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Source: Steve-O Likely Headed Out Of Town

Authored by Howard Mass - February 22, 2006 - 2:34 am

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What Will Happen With Steve-O? Normally, when an NBA franchise makes a deal that lands them a potential young gem like Darko Milicic, that team's fans are buzzing. While that is happening here in Orlando, the main thing everyone is buzzing about are the Steve Francis trade rumors. There are sharply different views on this matter that have created multiple threads on our Orlando Magic message board. Most fans favor a trade though while some fans do not mostly because they do not like the players the Magic would be getting back. What I am Hearing Almost all of my sources have told me that there is at least a “50-50” chance the Magic make a move at the deadline and one said at least a “90 percent chance” Steve Francis will not be back next season. Others also seem to agree Francis is headed out of town one way or another by this coming fall. The deals though that have been proposed are either dieing, dead or untrue. Early Tuesday morning one source called me and said a deal was more likely than not to happen by Thursday’s Trade Deadline but not definite. The Magic are likely to take this up to the deadline which would make the next two games interesting unless the Magic send Francis home but it looks more and more like they will do a deal by Thursday’s deadline rather than wait till the summer. As of right now, a three-way deal for Denver’s Nene makes no sense with the acquisition of Darko Milicic and the money it will cost to re-sign him and Tony Battie, if the Magic choose to do so this summer. Two other deals being mentioned are with New York that would send Penny Hardaway’s expiring deal along with a young player like David Lee, Trevor Ariza or Nate Robinson. It is unlikely the Knicks will deal Robinson after that dunk contest and sources also say Ariza would be the youth sent in a deal for Francis. The other deal would send guard Jamal Crawford, Hardaway or a combination of other players to Orlando for Francis and probably minimum players like Stacey Augmon, Mario Kasun/and/or Bo Outlaw with even Pat Garrity being a possibility to even up the rosters and salaries.. To make this work, Tony Battie could even be involved if there are no plans to himself but this is unlikely. It is also possible Orlando would cut 1-2 of their own players to make a deal happen with Stacey Augmon being a prime canadiate so he can possibly sign with a playoff contender. Other possibilities include deals with Houston, Memphis, Sacramento and Seattle but my sources have told me a deal involving any one of this 4 teams is unlikely. What Happens? Magic assistant general manager Otis Smith has one question needs to answer. Do I trade Steve Francis now or do I wait and see if there is a bigger market for Francis this offseason? The truth is there probably will not be so it is about taking the best deal available since it is pretty much a known fact Steve Francis is no longer in the Magic’s plans. I have personally always liked Jamal Crawford and with SG being the position of need even with DeShawn Stevenson still in the mix, it is probably the best move for this team unless Otis wants only contracts that expire by 2007 to make a big push in the summer of 2007. Many of us do not want to play the cap game again but the Magic do want to keep their options open. However, this could effect whether Tony Battie and DeShawn Stevenson get re-signed this summer as it is probably doubtful the Magic commit to both of these guys long-term with players like Jamal Crawford, if he is acquired, and Darko Milicic playing their positions on or expected to receive big contracts. If 2007 is what the target is, the domino effects could very well start this summer. It should be a very interesting 36 hours…….