JNice

The chances of things happening like this are slim, but if they did, the East would be in big trouble :

1: Grant Hill tells Orlando he will not be able to play next season, the league grants Orlando a medical exemption, which I have read would be around 6.5 million (around half of Grant's salary) ...

2: With the 15th pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, Orlando selects Kendrick Perkins of Texas.

3: Trade future pick or trash for a second round pick to take a chance on another big, like Chris Marcus.

4: Sign Gilbert Arenas with the medical exemption from the league, which compared to other teams (Orlando has not state tax) would be worth around 8 million to start.

5: Sign PJ Brown with their other exemption

Lineup

PG Arenas/Armstrong/Whitney
SG McGrady/Sasser
SF Giricek/Garrity
PF Gooden/Perkins
C PJ Brown/Hunter/Marcus

ltrain99

Wow theyd be awesoem and it isnt that far fetched definitely possible

JNice

The explanation:

The key here is getting Grant Hill to decide not to play next season. I have read that even at best he wont be ready by the beginning of the season. If they can convince him to take the year off, they can get the exemption.

I love Grant, but at best he will be able to return to play maybe 25 mins a night. Having Arenas to play 35 mins a night would be much more beneficial.

Arenas turns the ball over a little too much, but that doesnt really hinder Orlando's style of play. Orlando has gotten killed by big, strong guards the last couple years, and Arenas would limit some of that from happening.

PJ Brown is big enough to play center against most teams in the league. Brown, Hunter, and Gooden would give Orlando by far its best frontcourt since Shaq left.

This situation would give Orlando a core of guys in Tmac, Gooden, Hunter, Perkins, and Arenas that are all 24 years old or younger. With Armstrong and Brown as the solid vets.

This would allow Garrity to return to just the role of outside gunner and not having to worry about trying to play D or grabbing rebounds. And Armstrong could really resume the role of bench sparkplug that he couldnt this year because of Vaughn very mediocre play.

By the time Arenas, Giricek, and Tmac reach their primes, Gooden and Perkins should be ready to be bigtime players.

And should a miracle occur, Grant Hill could return for the 2004/2005 season giving Orlando a lineup of:

PG : Arenas/Armstrong
SG : Tmac/Giricek
SF : Hill/Garrity
PF : Gooden/Perkins
C : Brown/Hunter/Marcus

That would be championship caliber team, even against the West powers.

rocketman4

Here's the latest on Hill's medical exemption status: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sport...ts%2Dheadlines

He's really hurting the team as a money pit. If he really wants to help the team, he should sit this year out and realize he's not coming back.

__________________
O Influential One
I may be wrong but I doubt it.

OZZY

What are you people talking about, you don't want Grant Hill on the team anymore? Hell the guy averaged around 20 points and 10 rebound a game in the begining of the year. Why would you want him to leave, the Magic has the most unstoppable par of SG/SF in the league with Hill and McGrady, don't believe me just as Pat Reilly. Sure the Magic need some help in the post but I really hope Hill stays on the team, and I believe he will!

Pinball

Exactly where was he during the second half of the year? Oh yeah on the IR where he's been the past 3 years. Hill is still a very good player when he plays but he has no strength in that ankle and won't be able to play for more than 1/3 of the season. If the Magic can get a big, tough inside presence like PJ Brown in here then having him for 82 games would be better than having Hill for 30 even though Hill is the superior player.

JNice

I would love nothing more than to have Hill on the floor. Hill and Tmac would have made the most dominating duo since MJ and Pippen. BUT, after 4 major surgeries, it is doubtful he could return and play any more than 20-25 mins a game. That last surgery was a real major surgery. They broke apart and re-shaped his heel, it wasn't like cleaning out a little bit of torn cartilage or something.

If Hill could come back and play 35 mins a game and be at around 85-90 %, it would be great, but I just don't see that ever happening again.

Orlando has proven they can win, they just need two key pieces, some sort of decent center and a bigger, better point guard. Hill doesnt really fill any of those needs now.

Plus, i'm not saying release the guy or anything, he just has to be declared medically inable to play this season. If you look at Alonzo's situation, it is possible he could even return very late in the season.

Yyzlin

Hmm, this would be an interesting and great situation for the Magic. I think its still unlikely that Arenas would sign with us though for only around $6-7 mil. Denver would most likely offer him a max contract. Andre Miller, however, is a viable solution. He would be cheaper than Arenas and provides decent production. I still believe this year was a fluke for Miller. He will play better next season.

DMagic

Dee Bo, I'm thinking you are over-valuing Perkin's stock. Most mocks have him in the late first / 2nd round (insidehoops.com has him @ 24; nbadraft.net has him @ 40). I mean, if we wanted to trade down and get him and extra value (like a 2nd rounder or something) then fine. But taking him at 15 seems wasteful.

JNice

Could be. With a HS kid, you never know. All I know is he has great size and Orlando needs any of that they can get. I have read comparisons such a slighly less athletic Eddy Curry.

If we could trade down and get him and something else, that would be great.

This only hinges on signing Arenas though, of course, we wont know by draft time, so I doubt it happens.

I think sometimes people put to much stock in "taking a guy too early" and stuff like that... you should draft what you need ...

but I doubt any of this happens anyways.. more than likely we'll be taking a PG...