Wherever it goes

[Rasmuth]

I sat in my office, lost in thought as I blindly gazed at the various photos decorating the walls. I took almost all the photos myself at various games throughout my General Manager career in professional basketball. I love to take photos almost as much as I love basketball, and basketball is my usual subject matter. Of course there are the private photos I've taken of various lovers through the years, most more than willing to oblige a young, powerful, single and handsome NBA executive. But those are for my eyes only. I don't "kiss and tell." Yes, I readily admit, I do enjoy the perks of my position, so to speak.

My eyes focused on a wonderful photo of Alojzije Simic shooting a jump shot his rookie season with the Knicks back in 2013. I drafted the young Croatian guard back in the first round with the 7th pick. It wasn't a popular choice at the time, but I loved his game from the moment I first saw him. Simic, in the long run, vindicated me, but I was long gone by then, unceremoniously dumped by Knick ownership after three consecutive losing seasons. I understood the decision, but all I truly needed was a little more time. The Knicks went 100-146 during my brief reign in NY, but the core of the team I built would make the playoffs three of the next four seasons.

I was villified in New York. I traded Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire soon after taking over the club, but the 1st round draft picks that came to New York were key. A smile crossed my lips while looking at the picture of the graceful and athletic Simic. I tried to trade for him after I signed with Orlando, following one successful season in the D-League (27-21 with Utah). But the price was too high and the deal never materialized. When he eventually became a free agent, I just didn't have the resources available to make a run for him, at least without disrupting the plan I had in mind for the Magic. Simic plays with the Clippers now, and continues to be one of the most effective shooting guards in the NBA. I looked up his stat line recently....13.4 points per game, 5.5 assists per game and 4.6 rebounds per game in nearly 500 contests in his career so far. I will always carry a special place in my heart for him. He was my first draft pick in the NBA and he made the most of his opportunity. We still exchange emails monthly and Christmas cards yearly, and I attended his wedding last year. We are friends.

How does that old Grateful Dead tune go? "What a long, strange trip it's been." My first season running the Magic didn't turn many heads, though we did improve two wins and finished 39-43. It was clear from the beginning that the roster needed to be cleansed, there was no future where it was and the biggest culprit was Joe Johnson and his outlandish $25 million salary. In the end, I purged the roster, it was bloody and necessary, and I had to give up our first round picks in 2017 and 2018 to make it happen. The press and the fans were beyond ugly. And when the team only won 31 games in 2017, I thought it was over in Orlando, and probably the NBA...for good.

But owner Dick Amstar sat me down and point blank asked what the hell was going on. I told him what I truly believed, there was no reason to fabricate lies. I told him that next season would be the beginning of a new era for Orlando basketball.

His gaze was steady and finally he asked: "What the hell does that really mean?"

I replied as calmly as I could muster but truth be told, I was scared to death. "Winning," was all I said.

Amstar shook his head. Later, his secretary in attendance of the meeting (a classic curvy blonde whom I know rather well, I have pictures to prove it), stated I looked "cool as a cucumber." I wanted him to believe me and I could tell he wanted to believe, but let's face it...my track record wasn't convincing. "Someone needs to go, either you or Tobias," he finally admitted, "I can't just let this past season go without a reaction, the fans are on the verge of revolt."

Now, there was no way in hell I was going to leave this team right before the success, like with the Knicks. So I vehemently fought for my job. I explained what I had in mind for 2018 and beyond and my words ended up costing head coach Troy Tobias his job. I felt bad, I hired him and he only had the one mere season. The worst part about it, is that he's gonna be a great coach at this level, he's got what it takes. But it was him or me, and I did what I needed to do.

The 2018 season was everything I predicted it would be. The Magic became a winning team, in fact the turn around was rather dramatic. We picked up 14 wins over the previous season and finished 45-37. Plus, we made the playoffs for the first time since 2012. It didn't matter we got bounced out in the first round against Indiana, we made the playoffs. Amstar was more than pleased. He sent me and a person of my choice, all expenses paid, to the Cayman Islands for a luxurious two week vacation at one of his many overseas properties. Much to his chagrin, I took his buxom blonde secretary, and my camera of course.

We finally had a 1st round pick in the draft for 2019 after two seasons of not having one. I drafted 20 year old PF Terrance Logie with the 18th pick. He's not a superstar, but he will be a decent NBA player. He can score a little and has nice rebounding skills, and won't hurt us defensively. I chose not to extend the contract of starting center Marcin Gortat and that free'd up a ton of cap space, in fact for the first time, I had some flexibility with free agents. I decided to stick with a comfortable choice, PG Goran Dragic. He played for me in New York and I signed him right after coming to Orlando. His contract with us recently expired but we talked and he informed me that he'd gladly come back if we gave him a fair offer. Despite being 33 years old, I think Goran has more left in the tank and we came to an agreement. With Gortat gone, I needed another center and in the end I signed 7-2 Cortez Ash. He's only 25, but he's a capable rebounder and has some scoring ability too.

All I needed was just a few other pieces to the puzzle and I made offers.


A sudden knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts.

"Come in," I said.

"Hey boss," a familiar voice answered, as he gracefully entered the room.

I smiled when I realized who it was. "Take a seat, Carmelo," I said, waving towards the two chairs opposite my desk. I went and sat down behind my desk.

Carmelo Anthony sat down with a grunt. "It's about damn time you came to your senses," he said teasingly.

"You'll never let me live that down, will you?"

A sly smile crossed his lips. "You traded me. I can't forget it and I certainly won't let you forget it."

"You had some real nice years with the Lakers," I reminded him.

He nodded and hesitated a moment. "You made some bold moves with New York. One more season was all you needed."

I poured a whiskey and offered one to Carmelo. He accepted. For just a moment the only sound was the tinkling of ice in our glasses. "I'm not remembered very fondly in New York," I finally said.

"You got the shaft there. They started winning the very next season, with the team you built."

I shook my head. "Not many remember it like that, for what it really was."

Carmelo took a moment, thinking. "All of us, you know....in the league...we know. Even Amare is past his anger with you now. He likes what you've done here with this team so far."

I looked at Carmelo, trying to gauge his thoughts. "When did you last talk to Amare?"

"A few weeks ago," he answered, with a shrug.

"Then you'll be interested to know that we came to an agreement just this morning, he'll be here tomorrow."

Carmelo sat motionless. "Really?"

I nodded.

"He's not the player he once was," Carmelo said truthfully. We sat in silence for a few moments as the news sunk in. His eyes narrowed to mere slits as he regarded me. "Damn," he added emphatically..."ironic as hell,"

I poured another drink and refilled Carmelo's glass without asking.

Finally I spoke. "I know he's in decline and more importantly, he knows that too. But he still has plenty to offer from the bench and gives this team necessary depth at forward and center. Plus, I think he's interested in coaching after he retires. He wants to learn." I drew a large gulp of the smoky blended whiskey. "And let me remind you of this, Carmelo," I added, "you're a step slower these days too and after 16 seasons, the abuse and wear & tear of this game has taken it's toll. Even you can see that, I'm sure."

Carmelo glared at me, the fire bright in his eyes. "I can still play this game."

I smiled. "I know you can and that's why you're here. I can tell you this, you'll get 25-30 minutes a night. You may not start, but you'll play. I need your skills and your veteran leadership for the young guys. You may not score 1600-2000 points a season any more, but you'll be key to this team. I'm naming you Captain of the squad, unless you don't want it."

Carmelo nodded approvingly and smiled. "I always liked you, you know," he said, just before gulping a mouthful of whiskey with a wince, "there's no bull**** with you and I appreciate that."

We talked for three more hours about the team and what we wanted to accomplish. And we drank.


The 2019 Orlando Magic (with age, experience and 2018 stats):

Starters
PG- Goran Dragic(33)- 11 yrs/15.8p, 7.3a, 3.4r (13.8p for career)
SG- Kenny Horton(22)- 3 yrs/16.1p, 2.8a, 4.0r (1st round pick in 2016 #11, my first draft pick with Orlando)
SF- Ty Braun(25)- 4 yrs/11.7p, 2.3a, 7.9r (2nd pick of 2015 draft, chosen before I took over)
PF- Ryan Anderson(31)- 11 yrs/19.1p, 1.5a, 7.0r (signed $42.4m/4yr deal in 2013 and since extended, 19.5p for career!)
C - Cortez Ash(25)- 5 years/12.7p, 0.7a, 6.6r, (newly signed free agent $42.7m/4yr over 4 years)

Bench
6th-SF Carmelo Anthony(34)- 16 yrs/14.0p, 1.4a, 5.1r, (free agent signed $12m/2yr deal)
7th-PG Iman Shumpert(29)- 8 yrs/8.2p, 3.8a, 2.6r (playing time significantly decreased last season, very good defensively)
8th-C Greg Oden(31)- 10 yrs/6.3p, 0.7a, 3.0r (played all 82 games last year, important off bench offensively and defensively)
9th-PF Terrance Logie(20)- rookie (will get first NBA minutes this season, still developing)
10th-F/C Amare Stoudemire(36)- 17 yrs/4.0p, 0.4a, 2.3r (fading superstar, signed for protection against injuries at F or C)
11th-SG Mike Tennell(24)- 2yrs/4.5p, 0.8a, 1.5r (probable career backup, has some scoring ability and defense is strong)
12th-PF Mike Kernan(24)- 2yrs/D-League (made team and will see handful of minutes, nice backup player)
13th-SG Louis Williams(32)- 14yrs/5.4p, 2.3a, 1.5r (free agent acquisition, starts season hurt, adds depth at G)

(SF- Reggie Danielson(23)- 1yr/2.5p, 0.5a, 1.5r (played 63 games last season, starts in D-League this season)



GM- Crash Davis, age 37, (6 years NBA experience, 1 yr D-League)
HC- Lawrence Willis, age 68 (last season was first season as Head Coach, career record is 45-37)
1st- Tim Bedard, age 65 (3rd year with team)
2nd- Jeff Capel, age 67 (8th year with team)
3rd- Darvin Ham, age 46 (3rd year with team)


more to come soon...

[Rasmuth]

It's time for the 2019 regular season.

Game #1) Orlando @ Charlotte, W 97-90 (1-0)
POG - Kenny Horton- 26p, 3a, 8r
Goran Dragic- 19p & 8a

Game #2) Boston @ Orlando, L 100-116 (1-1)
POG - Marco Harris- 26p, 4a, 15r
Kenny Horton- 25p & 7 steals

Game #3) Orlando @ Memphis, W 106-87 (2-1)
POG - Goran Dragic- 21p, 9a, 2r & 5 steals
Ryan Anderson- 18p & 12r

Game #4) Toronto @ Orlando, W 104-98 (3-1)
POG - Ryan Anderson- 20p, 1a, 6r
Carmelo Anthony- 15pts in 19 minutes off the bench

Game #5) Orlando @ Denver, W 97-89 (4-1)
POG - Ryan Anderson- 26p, 0a, 10r
Kenny Horton- 24p

[Rasmuth]

Game #6) Orlando @ Cleveland, L 81-92 (4-2)
POG - Bradley Beal- 29p, 8a, 4r, 4 steals

Game #7) Orlando @ New York, L 92-101 (4-3)
POG - John Wall- 18p, 12a, 8r, 4 steals
Kenny Horton- 27p

Game #8) Orlando @ Philadelphia, L 84-115 (4-4)
POG - Reggie Clancy- 42p, 1a, 6r

Game #9) Philadelphia @ Orlando, L 91-106 (4-5)
POG - Jrue Holiday- 18p, 14a, 1r

Game #10) Orlando @ Detroit, W 110-104 (5-5)
POG - Ryan Anderson- 28p, 3a, 3r
Cortez Ash- 19p, 9r

[Rasmuth]

Game #11) Miami @ Orlando, W 99-98 (6-5)
POG - Kenny Horton- 21p, 7a, 6r
Ryan Anderson- 24p

Game #12) Atlanta @ Orlando, W 107-82 (7-5)
POG - Kenny Horton- 23p, 0a, 5r
Carmelo Anthony- 16p, 6r

Game #13) Orlando @ Chicago, L 97-109 (7-6)
POG - Derrick Rose- 39p, 7a, 3r
Ty Braun- 18p, 11r

Game #14) Indiana @ Orlando, W 115-97 (8-6)
POG - Ty Braun- 28p, 3a, 4r
Goran Dragic- 14p, 10a

[Rasmuth]

Well, November has come to an end, it's just past midnight, the first of December and my overall impression of the Magic so far is rather positive. I poured a whiskey, three fingers worth and mulled over the team so far. To be fair, they're still all learning to play together and I can't complain about the 8-6 record so far.

Carmelo has done a very nice job as the court general of this team. NBA observers are raving about his leadership and many seem surprised by his maturity and lack of selfishness. Personally, I'm not surprised at all. Carmelo has come a long way from his early days in the NBA. Think about it, a National Championship his freshman year of college and then a superstar in the league right from the start just a year later. By the time I knew him with the Knicks he was already a changed player, willing to play defense and leave all of himself on the court, game after game. And the other players naturally gravitated towards him as a leader. He didn't ask for that or demand it, it just naturally happened. That trend continued after his trade to the Lakers.

He may not have known it yet, but at this stage of his career, his leadership was exactly what this team was missing. He's the proverbial "heart and soul" of this team and I believe as the season progresses the team will only improve as they grow together and become more comfortable with each other on the hardwood.

Dragic continues to excel as the PG on this team and Kenny Horton continues his rapid ascent to stardom in this league. Ty Braun and Ryan Anderson continue to be solid at the forward positions. At center, Cortez Ash is improving game by game. His defensive lapses are to be expected and I have confidence he will only get better, he's a hard worker and he's putting in extra hours.

"Hey," a soft voice said. I looked up from my notes and spied Marlene's ravishing face peeking around the door.

"Come in, Come in," I said, waving her into my office. "It's a bit late for a nice girl like you to be out alone, isn't it?"

"Nice win tonight, Crash," she answered, undeterred. From behind her back she produced a bottle of rather expensive champagne. Certainly too much for her meager salary. "What did you think of the girls tonight? Like the Magic, they're starting to really come together."

Marlene is 26 years old and as beautiful as a woman can be. She was currently wearing a ravishing red dress that appeared to be painted on. The dress was short, real short and my eyes lingered on her legs, dancers legs, and eventually landed on her stunning face after taking in a full view of her goodness. He long raven colored hair hung arrow straight down her back and shoulders and she was sporting bangs that were beyond sexy.

Marlene is the head of the Magic cheer leading squad. I didn't hire her and if I had, I'm sure people would have said I possessed ulterior motives. I didn't even have to introduce myself to her, she sought me out and we have been spending a fair amount of time together, discreetly of course. She understands that even though we "are" an item, we are truly not an item. She knows there are others, and she doesn't care. At least not yet, and if it becomes a problem, then it'll just be over.

Beyond that, she's doing a great job with the girls. I had noticed, I notice everything about the team. It's my team.

At that exact moment, it occurred to me, I really don't know that much about her.

"The girls were great tonight, Marlene, very enthusiastic and cohesive as a unit," I said.

She walked over to the desk, her heels clicking on the floor. "Here," she said, "open this champagne."

I grabbed two champagne glasses from the ample bar against the back wall of my office and started to work the the cork. I heard the nearly silent swish of the hidden sliding door that leads to my lavish hidden office bedroom. Very few people know it even exists, and even fewer knew how to open it. I can count them on one hand. I keep an address outside of the office for appearances, but truthfully, I spend most of my nights here.

I turned and the red dress was crumpled in a delicate heap on the floor and my eyes fell on her. All she was wearing were the red heels.

"Bring the champagne and let's celebrate a nice start to the season," she said breathlessly.

On the outside I was cool, calm, perhaps even appearing detached. Inside I was all butterflies and excited. I have that gift, no matter how I feel internally, I don't give away my emotions on the outside. I grabbed the glasses and the bottle and I didn't spill a single drop.

She turned and the view from that perspective was just as stupendous. "Don't forget your camera," she reminded me as she disappeared into the room.

Did I mention I love my job.

[Rasmuth]

Game #15) Orlando @ Toronto, L 98-112 (8-7)
POG - Tony McKenzie- 29p, 1a, 11r
Kenny Horton- 24p, 5a
Ryan Anderson- 22p

Game #16) Orlando @ Miami, L 97-117 (8-8)
POG - Tony Dickenman- 32p, 10a, 6r
Terrance Logie- 10p in 11 minutes

Game #17) Houston @ Orlando, W 109-98 (9-8)
POG - Goran Dragic- 28p, 3a, 4r

Game #18) Brooklyn @ Orlando, W 103-90 (10-8)
POG - Ty Braun- 22pts, 1a, 7r
Louis Williams- 14p in just 6 minutes, 1st game off of injury
Cortez Ash- 17p, 11r

Game #19) Orlando @ New Orleans, L 81-111 (10-9)
POG - Anthony Davis- 28p, 2a, 12r, 4 blocks, 6 steals (wow!)
Cortez Ash- 20p, 5r

[Rasmuth]

More December 2019 results.....

Game #20) Orlando @ Dallas, W 108-100 (11-9)
POG - Goran Dragic- 16p, 10a, 3r
Carmelo Anthony- 15p in 20 minutes
Greg Oden- 11p in 7 minutes

Game #21) Orlando @ San Antonio, W 115-95 (12-9)
POG - Kenny Horton- 27p, 3a, 7r
Ryan Anderson- 24p, 6r

Game #22) Orlando @ Washington, L 108-114 (12-10)
POG - Jordan Crawford- 19p, 18a, 4r
Goran Dragic- 21p, 8a

Game #23) Chicago @ Orlando, W 114-100 (13-10)
POG - Ryan Anderson- 30p & 8r
Carmelo Anthony- 22p in 22 minutes

Game #24) Atlanta @ Orlando, W 115-97 (14-10)
POG - Kenny Horton- 25p, 6a, 4r
Ryan Anderson- 21p & 7r

(games thru 12/18/2019)

[Rasmuth]

Game #25) New York @ Orlando, W 107-90 (15-10)
POG - Carmelo Anthony- 24p, 2a, 3r
Greg Oden- 12p, 4r in 18 minutes, 6-8 from floor

Game #26) Clippers @ Orlando, W 105-93 (16-10)
POG - Goran Dragic- 25p, 6a, 3r
Cortez Ash- 16p, 11r

Game #27) Milwaukee @ Orlando, W 115-107 (17-10)
POG- Ryan Anderson- 19p, 2a, 6r
Goran Dragic- 19p, 4a, 3r
Carmelo Anthony- 16p, 4a in 21 minutes, 10-10 from charity stripe

Game #28) Denver @ Orlando, L 95-106 (17-11)
POG- Kenneth Faried- 24p, 3a, 8r, 2blk, 2st
Carmelo Anthony- 13p, 3a, 9r in only 22 minutes (wow!...hustle!)

Game #29) Cleveland @ Orlando, L 107-115 (17-12)
POG- Kyrie Irving- 42p, 4a, 6reb (huge game!)

(games through 12/20/2012)

[Rasmuth]

There never was really any question for nearly my whole life as to what I wanted to become in life. I loved basketball from as early as I can remember. My father was the second highest scorer in his high school's history to this day.

And from long as I can remember, we watched as many games on television as we could realistically manage. I never became even the marginal athlete my father was, and I suspect he may have been better than I ever gave him credit for. I never ever even played organized basketball, not even a recreational league.

So, I became a student of the game and I soaked up as much knowledge as I could through the years. I read so many books about the players themselves as I did about basketball statistical analysis. I always thought I could manage a team better than the pro's who actually made a living doing it. And I talked a good game.

At some point I caught the ear of Sal Bologna, friend of a friend and a sports columnist for the Bridgeport Advocate. We ended up for a few years meeting at many New York City and Southern Connecticut social events (sports bars, clubs and occasional parties) and we talked sports, most often....NBA basketball. I was young, brash in my opinions and Sal noticed, more often right or more understanding than the professionals.

When I was 24, Sal began a weekly, then twice a week and finally a daily morning sports show on WBSC radio. Sal began to feature me as regular guest during his NBA focused programs and segments. True to form, radio and I were an instant hit. I was terrified on the inside doing these shows, yet calm, professional and appealing to the listener. Eventually I even came to enjoy it.

Someone in Southern Connecticut heard me on the radio and eventually word spread. Out of the blue, I was contacted by Southern Connecticut State with a shocking (to me) proposition to manage their men's division two team's program. I focused on recruiting and within four years the program had moved to Division One and made a run into the elite-8 at the NIT.

The Knicks called and I accepted the position without thinking. It was my dream job and I was 29 years old. Things of this magical magnitude just don't happen in the real world. I went in without proper preparation and was marketed by the team as an unknown prodigy virtually guaranteed to bring a championship back to New York City. I was doomed to fail from the start.

I didn't earn my nickname "Crash" because I was a ferocious rebounder pounding the glass. When I was eight, I crashed my bike and broke my right arm and left leg (an odd combination....right?) It was a coincidence my last name was Davis, the film "Bull Durham" had nothing to do with it.

As Carmelo stated earlier, I made some...well..."bold" moves and I didn't hesitate to make them. I traded both Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire within 16 days of taking over the club. My relationship with New York and the press exploded from there and it never recovered. I've been called "Crash" since I was a little boy, it's the only name anyone ever uses. Well, the press had a field day using "crash" in the headlines of the sports pages. Like I said, I was doomed from the beginning.

Three years later, I was gone. Four years later, the team I assembled made the playoffs. I am hated in New York and I'll never admit it publicly, but it burdens me to this day and I expect, it will follow me forever.

Yet I won't say it was all bad. I never had a serious high school or college sweetheart, so I never married. And once I hit the New York media, my life went from occasional encounters to innumerable girls and women throwing themselves at me. I won't say more on the subject, I think it speaks for itself.

I was never in it for the money, though a fair amount of money is the standard compensation for the position I hold. That being said, I am currently the lowest paid GM in the NBA. It was never about the money, but the money is fine and so are the perks.

I miss New York, though I love Orlando. I don't go out much, I never have. My prized office and luxury bedroom are where you'll find me 95% of the time when I'm in town, though I follow the team on the road much of the time.
Between work and....ahem...play, there isn't much need to leave anyway.

I received a call today (December 30th, 2019) from ESPN. Apparently the results of a recent poll of NBA fans indicated I am the 6th best GM in the NBA. How did this happen?

I know we're 17-12 sitting in 2nd place of the Southeast. I also am very aware that we are currently $3.5 million below the salary cap. And I think many believe the team is only getting better, as I believe.

How times have changed.

[Rasmuth]

Happy New Year!

Okay, well it's not midnight yet, but close enough as far as I'm concerned. The office is dead silent and I'm studying the myriad of reports, documents and statistical analysis about the team. Tomorrow is 2020 and this is where the season really becomes important. Carmelo and I had a long discussion this morning and he agrees, it's time to hold the other players to a higher standard on the court. We are 17-12 currently but we lost the last two games in December. 19-10 certainly sounds better, I hope those two games don't come back to haunt us come the end of the season.

My phone began to ring, not my desk phone but my personal cell phone. "Hello?" I said.

"Hey Crash, Happy New Year!"

It was Marlene. Somehow I knew it would be her. I saw her briefly at yesterdays game but I hadn't really spent any time with her in well over a week. She's a busy woman and obviously I'm pulled in many directions also. Thankfully, we have no real expectations of each other anyway. That being said, I found myself very happy to hear from her. I don't know if I'm capable of love. I'm not even sure I know what it is, but I truly care for her and upon further thought, perhaps that is love. I just don't know.

"Hey babe," I said with a sincere smile, "Happy New Year to you too. How are your folks?" She had gone to Pennsylvania, Hershey I think, to see her family.

"They're great, Crash, thank you for asking. My sister's here too, I didn't know she was going to be here." Her voice became softer and more solemn. "She's divorcing her husband and she's having a hard time. But it's great to see her and we are laughing alot. I think I forgot how much I missed her."

"Is she as beautiful as you?" I asked.

Marlene chuckled. "That's Crash, always on the prowl. Actually she's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. Growing up I always wanted to be just like her. I think I worshiped the ground she walked on. But it's really good to see her."

A less than comfortable silence ensued for just a moment.

"I'm glad your having a nice time," I finally said.

"What are you doing tonight....wait...let me guess...your desk is littered with reports and paperwork and you're knee deep in evaluation. Plus a little whiskey on the side."

I looked at my desk, it was identical to her description and I swallowed a mouthful of whiskey. "You know me too well," I said with a forced chuckle.

"Listen, Crash," she said, "It's New Years Eve. Go out and have some fun. Call a buddy or find a lady friend. You shouldn't be alone tonight. I worry about you sometimes. All work and no play can make you crazy...I know."

For a moment I thought about trying to explain, but I had tried numerous times before to certain people through the years. My work is my play. Being a GM of an NBA franchise is the absolute best thing I can imagine. And for the first time in my life I'm beginning to understand that I am very good at it. My mind drifted to the recent Sports Illustrated piece. My confidence took a hit after the Knicks debacle but these last few years have been so positive for me and while I'd like to say I don't need validation of my work, it's nice to see real recognition.

"I miss you, Crash," she finally said.

"I miss you too, babe," I answered. And I really did.

We said our goodbyes and I refocused on the reports in front of me. The team was playing pretty good basketball and I hesitated to admit it, even in my mind for fear of a jinx, we had no injuries yet. I came across the statistics for the team.

PF Ryan Anderson- 16.9p, 1.3a, 6.6r
SG Kenny Horton- 16.4p, 3.6a, 4.3r
PG Goran Dragic- 13.6p, 6.9a, 2.8r
6th Carmelo Anthony- 11.5p, 1.2a, 3.5r
SF Ty Braun- 10.8p, 2.0a, 7.4r
C Cortez Ash- 10.7p, 1.4a, 6.5r
7th Iman Shumpert- 7.0p, 3.8a, 2.4r
8th Greg Oden- 3.4p, 0.3a, 1.7r
9th Terrance Logie- 3.3p, 0.5a, 2.0r
10th Louis Williams- 3.1p, 0.9a, 0.8r
11th Amare Stoudemire- 2.8p, 0.4a, 1.4r
12th Kike Kernan- 2.4p, 0.2a, 1.5r

The team is so balanced, just the way I envisioned it could be. There is no superstar, everyone is contributing, especially the first seven on the depth chart. Head coach, Lawrence Willis, myself and Carmelo had long discussions before the season about what I wanted from the team. It was actually Willis who first stated, he thought this team was very balanced and that's where our focus should be. Without even telling him, he already understood my vision and my respect for the 68 year old coach went up yet another notch. I can't understand why nobody ever gave him a shot at head-coach before...he's a natural.

Carmelo bought into the concept right from the start. He's more basketball savvy than people give him credit for and his leadership has inspired this vision to fruition. But there's more work to do and we've been lucky, no real injuries have tested the depth of this lineup. Just like any GM, I keep up with who's available and what players are disgruntled or on the trading block. I really don't see a need to make any roster moves at this point.

Team-wise...we don't really stand out in any statistical categories. We don't rebound particularly well, but we do score better than most. It's a trade-off I can live with, at least for now

I flip to the most recent standings....

In the Southeast division we stand 2 games behind the front-running Hawks.

The Cavaliers are in first in the Central and my nemesis...the Knicks are on top in the Atlantic.

In the Western Conference, the Hornets, Nuggets and Kings sit on top of their respective divisions.

Current Leaders:

Scoring:
1) 26.5 - Kevin Love, MIN
2) 24.8 - Lebron James, LAC
3) 24.7 - Kevin Durant, OKC and Bradley Beal, CLE

Assists:
1) 11.2 - Ricky Rubio, MIN
2) 9.8 - Jeremy Lin, NO
3) 8.1 - Brandon Knight, SA
8.1 - Kyle Piatowski, BOS
8.1 - Damien Peppers, PHO

Rebounds:
1) 12.4 - Derrick Favors, UTA
2) 12.0 - Dwight Howard, SA
3) 11.7 - Kevin Love, MIN


I polished off my drink and rubbed my eyes. All this paperwork was making me tired. I looked at my watch, 9:19pm. I was getting hungry but I still wanted to study these reports a bit longer before I had some dinner. I was in no particular hurry. But I did want a quick snack.

I left my office and wandered down the hall to a familiar vending machine, but when I reached it, a hastily scrawled sign proclaimed it out of order. I rode the elevator down 6 floors to the floor below the lobby, to the bowels of our facilities. I welcomed the distraction and after exiting the elevator I followed a familiar path towards another vending machine near the locker rooms, my footfalls echoing flatly through the empty building.

Surprisingly, a door to the right, just ahead of me opened and a person exited. I hadn't expected to see anyone and obviously this person didn't either.

With a start, she stopped suddenly and finding her words, the female voice said hesitantly: "Um...hello, Mr. Davis."

I still couldn't recognize who it was, so I drew closer. It was then I realized it was one of Marlene's dancers. My mind searched for a name. She was dressed in exercise clothing and wore a hat. Seeing her in such a different contrast than I was used to, threw me off.

"Nina...right?" I asked when I remembered.

She nodded, smiled and visibly relaxed. "Yes sir, I'm a cheerleader with the Magic," she added, before realizing I probably already knew that fact.

I held out my hand to her. "Crash Davis," I said with a chuckle. "And please, call me Crash." She placed her hand in mine and we shook. I couldn't get over how dark-skinned she was. Even this close her skin appeared flawless and it was blacker than any woman I'd ever seen before. I had noticed her on the court before, but this close, even with the very casual clothing, she was incredibly stunning. I realized I was staring at her, and a bit too long and she was aware of it. I looked around the hallway. "Why are you here tonight?"

She laughed. "Stupid me, I left my paycheck in my locker and I realized I had no money for the next few days, so I walked here to get my check. Then, when I got here, I remembered I couldn't cash it at this hour anyway."

"You walked here...alone?" I asked incredulously.

"I don't live far, just a few blocks away with a couple of the other girls."

"How come one of them didn't come with you," I said, thinking to myself, safety in numbers.

She hesitated and looked down. "They all have dates or are with their boyfriends tonight."

I asked the obvious question. "How come you're not out partying for the new year?"

She looked at me with clear, honest eyes...the whites of her eyes so bright against her impossibly dark skin. "I'm new in town and I really don't know anyone, at least no one I want to be with tonight. So I figured I'd have some Chinese and a few glasses of wine and watch the countdown on tv. Then I remembered I forgot my check."

"Let me see your check," I said.

She fumbled momentarily inside a pocket of her sweatshirt and then handed it to me. "Here," she said hesitantly.

I looked at it and wondered how she could survive on such a meager salary. I made a mental note to discuss this topic with Marlene in the near future. I reached for my wallet and placed in the bewildered girl's hand, double the amount of her check.

She began to protest. "This is too much, I can't accept this."

I raised my hand and smiled. "Happy Holidays, Nina. Think of it as a holiday bonus and if it will make you feel better, I'll make sure all the girls get the same amount in their next check."

She relaxed and such a beautiful smile crossed her face. "Thank you," she said. "But what about my check?"

I folded the check and put it in my pocket. "Don't worry about it," I said. "I know people."

She laughed. It was an honest laugh and it made me feel better. She turned to leave. "Thank you," she said, "and Happy New Year!"

I turned to move in the opposite direction and I stopped and glanced back towards her. "Hey," I said.

She stopped and turned. "Yes?"

"I was going to the vending machine for a snack but now I'm thinking I'd rather have dinner. Are you interested?"

She looked at me and for a moment, I couldn't read her face at all, then she smiled that warm, gorgeous smile. "I'm not really dressed for going out," she said.

I mulled it over. "Well, how about we order in to my office, just you and me and a little help from Ryan Seacrest ringing in the New Year and the chinese place down the street. I had no plans and it would be nice to have some company."

For a moment she just stared at me. I knew she was mentally calculating. Here was the General Manager of the Orlando Magic asking her to his office for dinner. I figured her to be 22 or 23 years old. I was 37, but a young 37 and my instincts told me she was interested.

My instincts were right.