Savage: Magic Have Unfinished Business
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By Dan Savage
July 25, 2010
ORLANDO – The trade winds are certainly blowing in Orlando. But right now there's plenty of smoke and no fire.
It’s no surprise that Magic fans are anxious to see a major counter-offensive move take place after the division-rival Miami Heat drastically improved their roster with the addition of LeBron James and Chris Bosh.
However, reality is that Orlando’s current roster could be very close to the group that tips off the team’s 2010-11 campaign.
With just a few tweaks to last season’s lineup – the addition of Chris Duhon and Quentin Richardson and departure of Matt Barnes – the Magic’s rotation looks very similar to the one that fell two games shy of reaching The Finals for the second straight year. And that’s the way this squad likes it.
“I think since the season has been over what we’ve all wanted as a team is to keep our guys together,” eight-time All-Star Vince Carter explained. “We really enjoy each other’s company and camaraderie on and off the court.”
Orlando had high expectations heading into last season with its primary mission being to win an NBA championship. Since they fell just short of that goal – falling in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Boston Celtics – many members of the Magic have spent this offseason hoping that the team would keep their core intact and take another shot at the title.
Magic General Manager Otis Smith helped that dream come to fruition last week when he decided to retain J.J. Redick even though he came with an expensive price tag. It’s a move that didn’t go unnoticed.
“With the team that we had, we thought we were very capable of winning a championship, so we want to get one more crack at it,” Carter added. “The guys that we’ve added really help as well.”
While Richardson and Duhon may get overlooked when compared to Bosh and James, there’s no denying that they’re improvements for the Magic at positions they targeted since the start of free agency. Richardson’s ability to consistently knock down shots from long range perfectly meshes with Orlando’s inside-out system. It’s a quality that will not only add to the Magic’s three-point totals, but also prevent defenders from sagging and doubling on All-NBA center Dwight Howard.
“(Richardson) is a very good shooter – that adds another shooter to our arsenal,” Carter explained. “He’s also a great defender.”
Duhon, on the hand, provides a defensive upgrade at the backup point guard position in addition to being an excellent distributor at the offensive end.
“I am excited about our team,” said Carter. “Both (Duhon and Richardson’s) experience and on-court savvy is just going to make our team better.”
Along with the addition of those two free agents, Smith believes a few players will benefit from their second year in the Magic’s system.
“I think a year with our guys – regarding some of the guys we brought in last year – you look at our track record and understand that it takes a guy a year to get fully equipped with who he is and how he is coached,” Smith explained last week. “So I think Brandon (Bass) will have a better year and I think Vince will have a better year.”
While Orlando has yet to make a “major move,” its basketball operations staff believes this team is fully capable of contending with any squad in the association.
“Our goal to start this season is no different than our goal to start the last one and that is to become NBA champions,” Smith said. “In order to do that, you have to have a talented roster. I think our roster competes with any other roster in the league.”
But until the Magic hoist up the Larry O'Brien Trophy, they’re left with one thing: Unfinished business.
July 25, 2010
ORLANDO – The trade winds are certainly blowing in Orlando. But right now there's plenty of smoke and no fire.
It’s no surprise that Magic fans are anxious to see a major counter-offensive move take place after the division-rival Miami Heat drastically improved their roster with the addition of LeBron James and Chris Bosh.
However, reality is that Orlando’s current roster could be very close to the group that tips off the team’s 2010-11 campaign.
With just a few tweaks to last season’s lineup – the addition of Chris Duhon and Quentin Richardson and departure of Matt Barnes – the Magic’s rotation looks very similar to the one that fell two games shy of reaching The Finals for the second straight year. And that’s the way this squad likes it.
“I think since the season has been over what we’ve all wanted as a team is to keep our guys together,” eight-time All-Star Vince Carter explained. “We really enjoy each other’s company and camaraderie on and off the court.”
Orlando had high expectations heading into last season with its primary mission being to win an NBA championship. Since they fell just short of that goal – falling in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Boston Celtics – many members of the Magic have spent this offseason hoping that the team would keep their core intact and take another shot at the title.
Magic General Manager Otis Smith helped that dream come to fruition last week when he decided to retain J.J. Redick even though he came with an expensive price tag. It’s a move that didn’t go unnoticed.
“With the team that we had, we thought we were very capable of winning a championship, so we want to get one more crack at it,” Carter added. “The guys that we’ve added really help as well.”
While Richardson and Duhon may get overlooked when compared to Bosh and James, there’s no denying that they’re improvements for the Magic at positions they targeted since the start of free agency. Richardson’s ability to consistently knock down shots from long range perfectly meshes with Orlando’s inside-out system. It’s a quality that will not only add to the Magic’s three-point totals, but also prevent defenders from sagging and doubling on All-NBA center Dwight Howard.
“(Richardson) is a very good shooter – that adds another shooter to our arsenal,” Carter explained. “He’s also a great defender.”
Duhon, on the hand, provides a defensive upgrade at the backup point guard position in addition to being an excellent distributor at the offensive end.
“I am excited about our team,” said Carter. “Both (Duhon and Richardson’s) experience and on-court savvy is just going to make our team better.”
Along with the addition of those two free agents, Smith believes a few players will benefit from their second year in the Magic’s system.
“I think a year with our guys – regarding some of the guys we brought in last year – you look at our track record and understand that it takes a guy a year to get fully equipped with who he is and how he is coached,” Smith explained last week. “So I think Brandon (Bass) will have a better year and I think Vince will have a better year.”
While Orlando has yet to make a “major move,” its basketball operations staff believes this team is fully capable of contending with any squad in the association.
“Our goal to start this season is no different than our goal to start the last one and that is to become NBA champions,” Smith said. “In order to do that, you have to have a talented roster. I think our roster competes with any other roster in the league.”
But until the Magic hoist up the Larry O'Brien Trophy, they’re left with one thing: Unfinished business.
