Courtney Lee

Courtney Lee, Two popular former Orlando Magic players are about to participate in an exchange of four teams, ESPN.com ‘s Chad Ford is reporting.

Courtney Lee would go from New Jersey Nets at Houston Rockets. Trevor Ariza would the Rockets to the Hornets in New Orleans.

The Hornets sent Darren Collison and James Posey to the Indiana Pacers. And the Pacers Troy Murphy sent the Nets.

The Rockets would be Lee’s third team in his short career in the NBA, and the agreement would have a clear positive and clear negative for him.

First, the positives: It would be out of New Jersey, which was 12-70 last season and should be horrible, once again, even with Avery Johnson as head coach. I also think that Lee feels energized to join the Houston Rockets went 42-40 last season and could sneak in pursuit of the Western Conference playoffs this season.

Now the negative: Lee will join a team that already has a good escort. The Rockets acquired Kevin Martin of the Sacramento Kings last season, and Martin is the clear starter. In fact, as Ford said, perhaps the best aspect of this agreement for the Rockets is that they will get rid of long-term contract Ariza.

How does this affect the magic?

My friend Ben P. Rock OrlandoPinstripedPost.com supports the efforts of the Magic to acquire Chris Paul of New Orleans “could soon be a great success” because the Hornets split with Collison, a point guard of the future potential.

I disagree because that is the Magic had a reasonable expectation of Paul in the first place. I do not think any team, much less the Magic had the opportunity to get Paul.

I have argued for some time that the Hornets would be crazy to trade away their franchise player, while he has two seasons left on his contract. In short, Paul simply does not have any leverage to force a deal because of their contractual situation and because he is not the kind of person who would become a team cancer.

All that said, you can bet that Paul is heated speculation again if the Hornets from 2010 to 1911 to start his illness.