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[Rome]

I wonder how our resident Knicks-lover is feeling about this?

Marbury + Francis = Armageddon.

[SD_Eagle5]

I think this is a good move for the Magic, now if they could somehow figure a way to get Shaq back and bring Nick Anderson out of retirement, they'll be set.

[Rome]

Maybe they can lure Dennis Scott out of retirement too?

The last time I saw him, he was like 300 pounds of solid bacon.

[Rome]

Updated: Jan. 26, 2006

Magic wipe floor with Knicks in Francis trade

By John Hollinger
ESPN Insider
Archive

The Orlando Magic have mass-produced managerial blunders during the past few seasons, so let's give some props to the tag-team GM combo of Otis Smith and Dave Twardzik for their two deals this month.

In a matter of weeks, the duo -- led by Smith, who handles most of the team's trade matters -- has completely rebuilt what had become a depressingly mediocre team into a club that should become one of the league's best teams by the end of the decade.

The latest move, unloading Steve Francis for Penny Hardaway and Trevor Ariza, was the Magic's best yet.

Even if he had stopped moping, Francis wouldn't be worth half the money he's owed over the next few seasons. Not only is he turnover-prone and infamous for his willingess to spend 20 or more of the shot clock's 24 seconds relentlessly pounding the air out of the ball like it was a spherical piñata, he also played the same position as one of the Magic's best and least expensive players, Jameer Nelson.

Now Francis is Isiah Thomas' problem (kind of like Jalen Rose, Stephon Marbury, Maurice Taylor, Jerome James, Eddy Curry, Malik Rose and Quentin Richardson ... but I digress). Francis is owed close to $50 million over the final three years of his deal, numbers that apparently don't bother the Knicks, since their payroll now dwarfs the national debt.

With Hardaway's contract expiring after this year and Ariza expected to re-sign cheaply as a restricted free agent, the Magic would be $15 million to $20 million under the salary cap (depending on that year's cap number) when Grant Hill's contract expires after next season.

The Magic's timing is impeccable when one considers the names potentially available in 2007 -- forget about LeBron James and the other stars from the class of '03, since they'll sign extensions, but there's also Paul Pierce, Vince Carter, Dirk Nowitzki, Gerald Wallace, Chauncey Billups, Mike Bibby, Rashard Lewis, Antawn Jamison and Jamaal Magloire.

That's the same summer that the Magic will likely extend the deals of Dwight Howard and Nelson, and 2007 also probably represents Orlando's last opportunity to play the market for the next several years.

Because of that, just dumping Francis' contract makes the deal a home run. What really puts it over the top, however, are two other things.

First, Orlando didn't need to take any contracts back -- earlier reports had the Magic accepting Taylor or Jamal Crawford.

Second, how about this? Regardless of contracts, which player would you rather have three years from now -- Francis or Ariza? Sure, Ariza isn't much to look at right now, but he's also 20 years old, an outstanding athlete and is suffocating under his coach's iron grip. Before learning how to "play the right way" he had been one of the league's top rookies in 2004-05, even though he had just one year of college ball under his belt.

Contrast that with Francis, whose best days are pretty clearly behind him and will have to make a major adjustment to become a complementary player. I'm not saying I'd plunk down 10 grand on an even-money bet that Ariza would be better in three years, but it's a closer call than you'd think.

Considering the massive dollop of cap relief the Knicks gave the Magic, it's hard to believe the Knicks actually gave the Magic a player who might be comparable in quality. And get this? Even with all the problems Orlando has had, the Magic are four games ahead of the Knicks in the standings.

Fortunately for Orlando fans, their management's willingness to be honest about their position in the world allowed them to pull off two great deals just before the trade deadline. With a front line of Howard and Darko Milicic, Nelson anchoring the backcourt, future talents like Ariza and Fran Vazquez, a lottery choice this spring and their pick of the free agent litter (remember, Florida has no income tax), the Magic are set for the future.

And the Knicks? They just seem set to spend more money.

The only thing that sucks for Magic fans is the fact that 2006-2007 is going to be a lonnnnnnnnnnnng year.  Of course, it's not going to be much longer than this year, so what's the difference?   One chronic, gunning malcontent who stopped playing defense is history.  Yep, I'll take it.

[PhillyPhreak54]

Isiah Thomas is a stone cold moron.

I wish I got WFAN clearly down here just to hear what the New Yawkers are saying about Zeke's moves.

[hunt]

i read that he's compiling talent to make a run at garnett this summer.

[PhillyPhreak54]

And they'll still suck.

What ae they 18-35?

And now they have Stephon and Stevie?

Someone should start a pool on how long it takes until Benedict Brown quits.

[PhillyPhreak54]

"What the hell did I get myself into? I have to coach this idiot? And I know I'm a better GM than this Thomas guy. Just ask the Philly fans. Is Jerome Moiso on the market this year?"

[BigEd76]

I wish I got WFAN clearly down here just to hear what the New Yawkers are saying about Zeke's moves.

Where does it start to lose its signal?  I hear it clearly from here and I'm 20 minutes away from Trenton...

[PhillyPhreak54]

Some nights I can get it really well, others it'll fade out. But during the daytime it is almost nothing but static.

I got it real good up in Lehigh when I go up there for camp. I also pick it up in Philly which is why I don't understand why I have trouble getting it here sometimes. Maybe the hills/trees around here? I don't know.

Hell, even WIP is weak sometimes.

[Feva]

I wonder how our resident Knicks-lover is feeling about this?

Marbury + Francis = Armageddon.

[BigEd76]

Another NBA trade:

SEA gets:  Earl Watson, future 2nd-rd pick from Denver
POR gets:  Voshon Lenard, Vitaly Potapenko
DEN gets:  Ruben Patterson, Reggie Evans

[SunMo]

what time today is the deadline?

[BigEd76]

Deals have to be submitted by 3pm or 4pm but can be announced as late as tonight or tomorrow...

[SunMo]

nice work Flounder