Basketball-wise, I think the McGrady deal was fair for Orlando - but how does it help them improve in the long-term? Francis is about to turn 28 years old, and Mobley (further up their in years) is now their second option. They've made roster upgrades outside of the trade, and had they drafted a franchise center in Okafor the team could have drastically improved with McGrady. If he was still a mal-content, they could move him for a much better offer than they received for him come February. So, I think the trade was a franchise-killer. The timing was just... awful. Boston, Washington and Philly are the up-and-coming teams in the conference, and are at this point possibly better than Orlando. Win prediction: 35-40 games.
History shows that when you lose the best player in a trade, you lose on that trade. The Magic will improve, but it will be mostly due to Turkoglu, Grant Hill, Jameer Nelson and Dwight Howard. Tell me this team couldn't have been better: Declerq/Kasun/Howard Juwan/Howard/Garrity Grant Hill/Turkoglu/Bogans T-Mac/Gaines Lue/Nelson That team would've made the postseason as well. Their team this year, when healthy, is as good as their team last year, when fully healthy. However, when it's showtime, the best players take over... and we got the best player in the deal.
