Note: This article was written and completed a couple of weeks before the announcement of John Weisbrod's resignation and the
re-hiring of head coach Brian Hill. Be on the look out for a follow up article with commentary on those latest transactions.
Whenever something goes wrong, sports fans are constantly looking for someone to point the finger at. They look for anyone to take
the blame for their team losing. For the Orlando Magic, there are several people and several places to point that finger. Ever since
Shaquille O'Neal left the Magic for Hollywood back in 1997, the organization
have been scrambling around looking for short term solutions to help get the team back to a championship level.
In that time, countless players have been traded, head coaches and general managers fired. The one constant through all of this,
however, has been ownership. And just so you don't think I'm crazy, I went ahead and created a Magic fan finger pointing list.
Change Players? Check!
Change Head Coach? Check!
Change General Manager? Check!
Change Ownership?
Umm, Change Ownership?
Magic owner Rich DeVos and his family have taken several shots over the last few years for their lack of involvement in the
Magic's quest to win a championship. When you look at the elite level teams in the NBA today, there is a continued commitment to win at
all costs and it starts at the top. It then trickles down to the players and coaching staff below, but if a solid foundation isn't
established from the top, you're doomed from the start.
After watching active owners like Mark Cuban (Dallas), Paul Davidson (Detroit), R.C. Buford (San Antonio), and Jerry Colangelo
(Phoenix) take a vested interest in their investments and do everything necessary, including taking calculated risks, to put a competitive
basketball team on the court, Magic fans have to be scratching their heads trying to figure out what DeVos and family have in store for
this lowly franchise.
DeVos has been criticized for being cheap. Following the huge signings of
Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady
to max deals in 2000, the Magic have since become the helm for bargain basement deals where no player on his last leg would be turned
away. The organization has not had the full commitment to spend money. Ownership has done nothing but cut corners and look for a way to
put a group of 12 basketball players on the court for the cheapest price. With outdated names such as
Patrick Ewing, Shawn Kemp,
Derek Harper,
Gerald Wilkins, and
Rod Strickland – all past their prime, and all of whom received big minutes as a
member of the team – it's evident something is not right with the structure and commitment of Magic management.
Vision The biggest problem is a lack of vision. Fans have been subjected to numerous cliches of "Why not us, why not now," "Heart and Hustle,"
"Imagine," and "Total Team Effort." But no true plan has ever been in place. Ever since former O'Neal went Hollywood, the Magic have yet to
put forth a committed blueprint for how to bring the Magic back amongst the NBA's elite.
As fans, we look for someone to blame, but we've been directing our anger in the wrong place. Yes, the players must to win the
games on the court, and yes the players are the ones making the baskets at the end of games, but it's ownership who's taking our money to
attend games and view a product that they themselves know is not their best effort. Many fans like to point the finger at the players, but
if O'Neal, McGrady, Darrell Armstrong,
Ben Wallace,
John Amaechi, Zaza Paculila, and
Keith Bogans all allude that the Magic are not looking to win at all costs, there
has to be something done from up top.
Failed Plans Since the loss of O'Neal, the Magic have scrambled to piece together a winning product. The first plan was to bring in two superstars
and build around them. In theory, this was an interesting plan, but without a backup, it blew up in their face. Constant injuries to Hill
forced the team to rely heavily on McGrady. When he finally weltered under the pressure, management implied that he was the primary
problem.
They basically ignored the fact that they let their general manager and head coach duke it out over territory during McGrady's
tenure, to decide which players to take in the draft. It was ownership that allowed John Gabriel and
Doc Rivers to force a tug of war over key free agents, and when ownership finally
realized what was going on, they had no choice but to save face and get rid of Gabriel and Rivers. By then, the Magic were deep in
obscurity.
But the fact remains, ownership is responsible for allowing the tug of war to continue for as long as it did, derailing their own
investment. When the Magic were losing, the DeVos family was no where to be found.
The next plan revolved around a total team concept. McGrady and others were traded way for other pieces and the belief was that a
new, fresh start would get the Magic back to an elite level. A new general manager was also put into place. John Weisbrod, a no nonsense
former hockey player, divided his post of team COO and took over the reins of Magic GM.
The organization didn't look externally for a fresh face, but instead gave a familiar one new responsibility. It's the loyalty and
commitment to those who have been apart of the Magic family from day one that have ultimately hurt this franchise. At some point, an
organization must rely on a new set of eyes completely detached from the situation to make objective decisions.
Ownership, however, believed that Weisbrod was their man. They allowed him to pick his own team and his own coach. He went with a
core nucleus of Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, and
Kelvin Cato all former Houston Rockets
acquired in the McGrady deal, and decided that
Johnny Davis, former assistant under Rivers, would be his head coach going forward.
After starting the season 13-6, the bar was raised internally, and everyone believed that the team was destined for the playoffs.
But midway through the season, Weisbrod got antsy, and started tinkering with his own framework. He traded Mobley away for lesser,
older talent (namely
Doug Christie), and suddenly the team was not the same. The swagger and
confidence was gone. They missed the playoffs, but more telling were the pieces left behind. Throughout the season, Cato was unmotivated
and often injured, and Francis, whom Weisbrod himself said was his guy, made poor decisions and relied too heavily on his emotions.
Suddenly, the group that once seemed destined for the playoffs, where finally showing their true colors. And ownership continued to stay
quiet.
In hindsight, things were not as rosy as they first seemed. Even after the McGrady deal, many still wondered what direction the
Magic were going. It was apparent from day one that Mobley was not part of their long term plans. After this past season, Cato played
himself onto the trading block, and if Magic fans truly believe that
Steve Francis will bring anything more than excitement to the team in the future,
they are sadly mistaken. Unless he becomes the second coming of Chauncey Billups or Tony Parker overnight, the Magic cannot win with a ball
dominating point guard who plays mostly on emotion.
Meanwhile, the Magic gave up a quality basketball player who did his best in spite of ownerships lack of commitment and support,
and now finds himself in a better situation. The Magic pushed the panic button by trading a player yet to reach his prime, and acquired
three flawed players who aren't even in the teams long term plans. This just shows a lack of focus and commitment to win.
Staying Quiet In a way, I understand trading McGrady after everything that occurred last season, but at some point, a conscious decision must be
made about the direction the Magic intend to go in. It seems as though ownership is thinking on their feet, rather than putting a
committed blueprint on paper. They continue to stay quiet on all fronts. They showed no emotion as the team unraveled down the stretch
this season, failing to make the playoffs. They remained quiet as their GM reneged on a promise to allow his hand picked head coach a full
season on the job. They remained quiet as Francis was suspended for kicking a camera man ultimately costing the Magic a playoff berth. They
remained quiet as the undisciplined players including Francis spiraled out of control.
Maybe they don't care. Maybe they just like the concept of owning an NBA franchise. But with dedicated fans and paying customers,
ownership needs to be replaced. If ownership isn't going to invest the necessary time and energy to put forth a quality, championship
product without overhauling the team every two or three years, then sell it to someone that will. We've tried everything else. Over 60
players, 4 coaches, and a GM have come and gone through this organization over the past eight years and yet the one constant still remains.
Ownership has continued to distance themselves from the negativity and fan frustrations, and don't seem to be committed enough to
win at all costs to bring a championship to Orlando.
Sadly, the next sound we hear from Two Magic Place could be moving trucks.
