http://ppt.cc/y9MU When Orlando and the Phoenix Suns effectively swapped starting shooting guards Vince Carter and Jason Richardson this season in a blockbuster, the Magic knew J-Rich was a rental. The one thing Richardson and Carter had in common: They both can become free agents this summer. The Magic could be looking for another new two-guard — once again. Richardson has declared that he'd love to re-sign as Dwight Howard's wing man. And General Manager Otis Smith says, "We like J-Rich, but we don't know what's going to happen this summer." Smith doesn't know how the labor strife will affect the salary structure for next season. Smith now only has the mid-level exception to offer J-Rich, if there is a mid-level after owners and players quit wrangling. If the dollars resemble past dollars (starting between $5 million-$6 million), Orlando has a shot to re-sign Richardson, who is 30 and didn't really increase his value after the trade. (Whatever, Richardson knows he won't be earning the $14.4 million he made last season.) If the Magic really want J-Rich to return, they'll have competition for his services, considering he is one of the top shooting guards available, along with Magic killer Jamal Crawford. In other words, it's not a very deep free-agent class at the position. You'd have to take a chance on Caron Butler's surgically repaired knee (given Dallas lets him get away) or J.R. Smith's character. Can you see Ray Allen walking away from Boston? And the rest are not really a marked upgrade from J.J. Redick, who has served as backup for both Carter and Richardson: Leandro Barbosa, Marquis Daniels, Shane Battier, Maurice Evans, Shannon Brown, DeShawn Stevenson and Anthony Parker Matt Barnes and Mickael Pietrus — hmmm, why do those names sound familiar? — have player options. The Chicago Bulls, one of the Magic's East rivals now, have been in need of a two-guard since Michael hung up his Air Jordans. They are starting defensive-minded Keith Bogans, and there have been rumblings that the Bulls could pursue J-Rich. Of course, the Magic could always try to trade for a shooting guard, offering either power forward Brandon Bass or Ryan Anderson — or Redick. Smith has said that he feels Redick has improved enough to be a starter — and the Bulls sprang an offer sheet on the Magic last summer that they matched to keep J.J. 等等要上课 晚一点再翻 So what of Redick? If they truly thought J.J. was the answer, they wouldn't have kept bringing in other guards. He'll always have struggles on the defensive end. As we saw in the playoffs against the Hawks, they went right at him when he guarded either Crawford or Joe Johnson. Redick's flaw might not be so noticeable in Chicago, playing alongside Derrick Rose and backed up by Bogans. The Magic could start Redick and use Quentin Richardson as his backup if they could improve dramatically at point guard or small forward or power forward — an unlikely scenario at the moment when they have few assets and a suffocating payroll. The Magic have been hunting for a star shooting guard since Tracy McGrady was dealt in 2004. They've been all over the board, going young (Courtney Lee), old (Carter) and somewhere in between (J-Rich). With Carter and J-Rich, they hoped to fill what remains their biggest hole: Go-to guy. They have yet to find a player they can give the ball to consistently at the end of games. With J-Rich looking for riches, 1 thing the Magic still need is a 2. --

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