FanPost

Part 2 of 3: Trade Targets


The first post I had last week tried to breakdown some potential free agents that the Magic could potentially sign. This post is going to focus on trade targets and why they could happen. I'll break these down into different categories to see how likely they are. Sorry, but I couldn't link to the trade machine because my work blocks sites that are considered "games. Trust me that the salaries would match.

1ST SET-GOD LOVES UGLY(bad contract for bad contract)

Raja Bell for Chris Duhon-Bell and Duhon have been horrible fits for both their teams. The Jazz started their re-building when they traded away Williams; Earl Watson and Ronnie Price are both free agents, and the Magic will have a need for a SG if they can not re-sign Richardson. Both contracts are about the same but Duhon has at least 1.5 guaranteed for an extra year.

Dahntay Jones & Brandon Rush for Ryan Anderson and Chris Duhon-Paul George emerged for the Pacers as a legit NBA player and Rush seems to have been pushed out of the rotation for them. Josh McRoberts is also a free agent and they already tried to trade him at the deadline. The Magic are giving up the better player in Anderson but get out of Duhon's deal and Jones would have 1 more year left at a player option.

Matt Carroll and Ed Najera for Richardson and Duhon-This deal doesn't really work for Charlotte but since they traded Gerald Wallace for nothing, everything is fair game with them. I actually wonder if they would do a Turk for Captain Jack trade straight up. I have no idea about Charlotte's strategy to win. Again, this is just to get away from Duhon's deal. I guess Carroll can shoot. He is 6'6. Najera is a good locker room guy? I don't know, I'm reaching now.

2nd Set-ITS NOT YOU, ITS ME (guys that just need a fresh start)

Paul Milsap for Brandon Bass-Something happened this year to Paul Milsap. He was such an under-rated player and a key piece to that team. But he never seemed to mesh with Jefferson, and now they have Favors who they will want to give a ton of minutes to. Bass is half the price and should be comfortable coming off the bench for them. Might have to throw in Duhon or Richardson to make the deal work but could be a great deal for both teams.

Oj Mayo for Ryan Anderson-Memphis already tried to trade Mayo for a PF and they can get one in Anderson. Memphis has some good wings with Allen, Henry, Young and Rudy Gay. Randolph just got paid and Gasol will get his next. Arthur seems like a good backup and pairing him with Anderson would give them a nice inside-out frontcourt.

Rudy Fernandez for Anderson-Portland gave Wes Matthews the full mid-level and owe Brandon Roy a TON of money. Next year, the only bigs under contract are Aldridge and Camby. I've read that they will tender Oden but relying on him is as reliable as Turkoglu having 2 good games in a row (zing!). I've always like Fernandez; good shooter but had a bad year, good bball IQ, OK defense. If Portland would throw in Petteri Kopenen (a PG they drafted a few years ago who could be a player later down the line) even better.

3rd SET-SO YOUR TELLING ME THERE'S A CHANCE...(probably unlikely but could happen)

Monta Ellis for Jason Richardson (sign and trade) and Ryan Anderson-I know Evan will love(sarcasm!) this one but the Warriors and Ellis have not been on the same page since his moped accident a few years ago. The talk from the Warriors/Bay Area has been that Ellis and Curry can not co-exist and 1 of them have to go. Richardson enjoyed success there and would be a legit SG for them. Ellis may be an inefficient shooter, ball hog, and not the greatest defender, but the man can score. Explosive athlete and a direct Stan quote "We just don't have guys that can beat you off the dribble." Ellis can do that, is 26 and has a reasonable contract (3 years left at 33 mil).

Brandon Roy for Gilbert Arenas-This is a super shot in the dark. Although Roy is owed 1 more year than Arenas, the total amount paid for Roy is 67 mil compared to 61 for Arenas. And Roy's final year is not fully guaranteed so the total amount could be less for Roy. Roy looks like a shell like his former self but so does Arenas. Roy is a better player and could be a Ginobli-type of 6th man if he stays healthy. Portland has a team option on Andre Miller and do not have any other PGs under contract for next season. Although Portland would probably love to get away from Roy's contract, no one wants Arenas and even if Orlando presented this deal I don't think they would bite. Thank you Otis.

DWIGHT-DEAR.GOD.NO.

Dwight Howard and his extension. Do the Magic just wait for free agency and let Dwight go for nothing like Toronto or Cleveland? Or is there going to be a runaroud like Carmelo did with Denver?

In one of the other fanposts, Evan commented that Dwight has all the leverage and he will ultimately decide where he is going to go. The Magic can't just trade him to a team because he will not sign an extenstion with a team he believe is not close to winning a championship. 2 things we know about Dwight:

1) He wants to win.

2) He is charismatic.

The debacle that was the Lakers against the Mavs really started the momentum with Dwight going to the Lakers. If Dwight does want to leave Orlando, is it the Lakers or is it the city of Los Angles that appeals to him?

It pains me to even write this, but if Dwight decides that he is not going to sign an extension then the Magic have to trade him. If he wants to go to LA, the Clippers should be the choice.

Hear me out. If Dwight wants the limelight, it would be up to the Clippers to sell him on Blake Griffin and that he would still be able to get all the LA spotlight. He would have to agree to an extension there.

Orlando would receive Kaman (expiring contract), DeAndre Jordan (young, promising center) and Eric Gordon and a 1st round pick. No way should Orlando touch Bynum; 3 knee surgeries, 1 year older than Jordan, already has shown that he is a bit of a dirty player (Gerald Wallace collapsed lung a few years ago, mad at a 5'5 Barea, Michael Beasley flagrant earlier this year). Odom and Gasol are already in their 30s and if this team trades Dwight, they should go full re-build mode. Bynum is more talented than Jordan, but Jordan has stayed healthy and the real key would be getting Eric Gordon. The team would be built around him and Jordan.

I pray that the Magic do not have to even get close to the last scenario but they should be prepared to explore all their options. The trade I think would mostly likely happen out of all these would be this one:

Utah receives-Bass, Duhon

Orlando receives-Milsap

And, since Milsap is the better player the Magic agree to take Raja Bell with Gortat's trade exception. The salary situation would still be in shambles, but they get a better starting PF, a SG who can defend and shoot the 3, and they eliminate 1 year off of guaranteed deals. Bell would start, but JJ and Arenas would get most of the minutes at SG. The last post will wrap up the first 2 and have a different twist to this GM game.

This FanPost was made by a member of the Orlando Pinstriped Post community, and is to be treated as the opinions and views of its author, not that of the blogger or blog community as a whole.

In This FanPost

Teams