According to hoopsworld.com No Urgency In Orlando: Hey Magic fans… the roster is basically set, so quit asking… just kidding. The Orlando Magic and their rabid fan base have been fun this summer, but sadly beyond a couple of toss-in roster players the Magic are not looking seriously at any major moves before camp opens on September 27th. The Magic would like to add a third point guard and there is always the lingering question of what to do with JJ Redick, but neither of these issues seem to be at the top of the Magic's to-do list. As it stands today JJ Redick looks like he's coming to camp to compete for a role on this team. Magic sources say they understand that things may be broken with JJ after two seasons of being parked on the bench, but they also point out that if JJ get real minutes and a role on this team there is a belief that things can be fixed. The other side of the JJ situation is that his value is tremendously low because he had not played. One league source said the Magic were struggling to get a first round pick for a player they took in the first round, so why sell JJ at a loss, bring him to camp, establish some value and move him a long when his value is higher. There had been a rumor floating around, suggesting the Magic and the OKC TBA's – also dubbed The Thunder – were pondering a swap involving Nick Collision coming to Orlando in a package that was to include Tony Battie. Magic sources have assured me that Tony Battie is not going anywhere and that the love affair fans and the media have with Nick Collision in Orlando is not going to happen, at least not before training camp. The Magic feel Tony Battie is the answer to their toughness question and that fact that Tony is in great shape and well rested – should the team struggle early or Tony not fit back in where he's expected, that could change the situation, but Magic sources were pretty clear that beyond a few small tweaks, you are looking at your 2008-2009 Orlando Magic roster now.

i don't think it's much of a love affair with battie, actually it's not one at all, but it's more of a, 'hey we need a guy at pf, battie is our best option,' sort of deal. i'd presonally rather see a younger guy there with soft enough hands to make a jumpshot, but battie has the skills to make the position work. and if it ain't really broke then there is no major need to fix it, last thing you want to do is trade battie for someone else's 3rd option. battie is a good 1st option, and a great 2nd option.

I'd like to see what Battie can give us now that he's healed and rested...

but we still need to look

If there was truly a deal discussed that would rid the Magic of Battie & his contract in exchange for Collison and Otis didn't bite, I would be extremely disappointed.

Battie is old, injury prone, overpaid, and barely contributes when healthy. Collison on the other hand would be the perfect fit for our team coming off the bench at PF when we needed toughness.

Otis' infactuation with Foyle and Battie really makes me question his motives and intelligence.
Aside from the addition of Pietrus and the heist of NJ's TE for Dooling, I really am not excited about the Magic's off-season or future prospects with aging, underperforming/overpaid players eating up tons of cap space.

I'm fine with keeping Battie.

I just want the Crittenton deal to go thru.

If none of the following: Adding a third PG, getting younger at PF, or figuring out what to do with Redick isn't at the top of the Magic's "to do" list.... then just what in the blue hell is!?

Well guy's look's like we will be competing for a 6-8 playoff spot next season. Every one happy? I hope Jesus AKA Mikael Pietrus can save us. Otis is a d---h bag!

quote:

Originally posted by Erik:
Well guy's look's like we will be competing for a 6-8 playoff spot next season. Every one happy? I hope Jesus AKA Mikael Pietrus can save us. Otis is a d---h bag!

Otis is a dough bag?

quote:

Originally posted by Jackie Treehorn:

quote:

Originally posted by Erik:
Well guy's look's like we will be competing for a 6-8 playoff spot next season. Every one happy? I hope Jesus AKA Mikael Pietrus can save us. Otis is a d---h bag!

Otis is a dough bag?

doooh! bag

Since we need toughness up front,does that mean Battie might be the starting PF?

i'll put money on them sticking with the same lineup as last year except instead of mo/bo you'll have peitrus at the starting sg spot. i know he's not exactly what people think of when they want toughness up front, but he's actually a pretty physical guy for his height and has averaged small amounts of blks and rebs (belive me i know he's not the answer we're all looking for when it comes to toughness up front), but for what we had to offer this offseason salary cap wise i really don't see who else we could have gotten at his age who would add perimeter defense at the 2 and then run under the rim and be even the slightest bit effective.

in a perfect world we'd get that collison trade in motion as of right now so we could at least add another guy to the rotation to give dwight soem real help.

quote:

Originally posted by cunningstunt:
i don't think it's much of a love affair with battie, actually it's not one at all, but it's more of a, 'hey we need a guy at pf, battie is our best option,' sort of deal. i'd presonally rather see a younger guy there with soft enough hands to make a jumpshot, but battie has the skills to make the position work. and if it ain't really broke then there is no major need to fix it, last thing you want to do is trade battie for someone else's 3rd option. battie is a good 1st option, and a great 2nd option.

I think you have the opinion of some fans and management confused. This organization is deeply in love with Tony Battie and if that wasn't obvious before this offseason, it should be now.

quote:

Originally posted by KillingInTheNameOf:

quote:

Originally posted by cunningstunt:
i don't think it's much of a love affair with battie, actually it's not one at all, but it's more of a, 'hey we need a guy at pf, battie is our best option,' sort of deal. i'd presonally rather see a younger guy there with soft enough hands to make a jumpshot, but battie has the skills to make the position work. and if it ain't really broke then there is no major need to fix it, last thing you want to do is trade battie for someone else's 3rd option. battie is a good 1st option, and a great 2nd option.

I think you have the opinion of some fans and management confused. This organization is deeply in love with Tony Battie and if that wasn't obvious before this offseason, it should be now.

What exactly leads you to believe the organization is deeply in love with Battie? Outside of the extension which, although unmerited in some respects, is not that exceptional, what else? Is the speculation on that trade offer strong enough to summize that?

I hear that the team is "in love " with Nelson, and "in love" with Tony, and "in love" with JJ. Is love another word for "haven't found a good trade for you yet so I'll tell the media we're happy with you"?

quote:

Originally posted by cunningstunt:
i'll put money on them sticking with the same lineup as last year except instead of mo/bo you'll have peitrus at the starting sg spot. i know he's not exactly what people think of when they want toughness up front, but he's actually a pretty physical guy for his height and has averaged small amounts of blks and rebs (belive me i know he's not the answer we're all looking for when it comes to toughness up front), but for what we had to offer this offseason salary cap wise i really don't see who else we could have gotten at his age who would add perimeter defense at the 2 and then run under the rim and be even the slightest bit effective.

in a perfect world we'd get that collison trade in motion as of right now so we could at least add another guy to the rotation to give dwight soem real help.

Orlando did not pay Lewis all that money to do the physical work inside with Howard(thats not his game,SVG put him at the 4 spot his 1st year b/c our main PF was out for the year),he is a scorer and I think SVG will use more players to their strengths as much as possible.

quote:

Originally posted by EnFuego:

What exactly leads you to believe the organization is deeply in love with Battie? Outside of the extension which, although unmerited in some respects, is not that exceptional, what else? Is the speculation on that trade offer strong enough to summize that?

I hear that the team is "in love " with Nelson, and "in love" with Tony, and "in love" with JJ. Is love another word for "haven't found a good trade for you yet so I'll tell the media we're happy with you"?

Have you ever heard Otis talk about Battie? His incredible professionalism, defense, and leadership? I think the only word that would define it is gush.

And, I've said this 100x on this forumn, but if Grant Hill & Tony Battie were such great leaders, why did this team completely lack leadership under Napolean 2 seasons ago? If Battie is such a great defender, why did everybody with a pulse scorcth him 2 years ago? How could he get abused by C. Webb? But, that hasn't stopped anybody within the organization from counting on this guy.

We had a hole in our front court last year BEFORE Battie got hurt. The entire basketball world looks at our roster and says that team needs a PF, yet we've made no significant effort to acquire one. In fact, it was priority #3 this offseason.

Why, ask Otis, he'll tell you the "Return Of Battie" is like MJ coming out of retirement.

The extension, it speaks for itself, & it goes WAY beyond his salary. The grand plan called for Battie to go when his contract was up and yet Otis blew a hole in it by prematurely signing the guy to an extension.

2 years ago, the guy was dreadful, and remained in the starting lineup over Darko. It's really never ending.

BTW, who in this organization loves JJ???

I have to add, I love reading people on this board bash Darko, and supporting Battie. Darko's first opportunity to start was more productive than any season Battie has ever had & the guys 23. As I said in another thread, Kwame Brown has been more productive than Battie.

I think he's an adequate 3rd guy in the front court, but I think people are crazy if they think a career 5/5 guy who's never averaged more than 24 minutes and is constantly injured is the solution. Yet, our front office does.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: KillingInTheNameOf,