[Orlando Sentinel] Magic feel moving up is "realistic", Carney turning heads

I could see the Rockets being one of the teams that want to move down. Only player on the Magic that I am interested in that might be available is Hedo, maybe Harpring.

But I would have to see how things turn out on draft day. IF a guy like Gay, Roy, Thomas, or Morrison (unlikely) fall, I wouldn't trade down. But if all those guys are gone and the Magic are targeting Carney, I'd deal the pick for #11 + 2007 1st rounder (which is going to be a very good class IMO).

 

DeShawn Stevenson would be perfect for this team. He's an underrated shooter and he is about as athletic as Dwayne Wade. not sure about his defense though.

this past season he only took 15 three pointers and only made 2 (that doesn't seem right) but the year before he shot 37% on 67 threes taken. His mid range shot is solid. He's only 25.

 

I wouldn't call Stevenson an underrated shooter at all. I remember him having a solid mid-range jumper like you said, but his 3-pt shooting is as bad as his % says it is. While he did hit #37% the year before, the 2 previous seasons he shot 26% and 29% hitting a combined 31 of 112 three pointers.

 

Clutch: You can't trust what GM's say of course
Clutch: that quote really shows who he thinks has the greatest upside.

OK, Clutch sir, which comment do I trust???

 

Stevenson is a terrible fit. A knucklehead with no jump shot that likes to try to break his man down with the dribble one on one moves.

 

If we move down with Orlando's pick, that means we're not interested in Carney at all.

 

The only thing I'd be interested in trading down to 11 from Orlando is

- Hedo

- maybe Vasquez(though I really know nothing about him other than he's a lotto forward who flaked out on the Magic)

- or a 1st rounder next year, say top 5 protected or something.

other than that, eh, I'd rather just take bpa at 8.

 

I don't know. The quote about Carney and Brewer seems to reflect my apprehensions: Carney is a great physical specimen, but doesn't show great skill at actually playing basketball, while Brewer is physically no juggernaut, but has actual basketball skills. Now, it's possible that Carney will acquire those skills and, with his athleticism, be really great. But, if he never does acquire those skills, he'll just be a guy who can run and jump, but can't shoot, box out, pass or d up. In that case, I'd take Brewer.

 

the other thing I was gonna write is that I don't think he is a knucklehead even though he got in trouble in Utah. He was young, I think that happened five years ago. he's been a solid citizen in orlando.

 

Is part of Carney's lack of accomplishment related to his not being devoted to basketball entirely. Isn't he a track star as well? Is he relatively inexperienced? Did he do the AAU ball thing, etc? Anybody know more details about his background? MemphisX?

 

This sounds like a good news if rox want to draft Redick.

 

He only did track in high school. He was the state champion in the high jump (6'11") and finished 6th in the 400 meter state championship race.

 

Telltale signs indicate we're gonna draft Carney (who I doubt goes higher than the 8th spot) and trade him to Orlando for, perhaps, Ronnie Brewer at #11 and....well, here it gets tricky.

We could send them Bob Sura (essentially an expiring contract; the guy's done anyway) and Luther Head as part of the trade and take back Hedo Turkoglu, a versatile player (pass, dribble, 3 pt shooting) who can give us a matchup nightmare for opposing teams. The Magic would probably like to drop even more salary for next summer, when Grant Hill finally comes off their books.

Would they want Swift? They already have Battie to back up the kids (Darko, D-Howard).

Anyway, if we draft Carney for them, I want Hedo on the Rockets to give us that sweet-shooting 4/3. It would make sense.

 

If CD/Morey can go and sweetalk Vasquez into coming over, that would be huge value for our pick. Grab the best avaliable swingman at #11, BPA at #31, and Vasquez and that would be an incredibly successful draft to build the rest of our offseason on.

 

Guards Rodney Carney (Memphis), Ronnie Brewer (Arkansas) and Randy Foye (Villanova) -- who all are expected to be picked in the 9-15 range on draft night -- were among those in a private workout at RDV Sportsplex on Thursday.


No one else noticed this?

 

i call bs. this guy probably doesn't think he can move up at all and is talking up certain players like carney (and a week ago, shelden) in order to have someone else fall to them at #11 if they can't move up.

my guess...they want JJ. they are trying to convince the rockets, warriors, and sonics (all looking for swingmen) that carney and brewer are the swingmen to take. they were also talking up shelden because the same 3 teams could all concievably take shelden as well.

 

That they are projected 9-15, or that they did a private workout? If the former, I don't put much stock by it; the journalist likely isn't much more informed than anyone else on draft projections. If the latter, well that happens all the time.