Defending The Magic

Hey, Otis Smith. How? Why? What? You just signed Rashard Lewis to a franchise player contract when everyone knows he is definitely NOT a franchise player. You just turned your best transaction - getting Darko from the Pistons - in to NOTHING by letting the big man walk.

That being said, the signing of Lewis has convinced Dwight Howard to stay on and sign an extension. The best young big man in the world will be part of your core until 2013. Young Thunder is the franchise player, not Lewis. So, how do you sign a #2 guy for max money?

On the court, Rashard is the perfect player for Orlando. He’s joined a team that will hide his flaws. At the defensive end, Howard will reject any shot taken by the player Lewis is guarding, Tony Battie will gobble up rebounds and set screens for ‘Shard, Trevor Ariza will use his athleticism to board, Jameer Nelson and Carlos Arroyo should create opportunities so Lewis doesn’t always have to do it on his own. ‘Shard is a one trick pony, he scores, scores and scores. If you surround him with players that will do everything else, your team can be successful. That’s what a team is. Yes, it’s better to have 5 guys on the floor that are more well-rounded if you want to be looking down on teams in the standing for years on end (see: Spurs), but as Orlando matures and adds parts, I think the supporting cast can complement Lewis and Howard. Did they overpay for their ultimate need?

Watching the Magic this year, all I kept thinking was they need someone to score from the outside. Grant Hill couldn’t do it, but Lewis can. Of course, I understand the thinking that giving all these ducats to a guy who isn’t a build-your-team-around kind of player sort of cripples your growth towards a championship. Now, I assume that Otis Smith didn’t bid against himself. I know I’m being naive here; this ass backwards type of move has happened before. ESPN’s Chad Ford points out (Insider) that Smith likely did just that, but I still can’t fathom how someone put in the position of GM can possibly do that (it’s time for a fantasy GM reality show). And maybe I’ve been drinking a little to much of the Rashard Lewis Kool-Aid. He’s never been happy in Seattle and I was always under the impression that he would become motivated and propel his game once he skipped town. He keeps telling us that he wants to be the team’s go to guy. As it was pointed out in the comments of our last podcast by Lazlo, ‘Shard has never shown he can be The Man. And, on a side note here - why am I the only one getting the hate from the commenters? Just ’cause ‘Skeets is off making lots of funnies while Ufford is gone on With Leather, it doesn’t mean he should escape the wrath (shameless plug, that). Back to Lewis. In a way, with the Magic, he won’t have to be the guy taking the big shots. Once Howard develops his inside game, Thunder will take the last minute attempts, but when teams double Dwight, it will be up to Lewis to make the big one. Rashard will be 28 in August - it’s his time to peak.

So, was Lewis the beneficiary of a weak free agent class? Yes. Was he the best available fit for the Magic on the market? No doubt about it. With Grant leaving, maybe the Magic didn’t feel comfortable not having a guy signed to a max contract. Either way, with the salary cap rising at the clip it’s been flying at, I’m sure Smith is hoping for more $$$ to sign the necessary role players. Personally, I feel Lewis was the best player available to enhance Howard’s skills. Smith acted very quickly, overestimating Lewis’ value, but ‘Shard makes this team a lot better. Whether he can perform near the level of a player usually given franchise dollars is up to him. He hasn’t proven it in the past.

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By Tas Melas at 11:48 am on 07.14.2007 — Tags: Otis Smith, Rashard Lewis, Dwight Howard, Magic

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