Orlando Magic Trade: Like It, But Don't Love It
The Orlando Magic were without question a top 10 team in the NBA, before and after this somewhat desperate of a trade. They were in a position where the teams in front of them (Miami and Boston) were starting to look unbeatable, combining for about 25 straight wins and the teams on par with them (Chicago and Atlanta) continued to improve while teams seemingly below them at the beginning of the regular season (Indiana and New York) were closing the gap in both talent and the win/loss column.
The Magic had to do something, and the trade they pulled off does improve their roster, but I think they panicked and could have built a much better team for both the "now" and the "future."
Jason Richardson Is Better and Younger Than Vince Carter
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Jason Richardson is three years younger than Carter, and the fact that Richardson has adjusted his game to be more of a three point shooter than a slasher (like Carter) should lead to four or five more seasons in the NBA whereas Carter may only have two or three.
Both contracts expire at the end of this season so the Magic can use Richardson as somewhat of a rental car against Ray Allen, Dwyane Wade, and Joe Johnson to determine if they should sign Richardson in the off-season or move onto the JJ Redick era. Richardson had a very good series against Kobe Bryant's Lakers last playoffs and we all saw Vince Carter's less than stellar playoff performance against the Celtics.
Shooting Guard? Upgrade.
Salary Relief? Arenas Vs. Rashard Lewis
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Arenas gets about 17 million this year, 19 next season, 20 the year after that, and 22 in the fourth season
Lewis gets 20 this year, 22, then 23 in the third and final year of his contract
Now both the Washington Wizards and Orlando Magic were in terrible positions with these two contracts. You really couldn't convince any team in the league that trading for either Arenas or Lewis would be a good idea when they still have upwards of $60 million still left in their contracts. I think this was really one of the only trades that could have happened. Orlando hopes that Arenas will be content coming off the bench and scoring points in a hurry a la Nick Van Exel on the '02-'03 Dallas Mavericks and the Wizards hope that Lewis can give them something as a small forward running next to John Wall.
The Wizards got the better end of this deal because Lewis's contract expires a year sooner and the tension of new era Wall versus old era Arenas has been eliminated. Having Arenas's contract hanging around in the 2012/2013 summer may come back to haunt the Magic.
Nostalgia In Sports Can Be a Bad Thing
3 of 7Can he have that magical season one more time?
This question can be one of the most damaging in all of sports. Just look at the Minnesota Vikings this year and the disaster that has ensued over Favre's one last shot at glory.
Bringing Hedo back to the Magic hoping he can tap into his '09 playoff self is the same type of thought process that leads you into decisions like the Detroit Pistons who are currently hanging onto 3/5 of their '04 championship starting line-up, praying that maybe if they add Billups and Sheed the title will again be theirs. Hedo has struggled in both Toronto and Phoenix, and I guess there is a slight chance everything will click again now that he's back in Orlando, but I see this strategy imploding just like the Metrodome roof.
They Lost A Lot By Trading Away Gortat and Pietrus
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Boston loaded up on big men (Shaq, Jermaine, Erden) to join the already stellar cast they have in KG, Big Baby, and Perkins to combat the Lakers, expose the Heat, and combat Dwight Howard. Now Boston's mindset can be simple against Orlando, get Dwight into foul trouble and punish their backups.
Losing Gortat means either Brandon Bass or Ryan Anderson will have to step in to the backup center position. Bass is better suited as a power forward and Shaq will seem like his '01 self if guarded by Anderson. Gortat was one of the best backup centers in the league, probably could start for several teams in this league, and the Magic will miss his body come playoff time.
To beat Miami you need to have guys who can guard Wade and LeBron. Pietrus would have helped. Now you're trusting Quentin Richardson and who better to guard LeBron?
The Headlines are about Jason Richardson and Arenas coming into Orlando, but I think the losses of Gortat and Pietrus are what can keep this team away from the NBA Finals.
What I Would Have Done: Trade For Chris Paul
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I get the sense that the Magic feel like they need to win the NBA Title or at least return to the finals or else their season is a complete failure. I'm not sure I understand this sense of urgency. The Magic have without question the best center in the league in Dwight Howard and he's only 24/25 years old. They should be surrounding him with young talent and building a dominant team for the next ten years, not panicking and surrounding him with questionable older talents to try and win right now.
My plan was very simple. Trade for Chris Paul. Here's how it would have looked:
Orlando Magic Give: Jameer Nelson, Pietrus, Rashard Lewis, and Gortat to New Orleans
New Orleans Give: Chris Paul and Emeka Okafor to Orlando.
The contracts match up fairly well and I think both teams get something out of it. First off, New Orleans loses Chris Paul but they get an all-star in Nelson who comes at a cheaper price. They also add a strong wing defender Pietrus, who they will put to work immediately on Kobe, Melo, and Durant. Rashard Lewis could step in at small forward and Gortat could fill in at Center. The New Orleans Hornets would basically be the Orlando Magic - Dwight + David West. They also remove Okafor's weighty contract.
For Orlando they would have the best 1-2 point guard/center punch in the league. They only team that would have anything somewhat resembling this pairing is New Jersey, but comparing Harris/Lopez to Paul/Howard is like comparing the Pistons's big three (Rip, Prince, Charlie V) to the Miami Heat. Both Chris Paul and Dwight Howard are still very young and with Okafor as a backup center, JJ Redick running alongside as the shooting guard, Brandon Bass at the power forward, this team would be excellent for years to come.
Chris Paul Could Leave Now and It Wouldn't Be Offensive
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In the summer the big controversy when Chris Paul hinted at a trade or the creation of a new big three at Melo's wedding was, "How could you leave New Orleans like that! These fans need you! You're pulling a LeBron!" When the Hornets started out undefeated, demanding a trade seemed uncalled for too.
But now that the Hornets are bankrupt and most likely will call Seattle or Kansas City home next year along with a current 16-12 record, I think Paul would not look like a villain at all if he said he wanted out. He's no longer leaving a city that needs him, but instead leaving a dying franchise filled with uncertainty.
If Paul wants to win titles his best bet would be a pairing next to Dwight Howard. Almost every team right now has a good point guard, several have good/great shooting guards or small forwards, and many have good power forwards. The number of teams with dominant centers are few and far between. The number of teams with a top 3 point guard and center do not exist. The Orlando Magic with Chris Paul and Dwight Howard would be incredible.
Prediction For Orlando Magic
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They come in as the three seed and lose in the second round to the Miami Heat.
