(Hedo/JRich for Gortat/VC/Pietrus confirmed) Rumor: Arenas to Orlando Magic?

[PosImpos]

Earl Clark isn't ready to be a rotation player yet.

He'll be stuck at the end of Orlando's bench behind Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderson.

JJ Redick and Quentin Richardson as the backup wings. No stopper on the perimeter with Pietrus gone.

No Gortat so no defensive anchor + no high level interior rebounder for the Magic while Dwight rests.

Jameer Nelson was a very nice change of pace backup point guard early in his career. He'll be a nice player behind Arenas. Give them a lot of firepower off the bench. Free him up to concentrate more on his scoring.

Are you sure their plan isn't to play Gilbert at the 2?  Seems unlikely to me they'd bench Jameer right away, considering he's been playing a lot better than Gilbert this season.

The Magic are going to be much worse at perimeter defense now, and when Howard is sitting out they'll be really weak up front.  Get Howard in foul trouble and abuse them in the paint.  They're essentially a worse version of this year's Suns if you can take Howard out of the game.

[fairweatherfan]

The Magic are going to be much worse at perimeter defense now, and when Howard is sitting out they'll be really weak up front.  Get Howard in foul trouble and abuse them in the paint.  They're essentially a worse version of this year's Suns if you can take Howard out of the game.

It really seems like this trade has just brought a lot of the Suns' current issues to Orlando.  They have a lot of 2/3s without much at the 4 (who will they start there, Bass? They can't be dumb enough to try Turk there), they lack frontcourt depth, and their defense got softer.  The big difference is of course Dwight Howard, but I don't know how far that can take them.

[Who]

Earl Clark isn't ready to be a rotation player yet.

He'll be stuck at the end of Orlando's bench behind Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderson.

JJ Redick and Quentin Richardson as the backup wings. No stopper on the perimeter with Pietrus gone.

No Gortat so no defensive anchor + no high level interior rebounder for the Magic while Dwight rests.

Jameer Nelson was a very nice change of pace backup point guard early in his career. He'll be a nice player behind Arenas. Give them a lot of firepower off the bench. Free him up to concentrate more on his scoring.

Are you sure their plan isn't to play Gilbert at the 2?  Seems unlikely to me they'd bench Jameer right away, considering he's been playing a lot better than Gilbert this season.

The Magic are going to be much worse at perimeter defense now, and when Howard is sitting out they'll be really weak up front.  Get Howard in foul trouble and abuse them in the paint.  They're essentially a worse version of this year's Suns if you can take Howard out of the game.

I was thinking they'd move Jameer to bench because they acquired two quality wings in Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu. Arenas is a substantially worse two guard and would create a worse wing tandem than those two could provide. That was my line of thinking.

Where you thinking ...

Starters: Jameer + Arenas + J-Rich + Hedo + Dwight ??

[mahonedog88]

One thing is for sure...the Magic are clearly trying to start all over again, all while trying to stay legitimate in the East.  This is a HUGE roster overturn and thats even without the deal for Arenas yet.  Pretty nuts.

[Fafnir]

I think they'd be better of just keeping Rashard.

[mahonedog88]

One thing is for sure...the Magic are clearly trying to start all over again, all while trying to stay legitimate in the East.  This is a HUGE roster overturn and thats even without the deal for Arenas yet.  Pretty nuts.

[Drucci]

It's a big gamble for Orlando obviously, I'm not convinced to be honest. J-Rich seems like the only good and sure addition to their roster but he replaces Pietrus so it's kind of moot (although he is a better player he is inconsistent).

Basically the trades will be successful if Arenas AND Turkoglu get back to their level of two/three years ago... that's taking a big gamble, especially for Turkoglu since he was so great for Orlando because of his duo with Lewis at the 4. I'm not sure the mere combo of Howard/Turkoglu will make him a great fit again, and you also have to simply consider that Turkoglu's game may have fallen off a lot, it's not only a motivation factor or a question of fit.

As for Arenas I really do think that he has more chances of getting his "career level" back now that he joins a winning team. He will be motivated, he just has to stay healthy. Plus he is a clutch shooter, the exact opposite of Carter (in the playoffs).

But if this doesn't work the Magic is stuck with their two awful contracts running through 2013/2014.

Which, by the way, should improve our "chances" (or the speculation anyway) of getting Howard in 2010 since this would give him more reasons to leave Orlando.

[barefacedmonk]

The Magic are going to be much worse at perimeter defense now, and when Howard is sitting out they'll be really weak up front.  Get Howard in foul trouble and abuse them in the paint.  They're essentially a worse version of this year's Suns if you can take Howard out of the game.

It really seems like this trade has just brought a lot of the Suns' current issues to Orlando.  They have a lot of 2/3s without much at the 4 (who will they start there, Bass? They can't be dumb enough to try Turk there), they lack frontcourt depth, and their defense got softer.  The big difference is of course Dwight Howard, but I don't know how far that can take them.

I think Bass will back up Dwight and Ryan Anderson will play the back up PF position.

[Josh88]

http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22748484/26507013

I don't think this is going to improve the Magic much, basically they're trading two 3 point shooters for two more. Vince can create his own shot better than Jason Richardson, it seems like a wash to me.

[Fafnir]

The Magic are going to be much worse at perimeter defense now, and when Howard is sitting out they'll be really weak up front.  Get Howard in foul trouble and abuse them in the paint.  They're essentially a worse version of this year's Suns if you can take Howard out of the game.

It really seems like this trade has just brought a lot of the Suns' current issues to Orlando.  They have a lot of 2/3s without much at the 4 (who will they start there, Bass? They can't be dumb enough to try Turk there), they lack frontcourt depth, and their defense got softer.  The big difference is of course Dwight Howard, but I don't know how far that can take them.

I think Bass will back up Dwight and Ryan Anderson will play the back up PF position.

Bass at center? Yikes!

[barefacedmonk]

The Magic are going to be much worse at perimeter defense now, and when Howard is sitting out they'll be really weak up front.  Get Howard in foul trouble and abuse them in the paint.  They're essentially a worse version of this year's Suns if you can take Howard out of the game.

It really seems like this trade has just brought a lot of the Suns' current issues to Orlando.  They have a lot of 2/3s without much at the 4 (who will they start there, Bass? They can't be dumb enough to try Turk there), they lack frontcourt depth, and their defense got softer.  The big difference is of course Dwight Howard, but I don't know how far that can take them.

I think Bass will back up Dwight and Ryan Anderson will play the back up PF position.

Bass at center? Yikes!

Yikes is right...but who else is there that can play at the Center position?

[Who]

Orlando should trade JJ Redick for a backup center. Not sure what that would like exactly ... but Redick is their most expendable player.

Then use Jameer Nelson as a 28 minute a night backup guard playing alongside Gilbert Arenas for stretches. Use Quentin Richardson as the main backup wing player. Start Bass and let R.Anderson backup the four. Use a nine man rotation.

Try to trade Duhon for a secondary backup wing player.

------------------------------------------------------

I suppose they could trade Jameer and try to bring in a starting power forward and use Bass as a backup five ... that could be interesting too.

[Fafnir]

Earl Clark isn't ready to be a rotation player yet.

He'll be stuck at the end of Orlando's bench behind Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderson.

JJ Redick and Quentin Richardson as the backup wings. No stopper on the perimeter with Pietrus gone.

No Gortat so no defensive anchor + no high level interior rebounder for the Magic while Dwight rests.

Jameer Nelson was a very nice change of pace backup point guard early in his career. He'll be a nice player behind Arenas. Give them a lot of firepower off the bench. Free him up to concentrate more on his scoring.

Are you sure their plan isn't to play Gilbert at the 2?  Seems unlikely to me they'd bench Jameer right away, considering he's been playing a lot better than Gilbert this season.

The Magic are going to be much worse at perimeter defense now, and when Howard is sitting out they'll be really weak up front.  Get Howard in foul trouble and abuse them in the paint.  They're essentially a worse version of this year's Suns if you can take Howard out of the game.

I was thinking they'd move Jameer to bench because they acquired two quality wings in Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu. Arenas is a substantially worse two guard and would create a worse wing tandem than those two could provide. That was my line of thinking.

Where you thinking ...

Starters: Jameer + Arenas + J-Rich + Hedo + Dwight ??

I don't like that line up, better to have Bass out there.

[PosImpos]

Earl Clark isn't ready to be a rotation player yet.

He'll be stuck at the end of Orlando's bench behind Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderson.

JJ Redick and Quentin Richardson as the backup wings. No stopper on the perimeter with Pietrus gone.

No Gortat so no defensive anchor + no high level interior rebounder for the Magic while Dwight rests.

Jameer Nelson was a very nice change of pace backup point guard early in his career. He'll be a nice player behind Arenas. Give them a lot of firepower off the bench. Free him up to concentrate more on his scoring.

Are you sure their plan isn't to play Gilbert at the 2?  Seems unlikely to me they'd bench Jameer right away, considering he's been playing a lot better than Gilbert this season.

The Magic are going to be much worse at perimeter defense now, and when Howard is sitting out they'll be really weak up front.  Get Howard in foul trouble and abuse them in the paint.  They're essentially a worse version of this year's Suns if you can take Howard out of the game.

I was thinking they'd move Jameer to bench because they acquired two quality wings in Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu. Arenas is a substantially worse two guard and would create a worse wing tandem than those two could provide. That was my line of thinking.

Where you thinking ...

Starters: Jameer + Arenas + J-Rich + Hedo + Dwight ??

Yeah, that's the only thing that seems to make much sense.  Bass would probably play most of the backup big minutes.  I imagine there would be plenty of lineups with Gilbert at point guard, and much of the time Jameer might play off the ball and Gilbert would handle it (or Turk), but I doubt they'd have either Gilbert or Jameer on the bench.

[j804]

They will become a run n gun team now, the Suns basically w/
Dwight Howard?