john hammond

Dan Savage

ORLANDO - Orlando Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman and General Manager John Hammond have both received contract extensions, CEO Alex Martins announced today.

“Jeff (Weltman) and John (Hammond) have done a tremendous job of building our basketball operations infrastructure, while putting us in position to reach our ultimate goal,” said CEO Alex Martins. “We certainly look forward to exciting days ahead.”

Said Orlando Magic Chairman Dan DeVos, “Our commitment to winning a championship is stronger than ever, while being an invested community partner. We look forward to Jeff and John continuing to lead our basketball operations and assembling teams our fans can be proud of, both on and off the floor.”

Weltman, who brings more than 30 years of experience in basketball operations in the NBA, was named president of basketball operations of the Orlando Magic on May 23, 2017. He is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the team’s basketball operations department.

Since joining Orlando, the Magic advanced to postseason play in back-to-back seasons in 2018-19 and 2019-20 for the first time in eight years (since 2010-11 and 2011-12). During his second season in Orlando (2018-19), the Magic clinched a berth into the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2012 and captured the Southeast Division title, their first since 2009-10.

Weltman came to Orlando after four seasons with the Toronto Raptors, including his final season as general manager (2016-17). He joined the Raptors as executive vice president, basketball operations in 2013.

Prior to joining Toronto, Weltman spent five seasons as assistant general manager of the Milwaukee Bucks from 2008-13. During his tenure with Milwaukee, he assisted in all basketball, salary cap and administrative matters.

Weltman came to Milwaukee following one year as director of basketball administration in Detroit (2007-08) and five seasons as assistant general manager with the Denver Nuggets (2001-06).

During his time in Denver, Weltman helped engineer personnel moves that shifted the Nuggets from a struggling team with no salary cap flexibility to one of the up-and-coming teams in the NBA. The Nuggets won 49 games in 2004-05, the fourth-most since the franchise joined the NBA in 1976. In 2003-04, the Nuggets posted the sixth-biggest turnaround in NBA history, improving their win total by 26 games and reached the playoffs for the first time since 1995.

Weltman joined the Nuggets after spending 13 seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, where he served as director of player personnel since 1994.

The New York native originally joined the Clippers as video coordinator in 1988 and was immediately elevated to a scouting position. During his last season in Los Angeles (2000-01), the Clippers improved their win total by 16 – the biggest turnaround in the league.

Weltman graduated in 1987 from Oberlin College in Ohio, where he earned two varsity letters in basketball. He and his wife, Alexis, have twin daughters, Lucy and JJ.

Hammond was named general manager of the Orlando Magic on May 23, 2017. He begins his fifth season with the Magic, bringing more than 39 years of coaching and administrative experience to Orlando. Hammond came to the Magic after spending nine seasons (2008-17) as general manager of the Milwaukee Bucks.

During Hammond’s 30 years in the NBA, his teams have made 17 postseason appearances, including two seasons with Orlando (2018-19, 2019-20). During the 2018-19 season, the Magic clinched a berth into the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2012 and captured the Southeast Division title. After reaching the playoffs again in 2019-20, it marked the first time in eight years (since 2010-11 and 2011-12) that Orlando advanced to postseason play in back-to-back seasons. President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman served as assistant general manager under Hammond for five seasons (2008-13) and also worked with him in Detroit (2007-08).

Hammond was named general manager of Milwaukee on April 11, 2008 and promptly generated an eight-win improvement in his first season and another 12 during his second, earning the 2009-10 NBA Executive of the Year Award.

Prior to joining the Bucks, Hammond spent seven seasons as vice president of basketball operations with the Detroit Pistons, where he was responsible for directing day-to-day operations of the basketball operations department, handling player personnel issues and assisting in roster development. During his time with Detroit, the Pistons were 330-158 (.676), reached the Eastern Conference Finals six consecutive times (2003-08), made two straight trips to the NBA Finals (2004-05) and captured the NBA World Championship in 2004. In addition to his time as vice president of basketball operations, Hammond also served as director of player personnel, scouting director and assistant coach in two stints with the Pistons.

Hammond began his NBA career in 1989 as an assistant coach and scout with the Minnesota Timberwolves. From there, he joined Larry Brown’s staff with the Los Angeles Clippers, where they advanced to the playoffs in 1992 and 1993. Hammond had a second stint with the Clippers in 2000-01, joining Alvin Gentry’s staff as lead assistant. That team saw a 16-game improvement and Hammond was noted as a key in developing first-year players Darius Miles, Keyon Dooling and Quentin Richardson.

Prior to his NBA career, Hammond spent six seasons at Southwest Missouri State, where he helped lead the school to three consecutive NCAA Tournament berths (1986-88) and a trip to the NIT in 1985. He also spent two seasons at Houston Baptist (1981-83), two seasons at Nebraska (1979-81) and three seasons at the high school level in Nebraska.

A native of Zion, Ill., Hammond graduated from Greenville College in Illinois, where he earned two letters in basketball and served as a student assistant coach. He and his wife, Marsha, have a daughter, Lauryn.

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Orlando Magic Announce Contract Extensions for Jeff Weltman and John Hammond

Josh Cohen

ORLANDO -- The Orlando Magic have acquired a 2020 first round draft pick (protected via OKC) and a 2020 second round draft pick (least favorable between Brooklyn and New York) from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for the draft rights to Anzejs Pasecniks (25th overall).  Orlando also acquired a 2019 second round draft pick (via Brooklyn) from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for the draft rights to Ivan Rabb (35th overall).

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Magic Acquire Three Future Draft Picks In Exchange for Picks 25 and 35

ORLANDO – Jeff Weltman and John Hammond have largely built their NBA careers by using their innate abilities to identify talent in young players while also occasionally uncovering the rare gem that no other team sees.

They did just that to build playoff teams in Los Angeles with the Clippers, Detroit and in Milwaukee. Their greatest find of all – All-NBA forward Giannis Antetokounmpo – came while they worked together in Milwaukee and it cemented their reputations as exceptional judges of talent and potential.

Weltman and Hammond are together again – this time as President of Basketball Operations and GM, respectively, for the Orlando Magic – and on Thursday night they will be trying to strike gold again in the NBA Draft. They are in Orlando to try and reverse the direction of a Magic organization that has recently experienced its worst five-year stretch in franchise history – a run of bad luck that can be almost directly traced back to struggles picking players in recent drafts.

Few exercises in sports are as inexact as the practice of drafting teenagers and trying to project their futures. But Magic fans can take heart that in Weltman and Hammond, Orlando has two front office leaders who are on the same page and have proven track records of success.

``I’ve always felt that Jeff has a very keen eye for talent. That’s obviously so important in what we do,’’ Hammond said of Weltman. ``He���s always been creative in his evaluating. I can tell you that from working with him when he goes out and watches a player play – we never get them all right, but boy, Jeff gets most of them right.’’

The Magic hope to get it right on Thursday, and they have a host of picks with which to try out a variety of ideas. Orlando is slated to select sixth and 25th in the first round and it also possesses the 33rd and 35th picks. Having a host of picks, and several assets that other teams might covet, could give the Magic the opportunity to make a bold move up in the draft to snag difference-making talent that Weltman and Hammond have identified.

``We all have these paradigms of `we’re going to draft this type of person’ and `this type of player,’ but we’re all human beings and we’re dealing with human beings and it’s never going to be just the way that you want it,’’ Weltman said. ``That being said, we want talented players who play for each other. That’s where we start the conversation. And then from there we go into different layers of their personality, character, and skill set, but that (talent and unselfishness) is at the core of what we want to look for.’’

If the Magic indeed pick sixth, point guards Markell Fultz, Lonzo Ball and De’Aaron Fox will likely be long gone to No. 1 Philadelphia, No. 2 Los Angeles Lakers and No. 4 Phoenix. Most draft experts have forwards Josh Jackson and Jayson Tatum going No. 3 and No. 5 to Boston and Sacramento.

If that scenario plays out – and that almost seems unlikely considering the flurry of activity that has filled the NBA headlines in the days leading up to the draft – the Magic should have a variety of options at No. 6. To wit:

Considering where the Magic stand – coming off a disappointing 29-53 season that left them outside of the playoffs for a fifth straight season – Weltman figures the Magic must focus simply on snagging the best player available instead of drafting for a specific need.

``I think we’re still early on in the process to be drafting to need,’’ admitted Weltman, inferring that the roster still needs injections of talent and leadership. ``Even teams that are further along look at the draft as a way to add talent. Certainly where we are, that would be prudent for us. We want to move it forward and improve the team, but the draft is a time where you are trying to add talent and become a guy who you can grow with.’’

Regardless of who the Magic select, fans can rest easy knowing that they have two leaders calling the shots in Weltman and Hammond who have extensive track records of finding greatness in the draft. Years of working together and becoming close friends has allowed them to ``almost finish each other’s sentences,’’ Hammond joked recently, and that tends to pay off on draft night when chaos can sometimes reign in draft rooms.

The hope now is that the Weltman/Hammond pairing will produce magic and it will allow Orlando to cull a dynamic, difference-making gem from Thursday night’s draft.

``We’ve been through this a few times and for the most part we’ve had good fortune going through these processes,’’ Hammond said. ``I’ve always thought of Jeff as a great evaluator of talent and he’s great on draft night in the decision-making moments. So, we’ll find a way to make it work.’’

Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors.

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Plenty for Magic to Consider as Draft Night Approaches

ORLANDO – If the recently completed NBA Finals are to serve as a roadmap for Thursday night’s NBA Draft, two things should be abundantly clear to teams: Having superstar players such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry certainly makes life easier and you can never have too many 3-point shooters.

In the entirety of the playoffs, Cleveland and Golden State ranked first and fourth in 3-point shooting percentage, respectively. In the regular season, the Cavs (38.4 percent) and Warriors (38.3 percent) were second and third in 3-point accuracy – a statistical category where nine of the top 10 squads reached the playoffs. Both Cleveland and Golden State also ranked in the top five in the NBA in 3-point makes and 3-point attempts over the course of the season.

The increased importance on 3-point shooting could play a major factor in Thursday night’s NBA Draft. Teams such as the Orlando Magic – statistically one of the NBA’s poorest outside-shooting teams last season – could be looking to make major improvements to their 3-point arsenals with moves in the draft. The Magic have four draft picks – sixth and 25th in the first round and 33rd and 35th early in the second round – with which to address major needs in the shooting department.

Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman, who has 28 years of experience evaluating talent leading up to NBA Drafts, said he’s always placed a major emphasis on a player’s ability to shoot from afar. The NBA’s greater reliance on the 3-point shot – even from 7-foot power forwards and centers – has forced teams to look to stockpile even more shooters as the game has evolved through the years, Weltman said.

``Shooting is always at a premium and as long as I’ve been around basketball. The first skill that you always ask about is, `Can the guy shoot?’’’ said Weltman, who will be in charge of the Magic’s draft for the first time after being hired by the franchise on May 22. ``I do feel that the league is obviously changing in front of our eyes and it’s becoming a league of 3-point shooters, stretch-bigs, three-and-D guys and there’s a whole new lexicon being introduced to us. (Shooting) is a paramount skill as we evaluate players.’’

The increased focus on 3-point shooting among teams has led to players such as Duke’s Luke Kennard, Kentucky’s Malik Monk and Louisville’s Donovan Mitchell to rise dramatically on draft boards. Kennard, a left-handed, 43.8 percent 3-point shooter, has seen his stock rise the most of any player in the draft largely because of his abilities as a knock-down shooter.

Orlando could very well be looking for shooting after a 29-53 season in which it often struggled to make shots from the perimeter. The Magic made some strides in that area over the final six weeks of the season after trading for shooting guard Terrence Ross and playing with smaller, faster lineups, but still the team ranked 29th in the NBA in 3-point accuracy (32.8 percent), coming in just head of Oklahoma City’s 32.7 percent. The Magic ranked 15th in the NBA in 3-pointers attempted per game (26.1), but they were only 25th in makes per game (8.5). By comparison, playoff powerhouses such as Houston (14.4), Cleveland (13), Boston (12) and Golden State (12) made dramatically more 3-point shots a game.

Weltman and new GM John Hammond have spent much of the past three weeks since being hired talking with Magic head coach Frank Vogel about the needs of the roster. Vogel pushed hard for the shift to faster, more versatile lineups late in the season to keep with the sweeping trend of small-ball in the NBA. Too often last season, the Magic were dramatically outscored from beyond the 3-point line – something that made their small margin for error often too much to overcome.

``We’ve spent a lot of time with Coach (Vogel) and we value his input greatly,’’ Weltman said. ``The draft is a part of the year where (Assistant GM) Matt Lloyds have the player expertise. Even John and I haven’t been out as much (as Lloyd and scouts), so we try to listen to everybody. Differentiating between what our team needs and the hand that the draft is going to play out for us are two different things. So we’ve spent a lot of time with Coach (Vogel) trying to understand not just the talent level, but the dynamics of our players and the way things fit. We want to understand the back story and how we can get better and grow this thing the right way.’’

Experience has taught Weltman and Hammond that one of the major struggles of anyone calling the shots for a team on draft night is trying to decide whether to draft for need or to simply pick the best player available. Because the Magic still have so much unproven youth and areas of concern on their roster, Weltman isn’t sure just yet that the team can draft for a specific need such as shooting. Instead, simply stockpiling the best talent available might be the way to go on draft night for the Magic.

``Any time you try to pinpoint the most glaring need, you’re probably putting your finger in one dike and then the water is spraying out of other directions,’’ Weltman said. ``We’re trying to not look at it that way. It’s more about bringing multi-skilled guys, character guys and people who will play for each other.

``In today’s NBA, it’s such a catch-all word, but `versatility’ is so important. Being able to switch out onto multiple positions, being able to hit a shot and being able to make reads – those things are so valuable,’’ Weltman continued. ``Any time you try to get too narrowly defined on what we need, you end up missing the ball on some of the other things that we need. Maybe the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors can have that conversation, but for the rest of the 28 teams I think we need to look at how we can lift the whole thing up.’’

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Importance of 3-Point Shooting Could Play Factor in Draft Decisions

ORLANDO – Still evaluating prospects and potential trades for Thursday night’s NBA Draft while also discussing the needs and areas of concern of the current roster, Orlando Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman and GM John Hammond have been working extra time in recent days.

Such work would typically already be done long before the final days leading up to the draft, but Weltman and Hammond have been forced to juggle multiple responsibilities in double time after being hired by the Magic in late May. The two veteran NBA executives are confident that their decades of experience as front-office leaders and talent evaluators will help them shorten the curve prior to a draft that holds major importance for the Magic.

Orlando owns the sixth, 25th, 33rd and 35th picks in the draft and it is hopeful that it will emerge with one, if not multiple, difference-making pieces. It’s the Magic’s first draft with Weltman and Hammond calling the shots and they feel the franchise is in a good spot despite the time crunch they have been faced with of late.

``In a typical year, all we’d do right now is listen, talk to teams, figure out what’s out there and discuss what our options are,’’ said Weltman, who was hired on May 22 and officially brought Hammond on board a day later. ``By this time, in a typical year, everything (in the evaluation process) would be behind us, but since it’s a new group, we’re still watching video and comparing notes on players and putting in extra work. … We’ve been in the office late every night.

``We’re trying to do multiple jobs right now, but we’re getting to a place where we can be caught up and have the appropriate discussions,’’ he added. ``Now is the time to talk to teams and figure out what’s truly out there and assess what our options are.’’

With four picks and a strong desire to make major impacts to the roster, the Magic should have plenty of options come Thursday night. The draft class is thought to be a deep and highly skilled one despite not having one surefire superstar at the top. The Magic are confident that the depth of that talent will extend to the sixth slot – the position where they are slated to first pick following a 29-53 season that left them outside of the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season.

Philadelphia’s trade with Boston for the No. 1 spot became official on Monday and all indications are that the youth-filled Sixers will select point guard Markelle Fultz first overall. The Lakers and Celtics will select No. 2 and 3, while Phoenix and Sacramento will pick No. 4 and No. 5 prior to the Magic being on the clock.

Weltman said he doesn’t feel pressure to try and move up in the draft because there should be solid players available at No. 6 when Orlando selects.

``We’ve had discussions with everyone up and down, and you’re more kind of feeling out where (teams) are and what they’re trying to do,’’ Weltman said. ``I do think that we’re in a very good position at six, where you can make a case that six is going to be as good as one. I think the way that the draft is viewed right now, six is a pretty good spot to be in. So we’ve talked to everybody, but I don’t think we’re working in overdrive to try to get to a certain part of the draft. We’re very content sitting at 6.’’

Another thing that makes Weltman content is working alongside of Hammond, something that he’s done previously with the Clippers, Pistons and Bucks. The two formed a dynamic duo in Milwaukee for four seasons and orchestrated the drafting of all-NBA forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Their familiarity should help the Magic on Thursday night when chaos can sometimes rule in NBA draft rooms.

``We’ve been through this a few times and I think for the most part we’ve had good fortune going through this,’’ Hammond said. ``I’ve always thought of Jeff as a great evaluator of talent. He’s great on draft night in those decision-making moments. So we’ll find a way to make it work.’’

magic-assessing-all-options-ahead-of-thursdays-nba-draft

Magic Assessing All Options Ahead of Thursday's NBA Draft

ORLANDO – When the All-NBA awards were announced on May 18 much of the focus was on standout forwards Paul George and Gordon Hayward being snubbed and potentially missing out on lucrative paydays with their current teams.

One largely overlooked fact among that exclusive 15-player grouping on the three All-NBA teams was this: Nearly half of those elite players started their careers as non-lottery pick draft selections. That’s a remarkable feat considering that the NBA has historically been dominated by players selected with top-five picks of the draft.

Considering that some of the NBA’s best players have come from outside of the lottery, that gives great hope to an Orlando Magic team that will enter the June 22nd NBA Draft armed with a wide array of picks. Not only will Orlando select No. 6, it will also have the No. 25 pick thanks to its February trading of forward Serge Ibaka to the Toronto Raptors. The Magic also possess the Nos. 33 and 35 picks – early second-round selections that teams covet because of the history of success in mining talent from there.

The Magic, a disappointing 29-53 this past season, dramatically re-tooled their front office last week and will head into the upcoming draft with a one/two punch of President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman and GM John Hammond calling the personnel shots. Both have had tremendous success in finding hidden gems in the draft in years past, evidenced by their work in uncovering second-team All-NBA forward Giannis Antetokounmpo with the No. 15 pick of the 2013 NBA Draft. Also, Hammond found guard Malcolm Brogdon – a finalist for this year’s Rookie of the Year award – with the No. 36 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

``(Evaluating potential and fit) is the art of the draft as opposed to the science of it,’’ Weltman said. ``Whatever analytical prospectives we have we’ll use and we’ll be doing background checking and we’ll measure them in every way that we can. And what makes this such a great business is this, `Who is this kid? Who is this person? Is he one of us?’ It’s easier to identify the talent as opposed to the person and we’ve got to look at both.

``We have two first-round picks and two quality second-round picks, so we get a lot of bites at the apple,’’ Weltman added. ``It’s very important that we start to add some depth and have a roster that is trending the right way and growing. So this is a huge opportunity to do that in this draft.’’

Another factor potentially working in favor of the Magic is the success that head coach Frank Vogel has had in the past working with players picked with mid-to-low selections. Lance Stephenson (No. 40 in 2010), George Hill (No. 26 in 2008), Roy Hibbert (No. 17 in 2008), Danny Granger (No. 17 in 2005), David West (No. 18 in 2003) and the aforementioned Paul George (No. 10 in 2010) all evolved into standouts while working with Vogel in Indiana – where the coach enjoyed tremendous success prior to taking over in Orlando a year ago.

Back to the recently released All-NBA picks, three former No. 1 picks (LeBron James, Anthony Davis and John Wall) and other high picks such as Kevin Durant (No. 2 in 2007), James Harden (No. 3 in 2009), Russell Westbrook (No. 4 in 2008) and Stephen Curry (No. 7 in 2009) dominated the field. But there were just as many players on the first, second and third teams who overcame nearly improbable odds to reach the pinnacle of their profession.

First-team All-NBA forward Kawhai Leonard (15th in 2011) and Antetokounmpo (15th in 2013) were picked just outside of their respective lotteries (the top 14 selections). Second-teamer Rudy Gobert (No. 27 pick) was one of the final first-round picks of the 2013 draft, while third-teamers Jimmy Butler (No. 30 in 2011), Draymond Green (No. 35 in 2012) and DeAndre Jordan (No. 35 in 2008) have thrived despite being second-round picks. Then, there’s the remarkable rise of 5-foot-9 point guard Isaiah Thomas, who averaged 28.9 points and 5.9 assists a game to make second-team All-NBA despite being the final pick (No. 60) in 2011.

Those success stories affirm to the Magic that it will be possible to add difference-making talent to their roster with their arsenal of picks. By controlling four of the draft’s first 35 picks, the Magic could gamble on high-risk, high-reward players who are sliding for whatever reason or they could potentially package picks in a trade that would allow them to move up or deal for veteran talent.

Orlando has found keepers high in the draft in recent years (Aaron Gordon, Elfrid Payton and Mario Hezonja), but the franchise has struggled to gain much traction late in drafts. Second-round picks Kyle O’Quinn (No. 49 in 2012), Romero Osby (No. 51 in 2013), Devyn Marble (No. 56 in 2014 by Denver) and Tyler Harvey (No. 51 in 2015) are no longer with the Magic. Stephen Zimmerman (No. 41 in 2016) is considered a long-term project after spending three stints in the D-League as a rookie.

The second-round is where Hammond – a veteran of 26 NBA seasons, the GM in Milwaukee the past nine seasons and a keen judge of talent – could be the greatest asset to the Magic. In his time in Milwaukee, Hammond pulled the trigger on drafting Brogdon (No. 36 in 2016), Norman Powell (No. 46 in 2015), Ricky Ledo (No. 43 in 2013), Jon Leuer (No. 40 in 2011), current Magic 3-point specialist Jodie Meeks (No. 41 in 2009) and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (No. 37 in 2008).

``I don’t look at bringing John Hammond in as `we have to master the second round.’ I look at bringing John Hammond in as `He’s a great basketball guy,’ and one of the ancillary facts of that is we’re going to do well in the second round,’’ Weltman said with conviction. ``The second round is tough and that’s why many teams just collect as many picks as they can to get as many bites of the apple as possible. They just spray out buckshot and say, `Of these six picks, I hope two of them become players.’

``I feel adding John and our whole group, we’ll have a good approach to finding the kind of people that we’re looking for and we’ll do well in the second round,’’ he added. ``These are good second-round picks.’’

Another bit of history shows what an inexact crapshoot that judging talent in the NBA Draft can be. So often, elite, difference-making talent can be found in the second round of NBA Drafts. Some players slide because of injury, attitude or contractual concerns, while others are late-bloomers, end up in the perfect fit or their talent is simply overlooked.

Alex English, Willis Reed, Hal Greer, Tiny Archibald, Calvin Murphy, Spencer Haywood, Dennis Johnson and K.C. Jones are all-timers who were uncovered in second rounds of drafts. Former Magic standouts Rashard Lewis and Gilbert Arenas, Carlos Boozer, Michael Redd, Stephen Jackson, Anderson Varejao, Danny Ainge, Dennis Rodman, Mark Price, Mo Cheeks, Toni Kukoc and New York Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek all came from the second round and had highly successful NBA careers.

Current NBA players Manu Ginobili, Paul Millsap, Marc Gasol, Monta Ellis, Nikola Jokic and Jordan Clarkson have thrived despite getting their starts as overlooked second-rounders.

History has shown that top talent – both as All-NBA performers and long-time NBA contributors – is there to be had late in drafts. It’s up to the Magic now to find that talent to fortify a roster greatly in need of 3-point shooting, defense and depth.

``Any time you are talking about building and building toward a championship, one of the most important elements of doing that is through the draft,’’ said Hammond, who was a part of Detroit’s championship-winning team in 2004. ``That terminology, `the more swings that you have at it, the better off you will be’ is so true. You want to get those right and you want those guys to be long-term players for you.’’

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Magic Hope to Capitalize on Having Two Second Round Draft Picks

ORLANDO – For fans wondering what kind of effect that the dynamic duo of Jeff Weltman and John Hammond – the Orlando Magic’s new President of Basketball Operations and GM, respectively – can have on a team, consider this seismic, groundbreaking anecdote from four years ago.

``It was Jeff walking into my office and saying, `Hey, I think we should make a trip. We need to go over to Greece and see this player that is getting a lot of attention,’’’ Hammond told The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski in a January podcast. ``That was really the start of it. We went together, as a matter of fact, Jeff and I went together.’’

They went halfway around the world together to see the player who turned out to be Giannis Antetokounmpo, the freakishly long and agile forward who was selected No. 15 overall in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Hammond-and-Weltman-led Milwaukee Bucks. This past season – Antetokounmpo’s fourth in the NBA – the do-everything, 6-foot-11, 222-pound star was named second-team All-NBA after averaging 22.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.6 steals a game while leading the Bucks to the playoffs.

Weltman and Hammond, who have worked together previously with the Los Angeles Clippers, Detroit Pistons and Bucks, will be trying to pull off the same sort of feat of uncovering a hidden gem now for the Magic. The two of them were hired this week to breathe life into a Magic organization that has suffered through five dismal, non-playoff seasons in a row.

Coming off a disappointing 29-53 season, Weltman and Hammond certainly have their work cut out authoring another quick fix in Orlando. However, Hammond believes that the Magic have all the factors in place for future success – starting with Weltman’s innate ability to judge talent and character in players.

``First, you have to start with the kind of person that he is because he’s a great person,’’ gushed Hammond, referring to his new boss and close friend. ``I’ve always felt that Jeff has a very keen eye for talent. That’s obviously so important in what we do. He’s always been creative in his evaluating. I can tell you that from working with him, when he goes out and watches a player play – we never get them all right – but, boy, Jeff gets most of them right.’’

Weltman, 52, and Hammond, 62, certainly got it right on Antetokounmpo, who is on track to become the kind of transformational player that the Bucks can build around for years to come. The fact that the Bucks were able to snag Antetokounmpo with the No. 15 pick – after 14 other teams had passed on him – speaks even higher of their abilities to make difficult decisions and uncover talent.

Recalled Hammond in that January podcast on The Vertical: ``We sat down in that gym and it didn’t take us long to realize this guy had a chance to be a good player. I wish I could he and I both saw something that nobody else saw. Look, the league knew about him.’’

However, Weltman and Hammond were the ones gutsy enough to gamble on a project from Greece and the rest is history. In the June 22nd NBA Draft, they will be trying to do the same for the Magic with the franchise’s wide array of picks thanks to a couple of earlier trades. The Magic will draft sixth, 25th, 33rd and 35th – picks that should give them ammunition to potentially move up to a higher spot or acquire a much-needed veteran player.

``On the basketball operations side, we need to bring in the right people,’’ Weltman said on Wednesday at his introductory news conference. ``We’ve got to get that stuff right. To me, when I think about what is an Orlando Magic player, I want someone who is talented and plays for his teammates. Simple, that’s it. If we can (find) that, then the rest is on us. We have to bring the best out of that player. And if we can get enough of those guys going in the right direction, I’m confident that we’ll build something special.’’

Hammond said that he and Weltman are so familiar with working with one another and keen to the way the other thinks that they can ``almost finish the other’s sentence. We can do that and do do that at times.’’ Their dynamic has thrived because each is encouraged to express their true feelings and there’s a respect for the opinions.

``Those are always the most conducive work environments – when people feel like it’s an inclusive environment and feel free to give their opinions,’’ Hammond noted. ``I know that when I’ve worked in environments like that, they’ve always been the most enjoyable for me. Jeff and I have always worked that way. All ideas are on the table and then at the end of the day, let’s make the best decision.’’

Hammond helped the Pistons win a NBA Championship in 2004 and he’s stewarded teams to the playoffs 15 times in his 26 years in the NBA. As for Weltman, he was a part of Nuggets and Bucks teams that made big jumps not long after his arrivals and he was a key piece of the Toronto Raptors reaching the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals.

That’s just the kind of experience and proven track records of success that Magic CEO Alex Martins was looking for when he reworked the management structure in Orlando’s basketball operations department. Hammond said that it’s now time for himself and Weltman to use their experience and chemistry to be difference-makers for a Magic franchise that is hungry to get back to contending status.

``Nothing can replace experience,’’ Hammond said. ``It’s good to have that experience and it’s good to have on your resume. But our business still is what it is and it’s a results-driven business.

``It’s fun to talk about (experience) and you can walk in and have that in your holster, so to speak, but at the end of the day, the results are going to have to be there,’’ he added. ``So it’s still on us to get it done.’’

Uncovering another Antetokounmpo would go a long way in helping make that happen for Orlando’s new brain trust.

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Magic's New Front Office Duo Have Always Had Outstanding Chemistry

ORLANDO – John Hammond has a storied history of success in the NBA because of his keen eye for talent, his understanding of the dynamics of team building and his ability to mesh well with players, coaches and front-office types.

But many of his accomplishments can also be attributed to the trusting relationships and unbreakable bonds that he forms with those closest to him. Take it from none other than NBA rising star Giannis Antetokounmpo about what Hammond’s friendship and belief have meant to him.

``Where can I start … this man gave me the opportunity of a lifetime!’’ Antetokounmpo, a 2013 NBA Draft pick, posted on Instagram below two celebratory photos of him and Hammond. ``He taught me how to be a professional on and off the court. He helped mold me into the man that I am today. This guy took a chance on me at 18 years old and I am forever grateful. Congratulations Mr. Hammond. I wish you the best with your future in Orlando. From the bottom of my heart thank you for changing, not only my life, but my family’s life as well! #MyGuy #ToBeContinued’’

Now the new GM of the Orlando Magic, Hammond hopes to work with President of Basketball Operations and close friend Jeff Weltman to build those same kinds of relationships in Central Florida. Humble and quick to credit others for his success, Hammond, 62, said he’s fortunate to find himself in another great work environment with the Magic because of the relationships he’s made along the way.

``So many times you are kind of just in the right place at the right time,’’ said Hammond, a 26-year NBA veteran and a champion in 2004 while working for the Pistons. ``My time in Detroit, that begins and ends with (former Pistons President of Basketball Operations) Joe Dumars. Joe is one of the greatest people in this business and he was the architect of what we had there in Detroit – six consecutive Eastern Conference Finals and a championship. I was by his side in those times and Joe allowed me to have input in every big and small decision. That makes you feel very invested when you have something like that.

``When I worked with Jeff (Weltman) in Milwaukee, he and I tried to do the same thing,’’ Hammond added. ``I know that we’ll work the same way moving forward in Orlando.’’

Hammond had success in his previous nine years rebuilding the Bucks as their GM, but he was quick to jump at the Magic’s GM opening because it afforded him the opportunity to work once again with Weltman, the 52-year-old fellow basketball-lifer who was appointed President of Basketball Operations on Monday. Hammond and Weltman worked previously with the Los Angeles Clippers, Pistons and Bucks and they’re eager to tackle the project of rebuilding a Magic franchise that has missed the playoffs each of the past five seasons.

Asked on Wednesday at his introductory news conference why he picked Hammond to be his GM, Weltman was candid and to the point.

``Because he’s better than me,’’ Weltman cracked. ``John’s a talented guy and an amazing human being. ``It wasn’t a thought of, `Is he the right guy?’ The only thought was, `Can I actually get this guy and is it realistic?’ The fact that I’m able to bring him here, that’s thrilling to me.’’

It’s thrilling to Hammond, too, because of the personal bond and like-minded thinking that the two share. Hammond was the GM and Weltman was the assistant GM when the two were together in Milwaukee, but the role reversal won’t matter now in Orlando because of the willingness to share ideas and mutual respect, Hammond said.

``For me, it was an opportunity to do this with Jeff. That’s what it came down to for me – the opportunity to work with him and help him in any way that I can,’’ Hammond said. ``It’s a relationship where we can almost finish the other’s sentence. We can do that and do do that at times. It’s a comfort zone for he and myself. When you can work in environments like that, it makes going to work fun every day.’’

Hammond figures he’ll have lots of fun working with head coach Frank Vogel, someone he has admired for years while competing in the same division for years while at Milwaukee and Indiana. Hammond and Weltman both said they will lean heavily on Vogel’s expertise to get a better understanding of the talent already in place and the needs of the team. On the surface, Hammond likes what he has seen from a talent core that includes Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier, Bismack Biyombo, Terrence Ross, Aaron Gordon, Elfrid Payton and Mario Hezonja.

``Obviously, there are very good players on this roster,’’ Hammond said. ``For Jeff and I, there is still an evaluation process that we have to go through so that we can get to know the players better personally and professionally. Along with Frank, we’ll be making those player evaluations. It’s a process that we have to go through and it doesn’t happen overnight. But when you look at this roster, I think there’s a lot of potential and flexibility and talent that you can move forward.’’

In the immediate future, Hammond will be readying himself and the Magic for the June 22nd NBA Draft. He will go into it armed with the sixth, 25th, 33rd and 35th picks – ammunition that he can use to work his magic in possibly uncovering another hidden gem such as Antetokounmpo, a second-team All-NBA selection this season.

Hammond took a chance on the raw and lanky ``Greek Freak’’ in 2013 with the No. 15 pick and struck gold in a player who could be considered a great for years to come. This time last year, Hammond also uncovered Thon Maker with the No. 10 pick and Rookie of the Year finalist Malcolm Brogdon at No. 36. Now, he’ll be charged with doing the same for a Magic team in need of another injection of shooting and playmaking.

``Any time you are talking about building and building toward a championship, one of the most important elements of doing that is through the draft,’’ Hammond said. ``That terminology, `the more swings that you have at it, the better off you will be’ fits here. You want to get those picks right and you want those guys to be long-term players for you.’’

As for Antetokounmpo, Hammond admitted that it’s been especially gratifying for him to draft a project player at 18 years old and see him grow into the superstar and person that everyone can be proud of. Hammond said he’ll always take pride in playing a small role in Antetokounmpo’s success and he hopes he can build a similar relationship with another young star in Orlando.

``It means an awful lot to me (what Antetokounmpo posted on Instagram),’’ Hammond said. ``Giannis has a chance to be a superstar player in this league and he’ll keep moving toward that. But more than that, he’s an extraordinary man. What he’s done on the floor speaks for itself, but people don’t know who he is off the floor. For me, it’s just an honor to be a part of who he is and his career.’’

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Giannis Antetokounmpo Praises John Hammond for His Leadership and Guidance

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