Jason Richardson has been robbed of his once explosive athleticism by Father Time, but he remains a valuable guard in a league that values players that can knock down open shots. Moreover, Richardson has consistently been a clutch player throughout his career and isn't afraid to take and make big shots.
The Timberwolves are likely sunk for this season now that Ricky Rubio tore his ACL, but that doesn't mean they can't plan for next year, and Richardson is still under contract for one more season after this one. He would immediately start at shooting guard for the Timberwolves.
As to what the Magic would obtain, Jarrod Rudolph of Real GM did not say in his report. One would figure the Magic would be interested in Wes Johnson after looking extensively at dealing Marcin Gortat for that pick. It never materialized, but the Magic may be coveting Johnson, who has played well at times. Johnson and Richardson could be dealt straight up.
Also, if Dwight Howard departs, Nikola Pekovic (13.3 points per game, 7.4 rebounds per game) could help to fill the void. Again, Pekovic could be obtained straight up for Richardson, but this would be the least likely trade to occur, as Pekovic's value is significantly higher than Richardson's, most especially because he is young and only getting better…
One would have to figure the most likely target though, is the player that has been mentioned the most so far in trade talks: Michael Beasley.
Beasley would fit in well on the Magic—with or without Dwight Howard. He would be counted upon to rebound the ball more heavily (again, with or without Howard), but he has the athleticism and agility to average far more rebounds. While he is hardly the 6'10" he is listed at, he has great length and long arms that should enable him to be an above average rebounder for a forward. So far, that hasn't happened, and this year Beasley is averaging a career low 4.6 rebounds per game.
Beasley has improved his shot selection though, and is shooting 45% from the floor this year on 10.6 attempts per game.
Really, the reasoning behind moving Richardson likely has to do with the proposition of starting J.J. Redick at shooting guard. Redick played brilliantly in Richardson's absence this year, and offers a lot of value as a potentially top 70 fantasy player, if given starter's minutes. He's honed all aspects of his game and is ready to assume a full time starter's role, so the real winner of this might be a player not even involved in the trade.
I don't think I would upgrade Beasley much, nor Richardson. Richardson could potentially play a big role on the Wolves, but their offense is going to revolve around Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio. It will be up to Richardson to knock down the open threes, which at this point in his career is his best asset as a player. He also remains at least an average defender, and is capable of bodying up against the more physical shooting guards in the league.
As to who would "win" a Beasley-Richardson trade, I'm not quite sure. Each team gains something they could use, but really, I wouldn't imagine it would significantly strengthen either team. That analysis actually checks out with the Hollinger analysis on ESPN's trade machine, which states the trade would affect neither team's record. There would not need to be any other players nor picks involved because both players are paid relatively the same and their values as NBA players are comparable.
As much as we all love trades, it's hard to get overly excited about this one.
Source: Real GM Wiretap—Jarrod Rudolph
Secondary Source: ESPN Trade Machine
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