When Orlando Magic president Otis Smith said his team, “Needed a little bit more punch,” most people didn’t expect him to orchestrate two blockbuster deals that would shake up two NBA conferences. By the time Smith was done yesterday, the Magic parted ways with Rashard Lewis and Vince Carter and were welcoming Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas and Phoenix Suns players Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu to Central Florida.

While Lewis went to the Wizards for Arenas, Carter headed west to Arizona as part of the Suns/Magic deal that saw several players swap time zones. In that deal, the Magic got  Richardson, Turkoglu and Earl Clark in exchange for Carter, Marcin Gorat, Mickael Pietrus, a 2011 first-round pick and cash considerations.

Turkoglu heads back to Orlando where he enjoyed his best seasons since coming to the NBA. In the midst of a huge contract, the Suns may have taken advantage of dumping a huge amount from their salary base that was going to a player who hasn’t quite lived up to expectations.  

When asked about Arenas’ past legal troubles that included pleading guilty to a felony gun charge, Smith told ESPN that he was confident that was behind the player:

“We have a tendency not to forgive people in this country,” Smith said. “We have a tendency to hold onto things a little bit longer, particularly if they play professional sports. And I always say that sometimes good people do stupid things, and that one’s right on the top of the list. But I feel comfortable with who he is, knowing him since he was 19 years old.”

Normally teams stockpiling superstars like the Magic are doing is not taken too kindly by fans throughout the league but after the Miami Heat bolstered their roster snagging three of the top free agents this past summer, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Lebron James, that tone may have changed.

Another motivation for this move by the Magic may have been the fact they had dropped five of their past six games sinking three spots from the top spot in the Eastern Conference into fourth. In the meantime, Miami and the Boston Celtics have been on season-best 11 and 12 game win streaks.

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