Orlando’s Offseason Plans: ‘Sheed or Brandon Bass
Though Hedo Turkoglu wasn’t included in the Vince Carter trade, the deal pretty much guaranteed that he wouldn’t be back in a Magic uniform next season. Since he opted out of his contract on Friday, word is that the Blazers are one of the teams interested in Hedo’s services.
With Hedo out of the picture, Otis Smith wants to make sure that the Magic don’t lose ground in the East. VC isn’t enough.
A couple of weeks back, Smith said that he’d pay the luxury tax to re-sign Hedo. But if Turkoglu is commanding close to $10 million on the open market, Smith might not be able to afford bringing him back. Smith is going to have to pay the luxury tax no matter who he goes after, as the Magic are already over the limit with eight guys on their roster. Instead of bleeding out that much to one guy, Orlando could conceivably add both Rasheed Wallace and Brandon Bass for the same amount.
‘Sheed would allow Rashard Lewis to fill Hedo’s role as the oversized small forward who creates a mismatch. And he’d fit in well with Orlando’s three-point oriented attack. If he’s willing to join for the mid-level exception, that’d be a great fit. Bass would also allow Rashard to slide over, but he’s a completely different player. He made just over $800,000 last year – he’s probably itching for that mid-level.
Our Austin Burton begged Stan Van Gundy in these pages to play Dwight Howard and Marcin Gortat on the floor at the same time. Though that is unlikely to ever happen again as Gortat is expected to sign elsewhere, Bass and Howard could create a similar tandem. Those guys are both elite rebounders – on both sides of the ball.
So Otis Smith has a choice: collect some the best three-point shooters at virtually every position or stockpile some of the best rebounders in the game. Games are won and lost on the glass. Bass makes Orlando a much more well-rounded squad.
Source: Fanhouse
Image Source: Boston.com
June 29th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Karma says:
brandan bass, because sheed is just an outside shooter now.
and orlando has plenty of range
June 29th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
ADAP says:
& not or . . .
June 29th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
karizmatic says:
It would be great for Orlando if they could get both Bass and Wallace. The problem with acquiring Wallace that I think everyone overlooks is that Rashard Lewis is basically the player that “Sheed wanted to be (puts up 3 pointers at will and rebounds when he feels like it) so you have some duplication on the roster there. The difference between Turk and Lewis is that Turk is a far better ball handler. So just sliding Lewis over doesn’t work, even with the addition of VC because VC was/is what they need even with Turkoglu. In short unless Jameer Nelson is really able to handle the duties of driving and kicking the way Turkoglu did and be a for real all star the way everyone thinks he is, Orlando will fall short, even if they add Sheed and Bass. At this point their deficiency is on the perimeter having that extra playmaker, it’s possible Pietrus could become that for them, but I doubt it, they are going to need to get another playmaking point guard to add to that team to get them over the hump.
June 29th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
"Tha Boddy" Bad Like Michael says:
I wish the Wizards could get Gortat when i’ve seen him play he gets rebounds and tricky baskets in a hurry…Maybe a sign and trade for Haywood???
June 29th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
George W Kush Sr says:
Sheed and Bass can both board. I like Sheed’s defense better and his still has a jumper. So take Sheed. Bass doesn’t have a dependable offense game yet, it clutch situations it’s better to have someone like Sheed who can hit 15 footers no problem, and that’s a huge option in late games.
June 29th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
George W Kush Sr says:
… he still has a … dependable offensive game yet…in clutch situations… Damn !!!
I swear to Drunk, mister occifer, I’m not GOD, … lol
June 29th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
45% says:
rashard at the 3 is not the same as hedo at the 3.
orl wont be as good. shard does not make plays.,
June 29th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Patrick Cassidy says:
Not sure how anyone who watched ‘Sheed play this season would seriously consider signing him to a deal, unless the Magic would bring him in solely to hang out at the top of the key to launch threes. Don’t think you can expect much else out of him at this point…
June 29th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Take Bass!!
All out effort beats “potential” Talent 80% of the time!
Boozer vs Millsap anyone?
June 29th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Bron42 aka Had Springs Before Slamball says:
well you can’t say shard doesn’t make plays since hes never really been asked to yet. Cuz if you remeber, hedo was average at best before coming to the magic. He was ass on the kings, ass on the spurs and turned into a decent player on the magic. So shard could develop the same way, and hes already better than hedo offensivly, just that hedo had that turkish 50 cent swagger (ya i said it so what) Shard is one of them laid back houston dudes. i still say sign and trade gortat or hedo for tmac who would fill the hedo void (if at least 75%) and then you can still get bass or someone. All else fails sheed would be a good fit on defense but his offense has kinda turned dirkish with just jackin 3s and givin the whiney face.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
JL says:
@ 4…Gortat has to get his stats in a hurry cause the dude gets fouls quicker than some guy called Bynum.
It pisses me off how every time a dude with half decent game has an extended layoff due to injury, his stock values plummet…I would take haywood over Gortat every dam day – he’s going to bring it in 09/10, the guy has pride.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
MSkittle says:
Bass will be less of a headache for them
June 29th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
magicss4242 says:
I wish someone ACTUALLY watched the Magic outside Orlando during the regular season. Jameer Nelson was a GREAT drive and kick player when healthy. He also created on his own. Was a great finisher, and led the NBA in unassisted 3s. His shooting %s were out of this world.
With Carter + Nelson the Magic have the offensive engineers they need. They dont need Rashard Lewis to do the things Turk did.
Rasheed would be perfect if his knee is 100%. We need a PF who can shoot deep, play help defense and rebound. Wallace would make this team nealry unstoppable and if Bass was added as well, this team would be better than LA and everyone els ein the NBA
June 29th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
isotope says:
I think the magic will miss Turk more than they think. DHoward will miss Turk more than he thinks.
June 29th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
Bron42 aka Had Springs Before Slamball says:
@iso, well if thats the case, they should talk hedo into stayin for less but a longer contract, and have dwight and raw give him some money on the side lol.I’d rather win and be rich than go to a losin team and be super rich but also kill my stock at the same time since the team sucks.
June 29th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
K Dizzle says:
Why not Sheed? Orlando the perfect spot for him. In Detroit, they needed him to play close to the rim since the only other inside option was Dyess. In Orlando, they got a beast named Dwight. Sheed can bomb away…
June 29th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
K Dizzle says:
Why not Sheed? Orlando the perfect spot for him. In Detroit, they needed him to play close to the rim since the only other inside option was Dyess. In Orlando, they got a beast named Dwight. Sheed can bomb away…
June 29th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
QQ says:
Personally, I would prefer Bass.
We don’t need a whiner in Orlando. Last thing I would want to see is when Stan didn’t draw up a play for him, he’ll fuck up on the media about how he’s not being played the way he would want to.
Bass is a young guy. His ego isn’t as big as Fat Joe’s grocery list yet. He’s a hard worker, meaning you can teach the kid, and yall know he will listen.
DAMN. MAGIC GOING FOR THE KILL. We can be the most complete squad next season…
GOOOOOOOOO MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!
June 29th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
QQ says:
‘We don’t need a whiner in Orlando. Last thing I would want to see is when Stan didn’t draw up a play for him, he’ll fuck up on the media about how he’s not being played the way he would want to.’
I was talking bout Sheed here…
June 30th, 2009 at 2:13 am
kowtz says:
If this falls through… watch for Sheed and Dwight being suspended in the playoffs for getting too much techincals…
June 30th, 2009 at 9:06 am
lavarhenry com says:
Carter is a better play-maker and defender then Turk, so the magic did not lose any play-making but added defense. VC has played sf his whole career, so if the magic wanted to play the same way they played last year they can; by keeping lewis at 4 and having carter at 3. Mickael could play the 2 if needed.
Therefore, if the Magic grab Bass, he would give them a different element; the ability to play big. Bass is powerful, young, plays with energy and toughness, can guard three positions, and can hit the mid-range shot. (He was also in the top twenty in ft%.)If the Magic get Wallace, they will need to replace him in a year or two. If they pick up Bass, Howard and him will grow together over the years. Good bigs at 24yrs old are rare for 4-5mil.
June 30th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
doc says:
Bass or Sheed a good pickup it dont even matter who.Vince a better at everything Hedo can do good so all this Hedo shit need to be tapered off some,because without Dwight they a average East team fighting for the bottom seeds so give me the Vince and Dwight combination over Turkish Wilt Jordan or whoever the fuck he wanna be.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Kenny D says:
I’m surprised I’ve yet to hear anything about Antonio McDyess. I say bring Dyess and Sheed over here. That would give us the best team. Two guys who could play the post to help Dwight. Imagine the Lineup
PG Jameer/AJohnson or TBD
SG VC/Pietrus/Reddick
SF Shard/Pietrus
PF Sheed/Dyess/Anderson
C Dwight/Dyess/
How the MLE & vet minimum, we could draticallt improve our backcourt.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Ljupco says:
How about Shawn Marion? A defender, SF and PF, rebounder… (MLE if he wants a championship) + sign and trade Hedo for a big, and draft pick (and a veteran)