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Understandable. We really probably should have let him go. And I am a big Gortat fan. But Dallas offered this contract with the assumption he'd be a starter or at least playing near starter minutes. And we matched that offer to only end up playing him 12mpg. So basically we are paying the same amount for a 12mpg Center that Dallas was going to pay for a potential starting Center.

I guess Otis wasn't lying when he said he could spend whatever he wanted. We are simply STACKED right now.

Gortat needs to shut up and play his best. He is an employee of the Magic and he signed the team option.
There are millions of persons dying of hunger in the world. He will earn about 6/7 millions per season. He will be one of the richest men in Poland. I understand him, but I don't really care.
Marcin, don't hear your agent please, shut up and work.

Otis needs to take care of our business.

AdamTheGreek wrote:Good thing that's just his agent talking, I doubt Marcin opens his mouth like that.

Not sure how that makes sense. The deal was already in place, his agent would have nothing to gain financially from a lie like this. I'm not saying it's beyond the realm of possibility, agents are slimy toads, at best, but where's the good in the lie?

Gerhalt11 wrote:

AdamTheGreek wrote:Good thing that's just his agent talking, I doubt Marcin opens his mouth like that.

Not sure how that makes sense. The deal was already in place, his agent would have nothing to gain financially from a lie like this. I'm not saying it's beyond the realm of possibility, agents are slimy toads, at best, but where's the good in the lie?

He has to work with all the teams, now and in the future. He was talking to the people in Dallas and trying to convince them that he hadn't helped Otis pwn them.

No matter which way it went, Marcin would feel some regret. If he were off to Dallas, he would feel bad about leaving his old team and missing out on the championship run. I think he's a bit like SVG in that he says what he's thinking at the moment.

I can understand why Gortat is upset. He wants to play and doesn't think he'll get the minutes in Orlando. But I think he'll see more playing time this year. Especially after the contract he just got. That was probably his agent talking.

he'll get his wish soon enough. both his contract and trade value is too high to make sense keeping him as 12mpg back up.

I'm no expert, but I don't think we can trade him for exactly 1 year today since he was offered a contract we matched, right?

I think that we could potentially give Gortat/make him earn the starting PF job and have Bass come in off the bench 8-9 minutes into the game and just rotate a three-headed rotation of Howard, Bass and Gortat, with Lewis, Carter and Pietrus getting all the wing minutes.

we cant trade him till the 15th of december, and for one year he can veto any trade. we also cant trade him to dallas until july 13, 2010

You guys are funny with the people are losing jobs so he should shut up BS.

When players chose money you complain, when they try the easy way to a title you complain, now aguy says I don't care if I may get 6mil a year in Disneyworld and get an easy title, I love the game and I want to be the best NBA player I can be and play big minutes for a good team but no he is a rich player and he should just shut up and do whatever owners want?

I would like to see your reaction if your boss sends you to a city you don't want to be in for a role worse than what you could get elsewhere, I doubt you will be like hey, at least I have food better than people in Darfour....

He worked his entire life to be an NBA starting Center and the Magic GM just took that away from him so of course he is disapointed. He is not saying that he won't show up to camp or anything but allow a guy to express is displeasure for a moment. Jeez.

AfricanSensation wrote:You guys are funny with the people are losing jobs so he should shut up BS.

When players chose money you complain, when they try the easy way to a title you complain, now aguy says I don't care if I may get 6mil a year in Disneyworld and get an easy title, I love the game and I want to be the best NBA player I can be and play big minutes for a good team but no he is a rich player and he should just shut up and do whatever owners want?

I would like to see your reaction if your boss sends you to a city you don't want to be in for a role worse than what you could get elsewhere, I doubt you will be like hey, at least I have food better than people in Darfour....

He worked his entire life to be an NBA starting Center and the Magic GM just took that away from him so of course he is disapointed. He is not saying that he won't show up to camp or anything but allow a guy to express is displeasure for a moment. Jeez.

His agent is a doofus for wording it the way he did. If he had put it positively (i.e. "Marcin was really looking forward to contributing to a team in a starting role....") it would have come off a lot better; especially if he followed that with the things he "should" say about being happy to return to a great organization like the Magic, etc., etc.

At this level of public exposure and with the the way the public views sports celebrities and their salaries, it really should not have come off the agent's tongue the way it did. Unprofessional.

Nobody likes a whiner or diva. Ever. And a guy who just pulled in $5.8mill this year (@ a 600% raise) and a $34mill contract to play a game--with a championship contending team--and then complains about where ...well it sounds like whining....even if it is just expressing disappointment.

Won't be surprised to see a clarification statement pretty soon [edit: from his agent].

Gortat is going to split most of the minutes at PF with Bass and get backup min at Center.. Im thinking 20-25 per game total. He might have gotten starter minutes in Dallas, but I doubt it. Dampier's a vet going into a contract year, he is going to play his ass off. Now, if Gortat produces like we think he will, then he is going to be one valuable trade asset. He could be pulling down 10/10 a game plus a block or two. He needs to show that he can do that on a consistent basis. For his career and for the possibility to move. He needs to work so hard, that someone makes Otis "the mumbler" an offer he can't refuse.

I really appreciate Rich Devos' willingness to keep Gortat.

This moves gives the Magic a good backup option if Dwight ever has to miss a game this season.

He will likely be moved by this time next summer but nice to maximize those assets.

Don't ever say Mr. Devos is not committed to winning.

AfricanSensation wrote:You guys are funny with the people are losing jobs so he should shut up BS.

When players chose money you complain, when they try the easy way to a title you complain, now aguy says I don't care if I may get 6mil a year in Disneyworld and get an easy title, I love the game and I want to be the best NBA player I can be and play big minutes for a good team but no he is a rich player and he should just shut up and do whatever owners want?

I would like to see your reaction if your boss sends you to a city you don't want to be in for a role worse than what you could get elsewhere, I doubt you will be like hey, at least I have food better than people in Darfour....

He worked his entire life to be an NBA starting Center and the Magic GM just took that away from him so of course he is disapointed. He is not saying that he won't show up to camp or anything but allow a guy to express is displeasure for a moment. Jeez.

When you aren't calling the shots and aren't in the position to do so, then there is nothing to complain about. The Magic had every right to match that offer, and they owe Gortat nothing. If my boss gives me a job inferior to another I have in mind, I would be disappointed, but what else can I do about it? It's business, and these guys should be able to deal with that. That's what professionalism is all about.

This isn't such a 'terrible' situation for him anyway. You're getting paid 5 times what you used to make, and you are playing with a team that has a great shot at winning the league's ultimate prize. If that sounds like a rip-off to you then I don't know. In any case, the good of the team takes primacy over the personal goals of an individual player. That said, I don't feel sorry for Gortat.

Why be disappointed?

How many chances does a player have of EARNING a ring or the oppurtunity to get one. Lots of HOFers finished their careers without getting one.

Gortat should be stoked that in his relatively young basketball career he can contribute and get one. Later on, he can try to be the man to lead his team in getting one.

Well he is dissapointed because he knows what is the meaning of all this...
He is worried he might end up in a crappy team...
Dallas was perfect fit >strong team hot weather like he likes and big chance to start...

I just read some Polish tabolid and he knows that Magic propably match offer just to trade him later...
let me quote and translate what he said before magic matched offer...

"It would be silly if Magic match Dallas offer and after 90 days ill be traded to a team that is playing for 10 wins"

So I dont blame him for beeing dissapointed...
but at the same time he must understand ...this is how nba works...sooner he will realise it the better for him...

mhectorgato wrote:I feel bad for him for having his salary quadrupled during a major recession where the jobless rate is in the double digits and many can't afford the basics of life and/or health care.

Hehe, good one. A championship ring will help his resume too. He's a young guy and he will get his chance some day, but for now we need the depth, and more importantly the asset that he provides. I see Gortat getting time at pf though. I believe Otis and Stan thinks Ryan can play some backup sf. There will be minutes for Gortat, just not as much as he would have had in Dallas.

~Snoopy~ wrote:Well he is dissapointed because he knows what is the meaning of all this...
He is worried he might end up in a crappy team...
Dallas was perfect fit >strong team hot weather like he likes and big chance to start...

I just read some Polish tabolid and he knows that Magic propably match offer just to trade him later...
let me quote and translate what he said before magic matched offer...

"It would be silly if Magic match Dallas offer and after 90 days ill be traded to a team that is playing for 10 wins"

So I dont blame him for beeing dissapointed...
but at the same time he must understand ...this is how nba works...sooner he will realise it the better for him...

Well Gortat can refuse any trade for the first year, so if the Magic tried to trade him to a 10win team in 90days time he would be well within his rights to say no.

RookieStar wrote:Why be disappointed?

How many chances does a player have of EARNING a ring or the oppurtunity to get one. Lots of HOFers finished their careers without getting one.

Gortat should be stoked that in his relatively young basketball career he can contribute and get one. Later on, he can try to be the man to lead his team in getting one.

Yea, he's making the money, but imagine your self in his shoes, how would you like to sit on the bench for 30+ minutes an entire season, when you know, that you can be a starter and contribute like such. Apparently the guy just wants to play, and how can you blame him, he is still young and if he is forever in Dwights shadow, thats all his legacy will be, "That guy who backed up Dwight". Winning a championship is nice, but players like to see how good they can become and carve out there own part of basketball history, this only hinders his development.

Some players play for the money, some are content riding the tails of a winning squad. Gortat is actually getting both. He is getting paid money close to that of Shawn Marion and Ron Artest, and he gets a chance to win a championship this early in his career. While he may not get his every demand just yet, he is in an enviable position for a lot of players out there. It's really not so bad. Sure he won't get his big minutes yet, but he is young and he's still got a long career ahead of him. The time will come for that.

TheGlyde wrote:

~Snoopy~ wrote:Well he is dissapointed because he knows what is the meaning of all this...
He is worried he might end up in a crappy team...
Dallas was perfect fit >strong team hot weather like he likes and big chance to start...

I just read some Polish tabolid and he knows that Magic propably match offer just to trade him later...
let me quote and translate what he said before magic matched offer...

"It would be silly if Magic match Dallas offer and after 90 days ill be traded to a team that is playing for 10 wins"

So I dont blame him for beeing dissapointed...
but at the same time he must understand ...this is how nba works...sooner he will realise it the better for him...

Well Gortat can refuse any trade for the first year, so if the Magic tried to trade him to a 10win team in 90days time he would be well within his rights to say no.

hmm didnt know that...and seems like he doesnt know it too...
or he is so nice guy that he has no intention to mess with magic plans if they trade him?:D
whatever
but still
cant blame him for his desire to play for a team that was perfect fit for him...