Orlando
Philip Maymin
Basketball News Services
DeShawn Stevenson, signed to a three-year, $8 million contract this offseason by the Magic after starting 24 of Orlando's last 26 games last season, has seen his minutes halved from north of 30 minutes a game last year to about 16 minutes a game this year. His earlier vocalizations about wanting to be traded have subsided after a stern talking-to but his disappointment is still rampant. Who could the Magic trade him for? And what do they need?
What they could use some more of is bulk in the frontcourt. The only position in which the Magic seem to be routinely beat is at center. According to the website 82games.com, the net production by position for the Magic is positive, i.e., they produce more than they give up for every position, with one exception. At center, they give up about 6 points and 3 rebounds on average.
But who's got a relatively young, tough-minded center on a reasonable contract playing for a team that has too much frontcourt depth and not enough of a shooting guard?
Denver anybody?
While a Nene-for-DeShawn trade does not work because this is Stevenson's BYC year, a Nene plus Skita trade for Stevenson and Pat Garrity, who has also seen his minutes fall, does work. Plus, it is probably important to bear in mind that Brandon Hunter, acquired from the Bobcats earlier this year for Keith Bogans, cannot be traded until the New Year.
Which, it should be remembered, is only a few days away.
NEXT GAME
Christmas is over and so is Orlando's long break away from games. Not having played since last Wednesday, the Magic (15-10, second in the Southeast) now host the New York Knicks (14-13, first in the Atlantic) TONIGHT. The game starts at 7:00pm Eastern and will be broadcast on the Sunshine Network and NBA League Pass.
TEAM NOTES
January 8th is Jameer Nelson bobblehead night, free for the first 5,000 fans!
Have a question for one of the Magic players? Submit it!Q: Dwight, growing up who was your role model? A: "Kevin Garnett". Archive.
INJURY UPDATE
Brandon Hunter(elbow),Kelvin Cato(shoulder), andAndrew DeClercq(knee) are parked on the injured list. The club will decide if Cato will be activated at shootaround today.
Brian Schmitz ofThe Orlando Sentinelwrites: But Garrity has seen his playing time shrink so much that other clubs keep calling to see if he's available.Heading into tonight's game against the New York Knicks, he is averaging 16 minutes per game and 12 minutes the past five games. In two of those games, both against the San Antonio Spurs, Garrity has gone scoreless, playing three minutes and 11 minutes, respectively. After averaging 9.1 points per game over his career, he is averaging just 6.2 points. Always affable, his displeasure when he's removed from a game is sometimes apparent.
Brian Schmitz ofThe Orlando Sentinelwrites: Orlando has been off for four days. It stopped a slide by beating the San Antonio Spurs, one of the Western Conference powers, in its last game Wednesday.. . . The Magic will decide whether to play C Kelvin Cato (dislocated left shoulder) at shoot-around today. Cato has missed eight consecutive games after being injured Dec. 6 in Denver. He had a slight setback after taking a hit on the shoulder in practice Friday. The Magic face the Milwaukee Bucks at home Wednesday, then travel to Chicago and Toronto this weekend.
John Denton ofFlorida Todaywrites: Reprimanded after speaking of his displeasure recently, DeShawn Stevenson's words say one thing, but his demeanor clearly conveys another thought.Stevenson, a starter last season upon coming to Orlando in a trade and earlier this season when Cuttino Mobley was injured, has become the forgotten man on the Orlando Magic's roster. He rarely, if ever, plays and he's not happy about it. "I just have to somehow keep my head up," Stevenson muttered as he was walking out of TD Waterhouse Centre recently.