Magic Shake Up Their Roster with 2 Blockbuster Deals

Trade 1: Defense for Offense

In a matter of hours, the Orlando Magic managed to almost completely change their roster. In their 1st trade, the Magic sent guard Vince Carter, guard/forward Mickael Pietrus, center Marcin Gortat, a 2011 1st round pick, and cash considerations to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for forward Hedo Turkoglu, guard Jason Richardson, and forward Earl Clark.

It seems that the Magic got the best of this deal. Let’s start with Turkoglu, who helped lead the Magic to a finals appearance in 2009. Ever since Turkoglu left Orlando for Toronto during free agency, neither party has been the same. Turkoglu couldn’t find his stride in Canada, where his level of play was nowhere near the 5 year/$53 million deal the team signed him for, which is why they subsequently traded him to the desert where he still
hasn’t lived up to his contract. As for the Magic, ever since letting Turkoglu go, they just haven’t played to the finals level they used to be at. In the 2010 playoffs they lost 4-2 in the Conference Finals to the Celtics and this year they are off to a very slow start, they are 16-9 in their first 25 games but have lost 5 of their last 6. The two parties being reunited should spark both sides. Turkoglu is a 6’ 10” forward who can easily run the point, creating very problematic match ups for opposing teams because he can shoot over guards and drive by forwards.

As for the other pieces, Jason Richardson is a very good pickup for the Magic, who try to surround Dwight Howard with 3-point shooting as much as they can. Richardson is shooting a fantastic 42% from deep this year, the 2nd highest percentage of his career, but also has the ability to drive the lane and finish with a thunderous dunk, he is a 2-time dunk contest champion. Earl Clark is a 2nd year player out of Louisville and a former lottery pick. He has not gotten much playing time in Phoenix but I have always believed Clark could be a solid player in the NBA. There are questions about his work ethic, but playing behind Dwight Howard should help with that since Howard is a work-aholic (if you don’t believe me, look at pictures of him now and when he was drafted and see how much muscle he has packed on). Clark isn’t a center like Howard, but does have the ability to shoot the midrange jumper. Not to mention he is only 22 years old.

On the other side, Marcin Gortat got the trade he was hoping for. He could have left last offseason in free agency but the Magic wanted to keep him to back up Howard. Gortat is a talented center who hasn’t seen a lot of minutes because of his backup role in Orlando. Going to Phoenix, however, Gortat will see a lot more minutes and after a while might even start because their current center, Robin Lopez, is not as talented on the defensive end and is injury prone. Mickael Pietrus brings defense to a poor defensive team. Pietrus is a very good perimeter defender who often guarded the opposing team’s best player while in Orlando. He also has the ability to shoot the 3, which is what the Suns always seem to be looking for. The one question I have with this trade is Vince Carter. Carter is obviously at the tail end of his career, his numbers are down and he had a poor showing in the playoffs last year. It leads us to question of what the Suns are trying to do with their team. There 3 veterans who their offense revolves around: Steve Nash, Grant Hill, and now Vince Carter. All are in their mid to high 30s. Carter may be the youngest of the three, but he just hasn’t been the Vince Carter everyone is used to seeing. Although everyone seems to play better playing with Steve Nash, it is difficult to see exactly what the Suns are trying to do with the team and how Carter is going to fit in.

Trade 2: Treys for Trouble

In their second trade, the Magic sent forward Rashard Lewis to the Washington Wizards for guard Gilbert Arenas. This, a much simpler trade than the other, seems to make less sense for the Magic. Although Orlando can afford to give up 3-point shooting because they have J.J. Redick, Quentin Richardson, and now Jason Richardson, Lewis, like Turkoglu, creats a mismatch advantage. Opposing power forwards who would have to follow him out to the 3-point line allows for more space for Howard down low. Lewis may have been shooting only 36% from 3, but 3-point shooters can be streaky and I think eventually Lewis would have found his touch (it only takes a few makes to get a shooter’s confidence back). The addition of Lews, however, is going to help 2010 1st overall pick John Wall because now Wall, who can use he blazing speed to get into the paint at will, has someone to kick the ball out to around the 3-point line when the defense collapses on him on his drives to the basket.

In exchange for Lewis, the Magic received troubled guard Gilbert Arenas. I’m sure the Wizards are thrilled to have finally found a team that would take Arenas, who was suspended the last 50 games of last season for bringing guns into the locker room (apparently as a prank). This past offseason, the Magic signed Chris Duhon to a 4 year deal to back up starting point guard Jameer Nelson, so I’m not really sure how Arenas is going to fit in. He is not a defensive player by any sense of the word and needs the ball in his hands in order to do anything offensively. This, obviously, will not happen as much as Gilbert would like since the Magic play through Howard in the post. I think Arenas is going to have difficulties fitting in in Orlando.

Summing Up a Busy Day

Overall, giving up Lewis, a struggling 3-point shooter who fits the Orlando system well because he is a big body on the perimeter that gives a Howard a target to kick the ball out to, for a mentally immature Arenas who needs the ball in his hands in order to be effective, doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

However, the Magic made a much needed trade in getting Turkoglu, Richardson, and Clark. Don’t think much about the 1st round pick they gave up because it won’t be that high up in the draft and a championship hopeful team like the Magic isn’t looking to add young, inexperienced talent. They gained additional 3-point shooting in Richardson and a difficult to defend semi-point guard in Turkoglu, whose return to the Magic should be able to rejuvenate his career.