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| Thursday, October 11 Updated: October 12, 2:34 PM ET Users: Ewing, Grant make Magic much better ESPN.com |
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How can getting Patrick Ewing and Horace Grant be a bad thing? We figured people would be split on the issue of whether getting a pair of really old guys to do the dirty work the Orlando Magic need would be enough. It seems our users answered that.
Your Magic Feedback Biased? No doubt. But, the Magic desperately need to establish a presence down low. They may be old, but Ewing and Grant know what it means to block out, set some serious picks, and grab a rebound. We don't need a lot of scoring, but we do need 20 combined rebounds from these two positions a night. Not to mention some seriousness down low. With our two additions, along with a workmanlike Don Reid, a more-in-shape Andrew Declercq and bouncing bunny Bo Outlaw, we may be better than OK. It's a long season ahead and, so far, something to look forward to.
Gary Dickens
Let's take a look at the situation. Tracy McGrady is awesome, going to be the go to guy. Grant Hill is going to take a back seat to him, but only in scoring. Hill's points a night should drop to about 22 or 23, compared to his last season in Detroit, which was 26. With two guys like that on your team you don't need a center to average 15 or 20, but 10 is good, which Ewing can manage. Remember the Bulls with Jordan and Pippen with Luc Longley in the middle. Ewing's advantage is he is an intimidator as far as blocking shots. Ewing can bring in 12 boards on a good night, but 9 is all you need. Now the X-factor on the team is Horace Grant, he must give them 10 boards. Almost every other Eastern conference power forward is doing it. Not only that, teams will be sleeping on him, there is going to be a lot of scoring opportunities for him when Hill and McGrady go to the basket, and he is going to have to make those drop-in baskets on the regular. But to answer your question, they are an upgrade from the past.
Kinney Fields
People here in New York complained about Patrick. I even hated the Knicks for years but I have come to realize one thing watching this NBA: The young big men come in with no skills and aren't willing to work and Patrick is still better on one leg than 95 percent of the big men in the league. With capable talent around him now he doesn't have to shoulder the burden for 82 looooong games. Even the Bulls (Mike's) had games where by halftime they were so far ahead they could put in guys who score almost as many points as Mike does for once. With Hill, T-Mac and Miller Lite, Pat and Horace with have to dominate only 25 percent of the time each.
Kirk Williams
I'll be frank and say I've never been a big fan of Ewing, I've always felt he was the most overrated center in the league, he's always been clobbered by the people he's been compared to: Kareem, Hakeem, and especially Shaq, who played even with him in his rookie season when Ewing was in his prime. Still, he's a decent rebounder and can play well against the non-superstar centers, and I'd certainly take him over John Amaechi or Michael Doleac any day. Grant is the better of the two by far, and he has the rings to show for it. He's also the type of player Doc Rivers really likes: hustling and tough. He's not as fast as Bo Outlaw, and his minutes will be limited, but I like Bo coming off the bench to give a good burst of energy when Horace sits out, and Bo and Horace can also play together as well, at times. Ewing and Grant are a definite improvement on Orlando's previous players in that position, and I believe that if everyone stays pretty healthy there's no reason the Magic still shouldn't take the Eastern Division, and if EVERYTHING clicks there's a good chance they could get TO the Finals, but it'd be a miracle if they could actually WIN it, especially if Shaq and the Lakers are, as expected, the Western Division champs.
Joe Vecchio
A definite improvement. I think that people have been very hard on Ewing for last season. The Sonics were/are in shambles and they had no clear leadership; Ewing couldn't fulfill that role last year. Ewing is big, Ewing can rebound, Ewing can still shoot that damn ball. In the East he will still be a huge presence under the boards. And Horace -- big strong Horace -- should be able to get some boards, provide some defense and beat up on opposing players. Frankly, the only question is "will Grant Hill's ankle hold up?" If it does they will vie for the top spot in the East. They have three scoring starters and two legitimate big men, which is a hell of a lot more than most teams in the East.
Cary
The 2001-02 Orlando Magic seemed on paper vastly improved. Adding Ewing and Grant to the mix will allow them to do some things they were not able last year. A 60 percent Ewing is still better than John Amaechi was last year. We cannot forget to mention that there is a rookie in Steven Hunter lurking in the horizon. He reminds me a lot of a young Alonzo Mourning. The Magic will really hit the jackpot if they are able to develop him while keeping a healthy Ewing and Grant. We must not forget that now Bo Outlaw can come in off the bench and give 110 percent. The bottom line is that the Magic are greatly improved for this season because these two guys are needed to rebound and defend, not to score. The scoring will be done by their younger stars McGrady, Hill, Armstrong and Miller.
Herbie Martin
No way. Minutes are what counts, and you have two relatively low producers who will absorb a lot of minutes as starters. Especially Ewing. We loved Patrick in the early years when he could move fast enough to change opposing players' direction and draw charges. That just isn't possible any more. Quick players will go around Ewing like a squirrel around a tree. And he may not continue to get preferential calls from the refs. Grant will fare better but will never be as consistent a scorer as he was in the early days with Chicago (where it seemed he never missed those 15 footers). Young players need the minutes. Orlando needs to bring Ewing in to relieve Outlaw and find someone to share minutes with Grant.
Bruce Lonnman
Even though these two have been labeled "dinosaurs" by some of the press around here, and the country, these two will almost literally shoulder the load on the boards, especially Horace. What makes the acquisition of these two so great is that they are players that understand their role, and that being their mere presence. Allow the scorers to score, and plant themselves in position to rebound and throw out the outlet pass, that is what they will be able to do. Even though they may be old by NBA standards, the Magic will be able to run because they will be able to rebound the ball, and get them started on fast breaks. Keep in mind that Mr. Hustle (Bo Outlaw) is backing them up off the bench, so that just makes getting these two so much bigger, and hey, even with the luxury tax, a bargain at two for $4.5 million. I see championship contenders here.
Steve
To the naked eye it would seem as if Ewing and Grant would be in the way of the other young big men. But don't forget that Ewing has something to prove (he is only one year older than MJ) even if his knees have given out on him as it appears to the naked eye. Horace supplies that needed midrange shot from double teams, which T-Mac and Hill are sure to receive. Ewing will give rebounds (as will Horace), a huge presence in the middle. For $4.5 million it is a good deal for the Orlando Magic.
Michael Dykes
Definitely, Ewing and Grant are upgrades to this Magic team. Patrick Ewing will find things a lot easier being back in the East coast, where the centers are much smaller, with the exception of facing Philly and Toronto. As far as Horace Grant is concerned, he has little left in him, but he brings the championship experience and leadership that all teams need, such as what Ron Harper brought to the Lakers. I do feel that he would be better in a reserve role, allowing Bo Outlaw to keep his starting position. As long as everyone is healthy, expect the Magic to definitely be in the top three in the East, along with Milwaukee and Toronto.
Jelani Kimble
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