The Magical Orlando Hub Built Bricker By Benfield
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2024 10:13 pm
For the last 5 seasons, you look at what the Orlando Magic have accomplished and you’ll find a whole lot of emptiness come the middle of April and beyond. We’ve made moves during that time in an attempt to change those fortunes but it was either not enough or the sum of the parts didn’t equal the kind of success we had hoped to achieve. So at the end of the day, there has to be resolve with the Magic we’ve conducted. There has to be proof that what we’ve been working on gives the fan base a reason to believe.
There’s been a lot of ups and downs playing this game. A lot of finishes in the lottery (but no Number 1 picks). And the highest of highs, winning a Title back when DVD’s still existed. Sometimes you just have to believe in the story to renew that vision again.
There’s ruts that we all go through. Some physical. Some mental. Some that just haunt us for years that we find every excuse in the book to blame other than ourselves. We ultimately control our path and our decisions. Some are out of our control. We can’t tell or demand that certain teams are going to lose just like we can’t yell at our bodies to lose those 5 extra pounds hanging around our midsection. If we want the answers to what we can control, we have to look inward and see what can be done so that the history we are living in doesn’t define us. Some things just take more time to change than others.
A commotion of reporters build beneath the General Managers office inside the Orlando Magic training facility. Nick Malone just takes his index finger and circles it around the lid of his ice coffee cup. It’s been a while since he opened up the shop to the public. The fan base deserves to hear what the front office has been doing since he took over the helm at Orlando.
Would the reception be more critical or elated that the chain of communication has finally be opened for the masses? The people want to believe. They want the story to have a happy ending. They.
They.
They.
A grimace. Almost a painful scorn develops off the face of Nick Malone, as if he regrets opening that door so they could ask questions. He stewed. He took those poor results and missed playoffs personally. Enough was enough. What did this fan base really deserve? They deserve a winner. Every team does. But the results painted a different picture. coming across like the fan base deserves any answers at all.
They were right. We were listless. We were an afterthought. Seasons going by. Years going by, and people treated Orlando like a God Damn afterthought. An amusement park and an accessory to the greater Orlando area. The story we wrote was not what they deserved. If you’re able to admit your shortcomings, you have the ability to change your story. You have the ability to rewrite your future if you can find the faults and break the listless spell.
After taking a swig of his Ice Coffee, Nick Malone exits his office and leans over the railing to the downstairs media room to survey the crowd and scene awaiting his appearance. The team has on hand a few local reporters from the Orlando Sentinel along with a few national reporters that made the trip to the Sunshine State.
Time to start the next page to this story.
Nick walks down the steps from his GM’s office down to the media room. He smiles and is casually dressed for this seasonably warm fall day in team apparel. There’s still plenty of work to do but opening up the door to the media again can be a Pandora’s box. The only thing you can do is to try and assemble the best team to accomplish the results you’re hoping to achieve.
I just wanted to thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to make it down here today for today’s media session. I’m hopeful that we can form a great working relationship going forward. I’m sure you have a lot of questions and I’m looking forward to addressing them all when you have them ready.
Nick looks down at his phone, making sure he didn’t miss a notification, or a text, from any of the GM’s across the league. You can never be too sure who’s up and active, even at 11:59:59 to the regular season as a way to improve the team.
Unfortunately, much like each of the last 5 seasons, we did not meet our goal of making the playoffs, and much less, of winning an NBA Title. That is the goal each and every season no matter the team we’ve assembled in years past. I’ll be the first to admit that we’ve fallen short of that goal and have failed this fan base numerous times. Much like them, I share their same angst and anxieties when we fail to deliver a winning product. I’m here to tell the public that the days of failure and missed playoffs are over.
If Nick had a gavel, he almost certainly would’ve banged it against the podium, likely cracking the wood in place, holding up the microphone. Forming a fist and knocking the wood in front of him would have to suffice for now.
These people deserve banners to be raised inside the Amway Center again. They deserve to find a new NBA Title proudly highlighted and showcased. So, to achieve that goal, what is there to be done? You look at the roster, see what fits, and what magical elixir can be churned to make additions that fit for what you want to do. Good thing for me, the wand I have is in the form of a phone. Either in my pocket, or in the office one floor above this media area. We are always working on ways to improve this team, even if that means fairly little sleep in the process but our work to be perfect will always be endless.
The phone truly never stops. It’s a siren song that changes our habits and moods. As soon as that light pops up, we turn into the fly that’s drawn to it. You’re either the fly that heads towards that light or the mosquito that’s buzzing around in the humidity. Sooner than later, you’re going to get caught in a predicament that doesn’t work out.
After our latest fruitless season, we took in 3 picks, post lotto, that had us on the outside of some prime territory. Luckily for us, there was a team in DC that was looking to trade down. We saw the opportunity and cashed in since we were looking to trade up. We went from 9, 12, & 16, up to 6. We liked Dyson Daniels for his ability to switch defensively and knew he would take some time to develop offensively but the athleticism was always there. After the draft, we took some calls and knew LA was looking to get a bit younger coming off their latest NBA Title run. We’ve long been fans of Fabian Hub and he’s a 3 time NBA Champion. We sent Dyson Daniels and Frank Chavez and acquired Fabian Hub. He’s a unique talent and one that’s extremely skilled, especially on the defensive side and can legitimately guard anyone from spots 1-5 if necessary. We then saw the “For sale” signs up in Portland and had to jump at the chance to acquire a talent like Delmer Bricker. It did cost us another talented prospect in Naji Marshall, along with some depth pieces but these are the critical tough decisions that had to be made in order to improve our squad. We then called up our good friends in San Francisco and reconnected with a player we had previously drafted in Ritchie Lynch. He will be a solid find for us in the year ahead and will be vital for our success on our second unit. You can’t prospect hug forever and expect them all to blossom into proven talent especially when you’re looking to win and win now.
So where does the time go? When does that pendulum swing to get to the other side of the bridge, when you need that other page written? All of these thoughts churning as Nick looks down at the transaction page.
We were fortunate that Darrell Gupton wanted to return to Orlando on a fair market value deal. Gupton found a home in Orlando and has really worked hard to improve. We also signed Dominatrix Johnson to an offer sheet but Dallas was resistant to any sort of negotiations and adamant that they were not letting him leave Dallas as much as his heart yearned to reside in Epcot or elsewhere. All well and good. Plus, the money we would’ve used on Johnson helped to pull in the trades we made and leave a little bit more for Free Agency.
Its not about the move you make now as much as it is the moves you plan to make in the future. It’s critical that you stick to the plan as difficult as it may be. If you get lost along the way, that’s ok, too. Just as long as you find your way again. Another sip of Ice Coffee as the brain jolts again as soon as the ice connects.
With the money we had left over from the trades and restricted free agency, we had our lineup but we needed to build the team behind what we had established. Free Agency was very good to us. We managed to bring back Ned Lomax, and old friend, Armand Decroy to continue to build on the depth. We also snagged Mel Samples away from the Houston Rockets. Mel wanted the opportunity to get some starters minutes and with his size and presence for blocking shots and rebounding the basketball, we feel like he can step up and make that impact along the front court next to Fabian Hub. This is how we can build the team and foster a winning culture.
It’s not like Rome was built in a day. All of these things took time and thankfully, they saw the avenue to develop and grow they might not have gotten elsewhere.
So where does that leave us on the eve of the regular season? We feel like we finally have team that can compete with some of the best of the conference. We know that it may take some time for the results to come in with a new team and all essentially but they all worked hard during training camp to reflect the results they want to showcase going forward. We envision a starting lineup that will feature Mel Samples & Fabian Hub in the Front Court. Darrell Gupton as the versatile wing. Then Sanford Benfield & Delmer Bricker comprising then Back Court in some fashion. There will be changes made during the season. We are looking to improve our backup point guard spot but we like our roster and chances going forward. We won’t be pressured to take a bad deal or one that will hurt the trajectory of this club.
What story are you looking to be apart of? Which star are you looking to find in the night sky? When you do, never let go, and find that opportunity to be apart of something greater than the world could imagine. Your story is waiting to be written.
The floor is now yours.
There’s been a lot of ups and downs playing this game. A lot of finishes in the lottery (but no Number 1 picks). And the highest of highs, winning a Title back when DVD’s still existed. Sometimes you just have to believe in the story to renew that vision again.
There’s ruts that we all go through. Some physical. Some mental. Some that just haunt us for years that we find every excuse in the book to blame other than ourselves. We ultimately control our path and our decisions. Some are out of our control. We can’t tell or demand that certain teams are going to lose just like we can’t yell at our bodies to lose those 5 extra pounds hanging around our midsection. If we want the answers to what we can control, we have to look inward and see what can be done so that the history we are living in doesn’t define us. Some things just take more time to change than others.
A commotion of reporters build beneath the General Managers office inside the Orlando Magic training facility. Nick Malone just takes his index finger and circles it around the lid of his ice coffee cup. It’s been a while since he opened up the shop to the public. The fan base deserves to hear what the front office has been doing since he took over the helm at Orlando.
Would the reception be more critical or elated that the chain of communication has finally be opened for the masses? The people want to believe. They want the story to have a happy ending. They.
They.
They.
A grimace. Almost a painful scorn develops off the face of Nick Malone, as if he regrets opening that door so they could ask questions. He stewed. He took those poor results and missed playoffs personally. Enough was enough. What did this fan base really deserve? They deserve a winner. Every team does. But the results painted a different picture. coming across like the fan base deserves any answers at all.
They were right. We were listless. We were an afterthought. Seasons going by. Years going by, and people treated Orlando like a God Damn afterthought. An amusement park and an accessory to the greater Orlando area. The story we wrote was not what they deserved. If you’re able to admit your shortcomings, you have the ability to change your story. You have the ability to rewrite your future if you can find the faults and break the listless spell.
After taking a swig of his Ice Coffee, Nick Malone exits his office and leans over the railing to the downstairs media room to survey the crowd and scene awaiting his appearance. The team has on hand a few local reporters from the Orlando Sentinel along with a few national reporters that made the trip to the Sunshine State.
Time to start the next page to this story.
Nick walks down the steps from his GM’s office down to the media room. He smiles and is casually dressed for this seasonably warm fall day in team apparel. There’s still plenty of work to do but opening up the door to the media again can be a Pandora’s box. The only thing you can do is to try and assemble the best team to accomplish the results you’re hoping to achieve.
I just wanted to thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to make it down here today for today’s media session. I’m hopeful that we can form a great working relationship going forward. I’m sure you have a lot of questions and I’m looking forward to addressing them all when you have them ready.
Nick looks down at his phone, making sure he didn’t miss a notification, or a text, from any of the GM’s across the league. You can never be too sure who’s up and active, even at 11:59:59 to the regular season as a way to improve the team.
Unfortunately, much like each of the last 5 seasons, we did not meet our goal of making the playoffs, and much less, of winning an NBA Title. That is the goal each and every season no matter the team we’ve assembled in years past. I’ll be the first to admit that we’ve fallen short of that goal and have failed this fan base numerous times. Much like them, I share their same angst and anxieties when we fail to deliver a winning product. I’m here to tell the public that the days of failure and missed playoffs are over.
If Nick had a gavel, he almost certainly would’ve banged it against the podium, likely cracking the wood in place, holding up the microphone. Forming a fist and knocking the wood in front of him would have to suffice for now.
These people deserve banners to be raised inside the Amway Center again. They deserve to find a new NBA Title proudly highlighted and showcased. So, to achieve that goal, what is there to be done? You look at the roster, see what fits, and what magical elixir can be churned to make additions that fit for what you want to do. Good thing for me, the wand I have is in the form of a phone. Either in my pocket, or in the office one floor above this media area. We are always working on ways to improve this team, even if that means fairly little sleep in the process but our work to be perfect will always be endless.
The phone truly never stops. It’s a siren song that changes our habits and moods. As soon as that light pops up, we turn into the fly that’s drawn to it. You’re either the fly that heads towards that light or the mosquito that’s buzzing around in the humidity. Sooner than later, you’re going to get caught in a predicament that doesn’t work out.
After our latest fruitless season, we took in 3 picks, post lotto, that had us on the outside of some prime territory. Luckily for us, there was a team in DC that was looking to trade down. We saw the opportunity and cashed in since we were looking to trade up. We went from 9, 12, & 16, up to 6. We liked Dyson Daniels for his ability to switch defensively and knew he would take some time to develop offensively but the athleticism was always there. After the draft, we took some calls and knew LA was looking to get a bit younger coming off their latest NBA Title run. We’ve long been fans of Fabian Hub and he’s a 3 time NBA Champion. We sent Dyson Daniels and Frank Chavez and acquired Fabian Hub. He’s a unique talent and one that’s extremely skilled, especially on the defensive side and can legitimately guard anyone from spots 1-5 if necessary. We then saw the “For sale” signs up in Portland and had to jump at the chance to acquire a talent like Delmer Bricker. It did cost us another talented prospect in Naji Marshall, along with some depth pieces but these are the critical tough decisions that had to be made in order to improve our squad. We then called up our good friends in San Francisco and reconnected with a player we had previously drafted in Ritchie Lynch. He will be a solid find for us in the year ahead and will be vital for our success on our second unit. You can’t prospect hug forever and expect them all to blossom into proven talent especially when you’re looking to win and win now.
So where does the time go? When does that pendulum swing to get to the other side of the bridge, when you need that other page written? All of these thoughts churning as Nick looks down at the transaction page.
We were fortunate that Darrell Gupton wanted to return to Orlando on a fair market value deal. Gupton found a home in Orlando and has really worked hard to improve. We also signed Dominatrix Johnson to an offer sheet but Dallas was resistant to any sort of negotiations and adamant that they were not letting him leave Dallas as much as his heart yearned to reside in Epcot or elsewhere. All well and good. Plus, the money we would’ve used on Johnson helped to pull in the trades we made and leave a little bit more for Free Agency.
Its not about the move you make now as much as it is the moves you plan to make in the future. It’s critical that you stick to the plan as difficult as it may be. If you get lost along the way, that’s ok, too. Just as long as you find your way again. Another sip of Ice Coffee as the brain jolts again as soon as the ice connects.
With the money we had left over from the trades and restricted free agency, we had our lineup but we needed to build the team behind what we had established. Free Agency was very good to us. We managed to bring back Ned Lomax, and old friend, Armand Decroy to continue to build on the depth. We also snagged Mel Samples away from the Houston Rockets. Mel wanted the opportunity to get some starters minutes and with his size and presence for blocking shots and rebounding the basketball, we feel like he can step up and make that impact along the front court next to Fabian Hub. This is how we can build the team and foster a winning culture.
It’s not like Rome was built in a day. All of these things took time and thankfully, they saw the avenue to develop and grow they might not have gotten elsewhere.
So where does that leave us on the eve of the regular season? We feel like we finally have team that can compete with some of the best of the conference. We know that it may take some time for the results to come in with a new team and all essentially but they all worked hard during training camp to reflect the results they want to showcase going forward. We envision a starting lineup that will feature Mel Samples & Fabian Hub in the Front Court. Darrell Gupton as the versatile wing. Then Sanford Benfield & Delmer Bricker comprising then Back Court in some fashion. There will be changes made during the season. We are looking to improve our backup point guard spot but we like our roster and chances going forward. We won’t be pressured to take a bad deal or one that will hurt the trajectory of this club.
What story are you looking to be apart of? Which star are you looking to find in the night sky? When you do, never let go, and find that opportunity to be apart of something greater than the world could imagine. Your story is waiting to be written.
The floor is now yours.