Retrospective: Where Does Tobias Harris Rank In All-Time Small Forwards?
Mickael Pietrus was an NBA talent whose ascent never really matched his athleticism nor gifts. At one time he was billed “Air France,” but that obviously never came to fruition given that almost no casual fans know of or remember Pietrus (while even people who have never seen a basketball are aware of who Michale Joradn is obviously).
To be sure, Pietrus had exhibited his potential in Golden State, and he did so with brilliant stretches of play that we were at times privy to in Orlando.
The Magic acquired him at age 26, the point at which he should have entered his prime. Instead, he continued to have middling success, starting 49 games in Orlando over two-plus seasons.
The Magic needed and expected better 3-point shooting from Pietrus, who had knocked down 38 percent in the 2007 season, but in Orlando he shot 36 percent over two seasons, just passable. He averaged about nine points per game, and was continually caught between being a quality reserve or a fringe starter.
Pietrus could look like an all-time great when he got the ball in transition, or when he got hot, but there was not enough of it. There were too many lapses mentally — he always seemed to get up for the big moments but not the mundane moments of the season.
Overall the Magic overpaid for his services, with Pietrus getting $5.3 million per season to produce below-replacement level numbers.
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