if you really want to make the finals

Trade Mike Miller, Jeryl Sasser, and Don Ried to Atlanta for Nazr Mohammed.

Trade Pat Garrity, Steven Hunter, Andrew DeClerq, and Jud Buechler to Utah for Greg Ostertag.

Sign Olumide Oyedeji to replace Hunter, Scott Padgett to replace Garrity, and Eric Piatkowski to replace Miller.

Also sign Derrick McKey to be a defensive specialist, as far as setting an example for all the forwards on the team.

lineup
C Mohammed, Ostertag
PF Grant?, Oyedeji, Humprey, Kasun
SF Hill, Padgett, McKey
SG McGrady, Piatkowski
PG Vaugh, Armstrong

McKey is available at either forward, and I don't know exactly where you play Humphrey, but he can play both forwards too.

Mike Miller for Mohammed is a good deal because Mike Miller is going to average about 12pts 3rbs, 2assts next year, if he's getting 28 minutes a game, which is possible, but then Garrity would be pressed for minutes too, and I think the two guys I mentioned as replacements are better backups. Miller should be a starter, but he's a reluctant scorer, he reminds me of Eddie Jones offensively, and defensively he's nowhere near as good. Mohammed will play 28mins, give you 10pts, 8rbs, 1blk.

Twenty-eight minutes leaves room for 20 more at center, that's where Ostertag comes in, he'll give you 5rbs, 2blks in the limited role. If Ostertag can't play because of his Kidney, i'd rather pay him to sit, then to pay DeClerq and Buechler to play. Ostertag has a Dikembe type impact when he's in the game, and that's why he got that contract that he has. Look back at his contract year if you have to, but he's now in Jerry Sloans doghouse because Sloan wants him to play Dikembe type minutes, with Dikembe numbers. If he had the stamina to play those minutes, he'd put up those numbers, but he doesn't.

If Horace Grant decides to retire, which I doubt, and Ostertag can't play, you still have a much improved team.

You would then play McKey, Humphrey, and Kasun at PF, and Mohammed and Oyedeji at Center. Center the minutes would probaby have to go 32/16, and you'd just have to matchup at PF.

Garrity would be resigned at about 3mil a year, the magic are offering 2.5, he won't get more than three, then the trade to Utah would free about about 4mil. Utah does it because they need bodies, and to rebuild.

I wasn't giving up on Hunter either, I was just replacing him, I feel like he has the potential to end up as good as Tony Battie, I think he may end up being that kind of player, but I also think Oyedeji will end up ironically being similar to Nazr Mohammed.

I think Oyedeji is up and coming now, and as a first year player, if Grant retires, they should start him, get that Isaac Austin, John Amaechi surprise first year out of him, and then let him develop.

I do think Scott Williams and Charles Oakley are options, but I also think they will sign elsewhere. Milwaukee is rumored to have the inside track on him Williams, and Dallas with Oakley. They are both rumors, and I didn't expect that magic to be able to sign Vaughn, so go figure. I did say that Vaughn would likely sign for 1mil, he got less, and Erick Strickland was my third option behind Vaughn and Childs. I knew players liked Doc, but i'm still surprised the deal happened.

McCarty is also a viable option to replace Garrity, he can defend the SF, run the floor, shoot the three, slash to the basket.

If these deals went down, an objective outlook for these team would be like this, briefly put.

"The magic have a solid bench, solid at four starting spots, then they are banking on a power forward by commitee, interesting, get back to me at all star break."