwight Howard. The problem is when you look at the rest of Orlando’s roster nothing special jumps out at you. Jameer Nelson is a solid point guard, and probably will be for many years to come, but I’m not sure he can win a game on his own. Grant Hill is great when he’s on the court, but new GM Otis Smith can’t count on that too often. Then there’s Darko Milicic, who has become the punching bag for every sports columnist and fan in America and remains one of Joe Dumars few miscues in Detroit. Someone to either complement Howard in the post, or to draw defenders to the perimeter and away from him is what the Magic should be looking for in the draft. If things go well, the Magic could sneak into the playoffs in 2007 in the weaker of the two conferences.
Most Suitable Prospects:
J.J. Redick - Redick could make things a lot easier for Howard next season if he brings the same shooters’ mentality that he possessed at Duke. He won’t be one of the quickest guards in the NBA, but his scoring ability could make for a nice career and a much-improved Magic line-up in 2006-2007.
Rodney Carney - The Magic need a guard, and he’s the most athletic of any available this year. With quite a few guards projected to be available in the middle of the first round, Orlando will have a lot to choose from. Carney may not be the scorer Redick is, but he holds the edge on the defensive end.
Shelden Williams - If the Magic don’t select a guard, a banger is their next biggest need. Williams will likely earn a good living in the NBA by doing just that. Someone like UCONN’s Hilton Armstrong may also be an option. Armstrong’s potential seems higher, but Williams might be a safer pick.
Best Case Scenario: Redick falls to the Magic and he becomes one of the league’s best shooters. Would it be a coincidence that Orlando holds the 11th pick, and in 1987, another sharpshooter was taken with the 11th overall pick by the Indiana Pacers ? Magic fans would be ecstatic if Redick turns out to be even a fourth of the player Reggie Miller became.
Worst Case Scenario: You might say that the worst scenario for the Magic would be that neither of the three prospects I mentioned where available at their pick, but that’s not likely to happen. Even if it did there’s plenty of guards available, and there’s always Hilton Armstrong as a back-up plan for Williams. They should get someone of good value at their pick, but the worst case scenario for Orlando would be that their selection didn’t mesh well with future All-Star Dwight Howard.
http://www.realgm.com/src_beyondthearc/24/20060609/30_days_30_teams_orlando_magic/