With Jameer Nelson Out, Magic's Season Hinges on GM Otis Smith

Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, and the crew down in Orlando have been all smiles this season while playing competitive basketball in the much-improved Eastern Conference. Before last night, Orlando's General Manager Otis Smith was sitting in his high chair.

Today, he is panicking.

The Orlando Magic lost in a hard-fought game last night to Dallas 105-95. But that's not all they lost. All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson dove for a loose ball against a much bigger Erick Dampier in the third quarter. The result of the hustle play was not so encouraging.

Jameer left the court with a dislocated shoulder. Nelson underwent an MRI Tuesday morning and left with something much bigger than a dislocated shoulder.

Nelson was diagnosed with a torn labrum and is out indefinitely. The team says they will start the course of treatment within the next week. They will then also determine exactly how long he will be out of action.

So now comes the bigger question. With only one other point guard on the 15-man roster, what will Otis Smith do to strengthen arguably the most important position on a team?

Otis Smith is reportedly urging to make a deal fast. There are plenty of solid point guards on the trade block. However, the free agent market's strength isn't the point spot. With Eddie Gill and Shaun Livingston the stars of point guards on the free agent market, Smith has to be looking for a trade.

Raymond Felton of Charlotte, Earl Watson of Oklahoma City, and Jamaal Tinsley of Indiana seem to be the front-runners on the trade block. The only problem for the Magic is what pieces do they have to pull off for a trade with someone who has the skill level of Felton or even a Jarret Jack?

That is the problem. Right now Orlando seems to be actively talking with pieces like Brian Cook, Keith Bogans, and J.J. Redick. Although there has been expressed interest in J.J. Redick as of late, there is not much just he can be traded for. 

An option that is always there is also a player like Stephon Marbury.

Marbury is an option and has been an option for apparently any team in the league. A trade may come up for Marbury that lasts for the rest of the season, since the Magic have always searched for starting point guard material before Nelson's break out season this year.

Smith will most likely not get a deal done by the time they step on their home court to host the Clippers on Wednesday night. They will have to go to veteran Anthony Johnson to start. Being a veteran, he can't play forty minutes a game. Stan Van Gundy should then resort to rookie Courtney Lee to handle the point.