BOSTON - MAY 24: Dwight Howard #12 of the Orlando Magic celebrates with Rashard Lewis #9, Jameer Nelson #14 and Vince Carter #15 after he made a basket in overtime the Boston Celtics in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at TD Banknorth Garden on May 24, 2010 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
After matching the Chicago Bulls' offer sheet to J.J. Redick, the Orlando Magic's roster stands at 12 players. GM Otis Smith needs only to add one player to fulfill the league's minimum roster requirement before he can effectively call it a summer, and we're just nine days removed from the start of the free-agent signing period.
So, barring a significant trade, the Magic's rotation is set. Jameer Nelson and Chris Duhon will run the point. Vince Carter, J.J. Redick, Quentin Richardson, and Mickael Pietrus man the wings. Rashard Lewis will dominate the power forward minutes, with Ryan Anderson and Brandon Bass fighting for scraps. Franchise cornerstone Dwight Howard holds down the middle at both ends, with nightly relief in the person of Marcin Gortat. Daniel Orton plays center too, but won't do much playing at the NBA level this season, or next. Not to be overlooked? For the fourth straight season, coach Stan Van Gundy will patrol the sidelines.
This is your team. These 12 men, and a third point guard to be signed later, and perhaps rookie combo forward Stanley Robinson, if he wows Smith enough in training camp. And, when accounting for luxury tax payments, this group will cost team ownership over $100 million this season, the first in the team's new facility, the Amway Center.
There'll be time later for all sorts of analyses and breakdowns. But now's as good a time as any to point out that, hey, the season's still three months away, but the Magic team that takes the Amway Center parquet for the first time in October is the same one that exists merely on paper now.


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