Before already thinking that there is no way Howard bolts Orlando next off-season via free agency, shouldn't Magic fans be thinking the opposite, as in why wouldn't he leave?
Orlando is tapped out financially and they don't seem better than a 2nd round squad currently.
There doesn't seem to be any worthwhile prospects on the roster to deal and not many good bargains out there. What on earth can Orlando do to salvage next season, perhaps make a run and retain Dwight?
Orlando first has to explore the crap for crap market. Yah I said crap. This market entails trying to trade your own junk, or crap, for what another team considers junk (poop?).
Poop, junk or crap can better be described as usually a veteran who is unhappy or overpaid in their respective situation. The veteran would like to seek a deal to leave their team and since he is overpaid etc, the management of that team may agree.
The best example of the above is Richard Hamilton of the Detroit Pistons.
Hamilton was ousted by the team's coach last season and was unhappy about the idea of moving to the bench, even if it was part time. Furthermore general manager Joe Dumars, even tried dealing Hamilton for pure expirings, using the team's coveted first round pick in the package. The fact that the team was so willing to deal Hamilton combined with him wanting to leave perhaps just as badly, makes any Hamilton deal to a better team a match made in heaven.
What would Orlando want in a Detroit deal besides Hamilton? First off the only player on the Magic roster that would make sense in such a deal would be Jameer Nelson in somethingn like a Nelson and Q-Rich for Hamilton deal. The question is what else could the Magic get in such a trade venture?
Since Detroit seemed willing to deal their 8th pick along with Hamilton to simply unload the contract, wouldn't they likely deal some protected 1st round pick in 2012 along with Hamilton to get better than an expiring, aka Jameer Nelson. I think they would.
It would depend on the protection, but Orlando should be able to net back Hamilton AND a top 6-8 protected 2012 pick from the Pistons in such a trade (with the protection lowering each year the pick is not used etc).
So now the Magic have a nice asset they can use in future dealings, the Pistons 2012 1st rd pick. What else can they parlay to exceed their title chances and retain Howard in doing so?
They can orchestrate the above deal into a 3 or 4 way with the Hawks or Clippers. Simply deal Bass and Redick to the Clippers, the Clipps then can send Kaman to Atlanta and Orlando can send that Pistons pick to Atlanta as well. What would be the end result? Josh Smith could then come to Orlando.
Then Orlando (if the CBA is not changed much...huge IF), could sign Crawford to around the MLE and hope for the following rotation:
PF Josh Smith / Ryan Anderson
SF Hedo Turkuglu / Earl Clark
C Dwight Howard / Daniel Orton
SG Richard Hamilton / Jamal Crawford
PG Gilbert Arenas / Chris Duhon
That team looks better than the current one, but with some time needed for chemistry building it is unsure how much better it is. Would it beat Boston or Atlanta, likely. How about Miami or Chicago, still unlikely. Is that deal easy to do? No. Would all the teams involved even accept it? Unsure.
If you're still with me, the point I'm trying to make is really that the Magic have little chance at contending next year and keeping Dwight...see above.
Is there really much they can do at this point? In short, no. GM Otis Smith shouldn't look at the above as a way of revamping the team, but really more of proof over how the team's contention possibilities are maxed out. They have no long term assets and regardless of whether Dwight stays or go, what future would they have?
So what should the Magic do? Forget about Dwight, pretend he's already gone, and try dealing him now while his value is high and rebuild this ship...likely with a new GM.
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