The Orlando Magic seem to have moved beyond the original concept of moving Dwight Howard and seem to be more interested in finding talent to put around him that'll convince him to stay. Orlando wants to make a deal, but the big issue for them is finding a deal that lands them a star without gutting the rest of their team.
Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld has the latest.
That’s why the Magic will spend the next week and a half pursuing players like Steve Nash and Monta Ellis rather than weighing offers for Howard. The organization wants to bring in a second star to appease Howard, but that’s easier said than done given Orlando’s assets.
While the Magic would love to make a splashy move before March 15, the general consensus around the league is that they don’t have the trade chips to acquire a second star. The Magic have backed themselves into a corner after making poor personnel decisions and overpaying for players.
Their most attractive assets are Ryan Anderson, J.J. Redick, Jameer Nelson and Earl Clark, but those aren’t pieces that will yield a star player like Nash or Ellis in a trade. Unless they’re able to involve a third team, it’ll be difficult for them to add a significant piece prior to the deadline.
The biggest issue for making a big deal for a second star is they don't have the assets to trade away. Orlando probably has the promising Anderson, although it's hard to say how much of his emergence has to do with Howard's dominance. Redick, Nelson, or Clark are also pieces that might need to be dealt along the way, but to be frank the Magic would be giving up a lot to make a trade for a second star to pair with Monta.
To discuss Ellis with Warriors fans, go to Golden State of Mind. To talk about Ellis pairing up with Howard on the Magic, check out Orlando Pinstriped Post.