Starting PG Jameer Nelson has been granted a two week extension until June 29th to decide whether or not he will exercise his opt-out option in his contract. If Nelson decides to stick with the team, it allows for a long term deal to be figured out. However, if he does not come back, Nelson will be returning $8.6M in salary to the Orlando Magic’s cap space. With the team struggling to keep star center Dwight Howard happy, the chance to snag more money for salaries might not be a bad idea.
Nelson’s decision revolves around the plans a new general manager will present for building the team. While spending his entire 7 year NBA career with the Orlando Magic, Nelson has landed a career 12.4 PPG average, while the 2011-2012 season shows 11.4 PPG. These aren’t fantastic numbers, but they aren’t bad either. The Orlando Magic’s adoration for Nelson comes from his playoff performance. In the 2011-2012 playoffs, Nelson averaged 15.6 PPG. While the Magic haven’t advanced to the second round in two years, Nelson’s intensity has made them competitive.
Yet, since the 2008-09 season Nelson has been held back by periodical injuries, culminating in 72 missed games over 4 years. The Magic have had little success with back up PGs with Duke alumni Chris Duhon not living up to potential. A Jameer Nelson opt-out would allow the Magic to shop around, even bring in veterans looking to end their careers with one more title run. I’ve mentioned Phoenix Sun’s Steve Nash in the past for his shake-n-bake ability, but Dallas Maverick’s Jason Kidd undoubtedly wants another championship shot after failing to defend their title. Kidd’s known 3 point ability in the clutch fits in well with the Magic culture, and he will come into the team as a long time leader. After watching Indiana Pacer’s George Hill obliterate any small amount of open lane, reaching out to Hill even as a restricted free agent could result in a fine 1-2 punch with a healthy Dwight Howard. George Hill would likely stick around longer than Nash or Kidd, but even if the veterans were brought in as loaners, the Magic would at least have more time to recruit.
On the other hand, if Nelson stays, the Magic’s concerns will undoubtedly look to another shooting guard. The team has made it clear they will look to retain Ryan Anderson after a break out year, which enables the Magic to make a trade package of the underwhelming Hedo Turkoglu and aging Jason Richardson. Once beloved as “Mr. 4th Quarter”, Turkoglu just did not bring the same spark as his first visit to Orlando during the 2009 Finals run. Jason Richardson still plays with a remarkable fire at age 31, but his cold streaks are no-relief-in-sight-tundra-cold. Some reports call for the release of JJ Redick, but Redick was offered a starting position with a team as elite as the Chicago Bulls during last year’s offseason and has fine-tuned his shooting enough to earn a starting spot in Orlando.
Whatever Jameer Nelson decides, the new GM of the Orlando Magic will have a complicated trade process no matter if he trades away the entire team or picks and chooses key elements. Nelson offers reliable performance for shooting guards and Dwight Howard as long as Nelson remains healthy. The reality is there’s championship PG experience just waiting to be swooped up, which is all Dwight Howard has asked for from the beginning.
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