This summer, 3QC will take a look back on each Magic player's 2007-2008 season. The first nine posts will evaluate, on an individual basis and in alphabetical order, the players who played in at least 20% of the team's total minutes; the final post will briefly evaluate the five players who appeared in less than 20% of the team's minutes.

Today, our focus is Carlos Arroyo.

Going into the season, all the Magic expected from Carlos Arroyo was that he play smart, steady basketball backing up Jameer Nelson. For the most part, they got that. He did what was asked of him, and sometimes came up big when it counted. His performance in two of his twenty starts this year particularly stand out.

In a December game versus Charlotte, Arroyo started for Nelson, who was injured. The Bobcats, and Jason Richardson in particular, got to a hot start and looked ready to blow-out the Magic in Orlando. But Arroyo, playing within the flow of the offense, answered each of the Bobcats' baskets with one of his own. In the first 6:43 of the game, Arroyo totaled 8 points and 2 assists, and the Magic ended the period trailing by only one point. They ended up winning the game by 9.

In a March game against New York, Arroyo was the only point guard in uniform, with Nelson and Keyon Dooling nursing injuries. Arroyo shone during Latin Night with 13 points and 8 assists, taking the pressure off Hedo Turkoglu, the Magic's only other healthy playmaker. Turk scored 25 points of his own and the Magic won in a rout.

But Arroyo isn't without his flaws. Rajon Rondo abused him defensively in the Magic's dramatic 96-93 over Boston in January, forcing him to commit 6 turnovers, including the one that lead to Ray Allen's game-tying trey in transition. And, although Arroyo played more under-control this year, he still shot too early in the shot clock (39% of his shots were within the first 10 seconds of a possession) and took too many jumpers (77% of his shots, although that's down from 81% last season). His solid yet unspectacular play, taken into account with his age (29), salary ($4 million last season), and dropping off the face of the earth (7 DNP-CD's in February, virtually no significant minutes the rest of the season) makes it unlikely the Magic retain him.

Yes, I originally gave Arroyo a B-, but upon further consideration, I realized I was too generous. If Arroyo's performance this year is a B-, well, almost everyone else's would be an A.