Orlando Magic Sign Mickael Pietrus; Corey Maggette Joins Golden State Warriors

Florida Today reports that Golden State Warriors swingman Mickael Pietrus has agreed to a new deal with the Orlando Magic.  Teams can officially begin signing free agents on Wednesday.

Pietrus will receive a multi-year deal starting at approximately $5.2 million.  This eats up nearly 90 percent of the Magic's midlevel exception and ends any chance the Magic had of signing Los Angeles Clippers small forward Corey Maggette, who later agreed to move to the Golden State Warriors.

After spending the season moving in and out of favor with Warriors coach Don Nelson, Pietrus is expected to start at shooting guard alongside Jameer Nelson, Hedo Turkoglu, Rashard Lewis, and All-Star Dwight Howard. 

Pietrus is known as a strong perimeter defender, a skill that apparently set him apart from other free agents such as Maggette in the sight of Orlando GM Otis Smith.  Some also believe the Magic did not think they stood a legitimate chance to sign Maggette for the mid-level exception in the first place.

In addition, the move likely will end any attempt on the part of the Magic to re-sign their own free agents, Keyon Dooling and Maurice Evans.  Evans was the starting shooting guard by the end of last year, and Dooling was one of Jameer Nelson's primary backups at point guard.

Pietrus, who shot 36.1 percent from three pointers last season, gives the Magic another strong perimeter shooter to surround Howard in addition to his defensive prowess. 

However, his scoring average (7.2 PPG) was down last year from his career averages, and his rebounding dipped from 4.5 RPG in 2006-2007 to 3.7 last season.  In addition, lackluster free throw shooting (66.2 % for his career) has always been a weak point in his game.

After signing Rashard Lewis to a lucrative deal last year in free agency—a move considered an overpayment by many pundits—the Magic appear to be tying their hands financially for the next several years to this core of players by spending most of their mid-level exception on Pietrus.  

Though it seems questionable to pay so much money to a player who has been primarily a backup throughout his five-year career, Orlando seems convinced that he possesses the skills and intangibles that go beyond the stat-sheet necessary to bring the Magic into the elite level in the East.

With his hometown Magic out of the bidding for his services, Maggette's options seemed to have narrowed to primarily the San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics if he was to follow through on his suggestion that he would be willing to accept the mid-level exception to play for a contender. 

However, as is often the case, money was the deciding factor in who Maggette would join. After failing to sign Clippers forward Elton Brand, who signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, the Warriors quickly moved in to give Maggette a five-year, $50 million deal that neither the Spurs nor Celtics could match.

Maggette looks to be the favorite to start at shooting guard or small forward alongside Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson, Al Harrington, and Andris Biedrins, assuming Ellis and Biedrins re-sign.  They are both restricted free agents.

Though Maggette largely replicates the skill set of Jackson on the Warriors, the Warriors can't have enough quick wingmen slashers, who typically thrive in Nelson's fast-paced system.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?