Detroit Pistons at Orlando Magic Game Preview

It's time for your Orlando Magic to battle their bugaboo, a desperate sliding Detroit Pistons team. Let's get it started.

• As we know by now Rasheed Wallace will play tonight but Terry Foster of the Detroit News is calling for the Pistons to cut him.


• Chris McCosky of the same Detroit News tell us that maybe it's time to bench Allen Iverson and start Richard Hamilton considering their 4-12 record with Rip on the bench.


• Kudos are due to our very own Dwight Howard who received the NBA's Community Assist Award for the month of January.


• If you have always hated the space bar yet love Adonal Foyle we learn from the National Post's Outlandish section that he pulled an ad in yesterday's Orlando Sentinel to thank the fans.


• Senior V.P. of the Magic Pat Williams swung by the Herd yesterday to discuss his new book and the possibilities of Dwight Howard becoming an all-time great.


• NBA.com tells us that Rafer Alston has fit in just fine with his new teammates and that he sometimes misses his AND1 roots.

Detroit has won 7 out of 9 regular season games against Orlando and 8 of their last 9 playoff games but are on an eight game losing streak. Something has to give!!

Special Emergency Meeting of Music Monday

My heart has been filled with joy with this latest trade. I, along with others, have always thought I was a curse to our beloved Magic. I was in love with Mike Miller, Travis Diener, James Augustine, even, damn this is hard to choke out, I promise it was never real, I was just trying to do my part, J.J. Redick.

Skip-To-My-Lou >>> JJ Redick >>> James Augustine >>> Travis Diener >>> Mike Miller

I have faith that my curse has been broken. I spent this season squashing my love for Gortat for the good of the team or was that the promised broken bones by my friends?

This is a day of celebration and it is what every Magic fan needs right now.



Fly's in the buttermilk,
Shoo, fly, shoo,
Fly's in the buttermilk,
Shoo, fly, shoo,
Fly's in the buttermilk,
Shoo, fly, shoo,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

Cat's in the cream jar,
Ooh, ooh, ooh,
Cat's in the cream jar,
Ooh, ooh, ooh,
Cat's in the cream jar,
Ooh, ooh, ooh,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

Here from Texas,
Two by two,
Here from Texas,
Two by two,
Here from Texas,
Two by two,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

Lost my partner,
What'll I do?
Lost my partner,
What'll I do?
Lost my partner,
What'll I do?
Skip to my lou, my darlin'.

Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

TPASTBM reacts to the Rafer Alston Trade

Well, we here at TPASTBM have consensus on viewing the trade for Rafer Alston as a big win for the Orlando Magic. Here are the reactions from some of our contributors:





The Nickel Steak:
It's hard to take seriously the notion that any trade that works on an internet trade checker is seconds from happening, which most of the internet community seems to buy into. But it's the same logic that makes this trade so strange.

The Magic gave up as close to nothing as humanly possible and got a serviceable point guard who was, at the time, starting for a playoff team. He'll be a decent starter for the remainder of the year and he'll give the Magic a very good rotation at the 1 next season when Jameer is healthy. And it cost Brian Cook and a late first round pick, and if the way teams acted at this deadline is an indication, the Magic will be able to buy as many picks as they want this year if they're willing to spend, and if the Magic weren't willing to spend, then the pick had no value anyway.

I still don't understand how this happened.

Jackie Moon:
While Rafer Alston is no Jameer, I love this deal. Replacing Jameer without giving up a core player or taking on a bad contract shows Otis is growing as a GM. Alston is legitimate starting veteran NBA PG who already knows Stan's system. Plus his contract expires next year and is only guaranteed for $2.5 million. So once he gets done helping us continue our goal of competing for a championship, his contract becomes a valuable trade asset this off season should we choose not to keep him as a backup.

Maxwell Effort:
I really thought the whole "Otis working the phone" thing was a ploy to make the fans feel like he tried but holy heck was I shocked when he pulled this off. Starting caliber point guards on playoff teams are usually not available at the deadline. I compare my feelings to finding a $20 bill in your pocket a week after washing your jeans. Totally unexpected yet awesome at the same time and always puts a smile on your face. I have more Magic pep in my step this morning and that is a good thing!

The Big Train:
I like this deal, not so much because it puts us once again on the level of Boston and Cleveland, because it doesn't. But rather what it does for this team next year. Jameer will be starting again with Alston as the backup PG... A drastic upgrade over Anthony Johnson. Second, this allowed the Magic to get rid of Brian Cook's contact - a player option of 3.5 million next year - without taking back a drastically larger one (Alston is slated to make $5 million next year). As for the first round draft pick, in a weak draft a late first round pick isn't really a loss. Finally, this does not throw a wrench in the process of resigning Tuck when he opts out this summer. I will miss Adonal though....

The OCTB:
Although I am excited about the trade and feel that it should give a boost to this season’s potential, I have to point out the irony that two or our most discussed trade pieces – Keith Bogans and Brian Cook – were both traded for point guards and because of an injury. Many Magic fans were hoping that those players could have been used to add bulk in the frontcourt.

But no one can predict these injuries and it speaks well of Otis Smith that he effectively used those assets to fill a need. We really only sacrificed a low first rounder in a weak draft. Bogans and Cook were likely gone in the offseason anyway.

Jareth Cutestory:

The Morning After...

Otis Smith and the Magic were able to make a move before yesterdays trade deadline, acquiring playground legend Rafer Alston from the Houston Rockets in a three team deal. Outgoing for the Magic are a '09 first round draft pick, Brian Cook, Mike Wilks, and future politician Adonal Foyle.

Let's see what the internet has to say:

• First, Jameer Nelson had his season ending shoulder surger yesterday.
• Ken Burger over at CBS Sportsline noted that Orlando was the only team in contention that made and sort of serious move yesterday.
• David Aldridge called the move "brilliant" over at NBA.com.
• Johnny Ludden over at yahoo forgot that Rafer played for SVG in Miami.
  
• Former Magic man Brian Cook was disappointed Orlando didn't give him a chance.
• The Sentinel's Magic blog argues that Otis is starting to come into his own as an NBA GM.
• Schmitz has the lowdown on how while Jameer was getting his shoulder done by the famous Dr. James Andrews, Otis was getting the Alston deal done.
• Bianchi writes that this deal will end up better than that last Houston/Orlando trade.
• John Denton of the Florida Today said something had to be done considering the PG play as of late.
• Here is the Houston Chronicle's perspective on the deal.
  
• ESPN's Jon Barry declaired the Orlando trade a winner.
• Hollinger gave the trade grade for the Magic a 'B'.
• Chad Ford reports that Orlando turned down a deal for "a better point guard: Jamaal Tinsley."
• And finally, here is the ESPN.com story that comes along with a podcast that discusses the trade.
  

Breaking News: Jameer Nelson Has Season Ending Surgery

From the desk of the "Let's Slip This In Real Quiet Like" department, the Orlando Magic announced on their website that Jameer Nelson had season ending surgery on his injured shoulder this afternoon.

Here's the link the announcement: http://www.nba.com/magic/news/Magic_acquire_point_guard_Raf-301465-66.html
Notice how they snuck it in along with the bigger news of the Rafer Alston trade!

I think it is safe to say that the decision to do the surgery and the ability to make the trade for Alston go hand-in-hand. One directly influenced the other and vice-versa. The disappointing play of Hedo and our other point guards of late was surely a factor as well. It probably also helped Otis in his negotiations if he didn't have to admit that Nelson was shut down for the season. Hmmm...I wonder if Nelson was getting in on the subterfuge the other night by stating that he wanted to play!

One other factor in why this hasn't hit the newspaper sites as of this writing is that the team was coming back from New Orleans last night. I can't remember now if I saw Nelson on the bench for the Hornets game, but it would have been really easy for Nelson to stop in Birmingham on the way home. The beat reporters that travel to the away games wouldn't have noticed him being gone yet, especially when they were all focused on the trade deadline today.

So, it appears that this is now Rafer Alston's team to lead from the PG spot. As for Jameer, we here at TPASTBM wish him a speedy recover and full health at the start of the 2009-2010 season!

Magic grab Rafer Alston

4:15 Update:

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that along with Brian Cook the Magic have sent Adonal Foyle and Mike Wilks in order to make the numbers work.

I will miss Adonal... Best of luck politicin' in the future.

Psst....don't be surprised if Foyle is released and signs back with us! FTW!!

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3:55 Update:

Here come the puns. ESPN main page:

Magic Answer? Rafer Alston going to the Magic might wind up being the most significant trade on an anticlimactic deadline day.

Hardy har har, ESPN.

Here's the story...

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3:37 Update:

ESPN's John Hollinger is running a chat about the trade deadline.

Dan [via inert]: If Stein's reported deal is accurate, wouldn't Orlando have been better off just acquiring Lowry themselves? Also, the post says Cook to Houston, not Memphis.

John Hollinger: (3:22 PM ET ) You are correct on Cook, and actually it would have to be that way for the #s to work. So for Memphis it's basically Lowry for a first. Interesting. I think Orlando wanted Alston more than Lowry -- especially given his history with Stan VG.

Steve (Orlando): So How much does Alston add to the Magic? He's no Jameer Nelson but he seems like a terrific upgrade from Johnson after last night's fiasco

John Hollinger: (3:28 PM ET ) Yes, at both ends. I think he guarantees Orlando reaches the second round of the playoffs, and that added playoff dough is important for a team that just had to borrow $10 million from the league.

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From ESPN:

Marc Stein: Looks like we have a fairly significant three-way deal that has been submitted to the league just before the trade deadline.

NBA front-office sources tell ESPN.com that Orlando is acquiring Rafer Alston from Houston to fill the void created at point guard by Jameer Nelson's shoulder injury.

The Rockets will receive Memphis guard Kyle Lowry, Orlando forward Brian Cook and perhaps two other minimum-salaried players to make the finances work.

The Grizzlies will receive a first-round pick from Orlando.