Cato's $8.7 million salary will come off the Pistons' books in July. With that, as well as losing the two years and $8 million owed to Arroyo and the $5.2 million owed to Milicic, the Pistons expect to be nearly $15 million under the luxury tax threshold this summer.
The Magic will retain their draft pick this year, and will get it in 2007 if it is among the first five. In 2008, though, the Pistons would get it regardless of where it falls.
There is a chance that Cato might never play for the Pistons. He is 31 and idle because of a broken bone in his right foot. He had shoulder surgery over the summer and has played in only 23 games with the Magic.
The Pistons do not intend to waive him, however. They will use him as trade bait to find another point guard.
With Arroyo gone, the Pistons have Lindsey Hunter, 35, who is still regaining form after preseason ankle surgery, and rookie Alex Acker as backups to Billups. They could also use Carlos Delfino and Tayshaun Prince as fill-ins at point guard.
The Pistons, though, are expected to make a run at veterans Speedy Claxton (New Orleans), Tyronn Lue (Atlanta) and Brevin Knight (Charlotte). Claxton and Lue are in the final years of their contracts and make $3.6 million. Knight makes $4.6 this season and $4.4 in 2006-2007.
Trading Cato for any of those players would still leave the Pistons deep enough under the luxury tax threshold to re-sign Wallace and Billups.
"We will be in the market to add depth at the point guard position," Dumars said. "If we can't, we still have four guys who can handle the backup point guard position."
By trading Milicic, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2003 draft, Dumars knows he will be in for criticism. Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade were all selected after Milicic.
"Orlando could be a very good situation for Darko," Dumars said. "He could get some playing time there and that's what he needs more than anything else.
"I don't mind people second-guessing whatever moves are made. I will never try to force something when it's not working out. If that means admitting that (drafting Milicic) didn't work out, then so be it."
Fact is, when Dumars drafted Milicic in 2003, he didn't know that he was going to be able to acquire Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess in successive years. With those two and Ben Wallace, Milicic's playing time was limited in his two and a half years here.
After a promising exhibition season, where he averaged 7.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.9 blocks, Milicic, still only 20 years old, began the season as the No. 4 big man.
But with the team's fast start, Milicic didn't get the playing time he expected and became increasingly frustrated. His practice habits declined, he got out of shape and his performance fell off dramatically.
Things came to a boil a couple of weeks ago when he asked his agent, Marc Cornstein, to ask the Pistons to trade him.
In Orlando, Milicic will compete for playing time with starters Dwight Howard and Tony Battie, and reserves Pat Garrity and Mario Kasun.
Arroyo, who was averaging 3.2 points and 3.1 assists, joins a Magic team that presently has four other point guards -- Steve Francis, Jameer Nelson, Keyon Dooling and Travis Diener. The Magic are trying to trade Francis.
Cato has averaged 5.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks over his nine NBA seasons. His best years came with Houston from 1999-2004. In 23 games with the Magic, he was averaging 3.8 points and 2.7 rebounds.
