Basketball: Orlando Magic

The Magic looked good today upsetting the Pistons behind 43 points from Tracy McGrady. Do you think Orlando can win this series? Its a 1 seed vs an 8 seed but I think Orlando will win.

Orlando should win this series because of one reason, the Pistons don't have a solid Ben Wallace. T-Mac put up an amazing performce, and i am sure that T-Mac can keep it up. Gooden played a very solid game with 16 points and 2 big blocks. If the Magic can have their role players play like this i say magic in 5. Also Magic now have the home-court adavantage, but lately we have seen it doesn't really matter.

So far it looks like the Magic can and will pull of this sereis. T-Mac really wants to win this series, and he is showing it, right now he should be a top pick for the MVP cause he is making the players around him better. And they are putting a wooping on the Pistons.

It looks as if the Magic will win this series, but I really don't see them getting too much farther into the playoffs. But then again, its the Eastern Conference...

It looks like the Magic have this series won, but then again the Magic got destroyed last night, this was the defense that we expected to see from the Pistons. It looked like the Magic were over-confident coming into this game, and that is why they lost. Hopefully they will close this one out at home.

Did anyone else see what T-Mac said the other day? Talk about cocky, he said that it is nice to finally advance to the second round. I really hope orlando loses just to piss off t-mac.

Originally posted by ProudAmerican:

Do you think Orlando can win this series? Its a 1 seed vs an 8 seed but I think Orlando will win.

Despite what happened yesterday, I think Orlando will win, Proud.

I hope they do because I don't like Detroit's style of ball. That slow it up, walk it up, defensive type of game is hard for me to watch.

ORLANDO got their asses whooped. I am sooo happy mcgrady ate his words.

[Edited on 04/10/03 by Osobad28]

Theyre a young team, expecially since they traded Miller for Gooden and Giricek. I definitely think they will be better next year.

While the Orlando Magic have come to the frustrating conclusion that Grant Hill should sit out next season and fully rehabilitate his surgically repaired left ankle, there does finally appear to be a glimmer of hope for the franchise.

Grant Hill has spent most of his tenure with the Magic on the bench due to his perpetually injured ankle.
By Peter Cosgrove, AP

Magic General Manager John Gabriel told the Orlando Sentinel it was "likely" that Hill "will never play this coming season."

But ownership has approved an aggressive offseason plan to pursue several high-profile free agents or trades even though it will assuredly result in the Magic paying the NBA's dreaded luxury tax next summer. That, in itself, is a major organizational turnaround from the cost-conscious ways of the past two seasons.

It's been known since March � when Hill had a complicated fourth surgery in which his heel was broken and realigned with his ankle � that he wouldn't be ready for the start of next season and that the Magic intended to apply to the NBA for an injury exception. Such a salary exception would give the Magic $4.8 million in salary cap space to spend on a free agent or take back in a trade.

But doing so will put the Magic over the NBA's luxury tax threshold and trigger a penalty that could cost them approximately $10-12 million. Teams over the threshold not only have to pay a dollar-for-dollar penalty but also aren't eligible to receive a refund from the teams paying the tax. Just four franchises � Portland, New York, Dallas and Sacramento � exceeded the luxury tax last season.

The Magic expect to receive $8 million in refund money this summer by being under the tax threshold this past season. Ownership demanded that the team not be a tax-paying franchise each of the past two seasons, even to the point that it wouldn't allow the free-agent signings of center Keon Clark and point guard Travis Best at the 11th hour last July.

But if the Magic can convince a difference-maker of a free agent to sign with them this July, owner Rich DeVos has agreed to pay the steep price of success.

"That's huge for me and our organization and I'm so excited about it," Magic head coach Doc Rivers said. "It made my summer when they gave me that information. Now, we have to do something with it and find the right guy that fits our team."

Orlando, which hasn't won a playoff series since 1996 and squandered a 3-1 lead against Detroit in May, now has some major weapons with which to address the holes in its roster. The Magic will pick 15th in the NBA Draft next Thursday. And when the free-agent negotiating period opens on July 1, the Magic will have $4.8 million and $4.6 million salary slots at their disposal. That might be enough money to snare two free agents in a star-studded class that includes Karl Malone, Gary Payton, Elton Brand, Brad Miller, P.J. Brown, Juwan Howard, Scottie Pippen and Alonzo Mourning.

"We don't live with the mindset that we absolutely have to be under the tax," Magic chief operation officer John Weisbrod said. "We have a family that is willing to go into the tax if it makes sense. If going into the tax means that we can win and compete and have a significantly better team than we would have had, then our ownership would be relatively comfortable with that. We just don't want to go into the tax for the sake of going into it if we don't have the answers or the players that will make us better.

"It's got to make sense," Weisbrod said. "The equation for making it make sense means you win more games, go further in the playoffs and reap those rewards. If you go into the tax, again barely make it (to the playoffs) and get bounced in the first round, obviously that would prove to not make a lot of sense."

Hill's injury, a stress fracture on the inside of his left ankle, hasn't made much sense to the organization for three years now. Since signing a seven-year, $92.88 million in August of 2000, Hill has played in just 47 of a possible 246 games. Hill, 30, has started the past three seasons in the starting lineup only to have his ankle break down again and again. He made it through 29 games this past season before being forced to the sidelines again.

Hill has undergone four surgeries by three different doctors. The latest procedure � by far the most invasive one yet � was performed in March by Dr. James Nunley at the Duke University Medical Center. Then, an infection sent Hill back to the hospital and set back his recovery time by six weeks, Rivers said. Hill, who hasn't spoken to the media since March, is still on crutches and is just now beginning light range-of-motion drills.

"It will be very difficult for Grant to play this season," admitted Rivers, who is contemplating major back surgery himself. "You figure it's a year from the surgery before he can run because it's been 11 months the other two times he's had surgery. He had surgery in March so we're talking about March of next year before he can start playing.

"It's just unrealistic. You know Grant's going to do everything he can to make it back, but it really is unrealistic for him to play next year. And that's really too bad."

Weisbrod said that the organization and medical consultants are strongly in favor of Hill sitting out the season in hopes that his troublesome ankle can finally heal completely. He also wants to relieve Hill and the other Magic players of the constant questioning about a timetable for his healthy return.

"Rather than him living in that glass bowl of people always asking him how it feels and when he's going to be back � if it's out there that he's not coming back then the media and the fans will have the same expectations that we've taken," Weisbrod said.

"Grant sees it both ways. He welcomes not having the constant pressure, attention and questioning. There's a relieving aspect to that and he can come back on his own timeframe and not be dealing with it every day. The other side to that is he's a competitive guy, an athlete and he's champing at the bit to play and nobody likes to think about going through a whole cycle without playing. He'll rehab the best he can, put himself in the best possible position to play and appreciate the relief and privacy that comes from people's expectations being lowered."

Much of the $32.2 million that Hill has earned since signing with the Magic has been paid by insurance. He is scheduled to make $13.279 million for the 2003-04 season � 80% of which will be paid by an insurance policy.

Insurance or not, those dollars have still counted against the Magic's salary cap and crippled the team's chances of making major improvements. Hill's $12.072 million salary last season accounted for almost one-fourth of the Magic's $51.898 million payroll.

Hill has no intentions of retiring, something that was reinforced by his willingness to undergo the latest surgical procedure. Even if he did retire now, his salary wouldn't come off the Magic's cap until he had missed two years completely. But another ankle injury would certainly mean the end of Hill's career. That's why the Magic want him to take the entire season off.

"From the medical side of it, everyone wants to be cautious and conservative," Weisbrod said. "Everybody realizes after the number of surgeries he's had that this might be his last kick at the can, so to speak. You can only repair the same spot so many times. That being the case, the doctors and Grant would be most comfortable with a very conservative outlook."

The Magic considered applying for an injury exception last season, but didn't feel the free-agent pool was deep enough with talent. Miami was awarded an injury exception in 2000 when Mourning was felled by a kidney disorder, but had to settle for journeyman forward Cedric Ceballos. New York (Antonio McDyess) and Houston (Maurice Taylor) received similar injury exceptions the past two seasons, but failed to use them and allowed them to expire.

Orlando is likely to apply to the league for the injury exception in the next week. The team hopes to have that $4.8 million salary to offer up when the free-agent period opens July 1. Free-agent contracts can't officially be signed until July 16.

"This is absolutely the year to have it," Rivers said. "We have a chance to be really good and make a huge jump. Drew (Gooden) and Gordie (Giricek) are young and Tracy (McGrady) is still pretty young, but we have a chance to really make a big jump by adding good guys around them."

I find it sad that Hill hasn't done CRAP the last few years yet still receives his large salary. He should redeem himself by:

1.) Having a fantastic season after next year and silencing his critics

2.) Giving his salary from the last 3 years to a charitable organization

just my .02 cents...

The Orlando Magic signed forward Juwan Howard on Wednesday, hoping they have found a second scoring option behind Tracy McGrady.

Howard, a nine-year veteran, has averaged 17.9 points and 7.5 rebounds in 649 career games with Washington, Dallas and Denver. Last season, he led the Nuggets in scoring (18.4 points per game) and rebounding (7.6 rebounds per game).

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the five-year contract has been reported to be worth between $28 million and $38 million.

Denver, Minnesota and Detroit were also interested in signing Howard.

Although the Nuggets offered more money, Howard said the Magic provided the best opportunity for postseason success. He has reached the playoffs twice -- a first-round sweep with Washington in 1997 and advancing to the second round with the Mavericks in 2001.

"I want to win," Howard said. "I've never had the opportunity to win, other than a short time in Dallas."

The 6-foot-9, 260-pound Howard will play both forward positions and center for the Magic, Orlando coach Doc Rivers said.

Howard's inside presence is expected to relieve the burden on McGrady, the NBA's scoring champion last season, who had little help in the Magic's first-round playoff loss to Detroit.

"I needed a bona fide second scorer," Rivers said. "If you look at the Detroit series, if Tracy is not playing great, then we struggle because we didn't have a lot of other places to turn.

"And now we have another place to turn in Juwan."

Howard said he didn't mind plans to shuttle him around the frontcourt.

"Only players who have a set position are those who are limited," he said.

The Magic are not yet through with signing free agents.

Orlando needs a starting point guard, with Tyronn Lue and Antonio Daniels considered top contenders. Although the Magic and Lue were close to a deal earlier this week, negotiations were knocked askew when the Cleveland Cavaliers offered Kevin Ollie $15 million over five years.

"Sometimes, a signing like that sets the tone beyond your expectations," Orlando general manager John Gabriel said. "I don't want to comment whether it's a good deal or not, but it set a pretty high bar for a guy that appeared to be a journeyman."

Also, veteran center Andrew DeClercq is expected to re-sign with the Magic. DeClercq averaged 4.7 points and 4.4 rebounds for Orlando last season.

Meanwhile, the Magic are considering their options following the NBA's decision to deny the team salary cap relief for injured forward Grant Hill. The medical exemption would've been worth about $4.9 million -- approximately one-third of the $13.3 million due to Hill next season.

Orlando must wait at least 90 days to reapply to the league, Gabriel said.

Without the exemption, Orlando's options in signing more players or acquiring a high-priced player in a trade are limited. The $4.9 million middle-class cap exception, used to sign Howard, cannot be applied to trades.

Hill's bad left ankle has limited him to 47 games the past three seasons since signing a $93-million, seven year deal with Orlando in August 2000. He sustained a stress fracture to his left ankle during the 2000 playoffs while playing for Detroit.

Orlando fired Doc Rivers and hired Johnny Davis.

And the Magic still haven't won yet.

And the Magic signed Rod Strickland today too.

Magic are my favorite team too, TMac is awesome.

How are tha Magic doing after a horrible start?

Originally posted by Ben
How are tha Magic doing after a horrible start?

There

1-13

they suck this year!!!1

Originally posted by proudcanadian
they suck this year!!!1

Yea and now they are 1-14...

they had a pretty good season last year...i wonder what happened

They just didn't get enough talent around T-Mac.

Doc Rivers wasn't the problem.