<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Trevor Ariza is finally feeling like himself again, although Orlando Magic fans might be desperate to learn just who he is in the first place. It has taken a while for Ariza to leave behind the memory of the kid who took his lumps playing for Larry Brown and the New York Knicks. "Coming from my situation . . . Well, there was a certain way you got to play," Ariza said, his voice and thoughts trailing off. Ariza won't speak about his escape from New York anymore than that. He is looking forward and trying to carve out a future in Orlando. On Sunday, in an overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks, Ariza took a step in that direction, turning in his best game since arriving in a trade (along with Penny Hardaway's contract) for Steve Francis. Coach Brian Hill gave Ariza his longest audition, and he responded with 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists in almost 20 minutes off the bench. Hill announced that he would play Ariza every game to "see how he does." Said Hill, "I thought Trevor did a good job. He attacked the basket." The Magic (24-42) are looking for any spark to help stop a 15-game road losing streak. If they lose tonight against the Charlotte Bobctas, the Magic will break the club record for consecutive road defeats. The 6-foot-8 Ariza was the last of the three players the Magic acquired last month to receive significant playing time. Darko Milicic and Carlos Arroyo immediately received major minutes in the club's rebuilding plan. But the Magic were pretty well stocked at small forward, and Ariza was averaging just 4.3 minutes in just four games heading into Sunday. And, Hill already was throwing two players (Milicic and Arroyo) into the mix who didn't know the schemes, and Hill wanted to get Ariza acclimated. And with Grant Hill rehabbing his sports hernia and the Magic out of the playoff race, there's no better time to evaluate Ariza, whose contract expires at season's end. Brian Hill's commitment might mean the Magic don't expect Grant Hill to return anytime soon, if at all. Playing Ariza will limit appearances for veteran forwards Bo Outlaw and Stacey Augmon, who aren't expected to return next season. "I feel good," Ariza said. "I feel like I'm getting back to knowing what I can do. My confidence is back." A second-round pick by the Knicks in 2004, Ariza, 20, lost it in the madness that has gripped Madison Square Garden.</div> Source
I really like where our team is going. We have a great core for the future and Otis Smith has done an amazing job with this club. Dwight Howard, Darko Milicic and Jameer Nelson should be the people that we build around. Carlos Arroyo, Trevor Ariza, Mario Kasun, and DeShawn Stevenson are all pieces that could develop into solid role players next to our three building blocks for the future.
