Orlando Magic Playoff Preview: Meet the Milwaukee Bucks with Behind the Buck Pass
Do you see John Hammond’s influence in the Orlando Magic? Are they building something similar to what the Bucks built? What is the viewpoint of Hammond’s tenure as general manager now with the Bucks pushing toward a title?
Jordan Treske: Without a doubt, I certainly see John Hammond’s fingerprints over the Orlando Magic’s rebuild during the last three-plus years and that goes beyond just finding the prospect that has the biggest wingspan in the draft (cues laughter from the audience).
In all seriousness, I think the biggest difference I can gleam from Hammond’s tenure in Orlando and how it differs from his time in Milwaukee is the patience that he, along with Jeff Weltman, has been afforded to build their foundation and construct their overall rebuild.
That, uh, certainly was not the case under Herb Kohl’s reign and Magic fans are certainly aware of how the Bucks gifted one Tobias Harris in a panic trade deadline move, all in order to claw their way into the playoffs as the eighth seed.
That is not to say Hammond and Weltman are not immune to mistakes as I think their decisions in free agency, specifically when it comes to external additions, have never been their strengths. But for the simple fact that John Hammond and Co. drafted Giannis Antetokounmpo and acquired Khris Middleton via the Brandon Jennings trade in the summer of 2013, those two decisions alone are the biggest reasons why the Bucks stand where they are today.
Adam McGee: There is a lot of Hammond’s influence on the Magic, without a doubt. Although I would be lying if I said that I thought that was all falling on the positive side of what Hammond brings as an exec.
Jordan and I used to affectionately refer to Hammond as “The Gambler”, and that has essentially always been his approach. He loves to take big swings on upside, and part of that process is there will likely always be more moves that do not pan out than those that necessarily will.
That will all prove to be worth it if there’s a Giannis-esque prize waiting for the Magic at some point, but it does require patience, and it will require Hammond and Weltman to get lucky at some point too.