Magic Can't Afford to Keep Turkoglu

The Orlando Magic don't like talking about it now. They don't even like to think it. And rightfully so, in their first conference finals appearance in 13 years, only three victories away from the NBA Finals.

But there is a dark cloud looming quietly over their playoff run in 2009. And It's not just LeBron James. Orlando's future isn't quite as bright as you might think.

The Magic's go-to guy will be long gone in two months.

Turkoglu has decided to exercise his option in June to become an unrestricted free agent in July, opening himself to the highest bidder. And that probably won't be the Magic.

Turkoglu has proven throughout the last two season -- and certainly in this playoff run -- that he deserves to be paid handsomely by NBA standards, which the Magic can't do and still stay under the luxury tax limit that terrorizes all the small market teams.

Dwight Howard is the foundation of the franchise. Rashard Lewis will be the highest paid. Those are givens. But still, it's Turkoglu consistently with the ball in his hands down the stretch of every big game. The coach trusts him more.

It was Turkoglu who should have been the hero in Game 2 against Cleveland Friday night when he hit that potential game-winning shot with :01 remaining. Only a miracle -- named James -- took that away.

It was Turkoglu who dominated Game 7 of the Boston series with 25 points and 12 assists. It was Turkoglu who saved the day and won Game 4 of the Philadelphia series with a game-winning 3-pointer with :01.1 remaining. And it was Turkoglu who had 15 points and a career playoff high of 14 assists in the Game 1 victory in Cleveland.

"Turk really makes it happen for them,'' admitted Cleveland center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

And he should be paid for that responsibility, even if it means playing in Detroit, or Portland or Memphis next season. That is where the big money will be spent.

Turkoglu will be opting out of a contract that would have paid him $7.3 million next season. Because they already will be paying Lewis and Howard $20.5 and $16.5 million, respectively, next season, there is no room to give Turkoglu much of a raise.

Bad planning, but it's the economics of the NBA, which often get in the way of building good basketball teams. The business model really only allows for two superstar salaries, and Turkoglu is the third wheel in the economic game.

"Rosters change all the time. It's hard for rosters to be stable with the salary cap and all,'' said Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. "It's why you can't take any of this for granted. You have to play every year for what it is.''

Turkoglu, 30, has settled comfortable into Orlando through the last five years, but he also knows this will be his last chance at a real, big-money contract. He is coming off the best two seasons of his career, and his value will never be higher.

The Magic are unlikely to offer anything more than a four-year deal worth an estimated $30 million. Yet there are several teams in the league desperate to find a go-to guy, and one of them will offer considerably more.

The Trail Blazers have talked about waiving Channing Frye to make room for a Turkoglu contract. The Pistons are weighing the option as Joe Dumars continues his reconstruction process. The Grizzlies and the Thunder could find the salary cap room.

"It's something I won't think about until after the season is over,'' Turkoglu said recently.

Without him, the Magic clearly would regress. For all his quirks, Turkoglu is a rarity as a 6-10 playmaker who can handle the ball, seeing over the shorter small forwards. He creates shots for himself and for others. He has led the Magic in fourth-quarter scoring for the last two seasons. His cool hand in tight situations would be tough to duplicate.

It's something the Magic don't like thinking about now.