Orlando Magic: Grading All of Their Offseason Moves

The NBA ratified a 10-year collective bargaining agreement, enabling training camps and the free agency period for the 2011-12 season to begin on Dec. 9. The NBA season began on Christmas Day.

Given that, it is really difficult to make any significant roster moves in 16 days, and NBA teams have been patching their teams together as the season progresses.

The Orlando Magic have understandably stood pat on many of their offseason needs and have made some surprising moves in the process.

Here's my take on the Magic's offseason moves.

Signed Jason Richardson

The Magic signed Jason Richardson to a four-year, $25 million deal.

After averaging 18 points per game in his career, he has added a paltry 11 points per game this season and looks like an odd fit with the Magic.

He excelled with the Phoenix Suns in their run-and-gun offense, but he has failed to find his niche in Orlando.

In Phoenix, he averaged 48 percent from the field, and he’s only averaging 41 percent from the field this season and 44 percent last season.

In my opinion, the Orlando Magic brass should have recognized what they had in Richardson last season and let him go, freeing up cap space to land a top free agent to keep Dwight in Orlando. Instead, it looks as though they have put another odd-fitting band aid on their roster.

Unfortunately for the Magic, as long as he continues to struggle, his trade value is less than his contract warrants.

Jamal Crawford, whose skills are comparable to Richardson's, signed a two-year $10 million contract with Portland.  

Grade: D

Traded Brandon Bass for Glen Davis and Von Wafer

After Glen Davis' first practice with the Magic, Big Baby gave the rookies a homework assignment. Davis advised  them to look up the definition of "family" in the dictionary and to make a presentation to the team about the meaning of the word Wednesday.

The Magic have lacked a fiery leader. Howard's going to make his presence known on the court, but Davis has become the vocal leader of the team that Dwight needs.

He has been awkward and inconsistent at times on the floor, but he has been a more than sufficient backup center when Howard needs a rest.

Von Wafer, a throw-in in the trade, has worked his way into Stan Van Gundy's extremely tight rotation and has had some quality games this year.

Grade: B 

Waived Gilbert Arenas

The fact that Gilbert Arenas has not been signed by another team after being waived speaks volumes on how far he has fallen since he became a former shell of himself.

In 49 games with the Magic last season, he averaged eight points and three assists. The Magic were bailed out of the worst NBA contract in existence by the amnesty clause that seemed tailor-made for Arenas.

Addition by subtraction worked well, and the Magic are off to a great start with the grace of Arenas' absence from the team.

Grade: A

Did Not Trade Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard has looked absolutely amazing this season, and I'm not sure that there is a player on this planet of equal value to his team.

He is unarguably the best center in the league after dismantling the "second-best center in the league" in Andrew Bynum on January 20th.

His Laker counterpart looked like every other center who tries to outplay and out-rebound Howard.

Not even in the same building as him, Bynum was in foul trouble most of the game and scored 10 points while grabbing 12 rebounds.

Dwight penciled in another 20-point, 20-rebound performance.

Grade: A