Can I get some REAL help?

The Boston Celtics have eliminated the Orlando Magic from the 2010 NBA Playoffs.

*sigh*

I have no problem with Boston.
In fact, I'm a supporter of Rajon Rondo.
Paul Pierce remains one of the NBA's elite.
Kevin Garnett is a cerebral mastermind.
Ray Allen is a deadly shooter.
Kendrick "Tell 'Em Why You Mad, SON!" Perkins is vastly underrated.

Congratulations to Boston!


My problem is with the managerial decisions of the Orlando Magic.
Without much question, Dwight Howard is the most dominant center in the NBA.
In an era where teams lack true 7 foot centers, one would think the Orlando Magic could successfully build around the league's best.
However, they have failed to do it.

The Orlando Magic spent about thirty-five million...
That's $35,000,000.00 for 23 total points and 15 rebounds tonight.
Dwight Howard (making a little under $15 millie) alone poured in 28 points, while collecting 12 rebounds, in a losing effort.

The $35 Million dollars and mediocre statistics represent Rashard Lewis and Vince Carter.
Lewis scored 7 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.
Carter scored 17 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.

These two shy away from making the big play.
Neither players have been deadly from long range.
In fact, Mickael Pietrus and JJ Redick are better three point shooters and combine to make less than nine million dollars combined.

More than the money, it's about managerial decisions causing players to waste their efforts and energy. During Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame induction speech, he took a shot at owners/general managers and stated that players win championships.

With the Orlando Magic's current roster, Dwight Howard will never win a championship.

In retrospect, they should have NEVER traded for Vince Carter.
He has never proven to be more than a high-scoring, glorified loser.
Don't get me wrong.
In his prime, he was an amazing scorer and dunker.
However, he's always been a tad too timid and a tad too soft to be considered amongst the elite.
A hungry, defending, slashing and aggressive Courtney Lee would have caused much more match-up problems for Ray Allen and Paul Pierce.

Keeping Hedo Turkoglu would have been ideal.
He struggled to make an impact in his first season as a Toronto Raptor.
He's never afraid to take the last shot (or ANY shot; he loves shooting) and he's a match-up nightmare, as a 6'9" forward with the handles of a point guard.

Jameer Nelson is a soldier.
He has all the heart in the world.

It's too bad that he and Dwight Howard are likely stuck with Rashard Lewis and Vince Carter for the next few (3 more years on the contract of Lewis; 2 years, with a team option on the 2nd year of Carter's deal) seasons.


I'm sure Howard and Nelson don't even want to consider the fact they could be playing alongside LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, or Carlos Boozer next season... had their organizatoin not used so much salary cap space on two underwhelming players...