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Orlando Magic general manager John Hammond joins Orlando Magic Pod Squad

By Philip Rossman-Reich

ORLANDO, FL - JUNE 22: John Hammond of the Orlando Magic looks at his notes in the war room during the 2017 NBA Draft on June 22, 2017 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - JUNE 22: John Hammond of the Orlando Magic looks at his notes in the war room during the 2017 NBA Draft on June 22, 2017 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Orlando Magic general manager John Hammond joined the Orlando Magic Pod Squad and revealed some trade stories and an update of where the Magic are at.

At this point of the season, everyone is trying to figure out what the Orlando Magic are going to do ahead of the February 8 trade deadline.

It is the next big date on the Magic calendar. The team has already fallen out of the Playoff race — 25 losses or Milwaukee Bucks wins away from elimination if you must know — and is seemingly counting the ping pong balls. After five seasons, and now a sixth, playing this game, everyone senses the Magic will make changes.

Major changes quite possibly.

Thus the anticipation for the trade deadline in a few weeks. It is the first chance for the team to make any real moves. And, by all accounts, the Magic will be very active at the trade deadline.

So everyone is trying to discern and decipher what the Magic will do.

Let general manager John Hammond calm your nerves a bit. Things are still fairly early in the process. Soon, though, talks will get more serious and the teams will start getting to brass tax.

That is what John Hammond shared with the Orlando Magic Pod Squad when they quizzed him on where the Magic stand at the trade deadline:

"“We’re open, we’re listening, we’re talking,” Hammond said. “I think you divide the teams up into two groups — are you a buyer or are you a seller? I don’t know that we are in either of those categories to a certain extent. We’re just kind of gathering information that we can and see what is available to us. Is there an opportunity available to us to help our team?“Anything we do is probably going to be a move to help our team long term more than short term. Is it going to make us better for the last 20 game of this season or into next season? I don’t think that’s the case. I think it’s will the move help us two years from now, three years from now, four years from now.”"

Hammond is certainly not about to give away too much in an interview — even one with Magic television personalities.

But the whole 30-minute interview gives a great insight into his experience and some of the difficult decisions he has had to make at the trade deadline. Fans will get a better sense of what the front office is thinking or the different permutations and scenarios that might play out.

Hammond is a great storyteller, relating the difficult decision the Detroit Pistons had when they traded Jerry Stackhouse to the Washington Wizards for Richard Hamilton. That clearly worked out.

He also discussed the team’s trade strategy with the Bucks when the team made the second-most trades in that time period. Ownership influence is indeed a powerful force.

The back half of the podcast is also very interesting. The Magic’s broadcast personalities — David Steele, Jeff Turner, Dante Marchitelli and George Galante — discuss tanking and why they think the notion is ridiculous (sharing at least some of my thoughts on the matter).

Next: Orlando Magic inconsistency is disappointing

Be sure to subscribe and listen to the Magic Pod Squad. Great insight on life on the road and other tidbits from the Magic’s broadcast team.