Orlando Magic Daily
Fansided

Orlando Magic Daily Mailbag Volume 31: Waiting on the team to change

By Philip Rossman-Reich

ORLANDO, FL - FEBRUARY 6: D.J. Augustin #14 of the Orlando Magic brings the ball up court during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Amway Center on February 6, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. The Magic defeated the Cavaliers 116 to 98. 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. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - FEBRUARY 6: D.J. Augustin #14 of the Orlando Magic brings the ball up court during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Amway Center on February 6, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. The Magic defeated the Cavaliers 116 to 98. 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. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
8 of 10
Next
Jeff Weltman, Orlando Magic
ORLANDO, FL – JUNE 22: Orlando Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman addresses the media 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) /

From Ralph Petty via e-mail

"My first question is how long do you think it will be before J. Hammond and J. Weltman are released of their duties, 5 years, 10? Now that we have such a shrewd and cerebral top brass that will remain competent for many years, I worry that with the ownership and his head honcho Martins, that I will have to suffer seeing them released from our team if they don’t bring immediate wins results two summers from now or even next summer! If you don’t meditate so much on the politics of our team, I understand, I just needed somebody’s bright opinion, and you happen to be the mind that might offer truth. My other question is how strong do you see our team’s mentality and chemistry becoming as the season waxes long (especially of AG, JI, MB, KB, DJA, but also of the newest additions of Jerian Grant, Isaiah Briscoe, Melvin Frazier? The other trade aqcuisition is just clogging the paint for us, right? Hope you’re awesome, thanks, man!"

I answered part of that first question in an ealier slide. I d no think we should put a timeline on this management group. Especially at these beginning stage.

I think, for now, they should be judged on whether the team is making forward progress toward making the Playoffs. When they falter, we can begin asking questions and really focusing on the moves they make to right the ship. But for now, the team is about collecting talent and re-establishing its base.

You obviously hope that Jeff Weltman and John Hammond will be with the team for a very long time. And, like I said, I think you want to aim for the Playoffs closer to the end of Jonathan Isaac and Mohamed Bamba’s rookie contract. That gives them really four years to get things going — although ther should be plenty of signs of progress before that point.

I think the Magic organizationally are approaching this rebuild different than the last one.

It failed, but I applaud the Magic for trying to do what they did with Rob Hennigan. Orlando had never tried a complete rebuild in their franchise’s history. Every time they tore things all the way down after a star left, they quickly got another star — whether it was in free agency or the draft. Even the Tracy McGrady trade saw the Magic acquire a then-All Star in Steve Francis.

So Orlando has never really tried to start from scratch except during the expansion year. And I think there was some miscalculation becuase of that. I think Alex Martins and Magic ownership expected things to be fairly easy and quick and put a timeline on how things should go.

Orlando never won the Lottery like they had in the past and that made their rebuild take longer. The organization had no clue how to build a culture and I think some of the warts that the team had been able to cover for so long got exposed. Especially under an inexperienced front office executive in Hennigan.

Weltman and Hammond are different. Ownership has given them the funds and the freedom to completely remake the organization. A lot of those changes are happening where fans cannot see. These guys know what they are doing a lot more. And it feels like ownership is letting them do their work.

Things are moving in the right direction.

As I said before too, take this year as an experiment or proof of concept. I am not sure how the group will work together. My suspicion is the team will struggle with their record, but fans will come away much more hopeful with the future of the team.

I am not sure who else aside from Jonathan Isaac and Mohamed Bamba will be the guy for this team. But it should be interesting to watch this group grow.