The Magic consider their time at the Disney World complex to be a learning experience as they point toward next season, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. The loss of Al-Farouq Aminu, Mohamed Bamba, Aaron Gordon, Jonathan Isaac and Michael Carter-Williams took away any chance for Orlando to be competitive with the top-seeded Bucks in the playoffs.
“If you go back to, say, our first day of training camp, I envisioned us being a much different team, obviously, than the team that I was speaking with in there,” coach Steve Clifford said after the Magic were eliminated Saturday. “To start the year, we envisioned being a size team that could be great defensively, playing Aaron and Jonathan and then Farouq as obviously a major part of our team. And none of those guys were in there today. It happens in this league, but we did have more than our fair share of bad luck this year with injuries, and not only in the bubble.”
The toughest loss was a torn ACL for Isaac, who was attempting a comeback from a knee injury that had sidelined him since January 1. Two days later, Carter-Williams suffered a strained tendon in his left foot, and then Gordon strained his left hamstring the next day.
“Milwaukee, they’re a championship-caliber team, and we hung in there because we had the right approach,” Clifford said. “We gave ourselves chances in every game but Game 3. It says a lot about the character of the guys in the locker room.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Jae Crowder has been a valuable addition for the Heat, but management will be cautious about making a long-term investment, contends Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Miami may be planning to maximize cap room for a star-filled free agency market in 2021, and the front office learned from overvaluing players such as Tyler Johnson, James Johnson and Dion Waiters. Winderman believes Crowder might have to accept a large one-year contract if he wants to remain in Miami.
- Heat forward Chris Silva has a stress fracture in his left pubic bone and there’s no timetable for his return, the team announced in an email. Silva, who started the season on a two-way contract, appeared in 44 games but didn’t play in the first-round series against Indiana.
- Tom Haberstroh of NBC Sports believes the Warriors have the trade assets to make a serious offer for Wizards guard Bradley Beal, but Washington may not be ready to rebuild before seeing what Beal and a healthy John Wall can do next season.
Crowder is simply not a guy anyone wants to spend a lot of money on. He is a Three and D guy who sometimes can’t do the Three part of it.
Crowder is hot product
Knicks can easily give him 2 years MLE at 20 million
Holy cow dude. You think VanVleet is going to get 140 million max contract, and Crowder, a 30 year old man with career averages of 10 points a game and 34 percent from three….is going to make 10 million a year.
Crowder is not a “hot product”. Van Vleet is not a “max contract” guy. I REALLY hope youre just trolling. If so. Grats. if not. Yikes.
The key word is “Knicks＂
Taj Gibson age 35 and 36
Get 2 years 20 million contracts
Sillivan are you based in USA? Or another country
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How many times must we do this. We know you have internet ????
Taj has 9 mill. And no guarantee for next yr. 1 mill buyout. He’s better than Crowder. From NYC.
The NBC article avoided saying what GSW package could be used for Beal, but as a bad-team high-scorer, he is not much better than Wiggins, who would have to be included to match contracts. Given that Beal would force Klay to a new spot, and make the defense shorter, I don’t see the benefit to GSW. Wizards would be no better trading Beal for Wiggins or Draymond. Beal could agitate, won’t matter.
GSW can’t just send two high picks or the TPE.
Why would GS want a SG. They gonna trade Klay. They gonna play three guard offense. Already doing it if they keep Wiggins. Beal ain’t going to Warriors. Slow news day. Beal might be going somewhere. Cause no one is taking Wall. So Beal is biggest asset they have. If they want to change team. TWolves would love Beal. They have two #1 picks in draft. Hmmmmmm