Early trade deadline musings
Now that the calendar has officially turned to 2013, the countdown to the NBA's most intriguing day can really begin. Yes, we are 51 days away from the NBA trade deadline.
The Magic figure to be active with that $18 million trade exception and an eagerness to collect assets and build for a long-term future. Of course, if the Magic want to get rid of some of those massive contracts -- they are surely interested in moving long-term deals for Hedo Turkoglu, Al Harrington and Glen Davis if possible -- they likely will have to give something up.
The only player that seems to make sense to give up is free agent-to-be J.J. Redick.
Many teams will covet Redick for his shooting ability and he is scoring a career high in points per game and points per 36 minutes. He has shown an improvement in his passing and his work ethic has made an impression on the new management.
That is what Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld reported a few weeks ago and that is what he reiterated when doing a New Years review of potential trade targets:
For his part, he has been on a public campaign saying he and his wife want to stay in Orlando. His family recently brought “Keep JJ” signs to a recent Magic home game.
On the Magic side of things, there was a real sense when the season opened that Redick was not part of the long-term plan and would be a chip the team looked to cash before the trade deadline.
As the Magic enter 2013 the thinking on Redick has changed considerably. That does not mean the Magic won’t deal him. He is arguably their best trade chip. It means Redick isn’t exactly the first players they’d like to move.
Kyler reports the Magic have no "desire" to move Redick now. That could change though as they evaluate what he could get on the open market and determine whether they can keep him. It could also change, Kyler says, if the team gets an offer that helps it out in the long-term by unloading one of the team's unsavory contracts.
That is not the only trade rumors the Magic appear to be pulled into this January.
It seems to be no secret that DeMarcus Cousins wants out of Sacramento and that Sacramento is willing to part with its mercurial center. Cousins' attitude has been a big issue not just this year, when he was suspended for lashing out at coach Keith Smart at halftime.
For the Magic's part, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reports the Magic have no interest in Cousins whatsoever.
That settles that.
Hmmm. Cousins would help the Magic now...help them make the playoffs maybe and then the Magic get booted soon after. He'll probably detract future free agents who won't want to play with him and eventually suck a huge percentage of the salary cap. Yeah...Orlando shouldn't see a future in Cousins. Great player though.
I'd like to see Redick go to...I dunno, a team notorious for losing that is willing to give up a draft pick. Why would Orlando trade a big contract when it would lessen a deal to help Orlando in the future.
Orlando could be a good team on the rise in three years from now. I hope that all trades are put towards that and those players with big deals could just go away on their own instead of causing future damage vs. current damage.
On a lesser note, I as a fan like to see Turk and Jameer. They should have many fans still coming to games on their past accomplishments alone.
I'm assuming Orlando wants Afflalo and he won't get traded. Right? He's gotta be Orlando's most marketable player and should be the engine stirring entertainment while the Magic weather the storm. Same goes for Davis.
@MTH No way the Magic take on Cousins. He might be like Z-Bo, but you don't want that guy on your team till he's close to 28. Plus Dan Fegan, he doesn't have fans in the Orlando Magic ownership I'm sure. And if your the Kings, who do you want on the Magic? You're just selling for pennies on the dollar. Not when you still have control of Cousins for 2 more years.
Redick, if he moves, will be moved for future prospects for sure. Derrick Williams is a name constantly brought up. You don't just ship off Redick for simply a draft pick, and he is more valuable to a team in contention as instant offense off the bench, as opposed to just another piece to rebuilding. A losing team would rather take a shot with the draft pick you'd be receiving.
Orlando is a team on the rise right now. They play hard every night, and have talented young guys learning how to play the game. If you were to project the line up 3 years from now, it will be with lots of guys we have on the team now. Nelson and Afflalo in the backcourt. Harkless and Nicholson as forwards. Vuc as your center. Likely Redick as your 6th man. The guys you move are Turkoglu, who is only partly guaranteed after this year, and Davis and Harrington, who have 3 and 2 years left.
The problem with Afflalo is that he isn't nearly as marketable as Redick. And while he plays very hard and really well, he doesn't create shots for anyone else. I do like his fit, but this team as constituted will need to make a move eventually. You will need to upgrade over Nelson within a year. Most small point guards don't stay in the league and successfully compete past the age of 30, but he'd be great coming off the bench. What they really need is to get lucky in the next two years and find a difference maker in either the draft or free agency.
@LaurenceZ Why would the Magic be interested in dumping long term contracts? Nobody would want Harrington which means Orlando would have to take a step back to get rid of him. I think Rob must be thinking 2 or 3 years from now cause Orlando needs time to develop a championship team. Those contracts should be moved only if a team is willing to give up future assets for expiring deals. Yeah, maybe Turk but still not sure how interested teams would be. Davis helps Orlando be competitive enough to keep a fan base.
In three years from now, maybe they start winning 50 games with these young guys and are still flexible if they build slowly. That's a good team imo. Not a sub .500 team with no superstars that can win them a championship now or in the near future.
I like this team a lot...but Orlando is a long way off.
@LaurenceZ @MTH Actually the trade exception expires one year after it is created. So the Magic will have it through August 10, 2013. So they don't have to use it at the deadline. They could wait until Draft night. And then Hedo and Al might be more valuable.
Yes, the Magic would have to take back some contracts to get rid of some of their bad deals. But if they get a younger player that could develop into a future asset, that could be better for the team than having a veteran like Harrington and Turkoglu sitting around.
@MTHThe Magic figure to be active with that $18 million trade exception and an eagerness to collect assets and build for a long-term future. Of course, if the Magic want to get rid of some of those massive contracts -- they are surely interested in moving long-term deals for Hedo Turkoglu, Al Harrington and Glen Davis if possible -- they likely will have to give something up." The second paragraph of the article you commented on.
You don't even need to get anything back for Harrington. You're not getting anything for him as it is. You do have value in Davis, and I would not be surprised to see him go. I also don't think it would be a shock to see him stay for the next year. Turk will play through the year, the likely get cut. The point of the first paragraph is that the Magic have a large trade exemption. That exemption ends at the trade deadline. It is definitely thinking way down the road. If you try to build through the draft, it will be even longer, unless you hit that home run, and even then, it will take a while. OKC and Min have built through the draft. 3 years ago the Blazers were building through the draft, but that blew up in their face with injuries. If you build through free agency, you need cap space. The results should come along quicker, but first you need to get the guys to come to Orlando. What you need to avoid is becoming a middle of the road team. Being a fringe lottery team/6-8 seed playoff team does you little good. Clear house and let the kids learn, or clear house and get cap space. Either way, you won't have the long term contracts in a perfect scenario.
If your the Magic, you almost don't worry too much about the fan base. You have a beautiful new arena. Your the only game in town as far as professional sports go. The fans will still come along. They know where the team is right now, and the Magic have never been very bad for very long.
