Jeff Weltman: Difference between revisions

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'''Jeff Weltman''' is an American [[basketball]] executive who is the Presidentpresident of Basketballbasketball Operationsoperations for the [[Orlando Magic]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Magic Name Jeff Weltman President of Basketball Operations|url=https://www.nba.com/magic/news/magic-name-jeff-weltman-president-basketball-operations|access-date=2021-04-21|website=Orlando Magic|language=en}}</ref>

In 2020, Weltman received one 1st place vote for [[NBA Executive of the Year]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lawrence Frank wins 2019-20 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award|url=https://www.nba.com/news/lawrence-frank-executive-year-official-release|access-date=2021-04-21|website=www.nba.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-10-10|title=An investigation into who voted for Orlando Magic's Jeff Weltman as executive of the year|url=https://orlandomagicdaily.com/2020/10/10/investigation-voted-orlando-magic-jeff-weltman-executive-year/|access-date=2021-04-21|website=Orlando Magic Daily|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Early Lifelife &and Careercareer ==

Weltman grew up in [[New York City|New York]]. He was raised by his father, [[Harry Weltman]], and his mother, Arlene. Harry Weltman was a former GM for the now defunct [[American Basketball Association|ABA]]'s [[Spirits of St. Louis]] in the mid-1970s and for the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] and [[New Jersey Nets]] in the mid-1980s. As a teenager, Weltman played pick-up basketball in the [[South Bronx]] and [[Harlem]] on Saturdays. Weltman played basketball at [[Oberlin College]] in Ohio.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Magic's Weltman known for toughness, kindness - Orlando Sentinel|url=https://digitaledition.orlandosentinel.com/tribune/article_popover.aspx?guid=fc3ffd59-4ea6-45e9-aee2-a0110ec328c3|access-date=2021-04-21|website=digitaledition.orlandosentinel.com}}</ref>

At the start of Weltman's career, he was hired by the Clippers as a video coordinator in the late 1990s. Weltman then served as the director of player personnel with the [[Los Angeles Clippers|LA Clippers]], director of basketball administration with the [[Detroit Pistons]], assistant GM with the [[Denver Nuggets]] and [[Milwaukee Bucks]] and EVP of basketball operations and GM with the [[Toronto Raptors]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jeff Weltman, Orlando Magic, President of Basketball Operations - RealGM|url=https://basketball.realgm.com/staff/Jeff-Weltman/Summary/1080|access-date=2021-04-21|website=basketball.realgm.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=New Raptors GM Jeff Weltman unfazed by his anonymity|url=https://torontosun.com/2016/10/27/new-raptors-gm-jeff-weltman-unfazed-by-his-anonymity|access-date=2021-04-21|website=torontosun|language=en-CA}}</ref> Before Weltman joined the Raptors, the Raptors were on a five-year playoff-drought. During Weltman's four-year tenure with the Raptors, the team qualified for the postseason every season and won three playoff series. He then was offered the job of President of Basketball Operations for the Orlando Magic. He took the position and moved to Orlando with his wife, Alexis, and his twin daughters, JJ and Lucy.

On April 13, 2017, Thethe Magic fired GM [[Rob Hennigan]] and assistant GM [[Scott Perry (basketball)|Scott Perry]] following a five-year playoffrun droughtof not making the playoffs. In the seasons leading up to these events, the Orlandoorganization Magicdid werenot unfortunatehave luck in the [[NBA draft lottery]] and decided to make more short-sighted trades with the hope to overcome their postseason losing streak.

On May 22, 2017, the [[AdrianOrlando WojnarowskiMagic]] hired Raptor's GM Jeff Weltman as the Magic'stheir new president of basketball operations., Wojnarowskiand they announced thatthey thewould Raptorsgive willup gettheir Orlando'sless lowestdesirable 2018 second-round NBA draft pick to the Raptors as compensation. <ref>{{Cite web|last=Polacek|first=Scott|title=Jeff Weltman Reportedly Hired by Magic as President of Basketball Operations|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2711208-jeff-weltman-reportedly-hired-by-magic-as-president-of-basketball-operations|access-date=2021-04-21|website=Bleacher Report|language=en}}</ref> Around this time, the Orlando Magic had promising young talent with [[Aaron Gordon]], [[Elfrid Payton (basketball)|Elfrid Payton]] and [[Nikola Vucevic]]. In the [[2017 NBA draft]], the Magic selected [[Jonathan Isaac]] with the 6th pick.

In May of 2018, the MagicOrlando added new coach [[Steve Clifford]] toon a four-year deal.<ref>{{Cite web|last=WKMG|title=Magic sign new coach to four-year deal|url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/sports/2018/05/30/magic-hire-new-coach-four-year-deal-espn-reports/657549002/|access-date=2021-04-21|website=Florida Today|language=en-US}}</ref> Weltman said "Steve is widely regarded throughout the NBA community as an elite coach and developer of players at all stages. His teams have always been disciplined and prepared and have embraced the concept of playing for each other.”<ref>{{Cite web|title=Steve Clifford agrees to 4-year deal to coach Magic|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/steve-clifford-agrees-year-deal-coach-magic/story?id=55529705|access-date=2021-04-21|website=ABC News|language=en}}</ref> In the [[2018 NBA draft]], the Magic selected [[Mohamed Bamba]] with the 6th pick, and [[Melvin Frazier]] with the 35th pick.

Following the [[2018–19 Orlando Magic season]], Weltman re-signed [[Nikola Vucevic]], [[Terrence Ross]] and [[Michael Carter-Williams]] and signedacquired [[Al-Farouq Aminu]]. In the [[2019 NBA draft]], the Magic selected [[Chuma Okeke]] with the 16th pick. In the [[2020 NBA draft]], the Magic selected [[Cole Anthony]] with the 15th pick.

In 2021, Weltman said the group iswas confident that [[Markelle Fultz]] and [[Jonathan Isaac]] willwould fully recover from their injuries but that the current situation iswas a "toxic brew".<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-12|title=Jeff Weltman: Orlando Magic in the midst of a "toxic brew"|url=https://orlandomagicdaily.com/2021/01/12/jeff-weltman-orlando-magic-midst-toxic-brew/|access-date=2021-04-21|website=Orlando Magic Daily|language=en-US}}</ref> Under Weltman's leadership, the Magic moved [[Nikola Vucevic]], [[Evan Fournier]], and [[Aaron Gordon]] (who requested a trade) in three separate deals at the [[List of 2020–21 NBA season transactions|2021 trade deadline]], acquiring three future first-round picks, [[Gary Harris]], an expiring contract in [[Otto Porter]], as well as [[Wendell Carter]] and [[R. J. Hampton]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jeff Weltman Discusses Magic's Deadline-Day Trades|url=https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2021/03/jeff-weltman-discusses-magics-deadline-day-trades.html|access-date=2021-04-21|website=Hoops Rumors|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Orlando Magic choose a new direction to inch closer to a championship|date=26 March 2021|url=https://orlandomagicdaily.com/2021/03/26/orlando-magic-choose-new-direction-inch-closer-championship/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://orlandomagicdaily.com/2021/03/26/orlando-magic-trade-grades-vucevic-fournier-and-gordon-deadline-deals/2/|title = Orlando Magic Trade Grades: Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon deadline deals|date = 26 March 2021}}</ref> With the absence of those veteran players, young talent such as [[Mohamed Bamba]], [[Chuma Okeke]] and [[Dwayne Bacon]] would be given more minutes to showcase their skills.

[[Category:National Basketball AssociationNBA executives]]