The Orlando Magic expect minor changes this offseason. The Orlando Magic expect minor changes this offseason. The Orlando Magic expect minor changes this offseason.
Orlando Magic Daily
Fansided

Orlando Magic News & Notes: Magic Expect Minor Changes

By Andrew Melnick

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The Orlando Magic expect minor changes this offseason.

"How close are the Orlando Magic to winning a title after an unfulfilled season? General Manager Otis Smith put his thumb and index finger together and there was very little space left in between.“Getting better for us, you’re talking one-eighth of an inch, not two feet,” Smith said Monday as the Magic met for the last time until training camp in October.Smith told the Sentinel that he “anticipates” Vince Carter remaining with the team, wants to re-sign J.J. Redick and doesn’t expect to package little-used, but expensive players (such as Marcin Gortat and Brandon Bass) in a sign-and-trade deal for a star free agent."

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel has that story here.

J.J. Redick says he would accept a backup role on a winning team.

"J.J. Redick will be a restricted free agent this offseason, and on Monday, Redick continued to say he would prefer to re-sign with the Orlando Magic.He also indicated that his main goal isn’t to go to a team where he would be a starter. In fact, Redick insisted that he would be happy to remain a bench player on a winning team.“Winning is the most important thing to me,” Redick said. “I’d rather have this role on a winning team with a great organization and a great city than anything else. So, in my book, there’s no substitute for winning.”"

Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel has that story here.

John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com thinks Redick has proven his value.

"Structure rules his life. His wardrobe is carefully put together, with everything from his navy shoes matching his navy golf shirt. Redick doesn’t just enjoy cooking; he is somewhat of a chef in training, putting together elaborate four- and five-course meals. And there are times when he spends more time in front of a mirror than a supermodel, making sure every hair is in place and earning his “Tom Cruise’’ nickname.But uncertainty now reigns in Redick’s life what with the Magic having been beaten in the Eastern Conference Finals. He had long ago carefully planned out the summer months, hoping to help the Magic win a title in mid-June, marry his fiancé, Chelsea, in late June, honeymoon in Europe for two weeks and then sign a multi-year contract with the Magic in July.But there will be no championship run for the Magic, and Redick has had to ponder his future with Orlando much sooner than he planned. It has, in some ways, upset the structure in Redick’s life, causing him to jar himself out of game mode and into the business aspect of the NBA much sooner than he had hoped."

You can read that story here.

George Diaz of the Orlando Sentinel says Vince Carter has gone from opportunity to uncertainty.

"“I wish I could tell you guys we had a great season,” General Manager Otis Smith said. “We won 59 games. We did ‘x, x and x,’ but I can’t. I think our organization and our franchise is not that team anymore. We’re not the fun Orlando Magic, where we throw 13 guys out there and we see where it lands. That’s not us.”Will Carter be one of those 13 guys in 2010-11? It would be a neat thing if Carter stuck around. This is home for him. He’s a good guy with his teammates and a stand-up guy with the media. He does worthy charitable work, including a drug and alcohol rehab center in Flagler County.But all of that stuff often has very little to do with the business of basketball. Carter has an expiring contract, always a valuable asset for teams looking to unload big money. At some point soon, the Magic will need to decide whether Carter is worth keeping for another run, or look into the possibility of trading him."

You can read that story here.

Adonal Foyle discusses the end of Orlando’s season here.

Ben Q. Rock of Orlando Pinstriped Post evaluated the seasons of Ryan Anderson and Matt Barnes while Robbins graded Anderson and Brand Bass.

Philip Rossman-Reich has been discussing what went right and wrong for the Magic this season. Tuesday he looked at what went right and what went wrong for the Magic bench.

(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger, a contributor on the Fansided Front Page and on Sir Charles In Charge. Subscribe to his RSS feed and add him on Twitter to follow him daily. You can download the HTD app here).