
2011 NBA Offseason: Orlando Magic
Draft Grades, Offseason Needs, Free Agents
Written by Paul Banks of the Washington Times, David Kay and Peter Christian of the The Sports Bank. Send Paul an e-mail here: paulb05 AT hotmail DOT com.
All other e-mail, including advertising and link proposals, send to: wpc112@gmail.com
Orlando Magic (Last Year: 52-30)
2010-11 Season Summary:
The Orlando Magic are a very good NBA team and have been for the past few seasons. But the team showed their weaknesses in the post-season by being eliminated in the first round by the Atlanta Hawks, the same team they embarrassed in the second round of the playoffs a year ago.
Superstar Dwight Howard more than held up his end of the donkey in that series, averaging 27 points and 15.5 rebounds per game. That is not surprising though as Howard continues to blossom into perhaps the best big man in the game as shown by his third straight NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. However, after Howard the Magic failed to find consistency elsewhere on the floor.
General manager Otis Smith felt a change was needed early in the season and swung a pair of major deals. He exchanged terrible contract for terrible contract when Rashard Lewis was dealt to Washington for Gilbert Arenas. Smith also shipped Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, and their 2011 first round pick to Phoenix for Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu, and Earl Clark.
The change did not provide the spark Smith was hoping it would. Turkoglu failed to return to his old form from a couple of seasons ago when he played a huge role for Orlando. Richardson was not an up-grade from what Carter brought to the team and Arenas was pretty awful shooting an attrocious 33.4% from the floor.
Jameer Nelson, J.J. Redick, Brandon Bass, and Ryan Anderson all contributed to the cause, but did not help Orlando pack the punch needed to compete the top tier teams in the East.
2011-12 Projected Depth Chart:
C: Dwight Howard/Daniel Orton
PF: Brandon Bass/Ryan Anderson
SF: Hedo Turkoglu/Quentin Richardson/#Earl Clark
SG: Gilbert Arenas/J.J. Redick
PG: Jameer Nelson/Chris Duhon
NBA Free Agents:
#SF-Earl Clark (TO)
SG-Jason Richardson (UFA)
PF-Malik Allen (UFA)
2010-11 Team Salary: Approximately $74.8 million
NBA Offseason Needs:
1. A Second Banana/Keep Dwight Howard Happy: Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis, Jason Richardson, Gilbert Arenas, Hedo Turkoglu, Grant Hill, Steve Francis; since arriving in the NBA, the Magic have been unable to find a true second banana on the wing to compliment Dwight Howard's developing dominance inside. That is one of the contributing factors as to why Howard has never won a NBA title.
With Howard potentially becoming a free agent, the Magic need to somehow find a true second banana this off-season to A) Keep Howard happy and convince him to stay in Orlando and B) help the franchise continue to compete in the improving Eastern Conference. However, the Magic are massively over the cap and do not have a ton of assets that will receive a lot of interest in the trade market. They might need a minor miracle to finally fill this need.
2. Power Forward: While Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderson are nice players in their own right, I am not sure either of them should be starting for a team that calls themselves a legit NBA title contender. The trade with the Suns left the Magic without a true back-up for Howard and unless Daniel Orton greatly improves, which I would not count on, Orlando needs to add some sort of size.
3. Shooting Guard: Jason Richardson is a free agent and unless the Magic are comfortable with a rotation of Gilbert Arenas and J.J. Redick at the two (which they shouldn't be), they will likely have interest in finding an up-grade.
2011 Fantasy Football Rankings - June 9
2011 NBA Mock Draft - June 9
Greg's 2012 NFL Mock Draft - June 3
2012 NFL Mock Draft - June 1
2012 NBA Mock Draft - May 13
2011 NFL Free Agent Rankings - March 9
© 1999-2011 Walter Cherepinsky : all rights reserved
Privacy Policy
2 5 9
All other e-mail, including advertising and link proposals, send to: wpc112@gmail.com

2010-11 Season Summary:
The Orlando Magic are a very good NBA team and have been for the past few seasons. But the team showed their weaknesses in the post-season by being eliminated in the first round by the Atlanta Hawks, the same team they embarrassed in the second round of the playoffs a year ago.
Superstar Dwight Howard more than held up his end of the donkey in that series, averaging 27 points and 15.5 rebounds per game. That is not surprising though as Howard continues to blossom into perhaps the best big man in the game as shown by his third straight NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. However, after Howard the Magic failed to find consistency elsewhere on the floor.
General manager Otis Smith felt a change was needed early in the season and swung a pair of major deals. He exchanged terrible contract for terrible contract when Rashard Lewis was dealt to Washington for Gilbert Arenas. Smith also shipped Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, and their 2011 first round pick to Phoenix for Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu, and Earl Clark.
The change did not provide the spark Smith was hoping it would. Turkoglu failed to return to his old form from a couple of seasons ago when he played a huge role for Orlando. Richardson was not an up-grade from what Carter brought to the team and Arenas was pretty awful shooting an attrocious 33.4% from the floor.
Jameer Nelson, J.J. Redick, Brandon Bass, and Ryan Anderson all contributed to the cause, but did not help Orlando pack the punch needed to compete the top tier teams in the East.
2011-12 Projected Depth Chart:
C: Dwight Howard/Daniel Orton
PF: Brandon Bass/Ryan Anderson
SF: Hedo Turkoglu/Quentin Richardson/#Earl Clark
SG: Gilbert Arenas/J.J. Redick
PG: Jameer Nelson/Chris Duhon
NBA Free Agents:
#SF-Earl Clark (TO)
SG-Jason Richardson (UFA)
PF-Malik Allen (UFA)
2010-11 Team Salary: Approximately $74.8 million
NBA Offseason Needs:
1. A Second Banana/Keep Dwight Howard Happy: Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis, Jason Richardson, Gilbert Arenas, Hedo Turkoglu, Grant Hill, Steve Francis; since arriving in the NBA, the Magic have been unable to find a true second banana on the wing to compliment Dwight Howard's developing dominance inside. That is one of the contributing factors as to why Howard has never won a NBA title.
With Howard potentially becoming a free agent, the Magic need to somehow find a true second banana this off-season to A) Keep Howard happy and convince him to stay in Orlando and B) help the franchise continue to compete in the improving Eastern Conference. However, the Magic are massively over the cap and do not have a ton of assets that will receive a lot of interest in the trade market. They might need a minor miracle to finally fill this need.
2. Power Forward: While Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderson are nice players in their own right, I am not sure either of them should be starting for a team that calls themselves a legit NBA title contender. The trade with the Suns left the Magic without a true back-up for Howard and unless Daniel Orton greatly improves, which I would not count on, Orlando needs to add some sort of size.
3. Shooting Guard: Jason Richardson is a free agent and unless the Magic are comfortable with a rotation of Gilbert Arenas and J.J. Redick at the two (which they shouldn't be), they will likely have interest in finding an up-grade.
2011 Fantasy Football Rankings - June 9
2011 NBA Mock Draft - June 9
Greg's 2012 NFL Mock Draft - June 3
2012 NFL Mock Draft - June 1
2012 NBA Mock Draft - May 13
2011 NFL Free Agent Rankings - March 9
© 1999-2011 Walter Cherepinsky : all rights reserved
Privacy Policy
2 5 9