For Marcin Gortat, the Dream Just Won't Come True

Three Options for Marcian Gortat:

You can become a major part of an organization that is going in the right direction, but is definitely going to have an off year and has a scary lack of big men. Take the Rockets, for example. They still have their mid-level exception due to Yao.

You can go to a team that is likely to contend for a high playoff seed and get a starting job over the overpaid Erick Dampier. Not only that, but you'll receive amazing passes and endless feeds from a guy—you might have heard about him—Jason Kidd, like the Mavericks.

Last, and probably least, you can re-sign with the championship contending team you were on when you only got 12 minutes per game. Oh, and not to mention you back up the most powerful player in the game, Dwight Howard.

Of these three, you can either get two starting jobs that guarantee minutes and lots of moo-la, or you can stick to your back-up role which did help you make a name for yourself.

Along comes an offer, an offer that just blows your mind, and you are quick to agree to it.

Then you get the opportunity to start and get major minutes with guys like Dirk, Shaun Marion, Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, and Jason Terry, and you give it up to back up the best center in a Yao-less league.

Your dictatorship of an old team swoops in and matches that amazing offer. How killer, and for the next five years and $34 million of your life, you have to play in Orlando.

The "American Dream," shot down, but he will never show it. The humble nature of Gortat makes him special. He has that diligent worker-bee presence and never complains.

It's a shame. You could have done something really special.