Typically in sports, it considered bad form to criticize a player for not being able to compete due to injury or to hold the team leadership accountable for that injury.
But the Orlando Magic are bending that philosophy of trust near it’s breaking point.
Last night, the club selected North Carolina guard, Cole Anthony, with the 15th pick in the NBA draft. It’s an exciting pick. Anthony can score and comes from arguably the best college basketball program there is. He can be a star in this league.
But he’s injury prone (stories HERE, HERE, and HERE).
And the Orlando Magic have been held back for a few years now because of selecting players that can’t stay healthy.
Jonathan Isaac.
Mo Bamba.
Chuma Okeke.
When are we going to start asking the hard questions about this?
We’re not a free agency destination. The only way we have to build is through the draft.
We want to be good to the hometown fans, but how much longer are we going to sit back and watch this trend occur?
And the motivation for everyone should be there. We got a raw deal inside the bubble and we all watched the Los Angeles Lakers celebrate another championship on our uniform sponsor’s floor in our own hometown with our ex coach and former franchise player.
If that’s not motivation, I don’t know what is.
But we have been wasting years being polite. And I don’t even have to time to go into the way the city gives this team in it’s taxpayer funded arena a pass on almost everything else for .
Prove me wrong this year guys. Please prove me wrong.
Otherwise, it’s time to hold them accountable for drafting liabilities.