Monday’s Magic Word
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: “The Orlando Magic announced Monday that they have signed second-round draft pick Stanley Robinson. Team officials would not disclose terms of the contract, but the small forward said he signed a non-guaranteed deal. [...] Robinson’s contract is believed to be worth $473,604 for the 2010-11 season, but for him to start earning that salary, he would have to make the regular-season roster. Non-guaranteed contracts will become guaranteed for the remainder of the season on Jan. 10. Orlando already has 13 players on its roster with guaranteed contracts. Magic President of Basketball Operations Otis Smith has said Robinson will have an opportunity to make the team if he plays well during the preseason.”
- The Orlando Magic have a new head athletic trainer.
- Josh Cohen of OrlandoMagic.com: “Some words that describe Marcin Gortat on Saturday: Outstanding, brilliant, dominant and menacing. The Polish Machine erupted for 29 points on 12-of-14 shooting from the field and added seven rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots to catapult Poland (2-2) to a demolishing 93-73 triumph over previously unbeaten Belgium in EuroBasket qualifying action. Even more dazzling for the Orlando Magic’s backup center, he carried out this effort in front of his hometown fans in Lodz, Poland.”
- General manager Otis Smith speaks out on whether or not Magic rookies Daniel Orton and Stanley Robinson will spend any time in the D-League. Dan Savage of OrlandoMagic.com has the report: “The Magic have used their D-League affiliate the past two seasons as much as I’ve used my winter wardrobe since moving down to Orlando. They haven’t touched it at all. In fact, the last time the Magic made a D-League transaction was when they recalled Marcin Gortat from the Anaheim Arsenal on Dec. 2, 2007. Since that time they’ve been affiliated with three different squads – the Bakersfield Jam, Reno BigHorns and New Mexico Thunderbirds – and haven’t made a single move. But that trend could change this season. With two raw rookies on its current roster – Daniel Orton and Stanley Robinson – Orlando could opt to give its young players some court time with the T-Birds. [...] While Orton, the team’s first round pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, would clearly see more game action down in the minors, the organization believes he might be better served battling Dwight Howard and Gortat on a day-to-day basis in practice. Not only would Orton face a higher level of competition, but the sessions would also aid him in picking up Magic Head Coach Stan Van Gundy’s system.”
- Learn more about True Shooting Percentage.
- Ben Q. Rock of Orlando Pinstriped Post chimes in on a rumor involving Courtney Lee: “I believe that the Magic are at least intrigued with the idea of bringing Lee, whom coach Stan Van Gundy trusted as the team’s top perimeter defender in 2009, back. I don’t believe even for a second that they’d consider losing Vince Carter or Rashard Lewis to get him, though. Sending Carter to the Rockets in a salary dump makes sense to a degree, but the shooting guard the Magic would want in return is the hyper-efficient Kevin Martin, not Lee, and it’s doubtful that Houston would part with Martin at such a low cost. And as for the Magic trading Lewis? He’s too valuable to this team, though if Ingram’s right, you can count the Rockets among the teams willing to take on the $63 million left on his deal. Remember, they pursued him heavily in 2007 before he ultimately signed with the Magic.”
- Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated gives Orlando a C for their off-season.
- Kurt Helin of ProBasketballTalk: “Stanley Robinson is the kind of guy teams should take a shot at in the second round — no doubt this guy is an NBA-level athlete. He needs more skills and more polish — he needs some coaching and time in the gym — but the foundation is there. The Orlando Magic took him with the next-to-last pick in the draft (N0. 59) and now have signed him to a deal. While the team has not officially disclosed that deal, this is certainly a make-good contract. Meaning he has to make the team in camp, this is not a guarantee.”
- Dwight Howard talks about India.
- Despite a disappointing series against the Boston Celtics in the 2010 NBA Eastern Conference Finals, the Magic performed well against playoff-caliber teams during the regular season.
- Creative financing in the NBA, brought to you by Sham Sports: “Orlando has a $92 million payroll because the father of creative financing, Otis Smith, can’t creative finance to save his life. The Magic’s ownership just keep cutting him bigger and bigger checks, letting him sign and retain whoever he wants and whatever the cost is. It’s kind of ludicrous, yet such generosity has allowed the Magic to assemble a competitive team, more with financial muscle than craft. (If you’re a Magic fan who doesn’t thank ownership every day for this, there’s something wrong with you. Organisations win championships.) However, is there a limit to this spending? By matching Chicago’s offer sheet to J.J. Redick, Orlando will be CTCing for $15 million this year just on Redick, after the luxury tax and signing bonus are taken into account; all that for a backup shooting guard. Was that the final straw? If it wasn’t, perhaps it should have been.”
