Did the roster overhaul really improve the struggling Magic?
It has been on everyone's minds the last couple of days so let me give you my take on the deals by the Orlando Magic. It was clear that the Magic weren't happy with the way the current line-up was performing and general manager Otis Smith was ready to back up the truck.
But has Orlando really improved? They improved their offence by adding Arenas, Turkoglu and Richardson. There's the potential for added playmaking with Turkoglu back handling the ball and Arenas doing the same if he can regain some of his past form. But then again, if he could, I likely wouldn't have heard this line from someone in Washington when I asked how he was playing. "You want him in Toronto? You can have him."
Has the defence improved? Nope, not so much as Richardson is the only one that can offer some resistance on the perimeter. Arenas was never a great defender and Turkoglu, he's just happy he's back in Central Florida with Dwight Howard behind him.
But make no mistake, a rebuild on the fly, even with a veteran squad will take some time. In the team's first game together, a loss to division rival Atlanta, the Magic shot only 35 per cent from the floor and only 23.5 per cent from behind the arc.
They lost a credible back-up presence in the middle with the departure of Gortat, which means more minutes for Howard and the potential for more foul trouble if or should I say when the Magic's perimeter defence is compromised.
Yes there is potential, but, currently there are more questions than answers in the Magic Kingdom. It will be interesting to see if the more traditional starting line-up that was featured against Atlanta remains in tact.
Phoenix gets guys that fit their style in Carter and Pietrus and playing with Steve Nash can make anyone look good. Carter wasn't nearly the playmaker Orlando needed him to be but maybe a change of scenery and getting into "Phoenix Suns" shape will help him out. Pietrus can shoot the ball and is an underrated defender. Gortat is not Amare Stoudemire but he's an interior presence that will give them some defence in the lane. It will be interesting to see how Gortat performs with higher expectations and the potential for more minutes.
As for Washington, they are just happy to be out from under Gilbert Arenas, and his horrid contract.
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The one thing you can never plan for and it happens to be the great unknown when it comes to a team's fortunes is injuries. So how do you think the Milwaukee Bucks feel now that out for 4-6 weeks after breaking a bone in his left foot?
Milwaukee will depend on veterans Earl Boykins and Keyon Dooling to fill the void left by Jennings. And although they are good veteran backups, Jennings scoring, as he is currently averaging just less than 18 points per game will be greatly missed by the Bucks. Presently, Milwaukee is at the bottom of the NBA, dead last, in scoring and only put up 80 points in its latest loss in Portland.
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Jerry Sloan is in the Hall of Fame but has somehow never won the Coach of the Year Award and he probably doesn't care. Sloan continues to climb the all-time wins list for coaching victories as he tied Pat Riley thanks to Utah's latest win over Cleveland. Consider this, since Sloan has been coaching in Utah there have been 234 coaching changes made throughout the NBA.
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