Magic Official Not Liking Team’s Status
Orlando Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman spoke to the media about the strategy before the NBA trade deadline passed Thursday.
“I don’t like the state of the team right now,” Weltman said. “I would imagine the fans are frustrated by the way we’re playing, and I’m frustrated with them.”
At the beginning of the season, the Magic had high expectations in an Eastern Conference without having to compete against Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton due to Achilles injuries.
They traded Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony and four unprotected first-round picks to the Grizzlies for Desmond Bane. Welman described Bane as the perfect fit to this team, and he said the expectation was to win the title at the time of the deal.
The Magic are 26-24 and the seventh seed in the East while dealing with an array of injuries to Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs.
Weltman said he still remains optimistic about the team when it gets healthy.
“I’m hoping once we get our guys back and get this group together again, I can tell you there is belief in this team and there is a care factor,” he said. “We just have to get back pointed in the right direction.”
The Magic starting lineup of Suggs, Bane, Wagner, Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. has a +18 net rating, which is good for sixth-best in the league. However, the lineup has only been on the court for 117 minutes the entire season.
To make matters worse, the team was over the luxury tax and had to get rid of players to get under that threshold. As a result, the team traded point guard Tyus Jones and two second-round picks to the Hornets on Feb. 5 to get under the tax.
The Magic had two roster spots to fill. One was filled Friday, when free agent point guard Jevon Carter signed earlier for the rest of the year. The other spot will likely be filled by former Florida Gators center Colin Castleton or Jamal Cain, who are both on two-way contracts.
Weltman is in charge of roster construction and management, and he understands the frustration around the organization and the fans.
“It starts with me and ends with me,” Weltman said. “I’m not happy with it. I understand the fans’ frustration. We’ve got to do better.”
He also said that Wagner, who has been out due to a high ankle sprain, will be back soon.
In late January, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported Banchero and Magic coach Jamahl Mosley were not seeing eye-to-eye. On Jan. 28, Banchero denied those rumors and focused on how the team has to win games.
Weltman was asked about Mosley’s job security as the head coach.
“Jamahl has our full support, and Jamahl is our coach for the rest of the season,” he said.
Weltman also said he knows about the outside noise regarding Mosley’s job, but believes it’s a group effort to bring back winning basketball.
Weltman is in the last year of his deal with the Magic and has not signed a contract extension, so this could be a last chance for him and Mosley to get the team back on track.
“I remain optimistic about the rest of the season and I think that it’s on us to turn it around,” he said.
Category: NBA, Not Latest, Orlando Magic
