Mac just needs a real team around him and a C that is healthy.

I think you’re missing the grand scheme of things.

don’t you think trading for McGrady means you are basically tanking this season?

Plus it’s not like it can get much worse than it is right now.

I didn’t even finish reading the post. The “real problems” are very laughable. Barnes is by far the hardest most energetic person among the starters. And Jwill has sooo much more energy than AJ. Even tho they are the same age, it would ignorant to say that they play at the same level. I don’t even know how this person could honestly think that these are the true problems with the magic right now.

The sample size is small, sure, but I don’t think it’s accurate to say that Ryan isn’t “smart enough” to play in the defensive system. If anything, that should be said about Bass, given his struggles on defense this year.

Why would he compete? VC hasn’t displayed anything makes me want to see him compete. I wouldn’t want to see VC go out and disappoint.

I dont get what he did wrong? He shouldn’t do something he doesn’t want to do and is probably not good for his health and energy.

suppose we add Gortat, Bass and AJ, couldnt we get several pieces in the off season as well?

I actually like it on many levels, that and even the basketball level (I think having to hide a poor defender at SF is much easier than at SG, part of Magic’s struggles this year I think; TMac could still have something big left with those injury-riddled years taking out so much time of his). I like that he is healthy now, probably hungry, a reunion and the familiarity is always good too. Im just not sure why Morey would do it with some of the offers out there and the strategy Morey is using. I know the Rockets liked VC a year or two ago from an article, so if VC gets out of the slump and looks good again, maybe adding Gortat could be enough, but here’s what could be bad.
TMac is still more injury prone in the past than VC. VC is probably better still. TMac’s expired deal doesn’t give Magic the cap space so if they dont find a good trade somewhere, then they are stuck with TMac over VC; and the Magic get to shop VC similar to Tmac next year and be in better control of making a good deal happen.

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine

McGrady is being paid roughly about $22.8M just a little under a league high salary of $23M. Houston’s GM Morey is no idiot and he won’t let a valuable trade asset such as McGrady’s expiring contract go for nothing. So in order to get something, you have to give something. I think Gortat and Bass would do well for the Rockets because they’re lacking big men in the paint especially after Yao Ming has gone down for the season. I think they would be happy to acquire a young C and PF to complement PG Brooks, PF Landry and the younger Rockets as they look to rebuild, and since the trade involves on team from the EC and one from the WC, it wont hurt them as much if they let go of McGrady.

So with McGrady’s skill and hopefully health, we look okay after this trade. Jermaine Taylor is familiar with the Orlando area since he was UCFs man for the past several years. He’s a very energetic young SG prospect with the ability to score and play good defense at the 2 spot and possibly 1 guard if needed.

The thing now is that we have NO RELIABLE back up Center and that’s the reason why I think Otis will NOT execute a trade of this kind. As I scanned through the FA back-up C’s I just dont see any that are good enough to back us up when Dwight sits.

Its just about who is guarding who and whenever Barnes or Pietrus are on the floor they are always guarding the best scorer(SG/SF) on the other team. i.e. I don’t think Vince covered Kobe on Monday even though they were both SGs.

Moving Carter to small forward would be a terrible idea because Barnes doesn’t deserve being put back on the bench (and the Magic would get worse, defensively), not with the way he’s been playing since he moved into the starting lineup. Pietrus does need to play the 2 more, but he can do that playing alongside Barnes (which he’s done the past few games). Switching Pietrus’ and Carter’s position wouldn’t really do anything.

Have patience.