Magic Formula in Orlando Front Office

LOS ANGELES -- May 3, 2006 was a big day in Orlando Magic history.

Nothing happened.

So what if the Magic media guide says that's when Otis Smith (right) became the team's general manager. The reality of the situation is that the status remained very much quo that day.

Apparently, that was a good thing, too. The result is a very stable front office in Orlando, thank you very much.

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What the Magic media guide doesn't tell you is that Dave Twardzik (left) became – or, technically, remained – the team's assistant general manager on that day. Which is every bit as important as what happened with Smith.

"I'd like to say we've changed the way we've operated with each other over the past few years, but we really haven't," Smith said. "Things haven't changed a whole lot."

In 2005-06, Smith and Twardzik both held the title of assistant general manager. That was after John Gabriel was fired and things were still being figured out. That year, the Magic finished 36-46, and both men knew there were going to be title and responsibility changes.

But there would be no steel-cage match for the head job, and no bar room brawl, either. More important, there was no politicking and/or backstabbing when the time came to make a decision.

"It was easy to work out," said Twardzik, who had been the Golden State Warriors general manager from 1995 until 1997. "But the year we worked together, we developed a tremendous relationship. I just basically continued to do what I was doing: the scouting and the draft.

"At some point and time, we knew ownership would want to hear one voice and it worked out great. Otis assumed that position and it continues to be a good relationship."

Still, it seems strange that two men who were up for the same position a few years back continue to work together even though the one guy got the boss job and the other the assistant job.

Fact of the matter is that Twardzik prefers scouting and talent evaluation over being with the team. And Smith would rather be with the team than out scouting on his own.

"For the most part it works because of who he is and who I am," Smith said. "Both of us could care less about anything but winning. How we get there may not be traditional in terms of what it should look like, but it works for us."