Now that they have landed All-Star Vince Carter and all but said goodbye to Hedo Turkoglu, the Orlando Magic will try to rebuild their supporting cast by targeting a pair of vastly different free-agent frontcourt players.After losing to the Lakers and their big front line in the NBA Finals, the Magic are expected to make offers next week in free agency to both veteran Rasheed Wallace of Detroit and young Brandon Bass of Dallas, according to two NBA sources.
Wallace, 34, is expected to be pursued by both the Magic and the Boston Celtics, who are competing with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Wallace has played 14 seasons in the NBA, earning a reputation as an often enigmatic, but unselfish player with championship experience.
Wallace still could remain in Detroit, but he has expressed a desire to finish his career with a legitimate contender in the East. He would help either Boston or Orlando counter Cleveland's addition of Shaquille O'Neal.
Bass, 24, came into the league with New Orleans as a second-round draft pick. Although still unheralded as a backup last season to Dirk Nowitzki, he is considered a good rebounder who would provide Dwight Howard with more help around the basket.In getting Carter on Thursday from New Jersey, the Magic traded center/forward Tony Battie, along with guards Rafer Alston and Courtney Lee. They also are expecting to lose center/forward Marcin Gortat to free agency, necessitating several roster moves this summer.
Turkoglu wasn't part of the deal for Carter, but his fate in Orlando became clear when the Magic traded for Carter. Turkoglu earlier this week notified the league that he was opting out of his contract to become a free agent.
He is expected to be seriously pursued by Toronto, Portland and Sacramento. He is seeking a five-year deal worth an estimated $10 million annually, which is more than the Magic were willing to pay.
2009 NBA Draft
Phoenix Suns top draft pick Earl Clark, right, laughs with Suns general manager Steve Kerr, as Clark is introduced during a news conference, Friday, June 26, 2009, in Phoenix. Clark, a forward from Louisville, was selected 14th overall in the NBA basketball draft on Thursday. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
AP
Phoenix Suns top draft pick Earl Clark smiles as he is introduced during a news conference, Friday, June 26, 2009, in Phoenix. Clark, a forward from Louisville, was selected 14th overall in the NBA basketball draft on Thursday. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
AP
PHOENIX - JUNE 26: President of Basketball Operations, General Manager Steve Kerr and Head Coach Alvin Gentry of the Phoenix Suns introduces Earl Clark (6-10, Louisville) the 14th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft on June 26, 2009 at U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Steve Kerr;Earl Clark;Alvin Gentry
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PHOENIX - JUNE 26: President of Basketball Operations, General Manager of the Phoenix Suns Steve Kerr (L) introduces Earl Clark (6-10, Louisville) the 14th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft on June 26, 2009 at U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Steve Kerr;Earl Clark
NBAE/Getty Images
PHOENIX - JUNE 26: The Phoenix Suns introduce Earl Clark (6-10, Louisville) the 14th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft on June 26, 2009 at U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Earl Clark
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New York Knicks NBA basketball draft picks Jordan Hill, right, and Toney Douglas, center, walk with New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi during batting practice before an interleague baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, June 26, 2009, in New York. Hill was selected No. 8 overall. Douglas was selected 29th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers was trade for for a future second-round draft pick and cash. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
AP
MINNEAPOLIS - JUNE 26: Jonny Flynn, the 2009 NBA first round draft selection, answers questions from the media at a press conference on June 26, 2009 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jonny Flynn
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MINNEAPOLIS - JUNE 26: Jonny Flynn, the 2009 NBA first round draft selection, answers questions from the media at a press conference on June 26, 2009 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jonny Flynn
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Phoenix Suns first round draft pick Earl Clark, center is flanked by general manager Steve Kerr, left, and head coach Alvin Gentry, as Clark is introduced during a news conference, Friday, June 26, 2009, in Phoenix. Clark, a forward from Louisville, was selected 14th overall in the NBA basketball draft on Thursday. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
AP
New York Knicks first round draft pick Jordan Hill responds to questions during a news interview before an interleague baseball game between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets,on Friday, June 26, 2009, in New York. Hill, a forward from Arizona, was selected No. 8 overall in the NBA basketball draft on Thursday. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
AP
Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Gortat must stay in Orlando!!!!
Gortat is a joke when he played against the Lakers. Lamar Odom pwned Gortat in the paint
If Orlando gets Rasheed Wallace, next season, It will Officially Be A Wrap!
With VC and Wallace, it's the Lakers & Magic in the finals next year with a diferent outcome.
SVD is a top 5 coach who will get Wallace to play his best ball in the last 3 years.
LBJ & Shag will not mesh. Cavs need a true shooter.No Mo!
You guys are crazy. The Magic are destroying all chemistry they have. Turkoglu was the glue of this team, holding it together and their go to player in the clutch. VC is soft as tissue paper and doesn't have the tempermant to win big games. Not to mention he's over the hill. The Magic are heading for a decline. Plus giving away a young stud like Courtney Lee can come back to haunt.
Now all they need is a good coach. Wallace and Van Gundy will not work.
It's no secret the Pistons like Hedo . The trade looks great for both teams as Orlando looks to contend again . The Pistons could use a good scorer that has height .
pls not rasheed,brandon rush maybe but they need someone to rebound and can make a mid range jumper also Ryan anderson is a good player with minutes will really suprise people.what a bout a backup point?
They already have a backup PG: AJ.
Err, behind Dirk, I'm pretty sure Rasheed has the best post up, pull up mid range jumper and he's a lights out three point shooter. He rebounds too. It would be a pretty good fit. And I'm sure Anthony Johnson will stay and be a solid backup, much like he was during the season.
And Stan Van is a genius of a coach. Why do you believe he's not a good coach? His timeouts are perfectly timed to stop momentum, he's constantly switching things up based off match ups, he substitutes expertly. If there's one fault it would be his clock management. Aside from that . . . he's the coach who got his team to the Finals.
Wallace the THUG
Thugs rob people wallace is just passionate the guy is nice off the court we need to stop throwing that word around.
Wow! What a deep and thought provoking comment. You really dug deep for that one. Thanks for your great input!
All you people that think that Wallace is so good has not watch him enough when he played for Detroit this year. You can have him.
This is classic Magic front office. I thought we left this stuff behind us when John Gabriel was FINALLY let go after screwing this up WAAAYYY to long. For years, the Magic was nothing but a farm team for the league. We would get young guys with unlimited upside and deal them after a year or two. It is simply amazing to look at past Magic rosters and see how many of them were all-stars or on championship teams. And the sad thing is they were usually traded or given up for nothing, damaged, or guys near the end of the road. ie, Shaq for nothing, Grant Hill, etc. Look for Courtney Lee, Hedo and Alston to be back with rings on and/or All-Stars in the near future.
This type of thinking only comes from losers. your a loser rjones. your the type of person that will never get it. I shouldn't even respond to such stupidity. I would explain but like I said you will never get it.
Wow If Orlando gets Rasheed Wallace then u got
PG- Jameer Nelson
SG- Vince CArter
SF- Rashard Lewis
PF- Rasheed Wallace
C- Diwight Howard
4get about other teams winning the championship. They have more of a squad than the boston celtics now, if they get him its like an All-star team for Orlando!
I"m a long time Laker's fan who never cared much for Rasheed Wallace, but only a fool would deny that the guy has great basketball skills. Despite the fact he's a poor defender, Vince Carter is still a monster offensive player, and with Rasheed Wallace, Orlando creates serious offensive fire power and difficult match ups for the opposing defense. Turkoglu was a great shooter who learned to penetrate, but with Jameer Nelson back, they don't need it. Thre real problem with Orland is the limited offensive skills of Dwight Howard. Other than a dunk and a three foot hook, he's a mediocre offensive player. Doesn't dribble well, has no mid-range jumper. With Carter and Wallace, Orlando is trading their future for their present: like Boston, they'll make a one or two year run, and then they'll have to retool again. Does this make them better than the Lakers? Not yet. If Andrew Bynum gets in a full season, and masters the skills he was developing, no on in Orlandor or Boston will match up with him, and that leaves Gasol and Odom free to terrorize any defense. Look for the Laker's to dump Vujacic and Luke Walton, two real stiffs, and promote Josh Powell and Shannon Brown, and next year, the Lakers will field their strongest team ever. Shaq will help Cleveleand, if he decides to get in shape and make a serious run at it: on the defensive end, he's still a monster, and his ability to hammer the opposing defense is still frightening. Boston is fading: look for those old bodies to contintue to decompose. The Lakers should roll in the West, and Cleveland and Orlando will duke it out in the East. Should be great fun: if the Lakers stay healthy, they'll be more dominant than they were this year, by a sizeable margin.
Who's to say Howard won't continue to make strides offensively? His foul shooting to much better in the post season and he was scoring all around in every series except the finals. Don't underestimate this kid's potential.
All Shaq ever had was a dunk and a little jump hook and that turned out pretty good. Didn't it?
Howard is already the best center in the NBA and it's only a matter of time before he is the best all around player in the league. He's already working with Ewing on a little face up bank shot ala Duncan and a little baseline spin to go with the power dunks and jump hook.
Gasol, Odom and Bynum couldn't hold him down. It's sad for Howard that flopping isn't called more often at the NBA level because thats the only way he can be stopped.
Guess what? If they get Wallace and/or Bass they will have one guy in wallace who can hit 3's face up jumpers and post shots and a guy in Bass who is a great weakside rebounder and can shot a little mid range jumper. It's a wrap if they get either of them boys and if they get both then it's game over.
And lost in the brouhaha over Turkoglu leaving is the OTHER sacrifices Orlando just made. Two of the most effective young players that the Magic fielded in the NBA Finals were Courtney Lee and Rafer Alston. And Tony Battie is a rock solid back up player. This smacks of panic: the Magic were embarrassed, not by being beaten, but by the fact they folded, mentally, under pressure. Well, two guys who didn't fold were Alson and Lee. To give up exciting young players like that for an obviously aging Carter, who has a lot of miles on that body, smacks of desperation. So Orlando loses Turkoglu, Lee, Battie and Alston. That's a fire sale: Toronto will be reveling in that trade for years to come, while Orlando kicks themselves for panicking after one bad performance. Van Gundy is not nearly as smart as people want to think he is. His team was overmatched, largely because his Superman has a very limited offensive game and his best player, Jameer Nelson, was hobbled, not because of anything Lee or Alson did. If they do make it to the finals next year, this won't get them past the Lakers. It will get them a short ticket to oblivion.