Magic’s Jeff Weltman earns votes for NBA’s top executive
Sometimes, the best move is not to make one at all.
That’s what Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman did ahead of the NBA trade deadline in February.
Instead of wagering Orlando‘s future by trading away draft capital or taking on a large contract, Weltman stuck to his guns and bet on the current makeup of Magic.
The gamble paid off and the franchise made its way back to the playoffs for the first time in four years.
It’s why on Tuesday, Weltman finished seventh in voting for NBA Executive of the Year.
In his seventh year with the Magic, Weltman received four total votes (eight points), earning two second-place and three third-place votes.
The award was won by Boston’s Brad Stevens, who doubled the points of the next vote-getter. Fourteen different executives received consideration for the top award.
The voting panel for the award consisted of team basketball executives from around the NBA.
The decision not to make a move at the deadline actually is a change from Weltman’s past. The Magic had made at least one trade in his first six seasons.
But the choice aligns with how he handled the summer ahead of a season that Orlando viewed as the time to make a jump back to the postseason.
After the Magic increased its win total from 22 to 34 last season, the franchise only signed veteran free agent Joe Ingles and drafted Anthony Black and Jett Howard.
This season marked the first that Orlando had at least won 47 games since 2010-11.
In March, Weltman secured the future of Magic coach Jamahl Mosley by rewarding him with a multi-year contract extension. Mosley finished second in voting for NBA coach of the year, which was won by Mark Daigneault (Thunder).
“I know that Jeff and his team do a tremendous job looking at and dissecting things,” Mosley said earlier this season. “We do a great job of communicating with one another.
“There’s something to be said about the chemistry, the continuity and the health of this Orlando Magic basketball team.”
Constructed carefully by Weltman and Orlando’s front office, the No. 5 Magic now find themselves in the thick of a back-and-forth playoff series with the No. 4 Cavs.
Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com
