March 27, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Orlando Magic guard guard Jameer Nelson (14) prepares to drive down the court during the game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

Jameer Nelson faced an uphill battle when he came out as a four-year starter from St. Joseph. NBA scouts knew he could play, but he was a very generously listed 6’0″

Colleagues of mine who attest to being just 5’8″ or 5’9″ stand eye-to-eye with the floor general, and yet we see an NBA career that has been pretty good.

Nelson made an All-Star team in 2009, but he was injured an unable to play. And in fact, he never returned to that elite level of play following that shoulder injury. Nelson was on pace for a 50/40/90 season, potentially, and that is legendary territory. It was a half season; it is a quintessential version of small sample size theatre.

And yet, we can’t just disregard it. We like to think of guys at their peaks.

Nelson’s was kind of short-lived, but for as much criticism as he received for being a bit too shoot-first, he did accent the talents of Dwight Howard very well. For as many alley oops and assists as Nelson received, he found other ways to get the ball to Howard, often by the means of putting up flippers for him to clean up off the glass. That, as well as sharing the playmaking duties with Hedo Turkoglu, impacted Nelson’s numbers.

March 27, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Orlando Magic guard guard Jameer Nelson (14) before the game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

The Orlando Magic just don’t have much talent other teams in the NBA want. And what little they do have comes in the form of youngsters that aren’t going anywhere. Tobias Harris, Nikola Vucevic—and to a lesser extent Mo Harkless—are all pretty much untouchable at this point.

The Magic’s three best young players are all on rookie contracts, which will eventually help the Magic have a lot of cap room.

That cap room could come a lot quicker with the trading of some veterans. Those vets come in the form of Jameer Nelson, Hedo Turkoglu, Al Harrington and Glen Davis.