Lewis To Leave Seattle For Magic Kingdom
July 4, 2007 by Angelo Fernandez
Filed under Player Movement
It’s truly a new era for the Seattle Supersonics with both their stars now gone. Star guard Ray Allen was traded to the Boston Celtics on draft day while forward and long time Sonic Rashard Lewis agreed to sign a maximum contract with the Orlando Magic as a free agent. Lewis going to the Magic kingdom not only fills the void that Grant Hill will leave as he is expected to sign with another team like the Phoenix Suns but it also gives them a potent scorer than the aging Hill.
We will never know now how the Sonics would be like with Rashard Lewis and rookies Kevin Durant and Jeff Green leading the team. It could have been interesting with three guys at least 6’9 running the floor together. We’ll never know about the Sonics but we have a nice idea about the Magic. The Rashard Lewis – Dwight Howard combo will add a certain dynamic to the team similar to but not as good as the Shaq-Kobe or T-Mac-Yao duos. They may not be as good but Lewis-Howard will still be a force to contend with.
The hiring of Stan Van Gundy as their new coach could also do wonders for the team and the play style Lewis thrives in. When Van Gundy coached the Miami Heat he had Shaq and Wade running the show. He’ll have a similar thing in Orlando with a dominating presence in Howard and an athletic wing player in Lewis.
The question mark for the Magic is Jameer Nelson. If Nelson can prove to the team once and for all that he can run the team well, the Magic will really have a good chance to not only reach the playoffs again but even make it past the first round.
