Orlando: The post-Finals makeover
Dwight Howard (photo. Mannion)
Although the ‘09 NBA free agent class isn’t as stacked as in years past — not to mention the League is being more thrifty than ever due to the slumping economy — teams still have holes they want to plug, and players have moves they want to make. Here, we break down all 30 NBA teams’ free agent strategy…
ROSTER
G - Vince Carter, Jameer Nelson, Mickael Pietrus, J.J. Redick, Anthony Johnson, Tyronn Lue, Jeremy Richardson
F - Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, Ryan Anderson
C - Dwight Howard, Marcin Gortat, Adonal Foyle
FREE AGENTS
Turkoglu, Gortat (R), Lue, Foyle, Richardson
ANALYSIS
Although the Magic are undergoing a major facelift, they’re still in good position to make another NBA Finals run in 2010.
Turkoglu is as good as gone, as GM Otis Smith has said he’s willing to exceed the luxury tax threshold this summer to remain an elite team, but probably not to the extent that he’d have to in order to keep up with the offers Hedo is getting. Gortat is also a hot commodity on the open market, but at a more reasonable price tag, Orlando so far is committed to matching the offers he gets.
The Magic made their big move by trading for Vince Carter before the Draft. Now they’ve set their sights on getting a real power forward in free agency — assuming Hedo is gone and allowing Rashard to move to SF — and while they don’t have a lot of money to work with, as a legit title contender they can lure a very good player with their mid-level exception. And in the high likelihood that Gortat leaves (he says he wants more playing time, which won’t happen as long as Dwight is around), they’ll need a cheap backup center and another forward or two just to add depth to that position. And if those guys can shoot threes? Even better.
IDEAL TARGETS
SF - Linas Kleiza (R), Matt Barnes, Josh Childress (R), Marvin Williams (R), Walter Herrmann, Rodney Carney, Ime Udoka
PF - Rasheed Wallace, Brandon Bass, Big Baby Davis (R), Shawn Marion, Anderson Varejao, Antonio McDyess, Leon Powe, Steve Novak (R), Drew Gooden, Chris Wilcox, Joe Smith, Channing Frye, Hakim Warrick (R), Shelden Williams, Ryan Bowen
C - Birdman Andersen, Ryan Hollins (R), Brian Skinner, Theo Ratliff, Rasho Nesterovic, Johan Petro, Joel Anthony (R), Jamaal Magloire, Melvin Ely
NBA FREE AGENCY ANALYSIS
Oklahoma City Thunder
Los Angeles Lakers
Memphis Grizzlies
Cleveland Cavaliers
Los Angeles Clippers
July 2nd, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Jah says:
Whoo! The Magic look good on paper! I can’t wait to see how they all mesh together come regular season time.
July 2nd, 2009 at 2:52 pm
QQ says:
Magic Gonna Dominate BITCHES! So eat a FAT COCK ya FAGGOT MOFOS! Hating ass celtic, Cav, laker, etc fans - yall ready to watch ur respective teams get sodemized by the Magic??
July 2nd, 2009 at 2:52 pm
isotope says:
They better hope Jameer and Dwight dont get injured for a long period of time. Especially if they let Gortat go.
July 2nd, 2009 at 2:54 pm
QQ says:
Dats right Jah, hit me up and we can kick it and get brain from bitches while playing NBA 2K10. I gots plenty of Hoz to share wit tru ass gangstas like ya self partna. Ya digggg?? Holla atcha boii!!
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:36 pm
BiG ShoT BoB says:
QQ can you share any bitches with me? I love getting brain in a plane?
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Heckler...formerly 'yallallreadyknow' says:
Magic are far from done. they need some size. after dwight, they gonna be small. and dont gimme that “rashard lewis is 6′10″ bullshit. we all know damn well he plays smaller; more like a 6′7 player.
hedo 6′10 will be gone, gortat 6′10 will be gone and adonal foyle never gets in the games. tony battie 6′11 was traded for a 6′7/6′7 player in vince carter.
the magic are losing a lot of size this offseason. they gotta replace some of that. they dont need anymore allstars, just role players.
but for their style, that list above is weak. maybe drew gooden can fit. he can start of come off the bench. chris wilcox is an excellent backup big man on any team; and he comes cheap. keith van horn would be perfect, but his ass is nowhere to be found.
they should try to go after hakim warrick.
who is gonna player defense on the perimeter for orlando next year? only pietrus?
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:49 pm
QQ says:
Big Shot - No problem brothaaa, what type of bitches ya like? I gots short ones, tall ones, skinny ones, fat ones, thik ones, all colors, all flavas, and they all cute as a mothafukka! Yea, they’ll hook up da brain ona plane! or if you prefer to ride around on your dubs, they’ll give you dome onya chromez!
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Kudabeen says:
Realistic scenario
Novak, Bass and Ratliff should be the pieces they add.
that with a D league PG behind AJ should suffice
July 2nd, 2009 at 4:30 pm
AA says:
Their offense is gonna be shit without Hedo. And with Vince in the lineup?! They all thought Dwight was not getting enough touches. Wait til Vince plays. And oh yeah, Jameer, for a point guard, doesn’t really know crap about creating plays and passing the ball. What good is getting Vince Carter to improve G/F spot if you don’t bring back Hedo?
The only sodomy that’s happening right now is the Magic doing it to themselves. HAHAHA
July 2nd, 2009 at 4:33 pm
SayItAintSo says:
Could you imagine if they picked up Kleeezey, Varejao and Birdman? That’d be and intense roster…and then pull Will Conroy up from the D-league.
July 2nd, 2009 at 4:36 pm
dk says:
QQ Your dumber than you sound bro. The Magic are gonna go dwn as one of the dmbest fucking teams in NBA history, right next to the Suns. A finals team lets go of its best player and best back up, dumb
July 2nd, 2009 at 5:05 pm
REF says:
Youre an idiot if you REALLY think Hedo was better than Dwight, Rashard, and Jameer-fucking-Nelson. Stop drinking the hater-aid DK.
July 2nd, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Celts Fan says:
@Ref - Hedo IS better than everyone on the Magic but Dwight, but on the offensive end, he’s better than Dwight too. They gotta hold onto him to stay a legit contender.
July 2nd, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Mack Brownee says:
QQ what’s up with gettin domed from the back? i like it when the shorties lick my crack
July 3rd, 2009 at 3:14 am
Big Aaron says:
Orlando-Lakers rematch - next years finals. book it.
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:46 am
fLaVa says:
I dont know why everyone is hating on VC? I am not a huge fan of himself because I from Toronto BUT hes a nice replacement for Hedo..
VC is a career 20,5,5 player and with no big man to help him and now that hes on ORL he has enough shooters and even Dhow to dump the ball to to get his Ast.. He can still handle the ball as did Hedo, the only difference is I see btw the two is the size. As mentioned in Dime, Hedo does tend to take some ill-advised shots and shot 41% from the field while VC is a career 45% shooter and takes volume shots. I do think VC is an upgrade over Hedo BUT regardless Lakers is still taking the chip next yr!!!