Feeling a bit like the Yankees

Orlando signed Matt Barnes on Monday using the remainder of its mid-level exception. Barnes is a versatile forward who can do some dirty work, mix it up inside and hit 3-pointers. Since the Magic signed Brandon Bass, I felt he was the best player available that could help them win the title.

So great, Orlando got its man. The team got the piece it needed to virtually complete its roster.

At the beginning of this summer of turnover, I was skeptical of the moves. I did not know if Vince Carter was the right piece to add. I did not know if Brandon Bass was the exact right fit. Even though I love -- and I mean LOVE -- Marcin "Increasingly Growing Urban Legend" Gortat, I did not think it was wise for the Magic to match his offer sheet from Dallas.

It was an interesting summer to this point to say the least. I was not sold it would get the Magic back to the Finals. I am feeling better about it now.

But why does it feel so dirty?

Take a look at our budget sheet, courtesy 3rd Quarter Collapse. That $80 million payroll is nothing to laugh at. Orlando is well into the luxury tax and will be fore quite some time. All in the name of winning a title.

As a Magic fan, I cannot complain. Orlando is in a very realistic position to win a title next season. The ownership has put in all its chips and gotten behind the dream of a title.

That is perhaps what feels so wrong.

The Magic have never been a team to go into the luxury. It has been something they have feared to perhaps a fault. It destroyed any chance of surrounding Tracy McGrady -- to this point perhaps the best scorer in the team's history -- with a decent roster (thanks Grant Hill). It let Darrell Armstrong walk for nothing.

It has handicapped Orlando as the team toiled in mediocrity throughout the early part of this decade. And let's not talk about the poor decisions and moves made with the money they did spend.

So now that the Magic are spending copious amounts of money and making good personnel moves, it all seems surreal and wrong.

OK, maybe saying Orlando is acting like the Yankees is wrong. They are more like the Red Sox -- spending copious amounts of money, but making good decisions instead of bad ones. But that is a lot of money to spending and it is never fun to feel like you are buying a championship -- I would know, I cheer for the Marlins in baseball.

But as my nine-year-old mind discovered when the Fish won the World Series in 1997 -- and South Florida learned again when the Heat won a title in 2006 -- it doesn't matter how you win a title.

If all these moves get Orlando a title, the fans and (most definitely) ownership will feel this is money well spent.

The consequences if the Magic should fail will be very interesting. But that is a concern for next summer.

All I know is that with Barnes, Carter and Bass on board, Orlando could very well see itself back in the Finals and lifting that trophy instead of seeing someone else take it from them.