Other The 'Magical' GM - A Predrag Teletovic Story

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Danger in Texas

Danger in Texas

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I, Predrag Teletovic, was once the best thing since sliced bread. I was a living prodigy, the best small forward prospect in the whole world. I was tipped to be the #1 NBA draft pick only a mere six years ago. I was still a teenager, and had a bright future ahead of me. The night before the draft, I was ready. I had my suit all ready to go, and was ready for a great future ahead of me.

Then, tragedy struck. I wasn't able to play any more due to the gun-wounds. The guy that shot me in the back got life, but my future simply disappeared in a matter of seconds. I didn't know where to go.

Well, that is, until I got a call from the Portland Trail Blazers asking me to be a scout for them. They knew I could spot talent, knowing what it took to become an NBA player. For the next six years, I lived a happy life in Rip City, marrying and having one kid. My life had become worthwhile again. But my life was about to change...

One day, I got a mysterious phone call from a private number.

"Is this Mr Teletovic?"
"It most certainly is..."
"Good, I've got just the person we need."

This was a strangely familiar voice. I had heard it at a Magic vs Blazers game I had watched. It sounded like...

"I am Richard DeVos, the owner of the Orlando Magic. As you might know, our old GM Otis Smith stepped down a few months back after the D12 saga. But yes, we want YOU to take the Magic to a title. What do you say, Mr Teletovic?"

I couldn't believe it. I was only a scout, and I was being asked to GM the MAGIC? This was the opportunity of a lifetime, to take a team from the bottom all the way to the top.

But then I thought, what about my wife Melissa and my daughter Georga? Will they cope with having to start a new life in Florida? Will they be happy that our family has to move to a better city to earn more money?

Ah, what am I thinking...

"I'll be there in a week. Consider me on board, Mr DeVos."

Orlando_magic_logo.png
 

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So I have a few options. We have some pretty bad contracts on the team - I mean, really, REALLY bad contracts. Al Harrington, Hedo Turkoglu, Jameer Nelson just to name a few. Sure, they might be relative favourites amongst the fans, but they have to go at the first opportunity. We also have a really bad glut of power forwards with only one true center - the still developing Vucevic.

Thankfully, I find a few suitors for trades that will immediately help our team.

Orlando trade:
PG Jameer Nelson
SF Moe Harkless
2015 1st Round Pick

Memphis trade:
PG Mike Conley
C Hameed Haddadi
2013 1st Round Pick

Winner: Incomplete. It depends on whether new Orlando GM Predrag Teletovic decides to rebuild into 2015. If the pick is high, Memphis wins. If the pick is low, Orlando wins. Nonetheless, both teams get something good out of the trade, with Orlando getting a quality starting point and shedding salary in the process, and Memphis picking up a very good young prospect in Harkless.

But I'm not done yet.

Orlando trade:
PF Kyle O'Quinn
PF Glen Davis

Minnesota trade:
C Nikola Pekovic
2013 2nd Round Pick
2014 2nd Round Pick

Winner: Orlando. Pekovic is an upgrade on the still developing Nikola Vucevic at the starting center position. They also shed salary. For the T-Wolves, it's not so pretty, with Greg Stiemsma now being the only true center on the team. Strange trade by Minnesota.

One more to cut a bit of salary, and then I'm done.

Orlando trade:
PF Al Harrington
2015 2nd Round Pick

LA Clippers trade:
PG Chauncey Billups
SF Grant Hill

Winner: Orlando. Hill actually moves into the starting small forward position for the Magic, whilst Billups is a good backup point, and an expiring contract to boot. Harrington, whilst a good backup, is on a really bad contract. Some good first moves by new GM Predrag Teletovic.

Looking at the roster now, we now only have 3 power forwards, and have shed roughly 3-4 million in salary. That's a big win in my books.

A few actions that I complete before the season starts. I send the still developing E'Twaun Moore down to the D-League. I fire our head coach because really, Jacque Vaughn isn't going to lead us to a title. I hire the great Rudy Tomjanovic in his place on a 3-year deal.

nba.com has tipped us to finish 2nd last in the East. No surprises there. We still have a way to go to get to the top.

nba.com Pre-Season Power Rankings:

Western Conference:
1: LA Lakers
2: Utah
3: Denver
4: Oklahoma
5: San Antonio
Last: Houston

Interesting tips here. I don't know how the hell Utah is second - you shouldn't be ahead of OKC or the Spurs if you have Mo and Marvin Williams in your starting lineup. No way. Golden State could be a surprise package this year IMO, but they're tipped to be 11th.

Eastern Conference:
1: Miami
2: Philadelphia
3: Boston
4: New York
5: Brooklyn
Last: Charlotte

No surprises here, although I think New York could be a bit higher and the Sixers a bit lower. Atlanta and Indiana, who are tipped 9th and 11th respectively, could sneak into the playoffs as well.

We're ready.
 
BoshtrichBurger said:
YOU TRADED HARKLESS!? AND BROUGHT IN PEK WHO'LL PUSH VUC TO THE BENCH!?

GTFOUTTA HERE OTIS!
Click to expand...
I'm not regretting trading Harkless. Conley is a massive upgrade on Jameer Nelson no matter what. Also, he's not rated very highly in this game.

Don't worry about Pek, I have a plan.
 
There is one more trade that I make before the start of the season, and it's one I'm really pleased with:

Orlando trade:
PF Andrew Nicholson
2014 2nd Round Pick

Washington trade:
PF Trevor Booker
2013 2nd Round Pick

Winner: Draw. Nicholson's potential is somewhat unknown at the moment. He could turn into either a very solid starter, or a bench warmer. Booker is more of a safe bet in that he's shown good signs for Washington. Really, this trade depends on how Nicholson ends up.

Yeah, I'm pleased. I just turned a bench player into a starter. Booker is very solid, without doubt. And guess what? He still has room to grow. Big win. :)

Our first game is against Josh Smith, Al Horford and the Atlanta Hawks. Somehow, even with an inferior lineup, we win 86-105. Pek goes crazy, filling up the stat sheet with 22 points, 13 rebounds and 2 blocks. Booker doubles, and Turk gets 15 points off the bench. The only lowlight is Mike Conley having 7 turnovers, but he recovers somewhat with 18 points and 6 assists.

Orlando 1-0

We record our first loss of the season against Nelson and Harkless' Memphis Grizzlies, going down 95-110. Our starters still put out a very good offensive effort however, with Conley giving it to Jameer with a solid 23-3-8, and our bench guards in Billups and Redick scoring 24 points between them. Booker is good defensively as well, with 5 blocks, however we just couldn't handle Rudy Gay and his 29 points.

Orlando 1-1

Billups' good game seems to have got to his head a little, as he complains about his playing time. I'm not one that accepts complaints like this, so I tell him to shut up and deal with it. If he thinks it's still 2004 and he's better than Mike Conley, he's got a big surprise coming his way.

Nothing much of note happens in our game against the Kings, which we lose 98-86. Gustavo Ayon has a solid 11 rebounds off the bench, and Pek has a scoring spree with 33 points, but other than that, it's a disappointing effort.

Orlando 1-2

We seem to be a little un-confident going into our game against Chicago. I tell the guys to grow up, it's only two losses in a row, nothing to worry about. Turns out that this spurred them on as we hold the Bulls' secret weapon Joakim Noah to 20% FG on our way to a 93-108 victory. Booker continues his solid form with 17 points, 16 boards, 3 blocks and a POTG. Pek, Conley and Hill are all handy contributors, as is Gustavo Ayon, who has 16 points off the bench.

Orlando 2-2

Pek is given something of a rest for the next game, which gives the in-form Gustavo Ayon some much-needed minutes off the bench. And he goes all out, recording 25 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks and an astonishing 7 steals to help us beat the Sixers 94-117. Gee, if we didn't have Booker, who was also handy with 25-13-2, he'd be starting straight away. Conley also comes close to doubling, with 17 points and 9 assists.

Orlando 3-2

Booker continues his outstanding form in our 92-114 win against the Wizards with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Ayon and Turk are again solid contributors off the bench, and Conley doubles for the first time this season. This was the first game for the season that I could tell the guys were feeling good after the game. It's great seeing that sort of stuff.

Orlando 4-2

The only lowlight for the season that I've noticed in particular so far is Arron Afflalo, who is shooting 35% from the field over the past 6 games. I go shopping, trying to find a more reliable shooting guard. And I think I've found it in this massive trade.

Orlando trade:
SG Arron Afflalo (CLE)
SF Hedo Turkoglu (CLE)
C Nikola Pekovic (CLE)
PG Ishmael Smith (GSW)
2014 1st Round Pick (CLE)
2013 2nd Round Pick (CLE)

Cleveland trade:
C Anderson Varejao (GSW)
SG Dion Waiters (ORL)
2013 1st Round Pick (ORL)
C Tyler Zeller (ORL)

Golden State trade:
SG Jarrett Jack (ORL)
PF Carl Landry (ORL)

Winner: Orlando. GM Predrag Teletovic wanted to make a big move, and this is it. It's rumoured he wasn't happy with Afflalo's shooting (4th worst in the league), hence why he was traded. Jack is a just replacement for Afflalo without doubt, and is an expiring contract, too. Landry, Waiters and Zeller also improve the Magic's depth and future. Did I mention they shed 11 million in cap, too? We're not sure whether Pekovic is an upgrade on Varejao for the Cavs or not. Trading Waiters may also be a mistake, although Afflalo is more ready-made. For the Warriors, Varejao has now pushed Andrew Bogut to the bench. They would be a winner if not for the friction that will most certainly be caused by this.

Phew, I need a drink. I love this trade, both Jack and Waiters have been targets of mine since I came here. Zeller's a good bench option, too, but most of all, Nikola Vucevic will be allowed to start now! He's been getting very few minutes off the bench so far, but I want to see what he's capable of.

Our new starting lineup looks like this:

PG: Mike Conley
SG: Jarrett Jack
SF: Grant Hill
PF: Trevor Booker
C: Nikola Vucevic

I won't lie, I'm excited about this.

My first game back in Portland, I have some friendly banter with a number of their players, including my good mate Wes Matthews. Interestingly enough, it is Carl Landry who goes all out in this game with 22 points and 6 rebounds. A few good bench performances, and a solid 17-4-5 from Jack, however nothing absolutely of note, as we ride our way to an 87-122 win.

Orlando 5-2

It was always going to be a tough match against KD35 and the Thunder in Texas. We keep up with them in the last two quarters, but it was lost in the first half as we go down 85-104. Our standout performer is Booker, who dropped 16 points and collected 7 boards. Chauncey Billups also performs well off the bench, with 15 points.

Orlando 5-3

Despite Dirk Nowitzki shooting only 20% from the field and Mike Conley having 22 points and 5 steals, we lose to the Mavs 91-108, the driving force being O.J. Mayo's 26 points. Heaps of our players have their worst game so far, with Grant Hill shooting 1/12, whilst we were absolutely destroyed in the boards, with the Mavs starting 5 grabbing 43 compared to our 21. Geez.

Orlando 5-4

Maybe I should have kept our first pick next year.

What a game. The Charlotte Bobcats face off against us next, and it's all square at the final bell. We go to overtime, and we promptly choke to lose 106-112. You know you've lost when Gerald Henderson drops 34 points on you, I guess. Conley, Vucevic and Booker are all solid, but the rest of us just can't hold on.

Orlando 5-5

We just get to stay above .500 with a 73-104 win over Toronto. The player of the match is none other than Jarrett Jack, who has his first good game since he arrived with a 17-12-5 stat-line. More than anything, though, it was our defense that stood out. I mean, when Amir Johnson and Linas Kleiza are your equal top scorers, you're in for a bad time. Then again, the Raptors are winless, so it makes sense.

Orlando 6-5

I feel we need a bit more young blood on our team. We have Memphis' 1st, which is looking more and more like a top 10 pick, so our pick is expendable. I go shopping, trying to get a young player who has proven potential. After trying and failing to trade in Andre Drummond, Bradley Beal and Damian Lillard, I find yet another gem.

Orlando trade:
2013 1st Round Pick

San Antonio trade:
SF Kawhi Leonard

Winner: Draw. Both teams get something good out of this trade. The Spurs get a likely top 10 pick in the coming draft, and the Magic gets a massive upgrade on Grant Hill at the SF position.

I'm pleased with that. Leonard's going to be something special, particularly on the defensive end.

And he doesn't let us down in our first game, picking up 4 steals and 2 blocks. Jarrett Jack also has a great game with 27 points, and Mike Conley almost doubles with a 15-9-8 statline. In fact we're leading by 18 points at the final break, but we give up our lead to go down 101-103 against the Pacers, despite 10 turnovers from new signing Delonte West. The boys really felt let down after the game, I could tell.

Orlando 6-6

Thankfully, we redeem ourselves with a 95-112 win over the Rockets at home. Trevor Booker continues his solid form yet again with his best game yet - 31 points, 13 rebounds and 2 blocks. Pretty good for someone who was traded for Andrew Nicholson, who by the way is averaging 4 points and 2 rebounds a game off Washington's bench. Jack, Leonard and Dion Waiters are all solid contributors.

Orlando 7-6

Our winning streak is extended to two with a convincing win over Milwaukee, 73-104. Our starting five are all solid, not outstanding, but it is Gustavo Ayon who is the driving force yet again, with 19 points and 3 steals, earning his 2nd POTG honours so far this year. I do feel Conley was robbed a little, though, holding Brandon Jennings to 5/19 from the field whilst scoring 14 points himself.

Orlando 8-6

Nikola Vucevic came to me before our game against the Sixers telling me how he was afraid of Andrew Bynum. To be honest, I don't blame him - he is a beast when healthy. And today he ripped us to shreds, with 29 points, 10 boards and 3 blocks, as Philly rolled us 99-133. Billups and Ayon were solid off the bench, but really, we were just not in it.

Orlando 8-7

Our final game of the month is our 2nd game this year against the Wizards, but this time we lose out 92-111 to finish November right on .500. Of all people, it was Nene who destroyed us with 28 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 steals next to his name. Nikola just couldn't put up a fight. No performances of note whatsoever, here. Bit disappointing, but we'll bounce back.

Orlando 8-8

November Conference Rankings

Eastern Conference:

November 2012 East.PNG

As you can see, we're just in the top 8 in the East. Not bad for a team that was predicted to come 2nd last, I'd say. The Nets would have to be the main surprise of the month, coming 2nd ahead of the Celtics and Knicks. The Chicago Bulls are a surprise too, I would certainly have picked them as contenders.

Western Conference:

November 2012 West.PNG

There's a few surprises here. Obviously the Lakers, who still have D12 in this universe, should be higher, as should Stephen Curry's Golden State. Grizzlies are a surprise coming last as well, but the Magic front office aren't complaining.

League Leaders:

League:
Points: Kevin Durant (OKC), 41.6ppg
Assists: Chris Paul (LAC), 11.1apg
Rebounds: Andrew Bynum (PHI), 12.1rpg
Steals: Chris Paul (LAC), 2.9spg
Blocks: Javale McGee (DEN), 3.4bpg
Efficiency: LeBron James (MIA), 34.1epg

Rookies:
Points: Bradley Beal (WAS), 13.7ppg
Assists: Damian Lillard (POR), 8.4apg
Rebounds: Anthony Davis (NOP), 7.8rpg
Steals: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (CHA), 2.3spg
Blocks: Anthony Davis (NOP), 2.9bpg
Efficiency: Anthony Davis (NOP), 19.8epg

Team:
Points: Jarrett Jack, 14.9ppg
Assists: Mike Conley, 5.7apg
Rebounds: Trevor Booker, 9.6rpg
Steals: Gustavo Ayon, 2.3spg
Blocks: Trevor Booker, 1.3bpg
Efficiency: Trevor Booker, 17.6epg

Overall, the stats aren't too surprising (bar Ayon's crazy stealing numbers). Pleased to see Booker doing so well, he's certainly living up to what I'd thought he'd be. I'd like a bit more effort out of Conley, but that's about it.

Scouting Report:

1: PF Todd Hale (USC), Freshman, 6'9", 230lb
2: C Ronnie Houston (Pittsburgh), Junior, 7'3", 293lb
3: PG Jim Brown (Houston), Sophomore, 6'1", 193lb
4: PF Oton Keglovits (Slovenia), 17-year-old, 6'9", 247lb
5: SF Todd Forte (Alabama), Junior, 6'9", 230lb
6: SG Harmens Shuck (Netherlands), 20-year-old, 6'6", 207lb
7: SG Kerry Norwood (East Tennessee State), Sophomore, 6'2", 213lb
8: PF Travis Cook (Connecticut), Freshman, 6'10", 236lb
9: SG Lamar Olsen (Texas Tech), Junior, 6'2", 221lb
10: PG Slavi Drnovsek (Slovenia), 17-year-old, 6'2", 160lb

Thoughts: It's not a draft class where there is one absolutely outstanding player, like last year's was with Anthony Davis. There's a number of prospects around the same range, and although it's hard to tell how they'll end up just yet, from first glance it looks like there will be some success stories. The stand-out stat line is that of Norwood, who's currently averaging 25 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks a game. An interesting story that will come out of this draft is the Slovenian teammates Drnovsek and Keglovits. They've played together for 10 straight years, and have both decided to put their hat in the ring. I'm particularly impressed with Drnovsek, who is extremely slight, but seems to have the abilities of a quality pass-first point.
 
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