Chad Ford absolutely owns Orlando Magic

[Mustachio]

A really well written diss on the Orlando Magic. That team has litterally screwed themselves for the next 5 years. Thanks.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insid...t&lid=tab3pos1

some highlights -

The Magic could have secured Lewis with a five-year, $60 million deal. Of course, Lewis' agent and the Magic won't admit that, but that's what the market tells us -- along with a number of GMs and agents.

So when the Magic broke the first rule and "bid against themselves," the price was an extra $53 million.

Lewis just received a max deal, or very close -- as close as the Magic could offer. So is Lewis a max player?

Some questions: Was he the best player on his team? (No.) Was his team good? (No.) Is he the best player on his new team? (No.) Do we really need to ask any more questions?

Wallace is more than three years younger than Lewis, and he just signed a six-year deal for about half of what Lewis did. Wallace averaged 18.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game last season, and posted a very similar player efficiency rating to Lewis. He also is a much better defender. While Wallace does not have the kind of outside shot that Lewis does, the Magic have players who do -- especially Redick and Turkoglu.

The combined production of Milicic and Wallace very likely will match or outpace what Lewis will do for the Magic this season. Essentially, Orlando is paying him the price of two players.

So where does that leave the Magic? The team gave Lewis one of the most lucrative long-term deals in NBA history -- along the lines of historic deals for O'Neal and Garnett. His sixth year salary of $22.6 million (if and when it becomes guaranteed) will be higher than that of all but two players -- Garnett and Tim Duncan. To get the right to pay him that much money, the team renounced or dropped qualifying offers to a whopping 12 players. Two key players for the Magic last season -- Grant Hill and Milicic -- are gone.

Once the Magic extend the contracts of Howard and Nelson, they essentially will be capped out for the next five years. This is their team.

[tamburello]

[quote=Mustachio ]

The Magic could have secured Lewis with a five-year, $60 million deal. Of course, Lewis' agent and the Magic won't admit that, but that's what the market tells us -- along with a number of GMs and agents.

Maybe that's a little low than his standards(I'd rather say 75-80 million because he had opted out 21 millions for 2 years), but 113 millions are the standards of franchise big men's, such as Tim Duncan or Chris Bosh. Not for the players who had never been the first option of his team.

[dvdbumpus]

Ouch, the Magic truely did get raped.

[timang]

glad we're nowhere near their brains in terms of getting players...
uhm, Grant Hill anyone?

[dvdbumpus]

Can you believe Lewis will be making Kobe Bryant money towards the end of the contract?

[dnbman]

From my recent Bobcats Planet blog:

http://www.bobcatsplanet.com/joomla/...ogsection/5/9/

20 questions facing the upcoming season:

20. If Rashard Lewis busts his knee during his first year with the Magic, do the Orlando fans sack Disney World and sacrifice Goofy, hoping to appease whatever god has cursed them?

[ziggy]

Can you believe Lewis will be making Kobe Bryant money towards the end of the contract?

Its insane cap management in my opinion. Rashard is is a good scorer, but every other aspect of his game is average at best. Like Ford said, Orlando has locked themselves into being unable to make any moves for the next 5 years. I took a look in this Orlando Magic Forum, and it looks like a good portion of their fans realize that their GM hasn't done them any favors.

[123together]

yeah, that is a bunch of money for lewis. he is a great offensive player, but he is not one of the 15 best players in the league and shouldn't be paid like that. but his agent did a great job of getting him all that money haha

[dvdbumpus]

Can you believe Lewis will be making Kobe Bryant money towards the end of the contract?

Its insane cap management in my opinion. Rashard is is a good scorer, but every other aspect of his game is average at best. Like Ford said, Orlando has locked themselves into being unable to make any moves for the next 5 years. I took a look in this Orlando Magic Forum, and it looks like a good portion of their fans realize that their GM hasn't done them any favors.

I read the forum board and man, those guys are pissed! It'd be like if we signed Wallace to a $112 million contract. If that was the case, I'd be saying "LATA!!"