Some quick links...
- Quick reminder: the Orlando Magic's jersey release party starts tomorrow at noon. OrlandoMagic.com has the details.
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Jake from Bullets Forever rounds out its Why I'm Scared and Why I'm Not series of posts by looking at the Magic. He lists several reasons to be scared, as a Wizards fan, and makes this interesting comparison between the Magic of this year and the Houston Rockets of the mid-1990s:
Is it just me, or is Orlando GM Otis Smith trying to re-create the mid-90's Rockets with Dwight Howard taking the role of Hakeem doing all the damage inside, and then surrounding the dominant big man with perimeter shooters? Think about it, Rashard Lewis is their Robert Horry (if Robert cared about the regular season), Mickael Pietrus is like a less angry version of Vernon Maxwell, and Hedo Turkoglu is a poor man's Clyde Drexler (in terms of productivity, not mid-air artistry). It's a little bizarre, but that's what I always go back to when I think about the Magic.
- Nxnn of the blog Cavalier Attitude compares the Cavs to the Magic. He believes Orlando is "more of a regular season team" that will struggle in the playoffs, particularly in the second round against the likes of Boston, Detroit, and Cleveland (natch).
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The Grizzlies blog 3 Shades of Blue landed an exclusive interview with Memphis head coach Marc Iavaroni; here's part one. The Grizzlies and Magic have been linked in trade discussion this summer revolving around Grizz point guard Javaris Crittenton. While Iavaroni doesn't mention any trade possibilities for his team, he mentions that it will have to change its offensive philosophy unless it adds three-point shooting after trading Mike Miller to Minnesota for O.J. Mayo:
We have to be more space, drive the ball and draw fouls. I don't think we can come down and just launch threes. We don't have the proven personnel to do that. I think that O.J. Mayo is going to be a guy who down the road that could be as good as Mike if not better an outside shooter than Mike is.
Coach, the Magic have a bevy of three-point marksmen who might interest you. Otis Smith would make Keith Bogans, J.J. Redick, and Brian Cook available for the right price. Give him a call.
Jake doesn't think the Magic have what it takes to win the East this year, but "all bets are off" if Dwight Howard "makes another quantum leap."
Only another week until training camp starts. Are you excited for the season yet?