Breaking News: Turk (Back), J-Rich to Orlando; Carter Heading to the Valley
The Orlando Magic and the Phoenix Suns have reportedly agreed to a blockbuster trade early Saturday afternoon and are close to another trade as well.
The Phoenix Suns will receive former All-Star Vince Carter, center/forward Marcin Gortat, guard/forward Mickael Pietrus, a 2011 first-round draft pick and cash considerations ($3M dollars) in exchange for former Magic forward Hidayet “Hedo” Turkoglu, guard/forward Jason Richardson and forward Earl Clark.
The Magic, who have been struggling as of late, had to make a move to contend in the Eastern Conference with the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, amongst other teams. This move will rest on the progress of Gilbert Arenas and Turkoglu’s ability to become the players they used to be, or at least as close to as possible.
Orlando Magic General Manager Otis Smith and Head Coach Stan Van Gundy are taking a huge risk in that both Turkoglu and Arenas are going to turn their careers around for the better with the ultimate hope that Dwight Howard will re-sign with the Magic in a couple of years. If things do not take a turn for the better, then the Magic would really be stuck in a rut, with two big salaried players blocking the salary cap of the team.
The Suns brought in Turkoglu from Toronto, where he struggled to find his game with the Raptors. He was not able to fit in with the Suns, as he was not the primary ball handler with Steve Nash on the floor. Now, returning to Orlando may bring out his better side.
Clark is a young big man who at the moment will be called upon to play minutes at the center position. He has the athletic ability, but the Magic may need to address their center position between now and the trade deadline.
Carter is not the same player, but he has an expiring contract that the Suns can move once again, if interest comes up around the league. Gortat is a good asset to have, as he is young and a natural center, and the big man of the future in Phoenix. Pietrus, is an athletic player, can shoot the basketball from long distance, as well as an on-the-ball defender. Pietrus could be the key piece in this trade, as he is athletic enough to be a scorer, and a defender, which will hopefully replace the loss of Jason Richardson, a similar type of player.
Overall, it is an interesting trade by the Magic, and at this particular time in the season, it shows how desperate Orlando is to make a change for the better, rather than wait to make these moves sometime closer to the trade deadline in February.
