Magic Wipes Floor with Knicks in Francis Trade

[KB21]

ESPN Insider article by John Hollinger

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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.

Steve Francis

Player Efficiency Rating

16.28

vs. NBA Avg.: +1.28

Francis profile

Penny Hardaway

Player Efficiency Rating

2.17

vs. NBA Avg.: -12.83

Hardaway profile

Trevor Ariza

Player Efficiency Rating

10.36

vs. NBA Avg.: -4.64

Ariza profile

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.

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I love what Orlando is doing. Their rebuilding effort of a few years ago didn't pan out the way they wanted it to, and that was mostly due to Grant Hill's injury problems. I like the pieces they have in place right. There are some if's, but there are if's in every rebuilding process. If Darko Milicic pans out and if they can get Fran Vasquez over here, then their front court has a foundation to build on. I love Jameer Nelson at the point. I like some of the things Trevor Ariza brings to the table. Plus, Orlando has a lottery pick this year. It seems like everytime they are in the lottery, they end up getting the first pick. If they can somehow come out of this draft with Rudy Gay, then they will be moving up within the next couple of years.

[exodus]

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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.

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I have to agree this was an extremely good move by the Magic, and also potential trouble for the Hawks.

First Isiah aids Chicago's rebuilding with the Curry deal and now this. Isiah sure is building contenders, he just isn't building one for the guy who is paying him.

[joannes3000]

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I have to agree this was an extremely good move by the Magic, and also potential trouble for the Hawks.

First Isiah aids Chicago's rebuilding with the Curry deal and now this. Isiah sure is building contenders, he just isn't building one for the guy who is paying him.

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Well put. I laughed when I saw the news that Isiah pushed the Francis deal through. Unbelievable.