NBA: Grading the Orlando Magic 25 Games After the Trade
It’s been 25 games since the Orlando Magic made the trade that rocked the NBA on Dec. 18.
During the early stages with the revamped Magic, the 2010-2011 edition resembled the 2009 team that made it to the NBA Finals. However, since coming off a 9-game winning streak in mid-January, the Magic are just 7-7 and giving up 98.5 PPG in that stretch.
Poor defense has dismantled the Magic the past 14 games, so were they better off before the trade playing superb defense, or was it worth giving up defense for offensive firepower?
The Magic haven’t recorded a win over an elite NBA team since the wins over Boston and San Antonio around Christmas. Since the Dec. 18 trade, the team has yet to record a road win over a team above the .500 mark (winning in Dallas without Dirk Nowitzki doesn’t count).
Throughout the past 14 games, the team has suffered long droughts offensively and has yet to play a full game defensively.
All things considered, let’s grade the players acquired during the trade.
Hedo Turkoglu
1 of 5
Hedo Turkoglu was the most welcomed of the traded players.
He was a key factor in the 2009 Finals run and provides the Magic with another ball-handler/passer to complement Jameer Nelson. Turkoglu is averaging 11.2 PPG and 5.4 APG since coming to Orlando. He also recorded his third career triple-double with the Magic on Jan. 3 against Golden State.
However, Turkoglu has struggled through rough defensive stretches since his return to Orlando.
Although never regarded as a defensive powerhouse, Turkoglu is known to play good team defense, but his defense as of late has been horrid. During the Jan. 28 game at Chicago, Luol Deng scorched Turkoglu in the third quarter, scoring 14 points and leading the Bulls on a 34-17 run.
Turkoglu is the offensive playmaker for the Magic. When he is struggling, the Magic seem to struggle along with him. Although he has had his moments since returning to Orlando, Turkoglu has yet to return to 2009 form.
Grade: B-
Jason Richardson
2 of 5
Jason Richardson was brought to Orlando to replace the aging Vince Carter. Richardson was the leading playoff scorer last year in Phoenix and still has the capability to scorch opponents with his 3-point shooting. J-Rich is averaging 14.4 PPG with Orlando and is shooting 39.7 percent from behind the arc.
Although Richardson is still grasping his role with the Magic, he has proven he can make big shots in Orlando. He made two big 3-pointers with under a minute to go in New Orleans Jan. 12 to help force the game into overtime (Orlando ended up losing 92-89). Richardson also nailed a big 3-point shot in the Magic’s attempt to come back against Miami Thursday night.
Richardson has provided a much needed spark in the starting lineup at the shooting guard position. However, he has been a streaky shooter at times and has a knack for turning the ball over. He needs to be more consistent at the offensive end for the Magic to make a deep run in the postseason.
Grade: A-
Earl Clark
3 of 5
Earl Clark didn’t see much playing time after the trade, but Stan Van Gundy has been using him lately with Brandon Bass' injury. Clark has played more than five minutes only eight times since coming to Orlando, averaging 3.6 PPG and 1.6 RPG in 12 games.
Clark has been utilized more the past two games against Miami and Washington. He struggled against Miami with only two points and three rebounds in 14 minutes on the floor. However, he notched his best game with the Magic in Washington with 10 points and seven rebounds.
Bass is scheduled to return after the All-Star break, but in the meantime, Clark will get more minutes on the floor. He is a young player with potential, but will need to improve his skill set to receive more playing time.
Grade: C-
Gilbert Arenas
4 of 5
The trade for Gilbert Arenas caused many to wonder if he could become the starting point guard over Jameer Nelson. Nelson has retained his starting role, and Arenas has been a formidable backup, averaging 8.7 PPG and 4.0 APG in his 24 games with the Magic. He had his best game with Orlando Dec. 28 at Cleveland, where he had had 22 points and 11 assists.
Although it seems Arenas has lost a bit of speed driving the ball, he is still a scoring threat for Orlando coming off the bench. He has distributed the ball well and creates open shots for other shooters. Arenas struggles at times from behind the arc and has a tendency to shoot too many 3-pointers instead of driving to the basket.
On the defensive end, Arenas is a liability. He is a threat stealing the ball from opponents, but often is guilty of leaving his man wide open for shots. His struggles at the defensive end could limit his minutes during the postseason.
Grade: B
Orlando Magic Overall Team Grade
5 of 5
The Magic have posted a 16-9 record since the Dec. 18 trade.
Understandably, the team has improved its offensive game, averaging 104.4 PPG, and ball distribution has improved with the new set of players. Orlando struggles offensively when shots aren’t falling though. Often times during these circumstances, the team abandons driving the ball and going to Dwight Howard. Instead they shoot too many shots from the outside and allow opponents to go on scoring runs.
The Magic lost key defensive players in the trade and haven’t been able to regain the defensive prowess the team has relied on in past seasons. Howard continues to be a dominating force in the paint, but the rest of the team has struggled on defense since the 9-game winning streak ended Jan. 12.
Throughout the past 14 games, Howard and Van Gundy have complained about the team defense not defending throughout the entire game. The team plays hard defensively at times, but becomes lazy throughout stretches of games. Van Gundy admitted when asked about team defense after the loss to Memphis Monday night that his team, "isn’t ready to contend."
Orlando has also struggled on the road since Otis Smith revamped the squad. Since the trade, the Magic are just 7-6 on the road and have yet to win a road game against a team with a winning record. Orlando flourished on the road the past two seasons, with a 25-16 road record in 2009-2010 and a 28-13 record during the NBA Finals run of 2008-2009.
So far this season, the Magic are just 13-12 on the road and have failed to record a signature road win.
Orlando has room to improve before the playoffs start in mid-April. The two major areas needing to be addressed are defense and road struggles. If Van Gundy can coach up the struggling defensive players and the team can grasp his system, the Magic should be fine come playoff time.
Overall, the trade was necessary for Orlando management to broker, and although the team has areas of improvement, they’re better off going into the postseason with the new roster.
Grade: B
