# Orlando Free Agency



## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

Current Depth Chart

PG Francis / Jameer / Diener
SG Christie / Stevenson / Augmon
SF Hill / Turkoglu / Garrity
PF Howard / Vasquez
C Cato / Battie / Kasun

So who should we really go after?

I think we definitely need to get better defensively at PG. I don't mind Jameer coming off the bench as long as he still gets a good number of minutes. 

My first choice would be Marko Jaric. Jaric could start at PG next to Francis at SG and could share time playing between PG and SG, which should leave minutes open for Jameer to get his time. As long as he is healthy, I think he'd be a good fit. He doesn't do anything great but does a lot of things well and would probably be an upgrade defensively at guard.

Next choice would be Antonio Daniels. Daniels is older than Jaric and is better defensively. My only concern with Daniels is that he is not much of a 3pt shooter at all ... not that Jaric is outstanding, but he is at least competent with the 3 ball. With a lineup of Daniels, Francis, Hill, Dwight, and Cato on the floor we'd hardly have any bit of an outside threat.


Shareef is intriguing, but i'd stay away from him. Shareef is in his prime right now and isn't going to get any better. Signing Shareef IMO would come back to haunt Orlando just like the signing of Howard. Shareef is a solid PF, but doesn't help in the areas Orlando really needs - strong rebounding, defense, and shot-blocking. And we'd have to give him at least a 4-5 year contract and I don't see Shareef in the plans 4-5 years down the road with Dwight and Fran. Thankfully, it looks like Shareef will be heading to NJ.

Jerome James? Quite an enigma. If motivated and with his head on straight, he could be maybe the 4th best center in the league behind Shaq, Yao, and Big Z (maybe B Miller too). He's huge and mobile and can be dominant at times. But for a guy with his size and athletic ability for his size to have never averaged more than 5 ppg and 4 rpg for a season in his career, you can't believe he is going to improve substantially next season. Like Rahim, I'd just have to stay away and not get locked into a 4-5 yr contract with James.


I think for right now we should stand pat with our bigs and go after Jaric first, then Daniels. If the team stays relatively healthy and if Fran can contribute anything next season, we should be fine. Then next off-season or at the trade deadline we've got the contracts of Cato, Battie, and Christie to play around with.


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## Idunkonyou (Feb 23, 2003)

Well if Howard is going to be our center, I would love to see Rahim signed. He is only 28 years old and with the new CBA rules, he could only be signed to a 5 year deal, meaning he would be 33 by the time it ended.

Any way I like Rahim, Swift or maybe Haslem for the MLE or in a sign and trade. We also need to think about getting a SG.


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## DH12 (Jun 22, 2005)

No real SG to go after. The big ones are Redd, Allen, Johnson and Hughes and all will probably get the max or close to it. After that there's not much to go after at the SG position.


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## Captain Obvious (Jun 15, 2003)

This would be a lot easier if I knew what we were doing with Francis. Despite what the Magic have said I'm confident that he's on the block. However, let's assume for now he'll be on the team. With that in mind I'd try to sign Daniels with the MLE and Traylor with the vet's minimum:

Daniels, Nelson, Diener
Francis, Stevenson, Christie
Hill, Turkoglu, Garrity
Howard, Vazquez, Traylor
Cato, Battie, Kasun

There are a lot of Francis trade scenarios out there. How about this trade with Memphis:

Francis and Cato for Williams, Posey, Wright, and a lotto-protected first.

Williams, Nelson, Diener
Posey, Stevenson, Christie
Hill, Turkoglu
Howard, Vazquez, Garrity
Wright, Battie, Kasun


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## magicfan187 (Jun 28, 2003)

last season didnt we try francis out at shooting guard and we lost about every game???i dont think i'd try that again...


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## franchise311 (Jun 28, 2005)

go after Traylor or Songaila and Mobley


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## DH12 (Jun 22, 2005)

magicfan187 said:


> last season didnt we try francis out at shooting guard and we lost about every game???i dont think i'd try that again...


That's why we need to get of Francis altogether...

On a somewhat related topic, look at this from realgm:



> Something is going on in talks with the Clippers. It could involve a few sign and trades or just a straight up signing. My brother was out to dinner last night with some of his fellow workers from the magic. He found out the Magic have put out an offer to Jaric. Also found out the Magic are in talks with the Clips about maybe an S&T that could include up to 3 players of theirs that are unrestricted FA just so they could unload Christie. Apparently, the Magic are close enough in talks for names to be leaked out within the organization.
> 
> As it was told to my brother, the Magic want Jaric, Simmons & a back up center believed to be Moore and the Magic would trade Deiner, Stevenson, Christie and picks. The Clips really like Stevenson and Deiner. Christie would apparrently be released. The hold up is the 3 free agents. The Magic have already met with both the agents of Jaric and Simmons. Simmons and jaric are both asking for slightly over the MLE.
> 
> By the way, Jaric was not their first choice, but Antonio Daniel's agent flatly told the Magic he was not interested. Apparently the Cav's are the front runner for his services, then the Lakers. The Cav's are trying to get him and Redd to come in at the same time. LeBron is apparrently campaigning hard for them both. that situation should be interesting.


Probably not true, but interesting nonetheless.


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## orlmagicmnvikings (Jun 16, 2005)

I would love that trade. Magic get 2 starters in Jaric and Simmons. We trade virtually nothing. We would have tremendous depth. Although I am not sure if Simmons would like being a bench player after starting last year.


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

DH12 said:


> Probably not true, but interesting nonetheless.


Yeah, I can't see that being true exactly as stated. I don't see the Clippers giving up Jaric and Simmons, two solid players, just for Diener, Stevenson, and some cap space next summer.

That would be a great trade for Orlando, but I don't see it happening.

PG Jaric / Nelson
SG Francis / Simmons
SF Hill / Hedo / Garrity
PF Dwight / Vasquez / Traylor
C Cato / Battie / Kasun

That would be a pretty formidable team if completely healthy.


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## Starbury03 (Aug 12, 2003)

No if the Clippers do that trade. I hate Francis.


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## orlmagicmnvikings (Jun 16, 2005)

I know it is still early but if we keep Christie, Cato and Battie we will clear up $22 million dollars in cap space for next summers free agency. I think this list is quite exceptional...

Yao Ming(restricted)
Ben Wallace
Tayshaun Prince
Jason Terry

I am not too high on Prince but I would take him. I would love to sign Terry and Wallace. Ideal lineup...

Terry
Francis
Turkoglu
Howard
Wallace
:banana:


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## WhoRocks (Feb 24, 2005)

orlmagicmnvikings said:


> I know it is still early but if we keep Christie, Cato and Battie we will clear up $22 million dollars in cap space for next summers free agency. I think this list is quite exceptional...
> 
> Yao Ming(restricted)
> Ben Wallace
> ...


I reckon Prince and Wallace are happy in Detroit and no way Yao leaves the Rox. I havent looked at the rest of the FAs for next summer but Jason Terry isn't the answer for Orlando.


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## Miamiballer2k5 (Jun 29, 2005)

Orlando needs to trade Steve Francis, Jameer Nelson is better for the team at point guard and Francis is to small for a shooting guard (trouble guarding bigger SG's) I start as a freelance writer for the Orlando Sentinel tommarow. I will try and find out what I can about the Magic's off season plans.


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## DH12 (Jun 22, 2005)

Miamiballer2k5 said:


> Orlando needs to trade Steve Francis, Jameer Nelson is better for the team at point guard and Francis is to small for a shooting guard (trouble guarding bigger SG's) I start as a freelance writer for the Orlando Sentinel tommarow. I will try and find out what I can about the Magic's off season plans.


Tommarow? And you're going to be writing for the Orlando Sentinel? Hope the editors over there are good...

But yeah, I agree that Francis should be traded.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

Orlando is at cap wise = $65,656,610 (not including Kasun, Augmon and Garrity).

This doesn't include Diener and Vazquez by the way. I think unless a trade of Francis happens, they will go with the same exact team again.


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## Miamiballer2k5 (Jun 29, 2005)

DH12 said:


> Tommarow? And you're going to be writing for the Orlando Sentinel? Hope the editors over there are good...
> 
> But yeah, I agree that Francis should be traded.


Yeah I hear it alot about my spelling but thats what they invented spell check for, anyway I have a meeting and Mike Bianchi and Lynn Hoops will be there so I will get a chance to chat with them. I got an internship at the Sentinel and will freelance whenever they want me to cover my high school, ill be a senior next year. I am going to cover the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training Camp also. Steve Francis is the opposite of what the Magic need. He is not a team player and take to many ill advised shots. I think it should be a priority to get Francis out of there. They should have never traded T-Mac in the first place but the best offer they had was from the Suns who were offering Joe Johnson, Shawn Marion and Jake Voskul for Tracy McGrady, Juwan Howard. The Magic were to greedy and wanted the Suns first rounder.


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## Miamiballer2k5 (Jun 29, 2005)

in a odd turn of events I will not be able to be an intern for the paper due to me not being able to drive to the Wide World of Sports everyday. 45 min drive when I dont have my own car.


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