By GAVIN WATERS
Orlando Magic traded fan-favorite JJ Redick to the Milwakee Bucks on the last day of the trade deadline, Feb. 21.
Drafted by the Magic in the first round in 2006; seven season fan-favorite left for Milwaukee after a reported “professional” parting of ways. Averaging 15.1 points per game and a field goal percentage of 45 Redick’s three year $19 million contract expired this summer making him an asset that the rebuilding Magic could not afford.
Trading rookie center Gustavo Ayon and reserve point guard Ish Smith to the Bucks in exchange for rookie forward Tobias Harris, eight year veteran guard Beno Udrih and rookie guard Doron Lamb. This move contradicted what management said was their goal because they are trading two rookie players for one rookie player and a veteran.
Although the trade was tough for the first year, General Manager Rob Hennigan has to free up money to restablish the 15-39 Magic. The team has been in pieces after they traded all-star center Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers last year.
Though it seems erratic the Magic are historically famous for getting excellent players in the draft, developing them,and then parting ways like Shaq, Dwight, Courtney Lee and now JJ. Instead of losing the player as a free agent, the organization at least gets something for him unlike when Shaq left the Magic in 1996 leaving the team with nothing.
In other trades, the Magic received seven year forward Hakim Warrick and money from the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for five year forward Josh McRoberts. Management plans to waive Warrick to free up more money.
Orlando Magic Management messed up tremendously on their trades, the team is lacking a franchise player now making the organization look foolish with the new Amway Center practically useless for anything other than concerts. It is understandable that they are rebuilding but how do you get big name player’s in the door or even compete for players contracts with a second rate team and a horrible record. The Magic needs to hope they have good recruits and good draft picks because the general manager has put them in a bind in the upcoming years by gambling on first-year players who have not proved themselves in the NBA and veterans who probably will not be around much longer.