Magic Players Not Worrying Over Trade Deadline

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — There's no question that the Orlando Magic's basketball operations staff has some tough choices to make over the next few days.
 
   The NBA trade deadline is looming, and with it may be the fate of a handful of Magic players -- including a fan favorite -- during their ongoing rebuilding project.
 
   With an expiring contract, guard J.J. Redick is easily the most popular Magic name that has come up in trade scenarios. A 2006 Orlando draft pick, Redick is averaging career highs in points (15.3) and field goal percentage (45.9) in his seventh season in Orlando.
 
   He acknowledges that he's aware of the chatter, but said Tuesday he isn't doing any extra worrying this week as Thursday's deadline creeps closer. The Magic's final home game before the deadline is Tuesday night against Charlotte.
 
   "It's weird. You sometimes get the feeling. Like `I've got a feeling I'm gonna have a good game tonight,' or whatever it may be. And I just don't have a feeling either way on this one," he said. "So, if anything, I'm just kind of waiting. But no gut-churning. No nervousness. I'm still gonna play basketball. Nothing life or death."
 
   Part of the reason Redick is so calm is that he previously was prepared to depart from Orlando. In the summer of 2010 he was a restricted free agent when the Magic matched his offer sheet from the Chicago Bulls for three years and $19 million.
 
   If the Magic don't deal him before Thursday he would be able to enter the open market with no restrictions this summer.
 
   "It's nice to know that not only the Magic respect me as a player, but there's other teams that respect me as a player, and respect my skill set," Redick said. "So it's definitely flattering."
 
   Orlando may certainly re-sign him, but how it plays out will be up to rookie Orlando general manager Rob Hennigan. With a stated focus on the future, he must decide between using a valuable veteran commodity like Redick to acquire draft picks and young talent, and keeping an improved player and ticket draw.
 
   Redick said he's just happy that there's been an open dialogue with Hennigan throughout.
 
   "I've expected that. And he's followed through on that and I appreciate it," Redick said.
 
   Hennigan might also try to unload the contract of forward Al Harrington, a pickup in the Dwight Howard trade who has yet to play this season as he recovers from offseason knee surgery.
 
   Harrington is due more $7 million in each of the next two seasons, which may be more than a team in the market to chase big name free agents would like to spend on a 15-year veteran.
 
   Magic coach Jacque Vaughn said he talks to Hennigan daily on various topics, but wouldn't elaborate. He said he hasn't had any talk with players about trades, however, and doesn't plan to this week.
 
   "I haven't said one thing about it," Vaughn said. "I come to work. You come to work. We'll worry about what we can control and that's to work and let everything else happen as it may.
 
   "...There's nothing a player's going to be able to start or stop. But they can control their job that day, and that night. Which is easier said than done, I agree with that. But why put yourself in a worrying situation when you can try not to. That's the best I got for them."
 
   It would seem logical that no potential trade partner would be comfortable making a deal for Harrington without having seen him play this season.
 
   Though Harrington has been doing individual on the court workouts for weeks, Vaughn said there still hasn't been a discussion of a timetable for Harrington's return.
 
   "No player's 100 percent, I'll say that. And that's a true statement. And I don't think Al would say he's 100 percent," Vaughn said. "Al has a standard. He wants to play at the standard. The last time you saw Al play he played at a very high level and that's what we want him to do. We want him to be comfortable on the floor, doing the things that have made him the player that he is.
 
   "We haven't rushed him and we wanted him to feel good."
 
   Magic guard Arron Afflalo has been traded twice in his career, including this past summer as part of the Howard deal.
 
   He said he has no reason to believe he won't be with Orlando on Friday morning, but said he has never gotten caught up in worrying about trades.
 
   "I've been on teams where guys got traded on the last day," he said. "If we played on Thursday, they come to shoot around and then be gone before the game. So I know it's a possibility, but me personally, no, I've never really thought about.
 
   "I guess you just take the shock value in it when a teammate gets traded or if it happens to be yourself...evaluate your situation and move forward."

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