2015-2016 Magic Press Conference

[false9]

Welcome, everyone. As usual, we'll start with a look back at last season.

Going into 2014-2015 season, we had high expectations. I thought our lineup of twin towers paired with our quick back court could lead to playoff success. Quickly, this proved not to be the case. Given the age and contract situations, I decided to act swiftly- we had to acquire some assets for our next window of contending. It was hard trading Goran away, but he landed on his feet in Miami and we got some future first rounders as a result. We moved our other veteran pieces and decided the future was Dario and Jordan.

As we approached the offseason, the lottery was the key focus. Despite having the best odds, we wound up with the third pick. Luckily, we wound up with Harland Ellinger, who was very high on our board. We also moved our Courtney Lee and OJ Mayo for more assets. We made some other vet min signings that I'm pleased with. There are some experienced players on the team, and I want everyone to know- we're open for business.

We're going to tinker with things this season. Expect to see some twin tower lineups with Mozzy and Bynum; we want them in the shop window for interested parties to see. Dario had a great camp and he'll split time at the forward spots. Jordan Clarkson, despite coming into camp looking like Jeremy Clarkson, will start at SG. Tentatively, Brian Roberts will start at PG. Harland will have to fight to earn a starting spot.

I'll be honest- we're not going to be very good this season. But we're continuing to lay the foundation for a future title contender.

I'll take your questions now.

[NOLa.]

Talk to us about your vision with Ellenger. His offense has the potential to be All NBA Team, but will you need to build a defense around him to makeup for where he is weaker? Or will you look to build on offense to exploit his strength?


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[false9]

Talk to us about your vision with Ellenger. His offense has the potential to be All NBA Team, but will you need to build a defense around him to makeup for where he is weaker? Or will you look to build on offense to exploit his strength?


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No one exists in a vacuum; it's all about how the team functions as a unit. We learned lesson painfully last year. I think we can strike a balance between the two. Additionally, with some training, Harland can at least be competent on the defensive end.

[WigNosy]

You took on some big contracts for bad players and draft picks but those are finally getting close to expiring. If you had it to do again, would you have taken on those contracts or tried to use the cap space to lure guys that might have a future with you instead?

[false9]

You took on some big contracts for bad players and draft picks but those are finally getting close to expiring. If you had it to do again, would you have taken on those contracts or tried to use the cap space to lure guys that might have a future with you instead?

Hindsight is 20/20; Knowing the results, we would have used the cap room last offseason more judiciously and with players fitting our timetable. But mistakes allow us to learn, and hopefully not repeat them. When we find ourselves with more cap room again, we'll act with this experience in mind.

[NickMalone77]

Nick Melon; The Advocate: What are your realistic expectations for this season ahead with the talent assembled?

[aburns211]

You said that you will not be very good this year. How far away is the team from competing for a division title or more? 2 years? 5years?

[false9]

Nick Melon; The Advocate: What are your realistic expectations for this season ahead with the talent assembled?

By no means do I expect this group to compete for a title. We're looking at a season below .500. However, I do expect everyone to work hard. I expect the younger players to develop their games. I expect the veterans to be professionals and examples for the younger guys. If the opportunity presents itself, we can move the old guys onto contending teams come deadline day.

[digiskunk]

You recently signed Robert Covington out of free agency, briefly after he was waived by the Jazz. What impact do you think he can have on this team, and how do you plan on utilizing him?

[false9]

You said that you will not be very good this year. How far away is the team from competing for a division title or more? 2 years? 5years?

That's right- we aren't going be very good this year, and I would be remiss if I did not apologize to the fans and to ownership. But this all part of a the process. I'm not going to make ironclad promises about winning a title in maximum of five years and put an arbitrary deadline on our growth.

The league is always fluid; someone could land on the trade block, we could sign a big name free agent and suddenly be a contender next year. Or we remain patient- we have numerous first round picks going forward. Either way, we have a bright future and aren't that far off from being competitive.

[false9]

You recently signed Robert Covington out of free agency, briefly after he was waived by the Jazz. What impact do you think he can have on this team, and how do you plan on utilizing him?

Robert has a role to play here- he's shown himself to be a competent defender and and defensive rebounder. He'll be a part of the wing rotation with Shved off the bench.

[78#]

You seem to have your big 3 set all on the perimeter? Do you feel your frontcourt will also be filled by young prospects thru the drafts?

[false9]

You seem to have your big 3 set all on the perimeter? Do you feel your frontcourt will also be filled by young prospects thru the drafts?

We certainly have the draft picks for it. But I'm a proponent of taking the best player available, so we'll never pass up a potential franchise player. There will always be trades and free agency to fill the gaps. To reiterate, I do want to see Dario spend some time at the 4 this year. His potential skill set at power forward would open up a lot of things for us.

[garbageman]

Sham Smith, Bulls.com: You've gained a reputation for wheeling and dealing. Do you think you will be able to make more trades than you did last year?

[false9]

Sham Smith, Bulls.com: You've gained a reputation for wheeling and dealing. Do you think you will be able to make more trades than you did last year?

A wise man once told me "if you ain't tradin', you ain't tryin'." Then again, that same guy insisted I hand over my life savings in exchange go a paper clip, so maybe he wasn't that wise.

I hope we can be just as active this season. There are a number of veterans on the team who can still be contributors for a playoff team. However, the cap figures for Mozzy, Bynum, and Diogu could make that difficult.

[Inner_GI]

false9, you may claim 5 points for your presser.