By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

Displacing a team always has its reasons. The Magic were dreadful and reshuffling was needed. Vince Carter was the front runner to needing to be replaced, but the packaging of players is where often times teams make mistakes. General managers want that extra key player to think they’ve got the edge on the trade. Currently, it’s still a toss up on who has the better advantage between the Suns and Magic, of the trade.

Vince Carter isn’t the main contributor for the Suns from the trade. The guy that is, is Marcin Gortat. Gortat has turned the Suns around as of late, becoming a force down low and giving the Suns consistent double doubles. Robin Lopez’s role for the future is unknown, and the Suns will have a key decision to make on who they’re going to promote permanently as the starter.

The bonus for the Suns is that they received a 2011 first round draft pick from Orlando, cash consideration, and the unloading of the hefty salaries of Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu. It’ll be interesting to see who the Suns land with that pick.

Shifting back to the Orlando Magic. Breaking down the athletes that they received. Jason Richardson’s been hot and cold thus far. The barometer for Richardson to the Magic’s liking is that he can knock down the three. Basically he is filling the role that Rashard Lewis dismissed from his talents in 2010. A role in which he played to perfection in the 2009 playoffs. Chucking five to seven threes a game is what Richardson provides. Come playoff time, a hot Richardson could be the key for the Magic.

A throw in basically in the trade, seemed to be Earl Clark. Clark is a 6’10 athletic forward that struggled his first few seasons with the Suns. For whatever reason he never made it off the bench and was in Gentry’s permanent doghouse. Too start the month of February though, Clark is playing well and defending solid with his length.

His minutes will likely increase as the season goes on.

Is that a good thing though?

The big problem with Orlando lies with their depth. Their like a strong college team with their starting lineup. Playing Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Ryan Anderson. Howard’s taking on full length minutes pretty much every game. Resting him even for a few minutes the Magic fall apart. Teams can hit the glass without fear, and attack the hoop without worry.

The only other big men the Magic have is Brandon Bass, who will be back post All-Star break, and aged veteran Malik Allen. Expect the Magic to make some kind of a move to get one more prime big man.

The Magic’s biggest problem is with their trade for Gilbert Arenas. He isn’t near to 100 percent and looks like he may be at his current level for awhile. The knee issues and surgeries seem to have slowed him down quite a bit. He still is crafty enough offensively to get off decent shots, but on the defensive side he is a huge liability. Against quality point guards he doesn’t stand a chance to keep them in front of him.

Orlando’s keeping his minutes down, obviously to keep him from breaking down and to hopefully play him more in the post-season. It’s hard to say the facts, seeing that Arenas was a premier athlete and All-Star just a few years ago. But the Magic are in serious trouble with their bench being of the likes of JJ Redick, a broken down Arenas, and Earl Clark.

We’ve seen the frustration of Dwight Howard lead to a league high in technicals thus far. How much longer before he blasts out due to poor mismanagement and another faltering season?