Orlando assistant general manager Otis Smith denied a published report that the Magic are close to finalizing a multi-team trade that would send guard Steve Francis to the Denver Nuggets.
The New York Post reported Sunday that the potential blockbuster trade could involve Orlando, Denver, Seattle and New York. Francis would head to Denver and Earl Watson and Nene would go to Orlando, Seattle or New York. Seattle is reportedly offering Reggie Evans, Flip Murray and Vitaly Potapenko. New York is peddling former Magic star Penny Hardaway, who has great worth because his $15.75 million contract expires at the end of the season.
Smith admitted that he's talked to several teams about potential trades -- specifically Denver, Sacramento, Indiana and Detroit -- in hopes of shaking up a Magic team that is 19-26 and 10th in the Eastern Conference. But he shot down The Post story, saying that he intends to keep Francis in Orlando unless he's blown away by a particularly appealing deal.
"There's nothing to it," Smith said. "I'm talking to everybody about just about everything. But right now it's just talk.
"Steve is still a part of our future here. But I'm not in a position where I don't listen to what's out there. A lot of people are throwing stuff out there to see what will stick right now, so we're just evaluating things."