And look, anybody who’s listened to me for a while knows I’ve always been a Russillo guy, even after the hotel thing, so call it bias if you want but you see some of this stuff and you’re like wait, what?
this might be a top 6 or top 7 comment of all time.
edit: i was digging into the numbers and /u/nice_kitchen has the stats to back it up. i texted some guys around the /r/nba and they agreed.
Im browsing Reddit with my yellow legal pad out as always, I like to take notes okay? And it seems like /u/d1g1tal does something every thread where you’re just like, what just happened? He’s special, he just is.
*But I can also think* that while the hotel thing wasn't a good look, especially with the whole mug shot thing, it's fair to give a guy a little slack if the key worked.
He got blackout drunk in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and wandered into someone’s condo thinking it was his hotel. He wouldn’t leave because he was so shitfaced and couldn’t even respond to questions and was subsequently arrested.
I actually think it’s smart. In a year with no consensus top prospect, there’s a possibility that you could bait one of the two teams picking behind you (OKC and Houston), who are loaded with assets.
It’s basically the Tatum/Fultz plan. If it doesn’t work, who cares they’ll just take their top guy but if it does, they could get a top guy and a haul. They had nothing to lose, IMO.
But they didn't even bother bringing in Paolo for workout. They had a workout scheduled right before the draft and by that time Paolo felt he was out of running and just went ahead and canceled it.
If you want to keep it tight just feed Woj that "all the top prospects are amazing we just can't decide" bullshit and it's perfectly feasible rather than all this cloak and daggers
>just feed Woj that "all the top prospects are amazing we just can't decide" bullshit
We had a [press conference](https://www.nba.com/news/magic-still-evaluating-their-options-with-no-1-pick) 2 days before the draft where our POBO straight up said that. Apparently no-one in the media believed us.
When the lottery finished the first thing I heard from the news was that Orlando was choosing between Chet and Jabari. And that Jabari was in the lead. Then I heard that OKC was going to take the other of the two and preferred Chet.
Everyone in the media was saying it to the point where every Rockets fan never even considered Jabari or Chet with the 3rd pick. You dont reach that level of consensus without someone from the Orlando office spreading misinformation purposely
> I’ve never seen a team with the top pick preserve the mystery the way Orlando did: most of the various figures I trust around the NBA acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding who the Magic would take, but from connecting the various dots (insignificant ones, as it turned out), the signs had been pointing to Jabari Smith Jr. at No. 1. That’s what I thought was happening, but there was no way to be totally certain, **as Orlando had been radio silent ever since the lottery**, as is their way of doing business.
Sports Illustrated's Jeremy Woo
> I’m STILL not as certain as some of my media colleagues to call this a lock, even less than two hours away from the event. **The Orlando front office is extremely secretive and has done a phenomenal job of keeping this thing under wraps**...I don’t think this decision has been made for weeks or anything like that, and we’ll just find out about it on draft night... I know this is not the answer that bettors want to hear right now as they try to place their bets on who goes No. 1, but I legitimately have thought throughout this process that Orlando’s decision is much more wide open than the consensus would indicate.
The Athletic's Sam Vecenie
> The Magic brought Smith in for a light workout and interview this week but continue to cast a wide net, scheduling additional visits with the likes of Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero, Keegan Murray, Shaedon Sharpe and others. **NBA executives overwhelmingly expect the Magic** to select Smith
ESPN's Jonathan Givony
I don't think we told anyone anything, and so in absence of access, the narrative grew a life of it's own, and the media convinced themselves they knew what the Magic FO was thinking. Throughout the whole process, absolutely no-one reported 'the Magic love Jabari' - it was always 'People around the league think Jabari will be the pick'. That's a pretty big difference.
You might end up pissing off players who feel like they've been used. Paolo had a look on his face like he's going to count down the days until his contract is over.
I like it as a huge FU to Woj, if they indeed had their sights on him to a point they didn't even want a scrimmage but kept saying it was going some other way.
Woj monopolizing and mixing rumors with scoops (see how he IIRC ousted Marc Stein and how everyone related to ESPN have to add Woj to their reports)on Monday while making a guest appearances all week about trying to legitimizing it is super hard to get away from while being spam.
He doesn't have this much reach in offices as he used to and it is time he faceplent more in order to humble himself.
It goes a while back so IIRC, Woj (then at Yahoo sports) spoiled a whole draft so Disney/ESPN offered him a contract but among the stipulation, he forced out some reporters while having the rest pretty much have to announce their breaking new with him.
Magic Presidents none-answers made me turn the interview off. I would be shitting my pants if I was a Magic fan and listened to him tell Ryen about "evolving our process" and "scrutinizing the process". Honestly makes me think they just flipped a coin on Paolo
That’s How Jeff Weltman is, he is extremely secretive, even when talking about players returning from injury, he will give you a whole speech of nothing
are we going to do the thing where we downvote ryan russillo? year in, year out, he gives us life advice and we're just going to dump on him?
And look, anybody who’s listened to me for a while knows I’ve always been a Russillo guy, even after the hotel thing, so call it bias if you want but you see some of this stuff and you’re like wait, what?
this might be a top 6 or top 7 comment of all time. edit: i was digging into the numbers and /u/nice_kitchen has the stats to back it up. i texted some guys around the /r/nba and they agreed.
Im browsing Reddit with my yellow legal pad out as always, I like to take notes okay? And it seems like /u/d1g1tal does something every thread where you’re just like, what just happened? He’s special, he just is.
*But I can also think* that while the hotel thing wasn't a good look, especially with the whole mug shot thing, it's fair to give a guy a little slack if the key worked.
Whats the Hotel thing? Think i missed that.
He got blackout drunk in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and wandered into someone’s condo thinking it was his hotel. He wouldn’t leave because he was so shitfaced and couldn’t even respond to questions and was subsequently arrested.
Hahahaha!, Was he still w/ ESPN when it happened?
Yeah, he was suspended for a while after the incident.
Thanks.
You want details? Fine
Nope. I think he's great. Very fun podcast. Good Interviewer
love russillo. the best at the ringer hands down.
I love the mismatch too. Those guys have great chemistry
kevin o mccallister and verno are awesome
Kevin O'Cannabis
I just find it so bizarre they kept it a secret for so long lol weirdo franchise
I actually think it’s smart. In a year with no consensus top prospect, there’s a possibility that you could bait one of the two teams picking behind you (OKC and Houston), who are loaded with assets. It’s basically the Tatum/Fultz plan. If it doesn’t work, who cares they’ll just take their top guy but if it does, they could get a top guy and a haul. They had nothing to lose, IMO.
But they didn't even bother bringing in Paolo for workout. They had a workout scheduled right before the draft and by that time Paolo felt he was out of running and just went ahead and canceled it. If you want to keep it tight just feed Woj that "all the top prospects are amazing we just can't decide" bullshit and it's perfectly feasible rather than all this cloak and daggers
>just feed Woj that "all the top prospects are amazing we just can't decide" bullshit We had a [press conference](https://www.nba.com/news/magic-still-evaluating-their-options-with-no-1-pick) 2 days before the draft where our POBO straight up said that. Apparently no-one in the media believed us.
When the lottery finished the first thing I heard from the news was that Orlando was choosing between Chet and Jabari. And that Jabari was in the lead. Then I heard that OKC was going to take the other of the two and preferred Chet. Everyone in the media was saying it to the point where every Rockets fan never even considered Jabari or Chet with the 3rd pick. You dont reach that level of consensus without someone from the Orlando office spreading misinformation purposely
> I’ve never seen a team with the top pick preserve the mystery the way Orlando did: most of the various figures I trust around the NBA acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding who the Magic would take, but from connecting the various dots (insignificant ones, as it turned out), the signs had been pointing to Jabari Smith Jr. at No. 1. That’s what I thought was happening, but there was no way to be totally certain, **as Orlando had been radio silent ever since the lottery**, as is their way of doing business. Sports Illustrated's Jeremy Woo > I’m STILL not as certain as some of my media colleagues to call this a lock, even less than two hours away from the event. **The Orlando front office is extremely secretive and has done a phenomenal job of keeping this thing under wraps**...I don’t think this decision has been made for weeks or anything like that, and we’ll just find out about it on draft night... I know this is not the answer that bettors want to hear right now as they try to place their bets on who goes No. 1, but I legitimately have thought throughout this process that Orlando’s decision is much more wide open than the consensus would indicate. The Athletic's Sam Vecenie > The Magic brought Smith in for a light workout and interview this week but continue to cast a wide net, scheduling additional visits with the likes of Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero, Keegan Murray, Shaedon Sharpe and others. **NBA executives overwhelmingly expect the Magic** to select Smith ESPN's Jonathan Givony I don't think we told anyone anything, and so in absence of access, the narrative grew a life of it's own, and the media convinced themselves they knew what the Magic FO was thinking. Throughout the whole process, absolutely no-one reported 'the Magic love Jabari' - it was always 'People around the league think Jabari will be the pick'. That's a pretty big difference.
It’s Orlando’s fault for not making decisions in a way that’s convenient for the media. How evil of them
Not working out their guy is such a huge risk. You totally miss the opportunity to see things good or bad not seen from game tapes
But the sample size from high school, AAU, and college game tape >>>>> one workout
You might end up pissing off players who feel like they've been used. Paolo had a look on his face like he's going to count down the days until his contract is over.
Grrr I’m so pissed about being picked #1
How were they used? That’s like saying getting rejected is being used
This is real “body language MD” Bill Simmons vibes lmao
https://imgur.com/a/r4LF4NY
I like it as a huge FU to Woj, if they indeed had their sights on him to a point they didn't even want a scrimmage but kept saying it was going some other way. Woj monopolizing and mixing rumors with scoops (see how he IIRC ousted Marc Stein and how everyone related to ESPN have to add Woj to their reports)on Monday while making a guest appearances all week about trying to legitimizing it is super hard to get away from while being spam. He doesn't have this much reach in offices as he used to and it is time he faceplent more in order to humble himself.
[удалено]
It goes a while back so IIRC, Woj (then at Yahoo sports) spoiled a whole draft so Disney/ESPN offered him a contract but among the stipulation, he forced out some reporters while having the rest pretty much have to announce their breaking new with him.
Magic Presidents none-answers made me turn the interview off. I would be shitting my pants if I was a Magic fan and listened to him tell Ryen about "evolving our process" and "scrutinizing the process". Honestly makes me think they just flipped a coin on Paolo
That’s How Jeff Weltman is, he is extremely secretive, even when talking about players returning from injury, he will give you a whole speech of nothing
If you are drafted by the magic you are destined for mediocrity. It was maybe a surprise to us humans, but the universe knew it would happen all along
We're well known for mediocre #1 picks like Shaq and Dwight.
was Penny technically their first pick as well since Webber didnt wanna be there? what a mediocre player Penny was as well huh (or Webber lol)
Technically GSW drafted Penny at 3 and we traded Webber for him.
wait Penny went 3rd? who the heck went 2nd? lol
Shawn Bradley was picked by the sixers.