After seeing Zach Randolph score 22 points and pull down 17 rebounds in a Knicks win over the Nuggets on Tuesday night, it certainly got me thinking. Perhaps after this awful start, John Paxson regrets not pulling the trigger to acquire Randolph on draft night this past summer.
At only 26, Randolph could have been the Bulls answer for a post man for the next ten years. Although he clearly has had some off the court issues previously, the Bulls today have a team with no players of questionable character. Maybe in a different situation and environment, Randolph would have been different.
During his last four seasons in Portland, Randolph averaged between 17-24 points per game, 8-11 rebounds per game, and around 2 assists per game. These type of numbers that Randolph has put up in the past is certainly consistency in the post that the Bulls have not had in a very long time. In fact, the Bulls have not gotten more than 20 points per game in a season from the power forward spot since 1985-86 from Orlando Woolridge.
The Knicks acquired Randolph in a package along with Dan Dickau, Fred Jones, and the draft right to Demetris Nichols. In the trade, New York gave Steve Francis, Chaning Frye, and a 2008 secound round draft pick to Portland. Without giving it much thought, I would think the Bulls could have swung together a package more attractive than what New York gave up. With the rights to P.J. Brown, the rights to the ninth pick in the draft, Chris Duhon, and several other trading pieces, you would think the opportunity to acquire Randolph would have been there.
Instead, Paxson and the Bulls wonder how a lineup of Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, Zach Randolph, and Ben Wallace would have fared.
Showing posts with label Steve Francis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Steve Francis. Show all posts
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Reshuffling the Rockets
Randy Kim of AOL Sports wrote an insightful commentary yesterday on how Daryl Morey overhauled the Houston Rockets this offseason entitled "Rocketing to the Top".
As the offseason winds down and training camps prepare to open, it's a good time to try to determine which NBA squad improved itself the most this summer.
There are a few obvious choices: By trading for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, the Celtics quickly grew from a young rebuilding club to an Eastern contender. Both the Blazers and the Sonics have new hope thanks to the arrival of ballyhooed rookies Greg Oden and Kevin Durant, respectively. And by trading for the controversial Zach Randolph, the Knicks acquired a 20-10 player who could help carry New York back to the postseason if he can stay out of trouble.
All of these were subpar clubs that finished last season well out of the playoff picture, however. As far as the league's top teams are concerned, few made any significant changes this summer. In fact, look over the list of seven teams that won 50 or more games in 2006-07 and only one squad stands out as a franchise that made major improvements this offseason. Only the Houston Rockets had the gumption to add a new coach, two new point guards and a new starting power forward to a 52-win team.
What makes these drastic changes even more improbable is that this summer was Houston's first under new general manager Daryl Morey. And even more remarkable still? The Rockets GM is all of 35 years old.
Naturally, because of his assured roster moves, young age and close friendship with Oakland A's mastermind Billy Beane - the subject of the best-selling book "Moneyball" - Morey has quickly earned a reputation as the league's resident wunderkind who relies on objective statistical analysis more than pure basketball intuition. To that end, Morey doesn't deny borrowing from Beane's philosophies, yet he maintains that a good hoops executive can't make decisions based on stats alone.
"I think with every decision, whether it's baseball or basketball, what (Beane) and I and others are trying to find is some level of objective evidence to confirm your beliefs," admits Morey during a telephone interview. "And with each decision, there should be some component of analytical and objective evidence, and some component of more traditional methods.
"In baseball it just turns out that the sport lends itself to those decisions being driven more by objective evidence," continues Morey. "But in basketball, given the high level of interaction between the players and the play - you know, did a guy make the shot because there was a good pick, or because there was bad defense, or because the guy's a good shooter? - it's very hard to isolate those things, so you need to blend (scouts and statistical analysis) a lot more, and traditional scouting is something (the Rockets) value highly."
Morey is also aware that while being seen as a new-school, number-crunching GM was vital to him getting the Rockets job, there are also challenges that can come with that kind of reputation.
"(As a young GM, there probably are) some feelings of, 'He's a kid and he hasn't paid his dues,' " admits Morey. "But I've found that as a group, the GM's in the league are extraordinarily smart and welcoming. It's a very small community, and even if you aren't a fan of whoever's running another team, it's in everyone's best interests to keep those relationships strong."
Morey's theory of keeping relationships strong was perhaps best put to the test when the Rockets showed interest in a player the rival Spurs held the rights to: talented Argentinean power forward Luis Scola. Morey felt the chances of San Antonio GM R.C. Buford cutting a deal with their intra-division - and intrastate - rivals were slim. But Buford said Houston had a shot at acquiring Scola and he stuck to his word.
"We felt like throughout (the Scola trade) was a bit of a long shot because both of our teams are reluctant to trade with each other within the division," says Morey. "But I give R.C. a lot of credit. He told me that we would have a shot at the (Scola) deal if we were the highest bidder, and we were."
Morey doesn't just credit Buford as being a fair man, however. When asked if there's one team that he'd like to model the Rockets after, the Rockets GM is quick to mention Buford and Gregg Popovich's Spurs as the franchise that best knows how to navigate the NBA's tricky talent landscape while also winning games.
"You can look at lots of teams getting a Tim Duncan-like player, like maybe Kevin Garnett in Minnesota, and the pieces don't form around him well," says Morey. "But I think that (Buford and Popovich) have done a tremendous job of taking a smart, methodical approach to maximizing the talent around Tim Duncan. I'm extraordinarily impressed by the Spurs and hopefully we can copy just a small piece of what they've been able to do."
In his effort to mimic San Antonio's success, Morey hasn't just gone after Spurs players like Scola and Jackie Butler, however. Similarly to the Spurs, Morey places a precedence on eschewing long-term deals for anyone other than a team's stars - in Houston's case, Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming - and showing stern fiscal responsibility when it comes to signing complementary players.
"Teams that don't (manage the salary cap) well get hurt, especially with teams like New York and Dallas coming off, basically, (a period when they would take) any contract on and not worry about the luxury tax," says Morey. "With those homes sort of going away, it makes the discipline of managing to the cap more important. And the teams that do it well will be able to pick up extra players and picks."
Having cap flexibility to grab those "extra players" is precisely how Morey was able to improve his team's one weakness: at point guard. In fact, it could be argued that Morey was a bit over-zealous as he now has six point guards on the Houston roster: Rafer Alston, Aaron Brooks, Steve Francis, Mike James, John Lucas and Bob Sura. But Morey maintains there can be strength in numbers.
"(Mike James is) probably the best shooter of all of the guys we've got, which is obviously always at a premium," explained Morey. "Rafer's more of a pass-first, up-tempo guy, and probably the best team defender ... And then Steve's just the ultimate guy who can get to the hoop and cut and rebound."
In fact, maintaining team chemistry might be a bigger challenge for new coach Rick Adelman than figuring out the point-guard rotation. Alston has been arrested twice this summer, something that Morey has openly said he's troubled with. And Francis, whom Morey admits kind of fell into the Rockets' laps, has a reputation as a me-first player who needs the ball in his hands to succeed. Morey, however, thinks they have a new Francis (nee "Stevie Franchise") on their hands.
"In most of (Adelman's) systems, a guy who's going to succeed is a cutter," says Morey. "It's very difficult for the guards to dominate the ball, or whatever criticisms there have been with Steve in the past. I think to Steve's credit he's taking winning over money, and he's got a new attitude."
So with all of these moves, does Morey see the Rockets as contenders for the title next year? The answer: While Morey isn't so green as to make brash predictions for the Rockets, he is still young enough to be openly optimistic.
"We felt like we were a good team last year but there was still a gap between us and the Spurs and the Suns and the Mavericks, and we feel like this offseason we've closed the gap," answered Morey. "We feel like we're in the mix (for a title) and certainly not getting farther into the playoffs would be a big disappointment for us."
So where does a thirtysomething exec who makes such a big splash in his first offseason come from? Well, for Morey, in the same way that most players have the lifelong dream of someday going pro, he has always yearned for a career in sports.
"I was always huge into sports from a very young age; my honeymoon was at the Olympics," admits Morey. "I did leave that goal (of a career in sports) for a little while, because it's extraordinarily hard to get a job in sports. But eventually I got my shot when I helped the Celtics' eventual owners buy the team."
From there, Morey networked within NBA circles and got pulled into the Rockets' fold by longtime Rockets GM Carroll Dawson. Dawson took Morey under his wing and introduced him to a number of league execs before he propped him up in the driver's seat.
"I knew some people through the Celtics, but Carroll was in a different network than Danny (Ainge), and he was very gracious with (his introductions)," says Morey. "And I think often when you come into a new situation, like maybe Sam Presti in Seattle, you have to make moves quickly, because you want to make those moves before things settle in."
But as quickly as Morey has made a splash, he hopes to mimic Dawson's longevity.
"He was around 28 years. I hope I make it that far," says Morey, before laughing to himself in wonderment. "I've got a little while still."
Given how well things have gone for his team so far, Morey stands a good shot at sticking around long enough to shed that "new kid" label. But in the meantime, don't be surprised if the Rockets win a couple of games along the way.
http://sports.aol.com/story/_a/rocketing-to-the-top/20070910192909990001
As the offseason winds down and training camps prepare to open, it's a good time to try to determine which NBA squad improved itself the most this summer.
There are a few obvious choices: By trading for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, the Celtics quickly grew from a young rebuilding club to an Eastern contender. Both the Blazers and the Sonics have new hope thanks to the arrival of ballyhooed rookies Greg Oden and Kevin Durant, respectively. And by trading for the controversial Zach Randolph, the Knicks acquired a 20-10 player who could help carry New York back to the postseason if he can stay out of trouble.
All of these were subpar clubs that finished last season well out of the playoff picture, however. As far as the league's top teams are concerned, few made any significant changes this summer. In fact, look over the list of seven teams that won 50 or more games in 2006-07 and only one squad stands out as a franchise that made major improvements this offseason. Only the Houston Rockets had the gumption to add a new coach, two new point guards and a new starting power forward to a 52-win team.
What makes these drastic changes even more improbable is that this summer was Houston's first under new general manager Daryl Morey. And even more remarkable still? The Rockets GM is all of 35 years old.
Naturally, because of his assured roster moves, young age and close friendship with Oakland A's mastermind Billy Beane - the subject of the best-selling book "Moneyball" - Morey has quickly earned a reputation as the league's resident wunderkind who relies on objective statistical analysis more than pure basketball intuition. To that end, Morey doesn't deny borrowing from Beane's philosophies, yet he maintains that a good hoops executive can't make decisions based on stats alone.
"I think with every decision, whether it's baseball or basketball, what (Beane) and I and others are trying to find is some level of objective evidence to confirm your beliefs," admits Morey during a telephone interview. "And with each decision, there should be some component of analytical and objective evidence, and some component of more traditional methods.
"In baseball it just turns out that the sport lends itself to those decisions being driven more by objective evidence," continues Morey. "But in basketball, given the high level of interaction between the players and the play - you know, did a guy make the shot because there was a good pick, or because there was bad defense, or because the guy's a good shooter? - it's very hard to isolate those things, so you need to blend (scouts and statistical analysis) a lot more, and traditional scouting is something (the Rockets) value highly."
Morey is also aware that while being seen as a new-school, number-crunching GM was vital to him getting the Rockets job, there are also challenges that can come with that kind of reputation.
"(As a young GM, there probably are) some feelings of, 'He's a kid and he hasn't paid his dues,' " admits Morey. "But I've found that as a group, the GM's in the league are extraordinarily smart and welcoming. It's a very small community, and even if you aren't a fan of whoever's running another team, it's in everyone's best interests to keep those relationships strong."
Morey's theory of keeping relationships strong was perhaps best put to the test when the Rockets showed interest in a player the rival Spurs held the rights to: talented Argentinean power forward Luis Scola. Morey felt the chances of San Antonio GM R.C. Buford cutting a deal with their intra-division - and intrastate - rivals were slim. But Buford said Houston had a shot at acquiring Scola and he stuck to his word.
"We felt like throughout (the Scola trade) was a bit of a long shot because both of our teams are reluctant to trade with each other within the division," says Morey. "But I give R.C. a lot of credit. He told me that we would have a shot at the (Scola) deal if we were the highest bidder, and we were."
Morey doesn't just credit Buford as being a fair man, however. When asked if there's one team that he'd like to model the Rockets after, the Rockets GM is quick to mention Buford and Gregg Popovich's Spurs as the franchise that best knows how to navigate the NBA's tricky talent landscape while also winning games.
"You can look at lots of teams getting a Tim Duncan-like player, like maybe Kevin Garnett in Minnesota, and the pieces don't form around him well," says Morey. "But I think that (Buford and Popovich) have done a tremendous job of taking a smart, methodical approach to maximizing the talent around Tim Duncan. I'm extraordinarily impressed by the Spurs and hopefully we can copy just a small piece of what they've been able to do."
In his effort to mimic San Antonio's success, Morey hasn't just gone after Spurs players like Scola and Jackie Butler, however. Similarly to the Spurs, Morey places a precedence on eschewing long-term deals for anyone other than a team's stars - in Houston's case, Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming - and showing stern fiscal responsibility when it comes to signing complementary players.
"Teams that don't (manage the salary cap) well get hurt, especially with teams like New York and Dallas coming off, basically, (a period when they would take) any contract on and not worry about the luxury tax," says Morey. "With those homes sort of going away, it makes the discipline of managing to the cap more important. And the teams that do it well will be able to pick up extra players and picks."
Having cap flexibility to grab those "extra players" is precisely how Morey was able to improve his team's one weakness: at point guard. In fact, it could be argued that Morey was a bit over-zealous as he now has six point guards on the Houston roster: Rafer Alston, Aaron Brooks, Steve Francis, Mike James, John Lucas and Bob Sura. But Morey maintains there can be strength in numbers.
"(Mike James is) probably the best shooter of all of the guys we've got, which is obviously always at a premium," explained Morey. "Rafer's more of a pass-first, up-tempo guy, and probably the best team defender ... And then Steve's just the ultimate guy who can get to the hoop and cut and rebound."
In fact, maintaining team chemistry might be a bigger challenge for new coach Rick Adelman than figuring out the point-guard rotation. Alston has been arrested twice this summer, something that Morey has openly said he's troubled with. And Francis, whom Morey admits kind of fell into the Rockets' laps, has a reputation as a me-first player who needs the ball in his hands to succeed. Morey, however, thinks they have a new Francis (nee "Stevie Franchise") on their hands.
"In most of (Adelman's) systems, a guy who's going to succeed is a cutter," says Morey. "It's very difficult for the guards to dominate the ball, or whatever criticisms there have been with Steve in the past. I think to Steve's credit he's taking winning over money, and he's got a new attitude."
So with all of these moves, does Morey see the Rockets as contenders for the title next year? The answer: While Morey isn't so green as to make brash predictions for the Rockets, he is still young enough to be openly optimistic.
"We felt like we were a good team last year but there was still a gap between us and the Spurs and the Suns and the Mavericks, and we feel like this offseason we've closed the gap," answered Morey. "We feel like we're in the mix (for a title) and certainly not getting farther into the playoffs would be a big disappointment for us."
So where does a thirtysomething exec who makes such a big splash in his first offseason come from? Well, for Morey, in the same way that most players have the lifelong dream of someday going pro, he has always yearned for a career in sports.
"I was always huge into sports from a very young age; my honeymoon was at the Olympics," admits Morey. "I did leave that goal (of a career in sports) for a little while, because it's extraordinarily hard to get a job in sports. But eventually I got my shot when I helped the Celtics' eventual owners buy the team."
From there, Morey networked within NBA circles and got pulled into the Rockets' fold by longtime Rockets GM Carroll Dawson. Dawson took Morey under his wing and introduced him to a number of league execs before he propped him up in the driver's seat.
"I knew some people through the Celtics, but Carroll was in a different network than Danny (Ainge), and he was very gracious with (his introductions)," says Morey. "And I think often when you come into a new situation, like maybe Sam Presti in Seattle, you have to make moves quickly, because you want to make those moves before things settle in."
But as quickly as Morey has made a splash, he hopes to mimic Dawson's longevity.
"He was around 28 years. I hope I make it that far," says Morey, before laughing to himself in wonderment. "I've got a little while still."
Given how well things have gone for his team so far, Morey stands a good shot at sticking around long enough to shed that "new kid" label. But in the meantime, don't be surprised if the Rockets win a couple of games along the way.
http://sports.aol.com/story/_a/rocketing-to-the-top/20070910192909990001
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Scouting Report: Aaron Brooks
The Houston Rockets have a crowded backcourt currently with Rafer Alston, Steve Francis, Luther Head, Mike James, and Aaron Brooks fighting for playing time. After drafting Brooks on draft night, it was surprising that the Rockets chose to add Francis and James. However, Rick Adelman has made it known that he believes in Brooks in the long run. It appears that this season, Brooks will not see the floor much, but in the future he could play a big role in the Rockets franchise.
Player Name: Aaron Brooks
Current Team: Houston Rockets
Ideal Position: PG
Drafted: 26th
Height/Weight: 6'0"/160
Birthdate: 1/14/85
Hometown: Seattle, WA
High School: Franklin High School
College: University of Oregon
Agent:
Contract:
2007-08 $972,720
2008-09 $1,045,560
2009-10 $1,118,520 (Team Option)
20010-11 $2,016,691 (Team Option)
20011-12 $2,976,637 (Qualifying Offer)
2012-13 $2,885,924 (Qualifying Offer)
Notes:
Became a father in summer 2006; Played in the McDonald's and EA Sports all-star games; Named the Gatorade, Associated Press, Seattle Times and Tacoma News Tribune state player of the year; Averaged 24.3 points, 7.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game as a senior.
Strengths:
Clutch; Extremely quick; Dangerous long-range shooter; Lofts soft floaters high above defenders; Unflappable demeanor; Shifty ball handler; Strong stutter step; Improved perimeter shooting greatly; Free throw shooting; Pull-up mid-range jumper; Rebounding for his size; NBA shooting range.
Weaknesses:
Small frame; Tends to reach on defense; Can get single-minded on offensive and forget about teammates; Does not control game tempo well; Favors right side; Reputation as a selfish player; Needs to put on another ten to fifteen pounds in order to handle some of the bigger guards he will need to defend.
Video:
Player Name: Aaron Brooks
Current Team: Houston Rockets
Ideal Position: PG
Drafted: 26th
Height/Weight: 6'0"/160
Birthdate: 1/14/85
Hometown: Seattle, WA
High School: Franklin High School
College: University of Oregon
Agent:
Contract:
2007-08 $972,720
2008-09 $1,045,560
2009-10 $1,118,520 (Team Option)
20010-11 $2,016,691 (Team Option)
20011-12 $2,976,637 (Qualifying Offer)
2012-13 $2,885,924 (Qualifying Offer)
Notes:
Became a father in summer 2006; Played in the McDonald's and EA Sports all-star games; Named the Gatorade, Associated Press, Seattle Times and Tacoma News Tribune state player of the year; Averaged 24.3 points, 7.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game as a senior.
Strengths:
Clutch; Extremely quick; Dangerous long-range shooter; Lofts soft floaters high above defenders; Unflappable demeanor; Shifty ball handler; Strong stutter step; Improved perimeter shooting greatly; Free throw shooting; Pull-up mid-range jumper; Rebounding for his size; NBA shooting range.
Weaknesses:
Small frame; Tends to reach on defense; Can get single-minded on offensive and forget about teammates; Does not control game tempo well; Favors right side; Reputation as a selfish player; Needs to put on another ten to fifteen pounds in order to handle some of the bigger guards he will need to defend.
Video:
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Getting the Heat Back to the Top
The Miami Heat, winners of the 2005-06 NBA Championship, struggled throughout last year, ending with a first round loss to the Chicago Bulls in the first round. The Heat only managed to win 44 games during the regular season, and were plagued by injuries from Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade, and Jason Williams throughout.
So how can the Heat return to the top of the Eastern Conference? Miami is currently taking the first step, by trying to sign Milwaukee Bucks point guard, Mo Williams. Miami can only offer Williams the mid-level exception, which would mean the most he could earn in a five-year deal with the Heat is about $35,000,000. The Bucks, however, could offer substantially more, and are already believed to have made an offer in the $40,000,000 range. However, its believed by many that Williams would take less money to join the Heat in order to have a better shot to win the championship.
The current Bucks point guard, Williams, is 6'1" and only 24 years old. Williams and Wade would make a great backcourt for years to come. In fact, in the 2006-07 season, Williams was one of only seven players who averaged greater than or equal to 17 points per game, 4 rebounds per game, and 6 assists per game. LeBron James, Gilbert Arenas, Tracy McGrady, Chris Paul, Baron Davis, and Dwyane Wade were the others to reach this benchmark.
Williams is a playmaker at the point guard position, who is known as a strong competitor. He has good strength for his size, but must improve defensively. His passing and ball handling could still stand to get better. He has been able to avoid injury for the most part in his career and excels when creating off-the-dribble. Shooting off-the-catch is another spot that Williams could still improve at, but he has had a great work ethic throughout his career. With Wade and Williams in the backcourt together, the Heat would be able to pencil in at least 40 points and 10 assists a night at the guard positions.
Once they acquire Mo Williams, the Heat should turn around and trade Jason Williams. The current Heat guard is in the last year of his contract, which pays him $8,937,500. Charlotte (Walter Herrmann, Jared Dudley), Atlanta (Josh Childress, Shelden Williams), Sacramento (Corliss Williamson, Quincy Douby), Clippers (Tim Thomas), Nuggets (Kenyon Martin, Eduardo Najera), or Cavaliers (Drew Gooden) may all be interested in Miami’s current point guard.
The next move for Heat general manager, Pat Riley, should be to sign free agent guard Steve Francis. Francis is a combo-guard who would be perfect off-the-bench for the Heat. Francis would be able to spell either Mo Williams or Wade and fill in well at either spot. After receiving a $30,000,000 buyout from Portland, Francis would most likely be willing to take a large paycut to have a chance to win his first championship.
With a nucleaus of O'Neal, Wade, Antoine Walker, Udonis Haslem, Alonzo Morning and then adding in Mo Williams, Steve Francis, and the player Riley gets back in return for Jason Williams, the Heat would have a much more successful season next year. Miami also has three young players to develop in power forward, Wayne Simien, shooting guard, Daequan Cook, and small forward, Dorrell Wright. With these series of moves (signing Mo Williams, trading Jason Williams, and signing Steve Francis) the Heat will be a younger squad and should be less injury-prone and ready to make a run next season.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Remaking the Orlando Magic
(Originally written on October 13, 2006)
In just three seasons, the Orlando Magic have gone from a team trying to recover after the Tracy McGrady failure, to an organization with young stars and a bright future. Since the start of the 2004-05 season, only five players remain on the roster. The centerpiece of this rebuilding process was their February 23 deadline deal with the New York Knicks. The Magic traded three-time All-Star, Steve Francis, to the Knicks for Trevor Ariza and Penny Hardaway. Hardaway, a free agent at seasons end, was released shortly after the trade was completed. Let’s take a look at their roster at the end of the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons, in comparison to today’s roster:
2004-05 Roster
Steve Francis – 12.3
Tony Battie – 4.8
Kelvin Cato – 7.9
Doug Christie – 7.6 (waived after the season; amnesty clause)
Andrew DeClercq – 2.5
Pat Garrity – 2.9
Grant Hill – 14.5
Dwight Howard – 4.2
Stacey Augmon – 1.1
Jameer Nelson – 1.1
Deshawn Stevenson – 2.5
Hedo Turkoglu – 4.9
2005-06 Roster
Trevor Ariza – 700k
Tony Battie – 5.2
Darko Milicic – 4.1
Carlos Arroyo – 4.0
Doug Christie – 8.2 (not on roster, but salary counts towards the cap)
Keyon Dooling – 3.1
Pat Garrity – 3.2
Grant Hill – 15.7
Dwight Howard – 4.5
Stacey Augmon – 1.4
Jameer Nelson – 1.2
Bo Outlaw – 1.1
Deshawn Stevenson – 2.8
Hedo Turkoglu – 5.4
Travis Diener – 400k
Penny Hardaway – 15.8(free agent at the end of season; waived after the trade was made)
2006-07 Roster
J.J. Redick – 1.9
Grant Hill – 16.9 (free agent after this season)
Dwight Howard - 4.8
Keyon Dooling – 3.3 (player option after this season, f/a after next)
Darko Milicic – 5.2 (restricted f/a after this season)
Trevor Ariza – 2.5
Carlos Arroyo – 4.0 (4.0 in 07-08, f/a in 08-09)
Keith Bogans – 2.5
Travis Diener – 700k (f/a after this season)
Pat Garrity – 3.5 (f/a after this season)
Jameer Nelson – 1.3
Bo Outlaw – 1.2 (f/a after this season)
Hedo Turkoglu – 5.9
Salary Analysis
At season’s end, the Magic will be looking at over twenty million dollars in cap room, when Grant Hill (16.9), Travis Diener (700k), Pat Garrity (3.5), and Bo Outlaw (1.2) come off the books. It is likely to assume that Keyon Dooling will exercise his $3,596,000 option to stay with the team. The Magic will also have to make a decision on whether or not to let Darko Milicic sign with another team, resign him to a large extension, or simply agree to a one year deal worth $6,810,302. It is too early at this time to guess what Milicic's asking price will be. His performance and improvement this year could determine if he is able to get major money like Samuel Dalembert, Tyson Chandler, and Nene Hilario received in their latest contracts. Either way, the Magic will have a great deal of cap room available at the end of the season. They will have the flexibility to trade for a large salary player or sign a potential free agent, such as Vince Carter or Rashard Lewis. On the surface, the teams great positions of need are a scorer at the wing and another big man next to Dwight Howard.
Outlook
Through the 2008-09 season, the Magic core of J.J. Redick, Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, Jameer Nelson, and Hedo Turkoglu are all locked into deals. These guys will be able to continue to develop together and should be a force in the Eastern Conference’s Southeast division. Orlando’s 17-12 record after the Steve Francis trade should be a sign of things to come.
In just three seasons, the Orlando Magic have gone from a team trying to recover after the Tracy McGrady failure, to an organization with young stars and a bright future. Since the start of the 2004-05 season, only five players remain on the roster. The centerpiece of this rebuilding process was their February 23 deadline deal with the New York Knicks. The Magic traded three-time All-Star, Steve Francis, to the Knicks for Trevor Ariza and Penny Hardaway. Hardaway, a free agent at seasons end, was released shortly after the trade was completed. Let’s take a look at their roster at the end of the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons, in comparison to today’s roster:
2004-05 Roster
Steve Francis – 12.3
Tony Battie – 4.8
Kelvin Cato – 7.9
Doug Christie – 7.6 (waived after the season; amnesty clause)
Andrew DeClercq – 2.5
Pat Garrity – 2.9
Grant Hill – 14.5
Dwight Howard – 4.2
Stacey Augmon – 1.1
Jameer Nelson – 1.1
Deshawn Stevenson – 2.5
Hedo Turkoglu – 4.9
2005-06 Roster
Trevor Ariza – 700k
Tony Battie – 5.2
Darko Milicic – 4.1
Carlos Arroyo – 4.0
Doug Christie – 8.2 (not on roster, but salary counts towards the cap)
Keyon Dooling – 3.1
Pat Garrity – 3.2
Grant Hill – 15.7
Dwight Howard – 4.5
Stacey Augmon – 1.4
Jameer Nelson – 1.2
Bo Outlaw – 1.1
Deshawn Stevenson – 2.8
Hedo Turkoglu – 5.4
Travis Diener – 400k
Penny Hardaway – 15.8(free agent at the end of season; waived after the trade was made)
2006-07 Roster
J.J. Redick – 1.9
Grant Hill – 16.9 (free agent after this season)
Dwight Howard - 4.8
Keyon Dooling – 3.3 (player option after this season, f/a after next)
Darko Milicic – 5.2 (restricted f/a after this season)
Trevor Ariza – 2.5
Carlos Arroyo – 4.0 (4.0 in 07-08, f/a in 08-09)
Keith Bogans – 2.5
Travis Diener – 700k (f/a after this season)
Pat Garrity – 3.5 (f/a after this season)
Jameer Nelson – 1.3
Bo Outlaw – 1.2 (f/a after this season)
Hedo Turkoglu – 5.9
Salary Analysis
At season’s end, the Magic will be looking at over twenty million dollars in cap room, when Grant Hill (16.9), Travis Diener (700k), Pat Garrity (3.5), and Bo Outlaw (1.2) come off the books. It is likely to assume that Keyon Dooling will exercise his $3,596,000 option to stay with the team. The Magic will also have to make a decision on whether or not to let Darko Milicic sign with another team, resign him to a large extension, or simply agree to a one year deal worth $6,810,302. It is too early at this time to guess what Milicic's asking price will be. His performance and improvement this year could determine if he is able to get major money like Samuel Dalembert, Tyson Chandler, and Nene Hilario received in their latest contracts. Either way, the Magic will have a great deal of cap room available at the end of the season. They will have the flexibility to trade for a large salary player or sign a potential free agent, such as Vince Carter or Rashard Lewis. On the surface, the teams great positions of need are a scorer at the wing and another big man next to Dwight Howard.
Outlook
Through the 2008-09 season, the Magic core of J.J. Redick, Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, Jameer Nelson, and Hedo Turkoglu are all locked into deals. These guys will be able to continue to develop together and should be a force in the Eastern Conference’s Southeast division. Orlando’s 17-12 record after the Steve Francis trade should be a sign of things to come.
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