ducks
11-09-2005, 08:24 AM
Magic hope mining works in D-League
Brian Schmitz
MAGIC CONFIDENTIAL
November 8, 2005
The Magic are not all that fired up about sending players to the Florida Flame of the NBA's D-League.
The NBA Developmental League opened camps over the weekend and begin the season around Thanksgiving. The Magic, along with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat, are affiliated with the Flame, headquartered in Fort Myers.
The D-League is a good idea in theory, as long as it gives the NBA a true minor-league system. Kids are jumping from high school to the pros and few stay in college long enough to find the library.
The Timberwolves already have sent down two players for seasoning -- rookies Bracey Wright and Dwayne Jones.
But the Magic have been wondering about everything from the style of play to the motivations of a coach who also might have NBA dreams.
Magic Assistant General Manager Dave Twardzik says there are lot of unknowns about the D-league.
"Let's say we send somebody there. Is he assured of getting playing time? What kind of offense does the coach run? If it's not like ours, maybe it's better that our player stays with us [on the inactive roster]," Twardzik said.
For example, if the Magic sent rookie point guard Travis Diener to the Flame, how would Coach Jeff Malone divvy up playing time?
Adds Magic Coach Brian Hill, "We don't know if [the D-League] can be like baseball, where the main focus of the teams and coaches is to develop players" over winning games.
A former NBA player, Malone has designs on coaching in the league. And surely, the Flame have bills to pay and winning helps fill their 7,200 seats.
Flame GM Terry Thimlar says, "We understand their concerns, but we are committed to assisting them as a developmental league."
Lightening Up
The Magic are by no means operating a loose ship, but things are more relaxed without former GM John Weisbrod and coach Johnny Davis. John and Johnny had set rules designed to instill discipline, but a few were just silly.
Broadcasters and team officials could watch practice, but had to remain stone silent. They were not allowed in the gym after practice began. They couldn't have coffee or read the newspaper. The sipping and rustling of paper were deemed distractions.
Staying close to his hockey roots, Weisbrod had a team logo imprinted in the middle of the locker room floor. No players, team officials or media members were allowed to walk on the logo -- out of respect for the franchise. Said a player recently, "I don't care about that logo or the guy who put it there."
Now broadcasters and officials can whisper, sip, read and come in late to practice. And nobody has to watch where they step anymore.
Grant's Wound
A weekly update on the status of Grant Hill
Hill, recovering from hernia surgery, visited his teammates at practice Sunday, saying he was so sore, "It was tough to get off the couch." The Magic's couch potato will have time to tinker on the piano before beginning rehab in a few weeks. He isn't expected to be back playing until mid-December. Hill now has had six surgeries -- five on his ankle -- since joining the Magic in 2000.
Tuesday's 2 cents
Funny how the NBA's new dress code doesn't apply to the Miami Heat Dancers. ... I'm not saying they don't wear much, but the Heat are booking bachelor parties. ...
Brian Hill is back as the Magic's head coach. Nemesis Penny Hardaway was demoted to the Knicks' inactive list. What comes around. ...
The Magic are trying to get the ball inside to Dwight Howard. But I'd like to see Kelvin Cato get a few more touches, for no other reason than to pique his interest. ...
Shaquille O'Neal tells me he'd sell his 40,000-square foot Isleworth compound for $35 million. Is he kidding? That's not a home; it's a warehouse.
20-second timeout: Catching up with a former member of the Magic
Coach Richie Adubato
Adubato, former Magic coach and current WNBA Washington Mystics coach, is the radio color analyst for Magic home games.
Magic Confidential: You've done about everything in basketball. Even washed uniforms, we hear.
Adubato: That's right. Ronny Rothstein -- who's now an assistant with the Heat -- and I were coaching at Upsala College [in East Orange, N.J.] and we had to wash the kids' uniforms.
MC: How did that go?
Adubato: One night we took 'em to this laundromat, but there was just this one little box of detergent [in the vending machine.]
We washed 'em as best we could, but the players .. well, we didn't smell too good.
They Got Next
Tonight: Magic at Houston. Last season T-Mac's new team won both games against his old team. He's out with a back injury, pain that probably began when he had to carry the Magic.
Wednesday: Magic vs. New Orleans in Oklahoma City. Displaced Hornets struggled in the Big Easy even before Katrina, and I doubt they'll be back. They ain't the Saints.
Sunday: Cavs at Magic. There are guys I'd classify as must-see: Kobe, A.I., Springsteen, Shaq, Bono -- and LeBron.
Pressure Points
The Magic complained to the league after the schedule was released this summer -- and won. The NBA had them playing a back-to-back (Washington and Miami) just a day after they returned from a week-long West Coast trip in January. The game vs. the Heat was moved.
The Magic spoke with Latrell Sprewell's agent, but Spree wanted a two-year deal. For Orlando, that was too long to be tied to his suspect character.
Power Poll
L.A.Clippers. The Clippers?! Clips off to best start in 20 years. Lakers are so yesterday.
Detroit Pistons. Shocking. It's working without Larry Brown.
Jay-Z: New Jersey Nets credit rapper/minority owner with helping revival.
Milwaukee Bucks. Milwaukee's best since Alcindor era?
Kobe and Phil. They've played nice.
Washington Wizards. Gilbert Arenas coming to arenas near you.
Dallas Mavs. Still firing up Cuban.
Indiana Pacers. Ron Artest. ... tick, tick, tick.
Oklahoma City. Kudos for embracing Hornets.
San Antonio Spurs. Wake 'em in April.
Magic Numbers
30 -- Magic are the lowest scoring team in the NBA.
0 -- So far, so quiet. No technicals on Steve Francis.
33:03 -- Playing time recorded by DeShawn Stevenson vs. Memphis. New box scores have a second hand.
Quoteboard
"O.J. Simpson is helping me," said Magic forward Dwight Howard, talking about assistant coach Randy Ayers. Players have nicknamed Ayers "O.J." because of his resemblance to the celebrity.
"He came in there being Napoleon -- trying to go on a power trip," Kings forward Bonzie Wells of his former coach, Mike Fratello of the Grizzlies.
Last Word
oCommissioner David Stern is expected to visit with Magic before they face the Hornets in Oklahoma City. Maybe the Magic can ask for some relief.
Brian Schmitz can be reached at [email protected]. He can be seen on the Magic Television Network's pregame shows today and Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Brian also can be heard on "Magic Monday" each Monday on the Sentinel's Keep 'n Score on 740 The Team (WQTM-AM) at 9:15 a.m.
Brian Schmitz
MAGIC CONFIDENTIAL
November 8, 2005
The Magic are not all that fired up about sending players to the Florida Flame of the NBA's D-League.
The NBA Developmental League opened camps over the weekend and begin the season around Thanksgiving. The Magic, along with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat, are affiliated with the Flame, headquartered in Fort Myers.
The D-League is a good idea in theory, as long as it gives the NBA a true minor-league system. Kids are jumping from high school to the pros and few stay in college long enough to find the library.
The Timberwolves already have sent down two players for seasoning -- rookies Bracey Wright and Dwayne Jones.
But the Magic have been wondering about everything from the style of play to the motivations of a coach who also might have NBA dreams.
Magic Assistant General Manager Dave Twardzik says there are lot of unknowns about the D-league.
"Let's say we send somebody there. Is he assured of getting playing time? What kind of offense does the coach run? If it's not like ours, maybe it's better that our player stays with us [on the inactive roster]," Twardzik said.
For example, if the Magic sent rookie point guard Travis Diener to the Flame, how would Coach Jeff Malone divvy up playing time?
Adds Magic Coach Brian Hill, "We don't know if [the D-League] can be like baseball, where the main focus of the teams and coaches is to develop players" over winning games.
A former NBA player, Malone has designs on coaching in the league. And surely, the Flame have bills to pay and winning helps fill their 7,200 seats.
Flame GM Terry Thimlar says, "We understand their concerns, but we are committed to assisting them as a developmental league."
Lightening Up
The Magic are by no means operating a loose ship, but things are more relaxed without former GM John Weisbrod and coach Johnny Davis. John and Johnny had set rules designed to instill discipline, but a few were just silly.
Broadcasters and team officials could watch practice, but had to remain stone silent. They were not allowed in the gym after practice began. They couldn't have coffee or read the newspaper. The sipping and rustling of paper were deemed distractions.
Staying close to his hockey roots, Weisbrod had a team logo imprinted in the middle of the locker room floor. No players, team officials or media members were allowed to walk on the logo -- out of respect for the franchise. Said a player recently, "I don't care about that logo or the guy who put it there."
Now broadcasters and officials can whisper, sip, read and come in late to practice. And nobody has to watch where they step anymore.
Grant's Wound
A weekly update on the status of Grant Hill
Hill, recovering from hernia surgery, visited his teammates at practice Sunday, saying he was so sore, "It was tough to get off the couch." The Magic's couch potato will have time to tinker on the piano before beginning rehab in a few weeks. He isn't expected to be back playing until mid-December. Hill now has had six surgeries -- five on his ankle -- since joining the Magic in 2000.
Tuesday's 2 cents
Funny how the NBA's new dress code doesn't apply to the Miami Heat Dancers. ... I'm not saying they don't wear much, but the Heat are booking bachelor parties. ...
Brian Hill is back as the Magic's head coach. Nemesis Penny Hardaway was demoted to the Knicks' inactive list. What comes around. ...
The Magic are trying to get the ball inside to Dwight Howard. But I'd like to see Kelvin Cato get a few more touches, for no other reason than to pique his interest. ...
Shaquille O'Neal tells me he'd sell his 40,000-square foot Isleworth compound for $35 million. Is he kidding? That's not a home; it's a warehouse.
20-second timeout: Catching up with a former member of the Magic
Coach Richie Adubato
Adubato, former Magic coach and current WNBA Washington Mystics coach, is the radio color analyst for Magic home games.
Magic Confidential: You've done about everything in basketball. Even washed uniforms, we hear.
Adubato: That's right. Ronny Rothstein -- who's now an assistant with the Heat -- and I were coaching at Upsala College [in East Orange, N.J.] and we had to wash the kids' uniforms.
MC: How did that go?
Adubato: One night we took 'em to this laundromat, but there was just this one little box of detergent [in the vending machine.]
We washed 'em as best we could, but the players .. well, we didn't smell too good.
They Got Next
Tonight: Magic at Houston. Last season T-Mac's new team won both games against his old team. He's out with a back injury, pain that probably began when he had to carry the Magic.
Wednesday: Magic vs. New Orleans in Oklahoma City. Displaced Hornets struggled in the Big Easy even before Katrina, and I doubt they'll be back. They ain't the Saints.
Sunday: Cavs at Magic. There are guys I'd classify as must-see: Kobe, A.I., Springsteen, Shaq, Bono -- and LeBron.
Pressure Points
The Magic complained to the league after the schedule was released this summer -- and won. The NBA had them playing a back-to-back (Washington and Miami) just a day after they returned from a week-long West Coast trip in January. The game vs. the Heat was moved.
The Magic spoke with Latrell Sprewell's agent, but Spree wanted a two-year deal. For Orlando, that was too long to be tied to his suspect character.
Power Poll
L.A.Clippers. The Clippers?! Clips off to best start in 20 years. Lakers are so yesterday.
Detroit Pistons. Shocking. It's working without Larry Brown.
Jay-Z: New Jersey Nets credit rapper/minority owner with helping revival.
Milwaukee Bucks. Milwaukee's best since Alcindor era?
Kobe and Phil. They've played nice.
Washington Wizards. Gilbert Arenas coming to arenas near you.
Dallas Mavs. Still firing up Cuban.
Indiana Pacers. Ron Artest. ... tick, tick, tick.
Oklahoma City. Kudos for embracing Hornets.
San Antonio Spurs. Wake 'em in April.
Magic Numbers
30 -- Magic are the lowest scoring team in the NBA.
0 -- So far, so quiet. No technicals on Steve Francis.
33:03 -- Playing time recorded by DeShawn Stevenson vs. Memphis. New box scores have a second hand.
Quoteboard
"O.J. Simpson is helping me," said Magic forward Dwight Howard, talking about assistant coach Randy Ayers. Players have nicknamed Ayers "O.J." because of his resemblance to the celebrity.
"He came in there being Napoleon -- trying to go on a power trip," Kings forward Bonzie Wells of his former coach, Mike Fratello of the Grizzlies.
Last Word
oCommissioner David Stern is expected to visit with Magic before they face the Hornets in Oklahoma City. Maybe the Magic can ask for some relief.
Brian Schmitz can be reached at [email protected]. He can be seen on the Magic Television Network's pregame shows today and Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Brian also can be heard on "Magic Monday" each Monday on the Sentinel's Keep 'n Score on 740 The Team (WQTM-AM) at 9:15 a.m.