The Rashard Lewis contract is frightening.

[Vendetta]

Here's how it's breaking down for those of you not understanding it completely or not paying attention.

Rashard Lewis was their #1 choice in free agency above all else including retaining their own guys and is the only guy they have truly pursued. Gerald Wallace was the backup plan and could still possibly be in the plans if Darko doesn't work out.

Anyways..

Here's their plan, as obvious to anyone following the situation... and it's a dangerous one they're playing with Darko, mind you, but it's what they're doing.

1) Extend the qualifying offer to Darko, thus making him a restricted free agent so that if you are not able to lure a top FA, you have Darko to fall back on with an absolute guarantee he won't be playing elsewhere next season.

2) Get a commitment from a Top FA.

3) Once step two is done, remove Darko's qualifying offer because if he were to accept it, it would have interfered with the ability to sign a top FA that has committed , as they would no longer be able to clear capsace to sign the top FA outright and the top FA's previous team would have no incentive to do a S&T.

Removing his qualifying offer has absolutely nothing to do with anything else, and definitely is not a sign the Magic don't want him. All it's a sign of is that the Magic value their top FA more than Darko. However, the Magic still want Darko.

3) Do a S&T with the previous team of the top FA in exchange for expiring contracts so that we still have the ability to put ourselves well under the cap (10+ million).

4) Sign Darko Milcic to a multi-year deal. If this falls through, renounce him & Grant Hill and use the remaining capspace to make another run at yet another big to semi big FA.

5) Once and if Darko is signed, they'll still have the MLE due to the fact that they never went under the cap because they did a S&T for their top FA & re-signed Darko without fully renouncing his rights, thus his caphold never came off the books and like I said, they never made it under the cap.

6) Sign a MLE contract player.

7) Sign Dwight Howard to a maximum contract extension (the only guarantee to happen this summer besides getting Rashard at this point).

It's a game of risk with Darko basically, but it's one that they thought out well and have played well other than Darko's agent having a hissyfit, to this point. The reason that it was played well is because not enough teams have capspace to truly make a run at Darko and they know this. There are a few but there have been no true reports of them being interested. And the Magic can and would beat the MLE considering they still have bird rights (ability to sign Darko for as much as they want). True, he's not restricted. But they can still out offer anyone, and they will if they are able to do a S&T with Seattle. If they have to sign Rashard outright, then Darko is gone and the whole offseason plan falls apart. But you're still getting a currently better player in Rashard over Darko and a consistent three point threat & scorer in the starting lineup, neither of which were anywhere to be found on the Magic's roster last season.

So there you have it. That's what we're currently trying to do.

[Vendetta]

Also, I'd like to add that while they are grossly overpaying for Rashard, it was now or never. They had to use the capspace they were going to be able to create this summer, or never use it. Reason being is that once Dwight Howard's max extension kicks in, there will not be another chance at signing a truly top free agent outright for the foreseeable future, as they won't be under the cap in a long, long time.

So it's either... play around and pay Rashard(or another top fa) about what he should be making and just hope he signs here and that the Sonics(or the top fa's team) don't offer more... and possibly lose that capspace for 6+ years thus not using it, or overpay and guarantee yourself that you're going to get something out of your ability to create capspace.

That's why he's so overpaid. Not saying I agree with it, but it's the reason.

[G-train]

Not saying I agree with it, but it's the reason.

do u agree with it?

[Vendetta]

do u agree with it?

Let's put it this way, there's no way in hell Rashard Lewis is worth 15 million a year. However, if they're able to retain Darko, it will have been a good move.

If they're not, it will have been a bad move to pay Rashard that much. Simple as that.

[G-train]

I think Otis knew Darko's agent would react like this. he would have to... who wouldnt crack if they got apparently screwed over or lied to? But I think Otis believes he can smoothe talk him back into a deal, because he must have known he would crack it.

[saKf]

Mr. V -

Do you see Howard becoming a true #1 option-type guy in the post for the Magic this season? If not, how soon?

[Vendetta]

Mr. V -

Do you see Howard becoming a true #1 option-type guy in the post for the Magic this season? If not, how soon?

Brian Hill was so predictable offensively it's insanely hard to tell. He literally made every player on the Magic worse offensively than they are capable of. And that's not an exaggeration in the slightest. Probably the only guy that it didn't effect was Grant Hill because all he did was play 1 on 1 basketball with isolation plays repeatedly called for him all game long, and he was still effective at is because well, he's Grant Hill. He has one of the best midrange games in the league.

One thing is for sure, Dwight is better in the post than the average poster will give him credit for, and he will be better this year. His PPG may even raise as high as 19 or 20 on sheer athleticism alone and the coach not being inept offensively. He's improving slowly but steadily with passing out of the double team, but that aspect of it aside, he still has problems with guards coming down to swipe at the ball while he battles the post player guarding him.

The turnovers from guards doubling down is truly all he needs to improve to become a 20 ppg scorer. Hell, he averaged 18 last year.

But as far as first option material, it's tough to say... it's doubtful at this point that he's ever going to be an elite scorer unless the right coach gets ahold of him. The Magic brought in Patrick Ewing as their big man coach. Somehow I don't see that doing the trick.

If he does eventually develop into a primary offensive weapon, it'll probably be 2-3 years from now.

One thing is for sure. He's no Shaq. I think prime PPG we're looking at 25 per game, which is still pretty good. Of course that would change with a guy like Nash by his side.

[Take Your Lumps]

I would be VERY surprised if SEA/ORL can't agree to a S&T.

It's a win-win-win.

1. Rashard would get his extra year on his deal.

2. Seattle would clear out cap space for next year and get something in return for Shard.

3. Darko would have a chance at coming back for more $ than anywhere else.

I think if it falls through, it will be because Seattle may want a young piece of Orlando's core like Ariza or Redick.

[Vendetta]

bump... for retards like Genitalia.. I mean... Wogitalia

[Vendetta]

Also, apparently Turkoglu is in the plans to move if they can get someone that's going to fill a need considering Turkoglu & Lewis are extremely similar players. Turkoglu is a better defender than Lewis, a lot less consistent offensively, and is also getting paid a hell of a lot less.

So, he's not that unattractive a piece for teams to trade for.

If Artest for Turkoglu goes down, Otis Smith is a ****ing genius.

[dejordan]

i haven't seen a lot of orlando games except the stinkers in the playoffs this past season. how good is nelson? do you feel like he's the right playmaker to put with shard and dwight?

[Vendetta]

i haven't seen a lot of orlando games except the stinkers in the playoffs this past season. how good is nelson? do you feel like he's the right playmaker to put with shard and dwight?

Jameer has the potential to shoot the lights out from deep, and when he puts his mind to it nobody can stop him from driving to the basket.

He's a player that, again, I can't tell you how good he's going to be offensively due to the fact that Brian Hill ran that team into the ground on that side of the ball last year.

He's got a few problems though. If his shot isn't falling and he's not penetrating, he's virtually useless. Below average defender. He's not the best passer in the world.

The Magic could use an upgrade at PG. Nelson settles for the jumper far too much, which he didn't make much of at all last year. If he can get back on track to where he was a couple of years ago, then he's definitely worth keeping. If he plays like he did last year, however, then he's bench material and they need to make a move.

[BFRESH44]

The only problem with this 'master plan' is that Orlando has no assets that Seattle would covet in a sign and trade(Seattles is not going to take on salary just for the sake on taking on salary)...They would have to entice them with at the very least JJ Reddick and a future first added on to some fillers...

[Take Your Lumps]

Orlando has no assets that Seattle would covet in a sign and trade(Seattles is not going to take on salary just for the sake on taking on salary)

They will if they're expirers that will give them flexibility to keep rebuilding next FA class.

[Vendetta]

The only problem with this 'master plan' is that Orlando has no assets that Seattle would covet in a sign and trade(Seattles is not going to take on salary just for the sake on taking on salary)...They would have to entice them with at the very least JJ Reddick and a future first added on to some fillers...

They are going to take on expiring deals from the Magic for the sake of clearing long term salary. His name is Earl Watson. And they want to get rid of him and his long term deal.

Thank you.