SB Nation User Blog: L Magico

Cap and Tax for 09/10

L Magico — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:28:26 -0000

Cap and Tax for 09/10

Cap is set at $57.7 and the tax threshold is $69.92. Magic are currently about 2 million under. With 5 players to go for the roster, it looks like we'll be in the 75-80 million range.

Draft?What Draft?

L Magico — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:01:49 -0000

The upcoming Draft has become an afterthought for Magic fans since the Magic don't have any picks this year (1st rounder sent to Memphis, 2nd rounder owed to Sea/OKC for Lewis Sign-and-trade). The Draft is not anything real special this year but there are few guys I would like to say a few things about:

Terrence Williams & Earl Clark look like Hedo and Shard part II. Williams is not as tall as Hedo but has a well rounded game like Turk's. Clark should be looking at Lewis' tapes to emulate his game as much as possible.
3 guys I like: Flynn, Lawson, Curry. 3 guys I don't like: Mullens, Daye, DeRozan.
Did you know there are only 2 projected Centers for the 1st round?
Every year, there are talented players that drop to the second round. Last year it was Chalmers, Mbah A Moute, Douglas-Roberts. The year before, it was Landry, Marc Gasol, Sessions. Looking at draftexpress.com's lastest mock, here are a couple guys I think the Magic should target if they are able to get a 2nd rounder somewhere: Patrick Mills-PG-St. Marys, AJ Price-PG-UConn, DaJuan Summers-F-G'Town

I wanted to start something involving the Draft because even though the Magic do not have any picks, what other teams do can affect the Magic. I thought the Kings and Raptors were the top teams that would try to sign Turk but it looks like the Blazers are now in the conversation. The Blazers are a bigger threat because of the draft picks, aggresssive GM, and an owner willing to pay whatever. Should be an interesting Draft night.

188

L Magico — Fri, 29 May 2009 18:58:52 -0000

Thats the number of free throws LeBron has taken in these playoffs. Now, of course I am a bit biased because I'm a Magic fan, but it seems LeBron has taken an EXTREME number of free throws for a guy who does not shoot his team's technical fouls. So I'm a little frustrated after yesterday's loss and decided to do some research (from basketball-reference.com):

The 24 FTA in Game 3 are the 5th most in a playoff game ever. Shaq grabs the #1 and #2 spot in the prime of the "hack-a-shaq" era with 39 and 27 in '00.
LeBron has played 13 playoff games this year and is currently in the Conferance finals. The last time someone lead the playoffs in FTA's w/o playing in the NBA Finals was 1992 with Karl Malone shooting 210. Mind you that was in 16 playoff games.
In comparison, Dwight Howard has taken 154 FTA's in the playoffs and he gets fouled on purpose because of his poor FT%.

Basically if the officials keep this up, he will attempt over 200 FT's BEFORE the NBA finals. I know stars get calls, I know he really puts the pressure on the refs to make a call; but its getting a little out of hand. If we thought the '06 Finals looked bad with Wade, then we might have to be ready for LeBron to break Shaq's record 296 FTA's in 2000.

Go Magic.

Courtney Lee gettin some love from SLAMonline

L Magico — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:32:42 -0000

Courtney Lee gettin some love from SLAMonline

Nothing we didn't know, but its always nice when one of the silver linings in a loss gets some good pub.

New PG option?

L Magico — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:44:12 -0000

So now that Javaris Crittenton has been traded a second time and is now on his 3rd team in 3 years, what options do the Magic have as far as acquiring another PG?

We've heard the names of Stoudamire, Smuch Parker, etc. What about Dee Brown?

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2008/12/11/667908/dee-brown-is-blessed

Its a kinda sappy article but a good look at a guy that just wants to play. Give me Dee Brown on my team any day over Stephon Marbury. I think it would be a good situation because:

a) he can learn to be a pro with a guy that has a simarly game in Jameer and he can learn from a 11 year vet with AJ.

b) he doesn't need to play all that often. As a 3rd string PG, we could do worse.

c) He's cheap.

Thoughts?

Memphis looking for shooters

L Magico — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 23:18:12 -0000

From the commercialappeal.com:

The Grizzlies' resources for acquiring a shooter may be limited, however, given their reluctance to disrupt their core group and contractual barriers. Second-year guard Javaris Crittenton has been the odd man out in the Grizzlies' backcourt and someone involved in past trade discussions.

Conventional wisdom suggests Crittenton and forward Hakim Warrick, who the Griz didn't offer a contract extension, could be trade bait

I'm still unsure about acquiring a young player that has already been traded in less than a year. But not many contending teams go into the season with only 2 PGs.

The salaries do match: JJ and Cook for Crittenton and Warrick. They get their shooters and we get our PG and a SF/PF. Thoughts?