[quietsavant]

By Brian Schmitz Orlando Sentinel

7:10 p.m. EST, December 3, 2009




Don't get Marcin Gortat wrong: He wants more than anything to help the Orlando Magic win a title this season as Dwight Howard's back-up.

But he told the Sentinel on Thursday that he eventually wants to move out of Howard's immense shadow.

"I love the organization, but I'm not going to stay here being a back-up player and playing five minutes a game," Gortat said. "I hope people understand that. I know I can have a bigger role on another team."

Except that this season he just started a new five-year contract with the Magic. Only a trade can provide a bigger role on another team.

Perhaps Gortat's frustration should not come as a surprise. He was less than enthused when the Magic matched the Dallas Mavericks' offer of five years, $34-million this past summer for the restricted free agent from Poland. He likely would have been the Mavs' starting center.

Gortat said he isn't delivering a play-me-or-trade-me-ultimatum, realizing his role could change quickly.

He said he'll likely meet with coach Stan Van Gundy after the season to discuss his future and direct his agent, Guy Zucker, to talk with general manager Otis Smith.

"I really don't think about this now. But at some point, I want to have the chance to sit down with coach Van Gundy and tell him how I feel and where I want to go with my career," Gortat said. "I'm 100 percent sure coach will understand and will do the right thing for me and the team.

"My agent will talk to Otis. But it's too early to say anything."

Gortat has not been happy with his recent playing time. After getting considerable minutes early (averaging 18.6 in his first 14 games) — largely because Howard was in foul trouble — Gortat has played seven, eight, seven and six minutes during the last four games. He has scored four points and grabbed eight rebounds with two blocks.

Meanwhile, Howard has averaged 37.2 minutes the last four games.

Van Gundy said that Gortat, a hustle player, is lacking energy.

"He's not playing to the level he played at a year ago. He's not rebounding at that level. He's not running at that level. His energy level is not as high on a consistent basis as it was a year ago. But that's not to say that he's playing poorly. Marcin helps us a great deal," Van Gundy said.

Gortat, 25, concedes he is tired and, moreover, "burned out mentally." He traces his physical and mental fatigue, in part, to playing big minutes with the Polish national team this summer after the Magic's season ended in mid-June.

"Yeah, I would say physically, it's obviously, up and down. I would say it's not been great like it was last year. . I would say I'm pretty burned out mentally right now because of the whole situation: Playing for the past three years, playing for the national team, not having any break (before Magic's training camp).

"I'm trying, honestly, to do a lot of things off the floor during the day just to relax and forget a little bit about basketball and come back with my mental preparation (for games), but it's really hard."

Gortat said he feels after having a break-out season last year that, "There's a lot of expectations, not only from the team, but there's lot of expectations from me and lot people putting pressure on me from Poland and around the league."

Van Gundy also has been giving another big more minutes lately — power forward Brandon Bass. He said Bass could play center in certain match-ups, perhaps cutting into Gortat's time even more.

The reality for Gortat is that he's struggling to deal with his playing time and the missed opportunity in Dallas….while believing he was given a big contract for a reason.

"It's really hard. You're trying to get this fire back and trying to be positive about many things," he said. "It's just hard. You got this thing in your head that you are going to play three, four, five minutes — 10 minutes, max — and you got to be ready for that."

Van Gundy believes Gortat will bounce back to play a pivotal role.

"I think as the year goes on, you'll see him play better and better," Van Gundy said. "We'll see him back at the level he was at a year ago or even better."

Trouble Brewing in Magic Land. And this a surprise to anyone??

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sport...,6160313.story