If we do get Reece Gaines, I'm thrilled... I can't answer, why a guy like that wouldn't play especially last season when they were really terrible... He's 6'6 and played PG at Louisville out of necessity, anyone remember Carlos Hurt??? Well when Hurt left on what ever reasons, Gaines had to take over and did very well... Gaines is a SG that could shoot the ball very well, remember him hitting 1-2 game winners in college, one agaisnt Marquette... I do think, IF he's in the trade, will be an asset considering Eric Piatowski did nothing last year either... One thing for sure is he's more athletic than Piatowski... I have to scratch my head as to why he didn't play last year... Maybe he didn't get along with the coach or coaches including Doc Rivers... Who is the HC at Orlando anyways??? I think he could be more than a throw in especially if he can hit 3s in the NBA and play some D... After TMac and Yao Ming, we're just looking for role players to go around them not an allstar lineup like the Lakers just had...
I totally agree with you dookiester. Reece Gaines is awesome on ESPN basketball. ARKOE has no idea what he is talking about.
Howard and Fisher are 30, 31 respectively still got some good years left in them. Howard needs some hard coaching to get his playing level up cuz his shooting ain't that good though..actually Taylor shoot better than him.... But i have said before...i don't like Taylor's game...he's too single-mined...too one dimensional. He's not fundamental is what iam saying. In fact he is as bad as Steve Francis and Mobley in terms of fundamentality. I would trade Mo for someone else.
Oh, and about Howard.... All I remember about him is that he fouled Bruce Bowen really, really hard a few years back when he was with Dallas. Good stuff.
Gaines wasn't protected and wasn't taken by the Bobacts. Orlando also gave up a future 1st rounder to draft Nelson and are talking like him, but not Gaines (drafted earlier in a deeper draft) being a part of the club. I thought Gaines would be a player and was a good draft pick last year, but right now it sure does not look like it based on multiple GM's assessments. Doesn't mean I don't hope he can contribute, but don't count on him being a main member of the rotation, he is just a prospect at this point. I do like having Howard, I think him and Mo can do fine holding down the 4 spot. We are still going to need a starting 1 and back-up defensive oriented C.
I asked about Gaines on a Magic message board and they said that he was the worst ball handler that the team had ever seen. Whenever he got into the game, the opposing team would quickly trap him, causing a turnover. Doc drafted him because he loved tall PGs and has been know to pass up on more talented PGs to take a tall one. He also was said to be a horrible shooter last season, but much like boki these past few years, im sure it had to do with lack of PT. This being said, i remember him in college, and how he almost single-handedly made Pitino's first year a success. Hopefully JVG will mold this guy into a player....but ball handling should come second-nature for a PG, and it is probably too late to teach him that.
I have said this before - all he needs to do is throw the ball to T-mac.... throw the ball to Yao... play defense the 2003 Magic were a TRAIN WRECK... I would not hold his rookie performance against him
Howard could be a good role player, albeit an expensive role player. Gaines is a mystery. At 6'6" the Magic tabbed him as a tall PG that would be in the backcourt with McGrady. I personally dont believe that Gaines has the PG mentality. Gaines would probably be best served as a utility player to move from 1,2 or the 3 position as a backup bench role player similar to Jim Jackson. I think Gaines outside shot is questionable as well which really has hurt him. Nevertheless, at least he is a young prospect just like Nachbar. It is nice to have a few of them on the roster mixed in with the veterans.
But, on the other hand, what you have here is a guy who was a number 1 pick who could not play for a lastplace team and who was placed on the expansion team list by that team. Doesn't seem to be much of anything worthwhile there. If you need to have your head coach take half a season to teach your starting PG how to play his position, then you are in a world of trouble. Howard is merely Cato & Mo Taylor combined - still not the answer at PF.
Gaines has "a little bit of everything",best outcome for him would be another Alvin Williams.2 more seasons until team op out,hard to get by Howard fits this team,better than MoT on the court,better than MoT on the market.might be used as trade bait, still hope could move MoT though
I think many people would be pretty happy with MoT's offense and Cato's defense combined at the PF spot. However, I think Howard is more like Taylor with a tiny bit more athleticism and rebounding- not nearly as defensive minded as Cato. (hopefully you don't think he's Cato's offense plus MoT's defense).
Im expecting Howard not to have a break out season but be a key part of our team. He has NEVER been on a winning team and i think he'll figure out rather quickly that this is his chance to finaly win & i dont see him passing that up.
Actually he was the starting power forward for the Mavericks a couple of years ago when they made it to the second round of the play offs
