Did Johnson makes the right call?

Did Joe Johnson make the right call on not signing a contract extension with the Hawks? Time will tell. But you can bet the topic will be debated daily until the end of this Hawks season, when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Did Joe Johnson make the right call on not signing a contract extension with the Hawks? Time will tell. But you can bet the topic will be debated daily until the end of this Hawks season, when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

HAWKSVILLE – Much has been and will be made about Joe Johnson’s decision to bypass signing an extension with the Hawks and become a free agent at the end of this NBA season.

And rightfully so.

In the minds of us common folk, the idea of staring down $60-plus million more dollars seems laughable in these harsh economic times. But Johnson is not one of us (common folk), and there are at least $70 million reasons for that. He also has something professional athletes have maybe once or twice, if they are lucky, in their entire careers — LEVERAGE.

By playing out the final year of his deal he’ll become a free agent in the summer of 2010, joining guys like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in a deep free agent class that has as many as a dozen different  (financially capable) teams around the league salivating. So in that regard, he’d have been crazy to sign an extension for just four years if he stands to get not only another year but millions more by becoming a free agent next summer.

My email was flooded Tuesday afternoon by people wondering what JJ was thinking. Fans of the Hawks, writers from around the league and concerned citizens all wanted to know why he’d so such a thing. My response to everyone was the same, why wouldn’t he maximize his leverage at this time?  Teams do so all the time when their players are free agents. In recent years the Hawks have had Josh Smith, Josh Childress, Marvin Williams, Mike Bibby and Zaza Pachulia play out the final years of their deals without an extension. In almost every case things have worked out well for both sides.

It’s simply a part of the business of basketball that Johnson explained to me the other day. He could have saved his words. I get it. I don’t assume that his loyalty is somehow in question because he turned down the offer, the same way I don’t (always) question a team’s loyalty when they allow a player to finish out his deal before deciding just how much they want to invest in said player for the future. Again, it’s called leverage.

The reality in all these instances is pretty clear, you have a player for the life of his contract unless a decision is made to change that dynamic. And it’s always for better (JJ) or worse (Flip Murray’s deal was just one year), through sickness (or injury in Speedy Claxton’s case) and in health (Smith has been as durable as any player I can remember through the first five seasons of his career).

I dare anyone to suggest that the Hawks haven’t squeezed every ounce of benefit they could out of having JJ on the roster – he’s got the mileage on his body to prove it if anyone wants to inspect the tread on his tires. He’s been to three straight All-Star games and for at least the better part of his first two years he carried this team on his shoulders as the youngsters grew up and learned the nuances of the NBA game. That’s why it’s so hard for me to digest some of the venom pointed in his direction now.

As I suggested in a comment on the previous post, the idea of a highly motivated All-Star in the prime of his career itching to take his game to another level (for any reason) is an ideal situation for your team. As good as JJ has been in the past, you have to think he’ll be even better this year with the seasoned and talented roster the Hawks have in place, not to mention the quality additions to the roster like Jamal Crawford and Jeff Teague in the backcourt and Joe Smith and Jason Collins in the frontcourt.

It’s the same argument made here by many when Smith, Childress, Williams and the like were put in a similar position as pending free agents in the final year of their respective deals.

Whether or not JJ made the right call for JJ remains to be seen. And we likely won’t have a solid answer until next summer’s free agent frenzy plays itself out. But there’s no way the Hawks can lose in the meantime. No way.

366 comments Add your comment

Samuel

October 2nd, 2009
11:43 pm

VC Career highs:

* Points – 51 (2 times)
* Field Goals Made – 20 vs. Milwaukee 01/14/00
* Field Goals Attempted – 36 @ Philadelphia 01/21/01
* Three Point Field Goals Made – 9 vs. Memphis 12/11/06
* Three Point Field Goals Attempted – 20 vs. Memphis 12/11/06
* Free Throws Made – 23 @ Miami 12/23/05
* Free Throws Attempted – 27 @ Phoenix 12/30/00
* Offensive Rebounds – 8 vs. Chicago 11/05/05
* Defensive Rebounds – 13 (2 times)
* Total Rebounds – 16 vs. Washington 04/07/07
* Assists – 14 @ Milwaukee 01/09/09
* Steals – 6 (3 times)
* Blocks – 6 vs. Chicago 03/28/99
* Minutes Played – 63 vs. Sacramento 02/23/01[19]

Ball Hogs dont get 14 assists in one game. He doesn’t play defense yet he got 6 steals in one game 3 times and 6 blocks in one game. How bout Turk?

Samuel

October 2nd, 2009
11:50 pm

Hedo’s Awards

2001 NBA All-Rookie Second Team
2008 NBA Most Improved Player

WOW!!

niremetal

October 2nd, 2009
11:52 pm

Samuel,

Shaq is a future Hall of Famer too. Did that make him a good fit with the Suns?

Allen Iverson is a future Hall of Famer too. Did that make him a good fit with Detroit? Denver?

Ben Wallace is a future Hall of Famer too. Did that make him a good fit with Chicago?

Elton Brand was on pace to be a Hall of Famer before his injury two years ago. But even if he gets healthy, is he a good fit in Philly?

Mitch Richmond in Washington…

Marbury everywhere he played, even before he got hurt…

Let’s say the Lakers trade Kobe to Orlando right now for Dwight Howard, straight up. Does either team improve? Since the answer to that question is obvious, let me give you the natural follow-up:

Can’t you at least acknowledge that even if a player has serious, serious game, he might not be as good a fit as a slightly lesser-caliber player in the context of a particular team and system?

niremetal

October 3rd, 2009
12:02 am

(I don’t know why I bothered there….I fully expect Samuel’s response to be about as powerful as “You forgot Poland…”)

Samuel

October 3rd, 2009
12:07 am

Shaq made All NBA. The other guys sucked. Dumars is a head case. Ben Wallace was on steroids. If brand get’s healthy, Philly may pass the Hawks. Kobe, VC, Lewis, Bass, Nelson would probably beat the Lakers(minus Kobe) with Dwight. Mitch Richmond was overrated and Starbury is laughing all the way to the bank. “immo do me”.LOL!!

Yes, he “might” not but the season hasn’t even started yet and clueless bloggers and writers are saying VC won’t fit. “How the Hell do you know?”.

Samuel

October 3rd, 2009
12:21 am

I’m out. I got a Futbol game tomorrow.

Big Ray

October 3rd, 2009
12:57 am

Heh, heh, heh!

Classic battle between Samuel and Niremetal . Nire makes some good points, and Sam does too, especially with his last question. The answer? We don’t know. None of us. But I’m sure somebody will claim that they do anyhow…. :)

The Flash ,

Wow, man. Nice post on JJ and “what could have been.” All I can say is that is definitely yet another strong opinion, no less supported than any others, and I think even the STAUNCHEST defenders of JJ, Billy, the JJ deal, etc, know better than to pick that hill to die on, as the saying goes.

I know you, Flash. If somebody actually had the cajones to come back and try to pick that argument apart, you would come back with three times the heat, and four times the solid backup. Hell, I can’t blame anybody for tenderly stepping away from that one. ;)

BosnianBaller

October 3rd, 2009
1:02 am

thehawksleftthenest – all the games in the playoffs and about 10 regular season games not including the hawks games.If you live in Orlando do you really think for this upcoming season that there will be enough of the ball to go around to everyone(Howard,Lewis,Carter,Nelson,Pietrus) I think Carter’s numbers will go down b/c of this by how much I don’t know.Plus what is the Magic Starting line up this year(If you know please share)? Will Carter be a 3 or 2? When they had Hedo they were all huge on the front court and caused a lot of mismatches(yes lewis was a big part of that as well).

We will see how it works out in the season.Can’t wait

Big Ray

October 3rd, 2009
1:07 am

If there’s a noticeable change in the way Teague is being treated, compared to past rookies, there’s good reason for it, Woodson said.

“I think his teammates see it like we see it as coaches,” Woodson said. “We haven’t had a young point guard like Teague since I’ve been here, a kid that possess all the different kinds of skills that he does. He can’t be anything but a positive to your ball club, so you’ve got to help him because he can help us.”

Still, Woodson said he will challenge Teague to assert himself more and to command the floor when he’s out there, regardless of what other players are with him.

“I do think that it’s good for him that there are veterans in front of him,” Woodson said. “But I don’t want him to feel by being a rookie that he’s not a part of what we’re doing. Because he has a chance, with the skills he possesses, to be a pretty good point guard in this league. That’s why I’m going to challenge him more and I’m going to demand his teammates do the same.

“Because sometimes rookies can get lost in the shuffle if you’re not tough enough. I don’t want this rookie to get lost in the shuffle, because he’s a natural point guard that is going to play this position in the league for a long time.”

Huh.

I tell you what. Woody always tells the truth. And here, he tells the truth about the past, as much as he is about the present. Read between the lines, people. It ain’t hard.

VERY beautifully written, Sekou .

Having said that, I can’t imagine a bigger endorsement for a rookie, coming from a head coach. I’m sure glad Woody likes Teague. If he didn’t, he’d be lost in the shuffle….

Now I wonder. Are the veteran players treating the rookie well because the head coach is, or are they doing so just out of the goodness of their hearts? I’m not being sarcastic, I’m being serious.

Big Ray

October 3rd, 2009
1:10 am

And DANIEL ,

Hey mister! I was messing with truth serum , but I wasn’t trying to be MEAN ! I thought it was a funny joke, and he seemed to take it really well (I was impressed). But NOOOOOOOOOOOO….YOUUUUUUUUUUU had to go and stir things up, didn’t ya? Ya scurvy knave, you! :twisted: :lol:

Big Ray

October 3rd, 2009
1:12 am

Great to have vets around who actually care about the younger players, and can actually teach them something.

I don’t miss Lorenzen Wright’s crack-monkey a$$ one bit. “Pulling rank” on Horford, pulling pranks on Acie (if that had been MY car, Lo Wright would STILL be on injured reserve), and what did he have to show for it on the court? The fool averaged more fouls than he did points or rebounds. Any idiot can do that….

BosnianBaller

October 3rd, 2009
1:33 am

niremetal -I agree with you on the Elton Brand thing.Last year everyone(so called tv analysts such as Tim Legler and others) said the 76ers would be one of the top 3 or 4 teams when they got Brand.It wasn’t until he got hurt that they started to play good basketball.

Ramon

October 3rd, 2009
1:57 am

Carter’s numbers will not go down. He is still the only player on the Magic who can create. He is still the number one clutch player they have. Bosnian, you say Carter only lead his team to the playoffs 5 times in 11 years. I guess you forget JJ has only been the best player on a play off team 2 times, and that is out of 8 years. So even if he does it the next three years, that will still be 5 out of 11 like your boy Carter. Also do you really feel the teams in Toronto were better than last years roster that surrounded JJ? T Mac wasn’t T Mac then.

Bosnian you also mentioned Vince being a ball hog and not a team player. Yet you fell to mention that Vince usually have the same amount of attempts as JJ for the last odd number of years. And is the biggest complaint around here not that JJ doesn’t get HIS teammates involved enough? Also Vince averages 25 ppg in the PLAYOFFS. JJ averages 18 since he’s been with the Hawks (when he was the 1st option). Not to mention Vince still has more explosiveness off one good leg than JJ has off both. And before you say JJ’s a better shooter, in ALL categories FG%, 3pt%, and FT% Vince has better percentages.So Vince is at LEAST as good as JJ (I think better), and you say he won’t fit in as good as Turk? Turk doesn’t have better handles, play making ability, defense, nor a better shooting touch than Vince (stats prove it).

Ramon

October 3rd, 2009
2:00 am

BosnianBaller

October 3rd, 2009
2:43 am

Vince Carter=Elton Brand
I’m not talking about JJ.Stats are nice to look at but it doesn’t say everything.Basketball is not Baseball where stats are everything.(98-99 Rockets had Olajuwon,Barkley,and Pippen where did they end up.Brand last year,A.I. in denver is a hall of famer and billups isn’t and what happend there. I’ll keep going if you want me to.Carter has had a much better career the hedo.Carter was the number 1 option in NJ last year and he will be 2 or 3 in Orlando thus dropping his stats(even tho stats are misused sometimes).Turk is a better play maker and has better handles.Carter does have a better shooting touch.I don’t think the Magic would of beaten the Cavs if Carter had taken Hedo’s place.They were simply to big.

There is no way anyone can win this debate.When the season gets underway we’ll see what happens.I guarantee you Carter’s stats will go down and Orlando will not go as far as last year unless Dwight Howard learns how to shoot a 15 ft.jumper .Anybody have any great stats about Howards jumper

Ramon

October 3rd, 2009
2:47 am

Bosnian, you do realize last season Hedo had more turnovers than Carter, even though Carter often faced double teams? And a better play maker to create his own shot than Carter? Ok……

BosnianBaller

October 3rd, 2009
2:58 am

Who was Orlando’s mvp in the playoffs and the go to guy in the last seconds.Yes Carter was Nj’s go to guy I know. Do you think Orlando makes it to the Finals last year w/out Hedo and Carter in his place.

Ramon

October 3rd, 2009
3:03 am

Actually, yes I do. Because Vince presence puts West in foul trouble all series long. Do you think Philly almost knocks off Orlando last year if Vince was there instead of Turk?

BosnianBaller

October 3rd, 2009
3:14 am

I don’t know maybe?They would beat Philly w/ carter but not Cleavland.
No way does Orlando go that far w/out Hedo and Vince in his place.NO WAY!

Now this year Howard is a year older and better.Bass and Anderson are there to give depth.They will be good,but hedo was the x-factor plain and simple.

Samuel

October 3rd, 2009
9:23 am

Hedo is right where he wants to be. Somewhere he can jack up shots and play no defense. Talk about fits. Let’s see if Toronto gets any better without Parker and Moon.

Joe Mama

October 3rd, 2009
9:47 am

Ray. I knew it was a shout out and a jib simultaneously. I feel you. No problem. You have a way of reaching out and holding your ground with class. Ill give you that.

Speaking of class, or rather the lack thereof:

mister sociological prophetess, just because a team does not win a championship does not mean that a key player wasn’t a good fit. Shaq was a good fit in Phoenix. His supporting cast was often injured and played on a c+ level.

Just because you have a good team doesn’t mean you have a great team or a championship team. Shaq will fit in fine because he’s a professional. At the end of the day it’s about getting the job done. Shaq can command double and triple team in the post. He can be a 1st or 2nd option. The rumors of his demise are greatly exaggerated. You won’t back him down and the alley oop is not happening with him in the post. Take your game outside please! Shaq will be play at the higher levels for the next three years. Too bad the Hawks did not show enough interest in him. We would surely be in the top thee. Between Paschulia and Horford Id prefer Shaq. Neither Zaza or Al or first second or third option material but rather they fit the “any is plenty” senario and everybody backs them down! With Zaza the expressway to the cup is open. Now we have to score two baskets. 1 to even the score they just got over Z and 2 to take the lead.

Joe Mama

October 3rd, 2009
9:50 am

(are a first)

Joe Mama

October 3rd, 2009
9:57 am

Its funny how when Acie turns to a lemon its Woody’s fault but now that hes a 4th or 5th point guard he’s a scubb… Credit Woodson with great vision for player talent!

Joe Mama

October 3rd, 2009
9:57 am

Melvin

October 3rd, 2009
10:49 am

Melvin

October 3rd, 2009
10:54 am

Asst coach Jim Todd said Woody has added a new offense this season. We will see…

http://www.nba.com/video/teams/hawks/2009/10/02/JimToddOct2.nba/

The Flash

October 3rd, 2009
11:18 am

Samuel, there are two words that explain why Ben Walace was let go by Detroit and did not succeed elsewhere and neither is roids. Can we say Larry Brown, boys and girls.

Larry integrated Walace into the offense, had the offense run through him often, and helped Walace learn to see the flow and develop two or three scoring options off the spots he was likely to make catches. Then, and here’s the real part that makes all the difference, he got the other guys, most importantly Rip and Chauncy, seeing Walace as a go-to option instead of just someone who was supposed to get the ball from them and do the heavy lifting on the other end. They needed to look for him, and look to see when he wanted it, which Walace learned to do under Larry.

That is why Detroit won under Larry and not under Flipper. Larry helped make each player smarter, helped them see and execute on the game’s team possibilities, and as a game coach, the work he had done with each individual and with the group allowed him to tweak things during the heat of playoff games, whisper in chauney’s ear and get a needed basket, maybe even from Ben, that wouldn’t have materialized otherwise.

Chauncey was fortunate to go to a team with a coach who is of the same cloth as Larry, although less the perfectionist and perhaps not nearly the same genius but still an amazing basketball mind and facilitator of other minds to grow. Walace wasn’t so fortunate.

Herb, my boys used to tell me eons ago, sees what Larry sees, but lacks the ability to bring others along in the way Larry can. Woody, it seems to me, has neither the vision nor the ability to help players improve their concepts as parts of an offensive.

Hey, Samual, this kid niremetal has got game, no?

jerrywest

October 3rd, 2009
12:40 pm

If we lose JJ and sign future hall of famer Iverson, I think Iverson will average more points than JJ. Is he a better fit than JJ? Carter may or may not do similar in Orlando.

niremetal

October 3rd, 2009
2:08 pm

Samuel would have had a valid point with his last question if only I had said that I knew anything about how Vince would fit in with Orlando. But that obviously isn’t the case, as even a brief glance at the last question from my next-to-last post would indicate.

Most commentators and most people around here (including Samuel) have been saying that the addition of Vince cemented Orlando in the top 3. The running assumption is that the Shaq and Carter trades have ensured that Orlando and Cleveland will stay ahead of Atlanta. All I’ve ever said – along with several other people around here – is that those moves are not a slam dunk.

It wouldn’t take me too long if I cared enough to look to find multiple instances of Samuel stating with absolute certainty before today that the Magic will be a better team with Vince than they were with Hedo. And in the past couple threads, Samuel’s the one talking copying and pasting Vince Carter’s career accomplishments from Wikipedia, trashing Hedo’s game, and mocking the very idea that “Hedo-for-Vince” might not improve the Magic.

All I said today (and all I ever said before) is that the addition of superstars does not always improve a team. All I did above was point out some examples of that and ask for Samuel to admit the possibility that Hedo might have been better for SVG’s Magic than Vince will be. I never, ever, ever said that I know for sure that Vince won’t fit. On the contrary, I’ve used the term “the Vince experiment” for a reason – because none of us know how it will turn out.

And yet somehow Samuel has the gall to throw me the question “How the hell do you know?” And somehow that’s a valid point?

Sorry, but hypocrisy is never a valid point.

Joe Mama

October 3rd, 2009
2:25 pm

Samuel is right on point! This sociological prophesying without the degree is a flaw. You don’t know what will happen until it happens. Sounds like another false prophet. When is the world going to end Mother Focker?

Dezz Nuttz

October 3rd, 2009
2:27 pm

Prophey about dezz NuttZ

thehawksleftthenest

October 3rd, 2009
2:32 pm

BosnianBaller agian you are mistaken hedo is not the mpv of the orlando magic in the post season both dwight and reshard played better than him and i live in orlando and am pretty sure that the orlando starting line up when lewis comes back will be howard,lewis,barnes,carter,nelson and yes carter’s points will go down but his field goal percentige and assist will go up since he will have more open shots that in new yersey and will have better players around him and agian i’ve watched hedo play alot and he is not as good as what you describe him to be… he is not a x factor look at his season stats there not that great and you are basing your argument on 3 or 4 playoff games
niremetal i do understand your point of view but you have to understand that vince is playing for his hometown team and is motivated to win a championship and he is going to be the 3rd scoring opition so he does not have to carry a team on his back a perfect example of this could be ray allen when he was in seatle he had to carry that team but as soon as he got to boston he became the 3rd scoring option and look how that turned out….

Dezz Nuttz

October 3rd, 2009
2:32 pm

A Thinking Fan

October 3rd, 2009
5:21 pm

The FLASH is back! Good post too…

Big Ray

October 3rd, 2009
6:49 pm

A Thinking Fan ,

I don’t know. Flash only seems to make cameo appearances these days. I miss his posts, as they were always very well put and full of knowledge, not a bunch of hyperbole and low on conjecture. Dude always came with stuff that forced me to be on my game if I was going to contend with his opinion.

Big Ray

October 3rd, 2009
6:55 pm

Nire ,

How is Samuel’s question not valid? I contend that it’s valid, but I also say that it’s valid OUTSIDE of the argument y’all are having. The question is actually relevant to the argument, but it is relevant to any argument. Hence, it does not enhance the argument in any way, but also cannot be ignored. It’s a fall back, if nothing else.

Besides, wouldn’t you say that it also applies to Flash’s argument, regardless of whether you agreed with his viewpoint or not? Yes, you would, and rather conveniently, at that. Sorry, but I don’t view the question itself as hypocritical.

The use of it? Well, now that is a different story…

Fork Tongue Review Board

October 3rd, 2009
7:05 pm

Facts are not opinions. Facts are proven, evidence. An opinion “assumes facts not in evidence”.

There is a reason they play the games. Samuel question is not only valid, but well taken.

KevinA

October 3rd, 2009
7:06 pm

Like it takes a village to raise a child, if Orlando wants a championship all roads run through Howard. If I am Gundy I would be benching anybody that can’t drive and dump off to Howard. While it is important for Carter and Lewis to spread the floor with their all star talent, next year should be thinking of Howard for MVP.

The same style of play will be important for the Hawks only spread between three players. If we don’t get the ball to Marvin/Josh and Al we will sit on 47 wins. To get to 52+ we got to go low. Or in Marvins case, drive the ball. Both the Hawks and Orlando shoot to many jumpers.

niremetal

October 3rd, 2009
7:10 pm

Ray,

Again, you have to take a closer look at what I said. I wasn’t attacking the question itself, but only his use of it. I never said it wasn’t a valid question as a general rule. Just said that it wasn’t a valid point in that situation because I never said I “knew” what would happen this coming year. Samuel, on the other hand, did. Which means that his use of the question was hypocritical.

That being said, it might have been valid with respect to these nameless writers and bloggers who have said with certainty that Vince won’t fit…but even that seems to me to be a straw man, because none of those writers/bloggers are around here. He was the one puffing his chest and talking like he could see the future. Anyway…

Big Ray

October 3rd, 2009
7:35 pm

Niremetal ,

Sorry about the last post, which was actually meant to be a response to the e-mail you sent. I’m apparently trying to do too many things at once, if I’m making such a serious blunder by referring to things that nobody on this blog can see the relevance or connection to. I apologize for that.

niremetal

October 3rd, 2009
7:40 pm

S’all good Ray. Not everyone has as much time on their hands as I do these days :D

Big Ray

October 3rd, 2009
7:44 pm

Nire ,

In regard to your contest with Samuel, I was merely lending credence to the question itself, in regard to all of us and all of our arguments.

Read MY post more closely, and see that I never addressed either of you directly, I simply talked about your argument. I said you both brought up good points. And then I lent credence to the question he asked in the end. I didn’t say that his question was valid in connection to the argument. Sorry if you took it that way. Like I said before, it’s valid in connection with any opinion-based argument that has to do with seeing into the future, or the “woulda/coulda/shoulda” past.

And I recognize the difference between a question or statement in a vaccum, versus the use of it in an argument. You mentioned hypocrisy, and I was TRYING to explain to you that I know the difference between the value of a statement or question within a vaccum, versus the use of it. Hence my ending comments:

“Sorry, but I don’t view the question itself as hypocritical.

The use of it? Well, now that is a different story…”

KevinA

October 3rd, 2009
7:49 pm

Ya know Bill Clinton lost much of his support by trying to define if. A lot of if is just opinion. I would never try to slow the dig through the weeds. Through the chaff of much weed mass there does come new insight on occasion. The grain of wheat of intellectual bread base. Ya’ll plant it, grow it, harvest it and I’ll eat some of it. If the straw gets thick – even a truck full of grain can burn a field down if not properly watched.

thehawksleftthenest

October 3rd, 2009
7:56 pm

BosnianBaller vince is better than hedo…
and how is hedo the mvp of the magic in the post season when
dwight averaged 20.3 points 15.3 rebounds
rashard averaged 19 points 6.4 rebounds
hedo averaged 15.8 points 4.5 rebounds
yea it sure looks like he had the best post season NOT!!! hedo was over hyped this offseason

Big Ray

October 3rd, 2009
8:01 pm

Joe Mama ,

I’m glad you didn’t take that too personally. We gotta move past our differences somehow, and I usually try to use humor to do so. By the way, I get the feeling that you may be right about Shaq’s impact in Cleveland. Scary for us…

Big Ray

October 3rd, 2009
8:01 pm

KevinA ,

Never heard it put that way before. Nice.

Big Ray

October 3rd, 2009
8:05 pm

I’ll say this: Vince is a more dangerous player than Hedo, regardless of the system he’s in. He just is.

Hedo made the Magic go, as the offense ran through him. As in, the offense didn’t revolve around just his ability to score, but also through his ability to move the ball around to the right people, score when necessary, be a threat to score at all times, etc. He’s a true point forward.

Vince can’t do that. So that begs two questions. Can Hedo have a similar effect in Toronto, where there is a credible pg (who I think is actually better than Jameer, when you’re talking about the position itself, at least)? And…will Vince be more effective for Orlando than Hedo was, or less effective?

esitser

October 3rd, 2009
8:37 pm

If this was my first time on this blog,I would have thought this was a Magic blog.Please leave Vince and Hedo alone.Can we have a new update or something.Pleassssssse Sekou.

KevinA

October 3rd, 2009
8:38 pm

Ray I was a preachers kid and when young went on wheat harvest. I am just past the half centurion mark so I don’t sweat the small stuff. I stumbled onto this blog last season and really enjoyed the material. Being a Hawks fan for 5 years this blog and yours gave me an opportunity to exchange ideas. I had never blogged before so it was and still remains a real challenge to put thoughts into words. To make it even more difficult I try try to communicate through a rum based thought process. I think we have a great format and a base of bloggers that sometimes gets a little wild, but would not exchange for any other I have seen. Gotta love the computer age.

Big Ray

October 3rd, 2009
10:04 pm

11:18 post by The Flash was straight up ON POINT, if you ask me. That explains Detroit, and it certainly explains Ben Wallace. It explains other things as well, but at the risk of inflammation, I’ll leave it alone. ;)