Summer of 2007: An Orlando Magic Photo Album

Yesterday marked the official beginning of autumn, although you wouldn't know it based on the weather; it's still miserably humid outside. But now that summer's over, I thought I'd take a look back at the Magic's offseason activity. It was busy, tumultuous, and certainly not a vacation.

May 31st: Billy Donovan Hired as New Magic Coach

Photo by Red Huber, the Orlando Sentinel

June 6th: Magic Release Donovan from Contract, Allow Him to Return to Florida

Photo by Tim Casey

June 11th: Stan Van Gundy Hired as Newest Magic Coach

Photo by Fernando Medina, Getty Images

July 11th: Rashard Lewis Acquired From Seattle in Sign-And-Trade Deal

Photo by Fernando Medina, Getty Images

July 11th: Grant Hill Departs Orlando, Joins Phoenix

Photo by Jeramie McPeek, Suns Photos

July 12th: Magic Award Dwight Howard with Five-Year Contract Extension

Photo by Fernando Medina, Getty Images

July 17th: Darko Milicic Leaves Orlando, Signs with Memphis

Photo by Joe Murphy, Getty Images

August 24th: Magic Sign Adonal Foyle, Free-Agent Center

Photo by NBA.com

July 26th: Magic Sign Marcin Gortat, 2005 Draft Pick

Photo by NBA.com

So, there you have it: a pictorial look at the Magic's summer. I did my best to cover the major items, which is why these photos of some Magic players boxing, however amusing, didn't make the cut. The Magic's web site has its own photo gallery, which is worth checking out if you have some time to kill. It happens to include my all-time, non-action, favorite photo of a Magic player.

Sentinel: Magic invite Outlaw, Kruger, and Martin to Training Camp

Tim Povtak reported in this morning's Orlando Sentinel that Bo Outlaw, who was told earlier this summer that he didn't fit into the Magic's future plans, will join the team in training camp and will have a chance to compete for the team's fifteenth and final roster spot. Said GM Otis Smith, "It's just hard to say no to Bo." I just wish someone had shouted "No, Bo!" before Andrea Bargnani went and did this to him last season:



Joining Bo as non-roster invitees will be point guard Kevin Kruger and shooting guard Torrell Martin. Those two players averaged 8.8 points per game and 3.2 points per game, respectively, on the Magic's summer-league team. Complete statistics for that team can be downloaded in a PDF file by clicking here.

Given the Magic's cache of average-at-best big-men (Tony Battie, Adonal Foyle, Pat Garrity, James Augustine, Marcin Gortat), I think Outlaw's chances of making the team are slim. Of all the players, I think Kruger has the best odds. Sure, he'd be a third-string point guard, but his presence would allow the Magic to unload the expiring contracts of either Carlos Arroyo or Keyon Dooling in a trade. Torrell Martin has to be all but ruled-out; the Magic are thin at shooting guard, but not thin enough to warrant taking a flyer on him.

We'll see shortly how it all shakes out; camp begins on September 26th.

The Southeast Division Outlook, Part Four: Orlando Magic

The so-called Dog Days of Summer are here, which means the NBA season is still an eternity away -- and by 'an eternity', I mean 'two months'. Free-agents have been allowed to sign with teams for over a month, and there aren't any stars left in the pool. In other words, barring trades, most NBA teams have their core group of players in place, which means it's not unreasonable to start evaluating them.

Bearing that in mind, I thought I'd review the moves the Magic and their Southeast rivals made this summer and how those moves change the complexion of the division.

The Division Outlook series will run through this week and in alphabetical order by city. Today's post features the Orlando Magic.

Orlando Magic
Last season: 40-42, third in Southeast
Additions:

• Forward Adonal Foyle (via free-agency from Golden State)
• Center Marcin Gortat (via 2005 draft)
• Forward Rashard Lewis (via sign-and-trade with Seattle)
• coach Stan Van Gundy (former Miami consultant)

Losses:

• Guard Travis Diener (via free-agency to Indiana)
• coach Brian Hill (fired; now an assistant in New Jersey)
• Guard Grant Hill (via free-agency to Phoenix)
• Forward Darko Milicic (via free-agency to Memphis)

The Magic have been in the news more often this summer than at any other time in recent memory. The Billy Donovan Saga was memorable for all the wrong reasons, but the team was able to salvage that mess by hiring the offensive specialist Stan Van Gundy, a proven NBA coach. They followed that up by getting the most-coveted free-agent available, Rashard Lewis, even though it meant vastly overpaying for him.

However, one could argue the Magic lost as much talent as they gained: Grant Hill and Darko Milicic, two starting-quality players, bolted to chase a championship and playing time, respectively. Those departures leave the Magic thin at shooting-guard and power-forward, with no clear-cut starter at either position yet. Signing Lewis compounded that issue by giving the Magic too many small-forwards; Hedo Turkoglu and Trevor Ariza will either have to lose playing time or start playing out-of-position, which isn't great in the least.

Adonal Foyle provides the Magic with shot-blocking, but little else. He struggled to log minutes last season with Golden State, which runs an uptempo offensive system similar to the one Van Gundy figures to implement in Orlando. The other center, Marcin Gortat, is younger and more athletic, but will likely find himself behind Foyle on the depth chart because he will need time to adjust to playing against NBA-level talent after having spent the past several years playing in Poland.

But I'm not worried too much about any of that. Why? Stan Van Gundy is known for getting the best out of his players. In his first season as Miami's head coach, he improved the Heat by 17 games -- and this was in Dwyane Wade's rookie year, when he wasn't quite the player he is today. Oh, and that Shaq guy they have now wasn't there either. I'm not saying that the Magic are going to win 57 games, but I am saying is that they will improve. That said, they still have to contend with Washington and Miami for the division crown, and the Central and Atlantic divisions are filled with playoff contenders that could squeeze either of those two teams out of the playoffs.

Dwight Howard Is Struggling...

... in the FIBA Tournament of the Americas, which continues tonight at 11:00 EST as the United States takes on Mexico and its "Cuarenta Minutos de Infierno" press defense.

The United States has cruised to big victories over inferior competition throughout this Olympic qualifying tournament, but it's largely due to Carmelo Anthony's ability to score at will and Kobe Bryant's ability to shut down the opponent's best player. The team's centers -- Howard, Amaré Stoudemire, and Tyson Chandler -- have not been significant factors in any of the games.

Since this is a Magic blog, I'm inclined to focus on Howard's struggles and to leave Stoudemire and Chandler for the rest of the blogosphere. Dwight just doesn't look sharp. He looks confused and uncomfortable, especially offensively. Much of it has to do with not being the focus of the offense. With the Magic, he gets the ball on the low-block on virtually every possession; with Team USA, he's relegated to pick-setting, board-crashing, and shot-blocking duties.

Dwight Howard doing what he does best: rebound.
Photo by Gary Williams of FIBA

His picks haven't looked great, and his rolling to the basket has been even more awkward. But since Tony Battie is usually the guy setting picks for the Magic, I'm not overly concerned with Dwight's apparent lack of skill there. What bothers me is his rebounding. He's averaging 4.8 boards per game, which isn't bad, but he's had difficulty hanging on to rebounds he should be able to take easily. Balls bounce right to him, then ricochet off his hands and out-of-bounds. The same thing happens when he tries to receive entry passes. Apparently, bobbled balls don't count as turnovers in international competition, because Howard has only two turnovers to his name in 65 minutes of action. My rough estimate of dropped rebounds and entry passes for which Dwight is responsible is 6 or 7. He's going to need to tune-up before the NBA season starts; otherwise, he's in danger of leading the league in total turnovers... again.

It's not all bad news for Dwight, though. He's had a few spectacular dunks, and he leads Team USA with eight blocked shots, including this nasty swat of Venezuela's Greivis Vasquez:

Not in my house!
Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler, NBA Entertainment

Additionally, his job as the Magic's center got a bit easier today with the official signing of Marcin Gortat, the Magic's 2005 second-round draft pick who has spent a few years getting seasoned overseas. His arrival brings the Magic's roster to 14 players, meaning the team will likely have that last spot open for the start of training camp.

Dwight Howard's showdown with Magic teammate Carlos Arroyo and his Puerto Rico squad will take place tomorrow night at 11:00 EST.

Rumor Mill: Reggie Evans and Adonal Foyle?

I've spent much of my free time this week composing my upcoming Southeast Division preview. As such, I've been mum on the subject of two rumors involving the Magic, both of which involve the team filling a frontcourt need.

Reggie Evans is the first player to have his name brought up. He played sparingly with Denver last season, but he does have value as a rebounder. In fact, Evans has lead the league in rebound rate in each of the past three seasons. For the uninitiated, rebound rate is a measure of the likelihood that a player will rebound a missed shot while he is on the floor expressed as a percentage. Evans' rebound rate last season was 23, a remarkably high number. Consider that he has 9 other players on the floor with whom to fight for rebounds. Now consider that he will beat each of those 9 other players to the ball 23 % of the time.

In spite of his rebounding skills, Evans is most famous for grabbing Clippers center Chris Kaman in a sensitive area during the 2005/2006 playoffs. The Nuggets are so desperate to dump salary that they are apparently willing to ship Evans and his four-year, $20 million deal to Orlando in exchange for Pat Garrity, whose contract will expire after this season. I'm all for adding a rebounder of Evans' caliber, especially if it means losing Garrity, who no longer possesses NBA-level talent. I'm willing to put Evans' dubious past behavior and lack of offensive skills aside and would welcome this move if it were made.

The Evans trade may never come to fruition, though, as another post player has recently become available and aleady has an "in" with Magic management. The second, more prominent player mentioned is Adonal Foyle, the career-long Warrior who recently accepted a buyout from Golden State to become a free-agent. As others have pointed out, the Orlando Sentinel reported that the Magic are keen on signing Foyle for the veterans' minimum, which is all the team can offer. Magic Assistant General Manager Dave Twardzik was in charge of the Warriors when they drafted Foyle in 1996 and apparently has a close relationship with him.

Foyle's age -- 32 -- doesn't concern me any more than Tony Battie's does, as Foyle is less than a year older than the Magic's incumbent starting power forward. He can rebound at Battie's level and is a better shot-blocking presence. His offensive game is more limited than Reggie Evans', but the Magic have enough scorers. I'm in favor of adding Foyle, but my endorsement of Evans is stronger, mostly because he doesn't miss the basket completely when he shoots.



Overall, Reggie Evans and Adonal Foyle aren't players to get too excited about, but they are still talented and would add depth to the Magic's frontcourt. If Chris Webber and P.J. Brown decide to sign elsewhere, Evans and Foyle are the two next-best things.

Of Marcin, James, and Jameer: A Tuesday Roundup

Two small bits of Magic news today:

• John Denton of Florida Today has learned that the Magic will offer center Marcin Gortat a contract to play for the team this season. He has also learned that the Magic are undecided on power-forward James Augustine, last year's second-round draft pick who made Second-Team All-League in last week's Pepsi Pro Summer League. Augustine's salary of roughly $600,000 will be guaranteed of he is on the roster on July 31.
• Meanwhile, the Tim Povtak of the Orlando Sentinel reports that Magic General Manager Otis Smith flew to Philadelphia to meet with Steve Mountain, Jameer Nelson's agent, in hopes of negotiating a contract extension for the three-year veteran point guard. Smith told Povtak that the discussions "went well" and that both sides will "continue to talk."

The Jameer business is interesting to me. In the Gortat story to which I linked, Denton speculates the following:

Nelson could be looking for a deal similar to the one T.J. Ford signed with the Toronto Raptors last summer. Ford signed a five-year extension worth $33 million. Whereas Nelson averaged 13 points, 4.3 rebounds and 0.9 steals a game, Ford averaged 14 points, 7.9 assists and 1.4 steals a game.

Jameer must be wearing some rose-colored glasses when he looks into the mirror. There's no way that he'll get T.J. Ford-like money. Hell, if Nelson played for Ford's team, he'd be the third point guard; backup Jose Calderon is good enough to start for nearly any team in the NBA.

That said, I like Jameer. I overreacted to his bad season when I wrote that I wouldn't be surprised if he were traded for a draft pick. Yes, his numbers were bad, but he's also a young guy who played in a bad offense with mediocre teammates. One bad year early in a career can't be looked at as a sign of impending doom. That said, if Nelson does not strongly pick up his play this season, he'll be looking at a career of coming off the bench, and quite possibly in a city other than Orlando.

Finally, the results of last week's poll question:


This week's question: "Which player's departure will most hurt the Magic?" I look forward to seeing those answers and to discussing them next week.

Pepsi Pro Summer League Wrapup -- Free Marcin!

This year's Pepsi Pro Summer League has drawn to a close and awards have been passed out. Our very own Marcin Gortat, who finished third in blocked shots per game, and J.J. Redick, who lead the league in scoring, each received First Team All-Summer League honors. James Augustine made the Second Team, and Kevin Kruger was an honorable mention. Nice job to all involved. The league ended on a sour note, though, as the Magic were handed a 63-57 loss by the Miami Heat earlier today.

J.J. Redick fires a pass around the tough defense of the Miami Heat, who finished today's contest on a 12-0 run to win the game.
Photo by Fernando Medina, Getty Images

I apologize for not covering the league more in-depth. I was able to catch Monday's game because I had the day off, but my work schedule prevented me from taking in any other games. If you're interested, you can check out game recaps and box scores from this page on the Magic's website. A warning on the box scores - they are downloadable PDF files; that is, you can't just click on a page and see the box score. Unfortunate.

My summer-league game-ball goes to Marcin Gortat, whose performance this week has all but assured him a spot on the team's roster. The seven-footer posted per-game averages of 10 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 3.2 blocked shots. The loss of Darko left us with only one shot-blocker, Dwight Howard, and he can't play the whole game. If Gortat can play 10-15 minutes a night and protect the rim, I'll be happy.

Marcin Gortat attempts a layup against the Chicago Bulls during a summer-league game. Gortat's strong showing throughout the league has strengthened his case for inclusion on the Magic's roster.

Photo by Fernando Medina, Getty Images

Another player who turned heads was Kevin Kruger of UNLV. The departure of Travis Diener leaves the Magic in need of a third point guard. Kruger played competently and unselfishly, although his 2.6 assists per-game average doesn't show it. Like Diener, he's deadly from three-point territory, as he shot 10-of-22, or 46%, from that distance. Jameer Nelson and Carlos Arroyo would absolutely get the nod over him, and Keyon Dooling figures to see time running the point as well, but the Magic could do worse than have Kevin Kruger as their last option at the point.

With whose summer-league performance are you most impressed? Vote in the sidebar on the right-hand side. If anything big happens this weekend, I'll chime in. If not, I'll enjoy a respite from the internet... by working at my "actual job" for 12 hours this weekend.

Redick Scores 30 in Summer-League Debut; Magic Beat Nets 85-74

NEWSFLASH: J.J. Redick can score.

Unable to compete in last year's Pepsi Pro Summer League due to injury, the Magic's second-year guard made up for lost time by scoring 30 points on 7-of-18 shooting from the field, including 4-of-6 from three-point range. His team came away with the victory, as the Orlando Magic held off the New Jersey Nets by a final margin of 85-74.

I'll say this about J.J.: I had him all wrong. I figured him to be fairly one-dimensional on offense. It's true that he relies upon the three-point shot, but he also drives to the basket quicker and harder than one might think. Most of his three-pointers tonight were set up by screens on the low-block, which J.J. would curl around before catching the pass and shooting. The skeptic in me points out that those shots are easier to make in summer-league play because they are not defended as well, but the realist in me counters that the basket is the same height in the regular-season and that the screens will be coming from Dwight Howard and Tony Battie rather than non-roster invitees. A promising offensive display from the Magic's two-guard of the future, to be sure.

But Redick was not the only Magic player who impressed: Marcin Gortat, a second-round draft choice in 2005 who has spent the past few seasons in Poland, posted 10 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists; James Augustine, the Magic's second-round draft choice in 2006, added 11 points and 5 rebounds; Kevin Kruger, an undrafted point guard out of UNLV, filled up the stat line with 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal; and Steven Smith made a strong case for his inclusion on the Magic's 15-man roster with 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting.

Marcin Gortat played well for the Magic in the first of five summer-league games. The seven-foot center lead all players with 6 assists to go along with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Photo by John Raoux, the Associated Press

There were some rough patches, however. The Magic's defense, and Marcin Gortat in particular, was sometimes late in rotating, leading to open Nets shots. The Magic also turned the ball over 22 times, which can be expected of a team composed of mostly strangers. The team should be worried, though, if its players are still committing turnovers at that rate as this week's games progress.

Of the non-roster players who made an impact tonight, I'd say Kevin Kruger was the strongest. We already have three point guards -- Carlos Arroyo, Keyon Dooling, and Jameer Nelson -- under contract for next year, and that doesn't even include free-agent Travis Diener. However, Arroyo and Dooling are mentioned as pieces of a sign-and-trade deal that would send them and Pat Garrity to Seattle for Rashard Lewis and Earl Watson. Diener's potential departure would leave the Magic with only Nelson and Watson to bring the ball up. Kruger would fit in nicely as the third point guard. He had three assists tonight, and made plenty more great passes that didn't lead to buckets. He also has three-point range. The Magic should keep their eye on him, especially if they are still in discussions to make that trade with Seattle.

The Magic take the floor again tomorrow to face the Indiana Pacers. The game will start approximately 20 minutes after the completion of the Heat/Nets contest, which starts at 3:00 PM. Each game in this week's League is streamed live and free of charge on this page of the Magic's website.

Which Free-Agent Big-Men Should the Magic Pursue?

The likely departure of Darko Milicic via free-agency leaves the Magic with glaring holes at the center and power-forward positions. The team has some prospects -- James Augustine, Marcin Gortat, and Mario Kasun -- who could shore up those deficiencies, but none of them are NBA-ready yet. The Magic should have enough salary-cap room to address their frontcourt needs, so on whom should they use it? 3QC takes a look:

P.J. Brown
	Points Per Game	Rebounds Per Game	Field Goal %
	6.1	4.8	.407
	Free-Agency Status: UNRESTRICTED
	Magic fans should be well-acquainted with the 37-year-old Brown, who spent the most productive years of his career with the Miami Heat. As expected, his skills have dropped off considerably, but he scored double-figures in 19 of his 72 games last season -- not bad for an old guy. He's not a total stiff, but the Magic should think of signing someone who could play for at least two seasons. That seems to eliminate Brown, who's rumored to be mulling retirement.
Chuck Hayes
	Points Per Game	Rebounds Per Game	Field Goal %
	5.6	6.7	.573
	Free-Agency Status: RESTRICTED
	Chuck Hayes may lack height -- he's only 6'6" -- but you wouldn't know it by looking at his rebounding numbers. Like a certain other undersized Rocket power forward, Hayes uses his tenacity and will to beat out taller players to rebounds. He'd be a great boost off the bench. That said, he's a complete non-factor offensively; unless he's two feet from the basket, he's toast. Hopefully, the Magic would have enough offensive weapons to offset Hayes' deficiencies on that end of the floor. Obtaining Hayes is a pipe-dream, though. The Rockets are determined to re-sign him.
Jamaal Magloire
	Points Per Game	Rebounds Per Game	Field Goal %
	6.5	6.1	.504
	Free-Agency Status: UNRESTRICTED
	At 6'11" and 265 pounds, Jamaal Magloire is a real handful in he paint. He rebounds well, has a decent low-post game, and can play 20+ minutes a night. Magloire is still skilled, but the Trail Blazers would likely let him go, as Greg Oden and LaMarcus Aldridge are their big-men of the future. Despite being the least-deserving All-Star in the history of the sport, Magloire would be a worthwhile pickup for the Magic.
Mikki Moore
	Points Per Game	Rebounds Per Game	Field Goal %
	9.8	5.1	.609
	Free-Agency Status: UNRESTRICTED
	Mikki Moore has bounced around this league for his entire career, playing for seven teams over nine seasons. Moore's renaissance in 2006/2007 with New Jersey did wonders for his free-agent value, as he averaged career-highs in points per game and rebounds per game. He also lead the league in field goal percentage. Much of that is due to playing with Jason Kidd, one of the greatest point guards in NBA history, whose ability to spread the floor and to make improbable passes lead to several easy buckets for every Net, but Moore especially. He can't be expected to post similar numbers this season unless he stays with the Nets, and the Magic should be wary of that fact.
Joe Smith
	Points Per Game	Rebounds Per Game	Field Goal %
	8.5	6.2	.449
	Free-Agency Status: UNRESTRICTED
	Joe Smith never quite lived up to his billing as a first-overall draft pick, and his name has been tarnished thanks to the under-the-table dealings he had with the Timberwolves, but he's actually a solid NBA player. Considered a throw-in in the Allen Iverson trade, Smith went from warming the bench in Denver to playing a key role in the 76ers' second-half resurgence; as hard as it is to believe, the 76ers were still in playoff contention during the second-to-last week of the season, largely due to Smith's consistent production. He'd fit in nicely in Orlando as a slightly better version of Tony Battie. As an added bonus, he has a career free-throw percentage of .794, which is quite good for a guy who stands 6'10" tall.
Anderson Varejao
	Points Per Game	Rebounds Per Game	Field Goal %
	6.8	6.7	.476
	Free-Agency Status: RESTRICTED
	Anderson Varejao has become one of the league's most polarizing players. Some fans love his intensity and energy, while others loathe his tendency to flop on defense. I fall into the latter category, as I believe flopping ruins the integrity of the game. But Varejao's questionable sportsmanship is not the only reason for the Magic to be wary of him. Although he's only 24, Varejao has reached his offensive ceiling and relies on putbacks to score. His flopping forces turnovers by drawing offensive fouls, but people would be clued-in as to how lousy a defender he is if it didn't. In short, he's not overly talented, nor is he likable. The Magic, and others, should avoid him.
Chris Webber
	Points Per Game	Rebounds Per Game	Field Goal %
	11.2	7.2	.452
	Free-Agency Status: UNRESTRICTED
	It'd be almost poetic for Chris Webber to sign with the Magic, the team that drafted him with the first pick in the 1993 draft, only to send him to Golden State for the rights to Penny Hardaway. He's one of the top-ten power-forwards in NBA history, but knee troubles slowed him down considerably. He was miserable in Philadelphia last season, but his play magically improved once the 76ers bought out his contract and allowed him to sign with Detroit. Like Vince Carter, Webber appears to be able to "flip the switch" on his talent and play hard only when he wants to, which should make him unattractive to us. He's also chasing a championship, and he's unlikely to win one in Orlando before he retires, which should make us unattractive to him. He's still an NBA-level talent, but I'd be disappointed to see him in Magic-blue next season.

Also available:

• Rafael Araujo, a former eighth-overall draft selection who posts robust career averages of 2.8 points per game and 2.8 rebounds per game.
• Andray Blatche, the 20-year-old project whom the Wizards are determined to re-sign.
  
• Pat Burke, the former Magic player who has spent the past two seasons making hair-restoration commercials and high-fiving the Suns' regular rotation players during timeouts.
• Melvin Ely, a career underachiever whom the Magic tried to acquire before the trade deadline last season.
• Marc Jackson, a 6'10" former rookie-of-the-year candidate who, to his detriment, fell in love with his jump shot.
• Chris Mihm, a 7'0" stiff who missed all of last season following ankle surgery.
• Dikembe Mutombo, [insert your own age joke here].
• Michael Olowokandi, arguably the worst first-overall draft pick in history.
• Jake Voskuhl, a foul machine who's never been able to play big minutes.

Slim pickings, to be sure, but the Magic have to prefer almost any of those players to the inexperienced ones already on their roster. Which of the players suggested would you prefer?

Magic Release Summer Roster, Hope to Address Frontcourt Needs

It's been a slow news day, at least as far as free agency is concerned, but the Magic did make some news by releasing their roster for the Pepsi Pro Summer League, which runs at the RDV Sportsplex from July 9th to July 13th.

Headlining the Magic's roster is J.J. Redick, who was unable to compete in last summer's league due to injury. Redick will likely be the Magic's starting two-guard if Grant Hill does not re-sign with the team. More noteworthy, at least to me, is the presence of 6'10" power forward Milovan Rakovic on the roster. Rakovic was the last overall selection in last Thursday's draft, acquired from Dallas in exchange for the rights for Reyshawn Terry.

Like many, I certainly don't expect Rakovic to make the Magic's 15-man roster for the 2007/2008 season, but I also didn't expect that he'd even be in the United States at this point. It'll be nice to get a look at what he can do, but in all likelihood he won't play in the NBA for several seasons.

Rakovic won't be the only big-man battling for his NBA life for the Magic this summer. In fact, the Magic's summer roster is loaded with players who could see significant backup minutes at the power-forward and center positions during the regular season. Apart from Dwight Howard, Tony Battie, and Darko Milicic, the Magic have no NBA-caliber talent at power forward and center. The need for a backup is particularly apparent now, as Milicic might leave via free-agency. Former Magic second-round picks Marcin Gortat (7'0", 240 lbs) and James Augustine (6'10", 235 lbs) are on this summer's team, as is former D-League standout Anthony Fuqua (6'11", 225 lbs). And although he isn't on the summer team and hasn't played in the NBA since the 2005/2006 season, former Magic forward Mario Kasun received a qualifying offer from the team last Friday, making him a restricted free agent.

Marcin Gortat, whose favorite actor is Will Smith, may finally get the chance to prove that he belongs in the NBA.

If it seems like the Magic are scraping the bottom of the barrel for big-men, it's because they are. However, the Magic have to be happier with whichever stiff they sign from the summer team than they are with current backup power forward Pat Garrity, a veteran who saw limited minutes last season. Bo Outlaw also plays the position, but he is an unrestricted free-agent and his status with the Magic for next season is uncertain. The next-best option is Hedo Turkoglu, who is a natural small-forward and a sub-par rebounder, especially given his height of 6'10".

Hedo Turkoglu will have to improve his rebounding if he is to start at power forward, which he might be forced to do if Darko Milicic leaves via free agency.
Photo by Max Whittaker, the Associated Press

Rounding out next season's frontcourt would have been the Magic's highest priority this summer, but their dreadful offense last season made the need for perimeter scoring more pressing. Remember how freaked-out I was when Darko sprained his ankle at the end of last season and it looked like he might miss the start of the playoffs? Well, I'm well beyond that level now. Last season, the most Darko would have missed was two games. Given the way free agency is playing out, Darko might miss 82 games in 2007/2008.

The prospect of signing Rashard Lewis this summer is exciting; the prospect of watching Hedo Turkoglu trying to box out Emeka Okafor is not.

More Boring Than The Finals: An Orlando Magic Draft Recap

I don't think Magic fans expected much out of last night's draft. Hell, all I wanted was

• The Magic to draft a backup power forward, such as Marc Gasol or Herbert Hill, to eventually take over for Tony Battie.
  
• The whole event not to bore me as much as the Finals did.

I was let down on both counts.

Before the draft even began, the Magic sold one of their picks to the Houston Rockets, leaving Orlando with only the 44th overall selection. Their first-round pick belonged to Detroit as part of the Carlos Arroyo/Darko Milicic trade from February 2006, and Detroit used it on shooting guard Rodney Stuckey.

With the 44th pick, the Magic selected Reyshawn Terry from North Carolina. I'm not a college basketball fan in the slightest, but I was able to gather that Terry was a decent mid-range scorer who needed to work on his defense and maturity. Chad Ford of ESPN.com wrote that Terry was a "very good value pick". I was hoping that Terry could be brought in as a possible replacement for Grant Hill, who still hasn't decided if he wants to return to Orlando next season. He could also be used to replace Hedo Turkoglu if he is traded to clear up salary-cap room. Overall, I was moderately pleased with the Magic's selection.

The Magic selected Reyshawn Terry of North Carolina with the 44th-overall pick. However, he wasn't with the team for long.
Photo by the Associated Press

That changed when I learned this morning that Terry was traded to the Dallas Mavericks for cash and their second-round selection, Milovan Rakovic, who was taken with the last overall pick. I suppose it's nice to have the cash, but what do we need Rakovic for? He'll stay in Serbia for the next several years. We already have the rights to Fran Vazquez and Marcin Gortat, two big-men who are still playing overseas and who may not play for the Magic for several seasons. The Department of Redundancy Department strikes again.

Overall, draft night was ominous. The Magic did nothing to improve themselves, whereas two bottom-dwelling teams in the Southeast Division did: the Atlanta Hawks took Al Horford and Acie Law, both of whom figure to be NBA-ready; and the Charlotte Bobcats traded with Golden State for explosive scorer Jason Richardson. Moreover, the Miami Heat have made known their interest in Rashard Lewis, whom the Magic have at the top of their free-agent wishlist.

The division-rival Charlotte Bobcats acquired Jason Richardson from Golden State in exchange for Brandan Wright, whom Charlotte selected with the 8th pick in the draft.

Photo by Brian Bahr, Getty Images

The only team that did Orlando a favor last night was Washington, which inexplicably drafted Dominic McGuire, a small forward, despite already having Caron Butler, an All-Star, at the position. Nevermind the fact that their best center is Etan Thomas, who is a better writer than he is a basketball player.

The entire Southeast Division landscape has shifted over the course of one night. Its standings could get turned on its head next season, which would -- perhaps appropriately, given the franchise's history -- leave the Magic in third place, where they finished last season.

I hope, for our sakes, that free-agency is kind to us. Given the way our divisional opponents improved, we need it now more than ever.