The Magic appear be making the biggest most confusing move of the day. The NBA Draft is just hours away and the Magic are presumably trying to better there team heading into tonight–although I believe that is debatable.The Orlando Sentinel says that the Magic have agreed in principle to trade Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee and Tony Battie to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for eight-time All-Star Vince Carter. Carter will make $16.3 million next season and $17.3 million the following season with a team option in 2011-12.
I feel like this makes it hard to impossible for Orlando to resign Hedo Turkoglu who will be opting out of his contract. Not to mention the fact that Courtney Lee had a good rookie season which continued into the playoffs.
The addition of Vince Carter with a healthy Jameer Nelson is intriguing. Apparently so much so that the Magic couldn’t not resist. Carter is a great, great player but he has not proven to be a winner in the NBA. The Magic are breaking up a young team that made a run to the Finals. I believe this move creates more questions than answers for Orlando.
Of course that is what we thought after the Celtics traded for Ray Allen two years ago. That worked out pretty well in Boston. Maybe the Magic can resign Hedo or have a broader grand scheme in mind with this move.
As of now, I do not feel that the Magic have definitively made their team any better. They might have made their team more flashy and might be able to sell more tickets at the start of next season but winning is the ultimate marketing and this move seems to leave a lot to be desired.
On the other hand, the Nets get out of that crippling contract and get Courtney Lee heading into the much hyped 2010 summer of free agency. The Nets are looking like they have some direction going into tonight where they pick at 11.
Magic acquire Vince Carter from New Jersey Nets [Orlando Sentinel]
