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Orlando Magic Daily Mailbag Volume 6: More Tournament thoughts

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Mar 10, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Orlando Magic stand at attention for the playing of the National Anthem before the game against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 10, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Orlando Magic stand at attention for the playing of the National Anthem before the game against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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A couple of would you rather tweets here for the mailbag:

Tom Thibodeau.

Thibodeau drives his players hard, but there is no arguing that the Bulls are not an elite team because of his coaching. He is a great motivator and a great gameplanner. He is a superior coach to Mike D’Antoni.

Mike D’Antoni, as he proved with the Lakers, is a pure system coach. If he does not have the players he needs to run his system, then he is going to flounder. He could not figure out a way to effectively use Dwight Howard. Or really, even, Kobe Bryant.

It just never came together for that Lakers team and D’Antoni seemed baffled.

Moreover, this Magic team does not fit D’Antoni’s style either. They do not have a lot of shooters. The Magic would have to completely reform how they have built their roster in order to bring in D’Antoni and be successful. I just do no think this (supposedly) defensive-minded roster fits his eye. And to change course right now, would be admitting the last two years were a complete waste.

Here is a really difficult question. One that I will probably still be wrestling with even after I hit publish and you read this.

Luckily the Magic do not have to come close to making this decision for several years.

This decision is not a knock on either player. I think both are key parts of the Magic’s future. And, frankly, neither of these players are finished products in the least. So it is hard to project. But if, for this hypothetical, Cleveland offered LeBron James or New Orleans offered Anthony Davis and I could only pick one . . .

I think I have to go with Elfrid Payton.

Point guards are so incredibly important in this league right now. And Elfrid Payton’s triple double potential does not seem like a flash in the pan. He is a guy who already is adept at getting into the paint and dishing it to teammates. Just wait until the team is complete. And wait until he develops his jumper.

Again, this is not a knock on Victor Oladipo.

Victor looks like he is about to make his star turn and really burst onto the scene as the Magic’s primary wing scorer. But will Oladipo ever be an All Star player or is he going to be a nice secondary piece? This is still a question Oladipo has to answer in his career. And, frankly, I cannot even predict how this turns out.

This summer will be a big one.

Next: What position do the Magic need to fill?