Post#14 » by 09BeginsOurTime » Wed Jul 9, 2008 9:43 pm
I don't know if this is exactly in the ink yet IMO. I've heard some pretty good ideas from this board and others, i know that it's just people's opinions but still. In FL today, Otis seems to give hint that if a 2 guard was to be traded it would be Bogans. {Also IMHO}
By John Denton
FLORIDA TODAY
ORLANDO _ Despite drafting Courtney Lee and agreeing to sign another shooting guard, Mickael Pietrus, Orlando general manager Otis Smith said disgruntled second-year shooter J.J. Redick could still have a future with the Magic.
Redick, who has rarely played in his two seasons with the Magic, has repeatedly asked to be traded to another team where he could seek more playing time.
Once the Magic officially sign Pietrus, they will have four shooting guards _ Pietrus, Keith Bogans, Redick and Lee _ under contract. Two other Magic shooting guards _ Keyon Dooling and Maurice Evans _ are free agents and are unlikely to return now.
Smith said his feelings about having Redick, college basketball’s player of the year two years ago following an All-American career at Duke.
``It changes nothing. I pretty much feel about him the same that I felt yesterday, the day before that and the day before that. I still think he can be a good backup (shooting) guard for us,’’ Smith said. ``Nothing has really changed with that. We’ve drafted one and have the potential to sign another, but does the season start tomorrow? OK, then, there’s more work to be done, right? Let the paint dry on the situation first and then see what happens.’’
Bogans, a part-time starter last season at shooting guard and one of the Magic’s best on-ball defenders, is the player most likely to be shopped. When asked if there was much of a trade demand for Redick around the league, Smith said: ``Not up to this point.’’
The Magic’s backup point guard position is still of the utmost concern to Smith, but Orlando has nothing more than the minimum salary slot to offer. Veterans Jason Williams (Heat), Anthony Carter (Nuggets) and Anthony Johnson (Kings) are possibilities for the Magic.
Smith would prefer to retain Dooling, but he is seeking a multi-year deal worth at least $4 million a season and will most likely play elsewhere next season. The Magic already have $59 million of salary committed and are wary of overpaying for Dooling. Miami and New Jersey are the frontrunners to sign Dooling.
``We’ll see where (Dooling) falls in the next couple of days,’’ Smith said. ``He still has to evaluate what’s out there for him. It’s all about the numbers.’’
Smith stressed repeatedly that Redick isn’t automatically on the way out just because of the additions of Lee and Pietrus.
``I still like the kid and still think he can play for us,’’ Smith said. ``As I’ve said before he’s not the first guy in the history of basketball whose career has gotten off to a slow start. And he’s not the first guy who has played four years of college basketball and struggled to get on the floor. Please write this, `I like J.J. Redick.’^’’
I think it's possible to trade Bogans away, mabye along with someone like Cook, for a decent power foward, and then have a little more money to sign Dooling after the fact.
We should all expect the national media to hate us.