All-Time Greatest Franchise Teams

[Tito's Pullover]

The Magic have a great roster considering their relative newness as a franchise and the fact that they've never won a title. If we do this again in three years and Oladipo is the stud he seems to be, they might be in the running.

PG - Penny Hardaway, Jameer Nelson, Scott Skiles, Darrell Armstrong, Steve Francis
SG - Tracy McGrady, Victor Oladipo, Nick Anderson, Dennis Scott
SF - Grant Hill, Hedo Turkoglu, Aaron Afflalo
PF - Rashard Lewis, Horace Grant
C - Shaquille O'Neal, Dwight Howard

Head Coach - Doc Rivers
Assistant Head Coach - Stan Van Gundy

That's 16, so there will be a competition in camp for the last roster spot. It'll come down to Armstrong and VO, with VO likely getting the nod thanks to his ability to play both the 1 and the 2. The winner of that battle, Skiles, and Nelson would not dress most nights.

I'd try Dwight at the big forward and run him and Shaq together and try a two towers lineup. It wouldn't work in today's NBA, but I assume I'm not playing against today's NBA but rather other all time teams. The Grant Hill in Orlando was a bit older and a step slower, so I probably would have him as the sixth man off the bench especially with the big men I'm starting. I'd either plug Hedo in at the 3 or go small with Francis-Penny-TMac. If I did play Penny and Francis in the same backcourt, I might DNP Dennis Scott and bring back Nelson or Skiles. Otherwise 3D Scott is my 12th man and three point specialist.

I'm not very deep at the 4 and 5, so I'll expect Dwight and young Shaq to play a ton of minutes. If I need depth there I might sign Nikola Vucevic.

McGrady becomes the Kobe Shaq didn't have his first five years in the league. This team isn't going to take the title but it'll give opponents fits and probably knock a contender out along the way.

 

[Devizier]

I like the Magic squad as well, although their forward situation is horrible. I would make some modifications to your proposed roster.
 
C Shaquille O'Neal, Dwight Howard
PF Horace Grant, Rashard Lewis, Bo Outlaw
SF Hedo Turkoglu, Dennis Scott
SG Tracy McGrady, Nick Anderson, JJ Redick
PG Penny Hardaway, Jameer Nelson, Darrell Armstrong
 
Grant Hill gets bumped because he was a huge disappointment with the Magic.
In his place, Bo Outlaw, an underrated defensive stopper who had his best years in Orlando. He could also defend all three frontcourt positions.
Any team starting Turkoglu at small forward is going to have matchup problems with most other all-time franchises, but there really wasn't anyone better.
 
Coach Van Gundy would probably want to run small anyways, and you could credibly play McGrady as a forward, allowing the Magic to take advantage of soem of their (relative) backcourt depth. 

 

[Tito's Pullover]

Hill was serviceable when he wasn't hurt - which unfortunately was basically the first half of his contract. I don't know how we account for that here, but point taken.

I thought about adding Outlaw for defense and versatility, but couldn't pick a point guard to sacrifice.

I think Redick is a wasted spot if you have Scott.

Rashard Lewis was also a 3 right up until he signed with Orlando. I see no reason he couldn't play there as well if larger teams are getting the best of TMac, but that suddenly makes the lineup awfully slow.

A random thought that is interesting to me and maybe me only - how many players are in contention for the all time rosters of three or more teams? Shaq, Barkley, Mutombo, maybe McGrady but only because the Raptors are that bad. Who else?

 

[Devizier]

Best players for three teams?

Moses Malone maybe makes four all time rosters.
Dennis Rodman (after Duncan, who displaces him on the Spurs?)
Chris Paul, on a technicality.

 

[Zereck]

Jason Kidd if you put him over Marbury in the suns backup pg role

 

[reggiecleveland]

Jazz
 
PG: Stockton
SG: Pistol Pete
SF: Adrian Dantley
PF: Karl Malone
C:  Mark Eaton
 
Bench:
G Deron Williams
G Darrell Griffith
G Rickey Green
G Jeff Hornacek
F Andrei Kirilenko
F Thurl Bailey
C Carlos Boozer
 
(team needs more depth in the post)

This is one team that would have poor chemistry. Dantley loved to post up and play tight to the hoop. Where would the Mailman go? Stockton and the Pistol both liked having the ball a lot.

 

[Mugthis]

That Jazz team is shitty.