Orlando's big day

Otis Smith, president of the Orlando Magic, just made his franchise a lot better today. He was able to acquire Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson, Earl Clark, and re-acquire the versatile Hedo Turkoglu. Smith had to give up Rashard Lewis, Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, a 2011 first-round pick, and some cash. I think they just made themselves a more likely candidate to come out of the Eastern Conference.

Rashard Lewis' play has declined rapidly this season. Lewis' scoring has plummeted and he is currently shooting 41.9% from the floor, the second lowest percentage of his career. His game is limited and getting rid of him makes perfect sense, particularly since he is under contract for two more seasons at over $20 million per. Obtaining Gilbert Arenas in exchange certainly cannot hurt. Arenas needed to get out of Washington and now has the opportunity to put everything behind him once and for all. The upside of this deal for the Magic is tremendous.

Smith was also able to unload Vince Carter. Carter is an undeniable talent, but in Orlando he rarely wanted to work to get the "right shot," choosing instead to settle for jump shots. He would help his team more if he was willing to break down the defense through dribble penetration, but that is something he opts not to do consistently. Getting Turkoglu back solves these problems. Turkoglu loves to make plays, excels at it, and his three-point shot is lethal, especially in clutch situations.

On top of Turkoglu, the Magic also pried Jason Richardson away from the Suns. Richardson is a high-fly act that knocks down three's, slashes his way to the basket, and finishes among the trees. His athleticism gives him the ability to take over games at times. He will complement the team perfectly as he can play off all-world center Dwight Howard and Turkoglu.

What does all of this mean? Orlando made huge strides today, but I believe that Boston is still the team to beat in the East.