[JNice]

Memphis assistant Eric Musselman is the favorite to get the Orlando job. A former Magic assistant, he's the young and fiery type GM John Weisbrod wants for the post. ...

LINK

I think Musselman would be a great choice for this team. I hope it goes down like that.

 

[Coatesvillain]

I thought Mussleman was a great choice in the offseason as well, I just don't understand why Weisbrod decided to go and waste an entire season to come to that conclusion.

 

[Captain Obvious]

I thought Mussleman was a great choice in the offseason as well, I just don't understand why Weisbrod decided to go and waste an entire season to come to that conclusion.

I think it's pretty clear that Johnny was kept because Weisbrod felt a sense of loyalty to him and he wanted to keep him for his entire two year contract (This was an important point when Davis was hired, he wanted two years so he couldn't be dropped after the season). Musselman was mentioned as a candidate for assistant coach this offseason but Davis didn't want him hired because he felt threatened by him.

I think it's ironic that Weisbrod always talks about winning being the only important thing, and yet he stuck with a guy who was simply not good enough to be a head coach.

 

[JNice]

I think it's pretty clear that Johnny was kept because Weisbrod felt a sense of loyalty to him and he wanted to keep him for his entire two year contract (This was an important point when Davis was hired, he wanted two years so he couldn't be dropped after the season). Musselman was mentioned as a candidate for assistant coach this offseason but Davis didn't want him hired because he felt threatened by him.

I think it's ironic that Weisbrod always talks about winning being the only important thing, and yet he stuck with a guy who was simply not good enough to be a head coach.

Weisbrod is often full of contradictions. I don't think he has done a bad job but sometimes he needs to keep his mouth shut. Like promising Davis a full season and then having to break that promise.

Weisbrod comes out saying how he is running a class organization, then constantly takes suttle pot shots at Tmac. He should be mature enough to stay out of that. LINK

 

[ATLien]

I remember he used to be assistant for the Hawks, and got into it with Lon Kruger a few times in the locker room according to players. Anyone who can kick Lon Kruger's butt is a good guy in my book.

 

[hobojoe]

Yesterday on NBA Shoot around they talked about the Magic's coaching vacancy and Musselman was mentioned as the leading candidate. Stephen A. Smith also mentioned that Maurice Cheeks said he "wouldn't mind coaching the Magic". On an unrelated note, Smith also said that Weisbrod had a chat with Steve Francis about his attitude, the future of the franchise, etc. and mentioned Francis possibly being on his way out this offseason.

 

[HKF]

I see Musselman coming in as well, but who wants Francis?

 

[hobojoe]

I see Musselman coming in as well, but who wants Francis?

You can always find someone who will take a talented, marketable all-star in his physical prime regardless of his attitude or history. Look at the kind of trade value he had coming off that awful season last year.

 

[HKF]

But this is two years in a row of being a dickhead. What teams out there that could use him? Are there any? Would it have to be someone like the Clippers?

 

[Captain Obvious]

But this is two years in a row of being a dickhead. What teams out there that could use him? Are there any? Would it have to be someone like the Clippers?

:yes: The Clippers are desperate for a go-to-guy, and even though Francis isn't one he's better than what they have now. In our offseason thread I posted about a Francis for Maggette/Wilcox deal, among other things. You might want to check it out, maybe post some of your ideas too.

 

[bigbabyjesus]

:yes: The Clippers are desperate for a go-to-guy, and even though Francis isn't one he's better than what they have now. In our offseason thread I posted about a Francis for Maggette/Wilcox deal, among other things. You might want to check it out, maybe post some of your ideas too.

I don't think there's a chance the Clips do that deal.

Yeah, a Livingston - Francis backcourt would be nice, and the Clips are desperate for a go to guy, but I'm pretty sure they'd rather keep Maggette and Wilcox, and try to sign a guy like Ray Allen or Michael Redd instead.

Don't expect to get full value for Francis, and Maggette and Wilcox is definetly full value.

 

[Captain Obvious]

The Clippers would rather deal Maggette and resign Simmons, and Wilcox doesn't even get off the bench anymore. They have no shot at getting Allen or anybody else like that, they're the Clippers for god's sake.

 

[hobojoe]

But this is two years in a row of being a dickhead. What teams out there that could use him? Are there any? Would it have to be someone like the Clippers?

He puts butts in the seats. He's not quite up there with a guy like Vince Carter, but he's had more than his fair share of highlight reel dunks this year and seasons past. There's a reason he was voted an all-star starter 3 years in a row in the West, and it's not because he deserved it all of those years. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I would not be surprised at all to see Atlanta try and acquire him to bring people to the stadium. He and Josh Smith could put together some nice highlight reels together, and with those two, Josh Childress and whatever else they can come up with this offseason through the draft and free agency they could even start winning games again, a sure way to bring fans to the arena.

 

[HKF]

I don't think Atlanta would deal within the division to help make Orlando better. That's not realistic.

 

[hobojoe]

I don't think Atlanta would deal within the division to help make Orlando better. That's not realistic.

Do you really think giving away Francis for presumabley less talent and overall value is viewed as "making the Magic better"? Do you think Atlanta doesn't make a deal because the Magic trade away their best individual player without getting back a star, or even a good player in return making them better? I don't think so. Even if that thought crossed their mind, you have to think they'd at least entertain a deal that would surely help their franchise in the short run.

 

[Idunkonyou]

You can talk bad about Francis's attitude all you like, but the fact remains, he put up career numbers this season and has a very high trade value, especially since he is a PG. He is also very marketable and probably should have been on the allstar team this year. He has been playing great here lately, but the fact remains, I would choose Nelson over Francis. Nelson is younger and when you look at his starting numbers, they are awesome. Nelson and Francis are both starter quality PGs and they can't co-exsist.

So Francis needs to be traded for a quality SG.

 

[Idunkonyou]

I don't think there's a chance the Clips do that deal.

Yeah, a Livingston - Francis backcourt would be nice, and the Clips are desperate for a go to guy, but I'm pretty sure they'd rather keep Maggette and Wilcox, and try to sign a guy like Ray Allen or Michael Redd instead.

Don't expect to get full value for Francis, and Maggette and Wilcox is definetly full value.

I wouldn't say those two are full value. Neither has done much besides lose, lose and lose some more. I doubt the Clippers would want Francis either. They have Livingston and if Francis is there, you can kiss that kids playing time goodbye.

 

[hobojoe]

You can talk bad about Francis's attitude all you like, but the fact remains, he put up career numbers this season and has a very high trade value, especially since he is a PG. He is also very marketable and probably should have been on the allstar team this year. He has been playing great here lately, but the fact remains, I would choose Nelson over Francis. Nelson is younger and when you look at his starting numbers, they are awesome. Nelson and Francis are both starter quality PGs and they can't co-exsist.

So Francis needs to be traded for a quality SG.

The problem is not that Nelson can't coexist with Francis, it's that Francis can't coexist with anyone. One thing I've noticed over the course of the season is that Francis has dominated the ball more and more as the season went along. At the beginning of the year he was great -- he ran the offense, didn't hold the ball and stand still for 10 seconds every other possession, and the Magic were playing well. I believe I even commented on how he was proving the perception of him dominating the ball too much wrong on more than one occassion. As the year went along though, he started reverting back to those ball dominating ways, and it hurt the team. I agree with you though, he definitely has a lot of trade value still.

I wouldn't say those two are full value. Neither has done much besides lose, lose and lose some more. I doubt the Clippers would want Francis either. They have Livingston and if Francis is there, you can kiss that kids playing time goodbye.

The thought is that the two can play together in the same backcourt. Francis adjusts to playing shooting guard on the offensive end fulltime with Livingston running the point, and because of his height Livingston can guard the SG's and Francis guards the PG's. Of course this would only work if Livingston bulked up quite a bit and stayed healthy as well as Francis adjusting to the SG spot better than he did in Orlando and it'd be dependent on Steve's willingness to even go to L.A. and play for the Clippers -- something I have a hard time believing he'd be happy about.

 

[bigbabyjesus]

I dont know, I find it hard to believe that Francis' value is close to full.

I mean, sure he puts up monster numbers, but I'm not sure that his effect on a team is actually good half the time. I mean sometimes its actually hard to watch the guy play, he just dominates the ball, and is so selfish sometimes, that it actually loses his team games.

You guys have mentioned trades with Atlanta, New Orleans in this forum involving Francis, and although those cities could use well known stars to attract fans.. I'm not sure if he would even consider going to those places (like what he did to Vancouver), and if he did, I'm not sure how long it would take for him to start becoming a cancer.

I mean the guy is extremely talented, he just cannot play the PG position, so a trade with the Clips or a team like that would work, because he could move over to the SG position, where he would be more successful IMO.

 

[hobojoe]

I dont know, I find it hard to believe that Francis' value is close to full.

I mean, sure he puts up monster numbers, but I'm not sure that his effect on a team is actually good half the time. I mean sometimes its actually hard to watch the guy play, he just dominates the ball, and is so selfish sometimes, that it actually loses his team games.

You guys have mentioned trades with Atlanta, New Orleans in this forum involving Francis, and although those cities could use well known stars to attract fans.. I'm not sure if he would even consider going to those places (like what he did to Vancouver), and if he did, I'm not sure how long it would take for him to start becoming a cancer.

I mean the guy is extremely talented, he just cannot play the PG position, so a trade with the Clips or a team like that would work, because he could move over to the SG position, where he would be more successful IMO.

The Magic have tried him at SG and he just refuses to adjust his playing style.