CHICAGO -- SI.com's Marty Burns is reporting that the Orlando Magic have traded Mike Miller, Ryan Humphrey and draft picks to the Memphis Grizzlies for Gordon Giricek, Drew Gooden and cash. According to a league source, the trade will be announced at 10 p.m. EST. The draft picks involved in the deal are Orlando's 2003 first-round pick (acquired from Sacramento) and its 2004 second-round pick (acquired from Denver). Former Rookie of the Year Miller is averaging 16.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game this season, but he is due for a big contract extension next year, and it looks as if the Magic did not want to invest in him long term. The Magic apparently believe that Gooden will give them the low-post presence they've been looking for and that Giricek will replace the outside shooting of Miller. Gooden, a rookie out of Kansas, is averaging 12.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, while Giricek has averaged 11.2 points for the Grizzlies this season ---------------------------------------------------------------- no link as of yet Damn if Gooden turns out to be a monster it will hurt West's rep.
Looks like a pretty good trade for both teams. We all knew that Mike Miller was being offered so they could get a low post player. Drew Gooden is a great find in this deal for Orlando. They get a legitamte low post player and in the Eastern conference he might turn out to be a future all star. Giricek will provide the outside shooting that Miller brought. Great deal for Orlando I think. As for the Griz, Gooden and Gasol were not going to work. They are both PFs. So one had to go. They get Miller to go alongside Gasol and perhaps more importantly they get another draft pick to go along with Houston's pick that has to go to them. So they will have 2 picks in the draft next year, possibly 3 if they get the #1 pick (otherwise goes to Detroit). West likes the draft picks so it works well for the Griz. Looks like a win win situation for everyone. Orlando probably benefits the most. I doubt they thought they could get a high lottery pick such as Gooden for Miller & get Giricek as a bonus. Chris
I think that this is a good trade for Orlando. It'll probably push them into the playoffs but I'm still not sure if this trade will get them past the first round. Orlando still needs that defense threat down in the low post and from what I've seen, Drew Gooden isn't really an intimidating defensive presence and Shawn Kemp is only scary if someone steps in front of him in the buffet line. Overall however, I like Gooden's upside and Giricek is an added bonus that will fit in perfectly with Orlando. As for Memphis, they got a good player in Miller, but the upside is just no longer there for this kid. He'll be a good complementary player, but don't expect him to be anymore than that. Humphrey is someone that Orlando should have never drafted. Hopefully he'll be a better fit in Memphis, but I think that he'll be out of the league once his rookie contract is up.
Orlando and Memphis pulled off the first big trade before Thursday's NBA deadline, agreeing to a four-player deal that sent Mike Miller and Ryan Humphrey from the Magic to the Grizzlies for rookies Drew Gooden and Gordan Giricek, the Associated Press learned Wednesday. DUMBEST TRADE ever...if that was pulled off...man...then we should get Ray Allen for sure. Okay. Mike Miller is pretty good...but NOT GOOD ENOUGH for DREW GOODEN...and...AND Gordan Giricek? Now Orlando is going to make the playoffs. Drew Gooden is a great addition. And Gordan Giricek just replaces Mike Miller as the shooter. Man...
It's a darn good trade for the Magic.Gooden gives them a frontcourt player that they needed and Giricek is a good scorer too at SG.Yeah we could have used him on our team.Miller can play as a SF and Humphrey is a backup PF but I think the picks that Memphis got were a big part of this deal too.
So Memphis just basically admitted their mistake of drafting Gooden barely after 6 months. As for who get the better end of the deal, I really think it depends on the draft picks. We all know that Jerry West likes icks. He might just want to collect more picks so that he can move up on the draft day. Who knows?
