2010: Dwyane Wade signs with the Magic, NBA Championships fall like rain in Orlando

I can only wish for that to happen. However since it won't let us look at a few moves the Magic could and should make to become legit contenders for the title. Need to clear some people out and bring some others in and really retool the bench. Let me make a note that I did not check salaries and am only partly taking the players values to their teams.
First part is to remove the starters that are not helping your cause and filling in the holes that are currently there. The second part is to clean up the bench while getting a bit younger and a cheaper salary (I think). The third part is picking the right players, and this is the hardest part because they have to keep the flow together with the guys that are staying and pick up players that are actually trade-able. One easy thing to pick out is the Magic is mainly a jump shooting team who needs a starter at the two guard, so instead of a Brent Barry shooter, you get a guy who can slash and dish. For the first part, when healthy there are two problems with their starting five, no legit slashing two guard and a small forward playing the four that will kill them against strong front court teams. Not to mention Rashard Lewis and Mickael Pietrus are overpaid, on more than the other. Now to clean up the bench will be much less of a strain. The backup point and two are great and Tony Battie is a solid backup power forward.
Now that hard part picking the right players. I'll start with trading Rashard Lewis because he seems like the hardest guy to get rid of. I would trade him for Charlie Villanueva and Dan Gadzuric and someone else to match the salaries. I think this could work because it gives the Bucks a great player in return and a future trade bait not to mention they may be fed up with Charlie V and he is not gonna be able to carry a team by himself, however he is doing very well right now. As for fitting in with the team he is a more standard power forward with a bit of an outside game to help make sure he's not in Dwight Howard's way and brings some more personality to the group. Lou Williams would be a near perfect fit for the slasher/disher two guard role. He has split time at both spots, he is short and not a great defender but the guy can drive and score or dish and would be a wonderful running mate to Jameer. The 76ers are in deadly need for a small forward so I think a trade for Pietrus straight up would work salary and need-wise however may need to throw in a second round pick or cash considerations to put it over the top. To shape up the bench I only have a few pickups, number one is a backup for Hedo and my pick may be a little bit stumbling but I would try to pry Corey Brewer from the T-Wolves. I think that he is trying to do too much on a bad team and coming off the bench, working with these great players would improve his game a ton. But the main reason for getting him is his defense, as i said before about Lou Williams his defense is poor and I don't like Hedo's much better. So to guard LeBrownie and D-Wade and Paul Pierce you need this kid. He can play the two, three and even the four at times. They really need another big man for a nice three man rotation that can fit well at the four or the five spot. I think they need to adress this need in the draft and the guy I really see working well with this rotation would be Jordan Hill out of Arizona and should be around at where the Magic will pick. Or another good choice could be Cole Aldrich from Kansas. Really the only other options I could see are maybe C. J. Miles for a backup SF and Chris Wilcox or Louis Amundson for the backup PF/C for potential bench guys.
So your starting five becomes: Jameer Nelson (PG), Lou Williams (SG), Hedo Turkoglu (SF), Charlie Villanueva (PF) and Dwight Howard (C) and thats a potent team. Plus with Rafer Alston, J. J. Reddick, Corey Brewer, and someone like Chris Wilcox or Jordan Hill as your backups that is a title contender. In fact those backups are starting for the T-Wolves.

EDIT - After having some time to debate and deliberate on this topic I have come up with two more players to potentialy be on this team. Rudy Gay for the two guard slasher, he also gives them size. I don't know how well a passer or defender he is, but a scoring slasher for sure. For power forward I completly forgot about David Lee, he is a very well rounded player and would fit the need for a dominating forward. I'm sure there is more I am forgeting, however these are the ones I believe are not only gettable, but able to fit right in.
posted by: Jason