------------------------------------------------------------ NBA CONFIDENTIAL Weisbrod's plan has steady theme By Tim Povtak | Sentinel Staff Writer Posted July 26, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------ Whether anyone likes it or not, the Orlando Magic game plan has become clear as spring water, as consistent as Reggie Miller on the free-throw line. Magic General Manager John Weisbrod -- in his first summer on the job -- decided substance, not style, was what he wanted, battlers, not big names and familiar faces in the lineup. Every major personnel decision he has made since last season has been an unpopular one, often flying against traditional NBA thinking, angering some of the Magic's most fanatical fans. But he is reshaping the franchise without compromise, staying with a recurring theme that is seen in every move. Love it or hate it, the plan invites scrutiny, causes controversy. If it doesn't work, he's Jerry Krause and soon to be run out of town. If the Magic rocket upward, he's Jerry West, suddenly praised for being an innovator. Some laugh that his thinking is clouded by too many blows to the head as a hockey player. Others see Weisbrod as a refreshing change in the star-blinding NBA culture. Only a season or two will settle the debate. "I don't care about popularity," Weisbrod said. "Whether they [decisions] are well-received or not, that's sort of irrelevant. At the end of the day, the only thing that's well-received is winning, and that's what I'm trying to do." He didn't fire unheralded coach Johnny Davis this summer when he could have made a popular hire instead. He didn't commit $120 million for the contract extension Shaquille O'Neal would have wanted. He traded superstar Tracy McGrady, causing a death threat against him. He drafted high-school standout Dwight Howard with the No. 1 pick when he could have had the more-heralded Emeka Okafor. He quickly gave free agent Hedo Turkoglu a $38 million contract when he might have waited for a bigger name such as Vlade Divac or Erick Dampier. Then he traded Drew Gooden, a talented but temperamental power forward, last week for journeyman Tony Battie, a less-talented but mentally tougher forward/center. And he isn't done erasing everything he can from last season's debacle. "I don't know if those [moves] say anything. You can make moves that everyone thinks are great, but then you lose, and they're not so great," he said. "Or you can make moves that don't seem so great at the time, but you win, and things change." Every one of the moves reflects Weisbrod's old-fashioned hockey theory that the name on the front of the jersey is more important than the name on the back, and that attitude and chemistry are vital to winning. Unlike the past, when General Manager John Gabriel and Coach Doc Rivers often compromised on personnel matters, leading to a disjointed approach, this roster will be all Weisbrod's. Unlike last season, when McGrady more than once was blindsided by an aggressive defender -- and no teammate came to his defense -- things will be different this season. When Dwight Howard becomes the victim of a veteran cheap shot, watch for quick retaliation from the Magic. "We were lacking a lot of intangibles that in my experience I've found to be essential to winning, so it wasn't very surprising that we weren't winning [last season]," he said. "That's why I'm excited about our identity being different now." Teams throughout the NBA are watching the Magic completely reshuffle the roster, wondering where it will end. At least one competing NBA coach, though, likes what Weisbrod has done, especially with McGrady. "So many GMs are too busy kissing up to the star player that they can't see the big picture," said the coach, who didn't want his name used. "The old saying that it's easier to change one coach than a whole team of players didn't fit in Orlando. He did it the hard way. Coaches dream about working for a GM who will support them like that." --

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