Magic Player Profiles

Source: NBA.com

Cohen: Freeing Up For the Class of 2014

Source: NBA.com

While the eight teams left in the playoffs are focusing on trying to win an NBA championship, the other 22 teams may start thinking about what it's going to take to be in position to be a player in the summer of 2014, writes Josh Cohen.

Were The Houston Rockets Close To Acquiring Dwight Howard?

Source: Howard the Dunk by Andrew Melnick

Douglas Jones-US PRESSWIRE

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Were The Houston Rockets Close To Acquiring Dwight Howard? - Howard the Dunk - Howard the Dunk - An Orlando Magic Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More

Patrick Ewing To Interview With The Charlotte Bobcats Thursday

Source: Howard the Dunk by Andrew Melnick

Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE

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Patrick Ewing To Interview With The Charlotte Bobcats Thursday - Howard the Dunk - Howard the Dunk - An Orlando Magic Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More

Dwight Howard Rumors: Houston Rockets Will Pursue Trade for Orlando Magic Superstar, According to Report

Source: Third Quarter Collapse by Evan Dunlap

The rebuilding Houston Rockets remain in the hunt for a superstar and are prepared to make a lucrative trade offer for one, with Orlando Magic All-Star center Dwight Howard at or near the top of their wishlist, reports ClutchFans.net. Indeed, Houston was close to landing Howard from the Magic at the 2012 NBA trading deadline: ClutchFans reports Daryl Morey, Houston's General Manager, "was the last one standing in the Howard chase." Further, in the

Dwight Howard Rumors: "Everyone Realizes He's Gone" from Orlando Magic, According to Report

Source: Third Quarter Collapse by Evan Dunlap

Eight days have passed since the Indiana Pacers eliminated the Orlando Magic in the first round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs, but Orlando has yet to announce any decision on the futures of head coach Stan Van Gundy or Otis Smith, the team's President of Basketball Operations. Though he offers no explanation for the delay, Chad Ford of ESPN.com said in a chat Wednesday, "I think you'll see them let go GM Otis Smith and head coach Stan Van Gundy in the next few days."

Magic Continue To Say No Decisions Have Been Made

Source: Howard the Dunk by Andrew Melnick

Douglas Jones-US PRESSWIRE

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Harrington undergoes surgery on right knee (The Associated Press)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

DENVER (AP) Denver Nuggets forward Al Harrington underwent surgery to fix a torn meniscus in his right knee on Wednesday.

Raptors vs Magic - Orlando Pinstriped Post Weighs In on "Who They'd Rather Be" - Raptors HQ

Source: Third Quarter Collapse by Evan Dunlap

Raptors vs Magic - Orlando Pinstriped Post Weighs In on "Who They'd Rather Be" - Raptors HQ

The folks at RaptorsHQ asked yours truly to weigh in on this question: would I rather be the Orlando Magic or the Toronto Raptors? Coming up with an answer was a bit more difficult than I expected.

Report: Bobcats to interview Ewing (The SportsXchange)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing will interview Thursday for the Charlotte Bobcats' coaching vacancy, according to an ESPN.com report.

Join us at 3 p.m. today for Magic Insider Live on orlandosentinel.com

Source: Orlando Magic BasketBlog by brian schmitz

Join us today at 3 p.m. for Magic Insider Live! on orlandosentinel.com.

If you have a question about the Magic, fire away.

We’ll discuss the futures of Stan Van Gundy, Otis Smith and Dwight Howard, among other things.

And we will answer your questions live.

That’s Magic Insider Live! today at 3 p.m. on orlandosentinel.com.

J.J. Redick never misses the show.

What Went Right: We all we got

Source: Orlando Magic Daily

Over the next few weeks Orlando Magic Daily will be taking a look at the things that went right and wrong this season as Orlando ended its season with a disappointing first-round loss to Indiana.

It was late March when we began to realize that something was seriously wrong with Dwight Howard. All the reports of the origins of Dwight Howard's back issues suggested that he was feeling discomfort with his back before March 30, but the flashpoint came in that defeat to the Mavericks. There, for all careful Magic fans to see, was Brendan Haywood giving a forearm shiver to Howard's lower back.

Orlando sent video of the play to NBA offices and received no penalty or comment whatsoever from the NBA office.

Howard played only two more games after that, looking clearly uncomfortable and unable to play at his best. For most of the remainder of that time in the regular season, the Magic were unsure of how long their superstar center would be out. It turned out to be indefinitely and it left a gaping hole in the Magic's lineup -- both offensively and defensively.

The team went 5-9 after that game. The Magic were hardly the same team. The defense was much worse and unable to gain any consistency. The offense was statistically better, but as we saw in the Playoffs it bogged down and became too predictable.

Still, the 5-9 record does not fully encapsulate what that team accomplished.

Throughout the entire season, it seemed Dwight Howard (or those anonymous sources, or reporters, or bloggers, or me) was suggesting throughout the season that his biggest disappointment with Otis Smith and the organization in his supporting cast. Howard seemed to want more.

Then on the other hand, he was telling the media that we all just need to believe in the group Orlando had and that it just needed to play with consistent energy. And certainly, Orlando had moments this season when it looked like the great team Howard and J.J. Redick sometimes talked about.

We did not really see that team come out though until Howard was gone and the team was forced to band together and become a truly fun team to watch.

Column: Loss of Bosh turns up heat on Miami (The Associated Press)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

It came down to a last shot and who was going to take it, an all-too-familiar dilemma for the Miami Heat.

Magic CEO: No decisions have been made about Smith, Van Gundy

Source: Orlando Magic BasketBlog by Josh Robbins

Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins said Tuesday night that his evaluation process of the team’s basketball operations department is still ongoing.

“No decisions have been reached,” Martins told the Orlando Sentinel via text message.

Martins and Chairman Dan DeVos have said team officials evaluate the performance of the basketball-operations department and other areas within the organization after every season.

But the status of Otis Smith, the team’s president of basketball operations and general manager, and coach Stan Van Gundy are in doubt.

Smith reportedly will meet with team officials Wednesday.

Smith has told the Sentinel he was not sure whether he wants to return for the 2012-13 season, the final season of his contract. Smith did not return a phone call from the Sentinel on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Dwight Howard’s long-term plans remain unclear — at least to the public. Smith visited with Howard in the Los Angeles area between Games 2 and 3 of the Magic’s postseason series against the Indiana Pacers, and both Smith and Martins said Howard had not made a trade request.

Martins said team officials have been in touch with Howard’s camp recently.

Dan Fegan, Howard’s agent, has not returned messages from the Sentinel in recent days.

Follow Josh Robbins on Twitter at @JoshuaBRobbins and e-mail him at jrobbins@orlandosentinel.com. Subscribe to our Orlando Magic newsletter at OrlandoSentinel.com/joinus.

Report: Jameer Nelson Likely to Opt-out of Current Contract

Source: Bleacher Report

Jameer Nelson, longtime starting point guard for the Orlando Magic, is likely to decline his player option for the 2012-13 season and put his toe in the free agent waters, according to Alex Kennedy of HOOPSWORLD.

The former All-Star is searching for financial security and as such will look to sign a long-term contract. 

If he decides to opt-in and return to the Magic with his current contract, the veteran point guard would be making about $8.6 million, a hefty price for a player on the wrong side of 30. Nonetheless, "Nelson doesn’t want to be dealt as an expiring contract and end up in a bad situation," says Kennedy.

With this bit of revealing information, it would be a logical guess that Nelson desires to play for a championship-contender.

The Chicago Bulls, who have just recently lost superstar Derrick Rose to a torn ACL,the Miami Heat, an organization still pursuing a starting-caliber facilitator, and San Antonio Spurs are all suitable destinations for the sub-6'0" guard.

However, Orlando will still try to sign Nelson if he forgoes his final year.

Nelson, who has spent his entire NBA tenure with the Orlando Magic, had a dismal year in the truncated schedule. The former Saint Joseph's star averaged only 11.9 points and 5.7 assists in nearly 30 minutes of action per night, a career-low in points since his rookie season.

Numerous reports indicate that many of Nelson's problems stem from Howard's persistent requests to play with an All-NBA point guard, like the Clippers' Chris Paul or the Nets' Deron Williams.

Additionally, the eighth-year professional sustained a plethora of injuries throughout the condensed year, including a calf contusion and knee sprain. Physical ailments aren't a new development in Nelson's career though. The facilitator tore his labrum the season the Magic made their magical run to the NBA Finals in 2009.

Obviously, nothing is imminent, but it would be quite strange to see Nelson sporting colors other than Blue and White come next October.

Read more Orlando Magic news on BleacherReport.com

Upgrading The Point Guard Position

Source: Howard the Dunk by Andrew Melnick

Jason Miller-US PRESSWIRE

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Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Glen Davis

Source: Third Quarter Collapse by Evan Dunlap

Glen Davis started his first season with the Orlando Magic in a fog. The four-year veteran, upset that he wasn't starting, didn't bring the same edge to the game he had in his prior years with the Boston Celtics, and it broke his jump shot. He struggled to fit adjust to his bench role, and his poor shot-selection only exacerbated his problems. In addition, he dealt with the deaths of his father and grandmother, as well as frequent booing from the Orlando faithful at Amway Center.

But then Davis settled in, found his niche, and started

Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Dwight Howard

Source: Third Quarter Collapse by Evan Dunlap

I think there's a temptation, when assessing Dwight Howard's season, to grade him negatively due to the off-court drama he caused. It started with his since-rescinded demand for a trade in training camp and didn't cease until he waived his Early Termination Option on the day of the trading deadline, and even then more drama ensued when coach Stan Van Gundy revealed he knew Howard had asked for him to be fired.

Howard's off-court activity overshadows the work he did on the floor during the lockout-shortened campaign, which is saying something, as Howard once again put together an All-Star

NBA Rumors: 10 Teams That Will Go All-in on Potential Dwight Howard Trade

Source: Bleacher Report

After another failed attempt at capturing an elusive NBA championship, the Orlando Magic will enter an offseason filled with uncertainty.

The most compelling question is, of course, All-NBA center Dwight Howard's future within the organization. While many speculate that Howard will ultimately stay in the city that drafted him with the first overall pick in the 2004 Draft, Magic CEO Alex Martins did confirm that Orlando will search for a new option at center if the perennial All-Star doesn't sign a long-term contract.

"If he decides not to sign an extension, then we're going to make decisions necessary so we don't go through a season like we went through this year," Martins said.

After a season-ending surgery to repair a herniated disk, numerous scuffles with management and a less than stellar relationship with coach Stan Van Gundy, Howard's tenure in Orlando may be coming to a close in just a few weeks. After all, it has become painfully obvious for the city of Orlando that Howard simply doesn't want to be in a Magic uniform if no immediate trade occurs to snag a second star.

But with few valuable trade assets and an already large financial commitment for next season, it is quite unlikely that Orlando can acquire another superstar to appease their current one.

Nonetheless, Orlando will have to make a difficult decision in the coming days that will alter the franchise's course entirely. If the Magic decide to ship the top-tier center, who will go all-in to snag him?

Well, the subsequent slides will list and examine the 10 teams who may blow up their rosters to obtain "Superman." 

Begin Slideshow

Van Gundy's future tied to Dwight's

Source: Orlando Magic Daily

It appears this is decision week for the Magic and the beginning of determining where the franchise is going to go. The process of deconstructing the 2012 season on this blog will begin later this week. The questions surrounding the Magic after they were bounced out of the Playoffs unceremoniously.

The Dwight Howard questions that will embroil the Magic this summer begin with the question of who will be the head coach.

As I reported earlier, management and ownership is going to meet this week and a decision regarding Stan Van Gundy's future could be made by the end of the week. There are no guarantees which direction the franchise will be moving or that the public will know that direction.

What is assumed is that there will be some very deep discussions about Stan Van Gundy's future and that what happens to the team's head coach may come down first. What is even further assumed, judging by some of the awkwardness that transpired throughout the season and the surreal moment in early April when Van Gundy revealed Howard had gone to Magic management and asked that Van Gundy be fired, is that it has become an either/or proposition when it comes to Dwight Howard.

Considering that the Magic and Alex Martins worked so hard to convince Howard to come off his trade demand and decline his early termination option, it is also pretty safe to assume that the Magic are still going to do everything they can to retain Dwight Howard. The assumption among many is that this means Van Gundy will be gone.

This may not be a foregone conclusion.

A source told Orlando Magic Daily that the firing of Otis Smith is expected this week, perhaps as soon as Tuesday. This same source said that Van Gundy's fate may not be so simple. It appears that the franchise will try and talk to Dwight Howard first and then make a decision on whether they will keep Howard and fire Van Gundy or trade Howard and keep Van Gundy or, perhaps unthinkably, retaining both.

Nash, Rivers, Bucks win PBWA awards (The Associated Press)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

NEW YORK (AP) Phoenix All-Star Steve Nash and Boston coach Doc Rivers have won awards from the Professional Basketball Writers Association for excellence in their field combined with cooperation with media and fans.

2012 US Olympic Basketball: Ryan Anderson Invited to USA Select Team, According to Report

Source: Third Quarter Collapse by Evan Dunlap

Ryan Anderson took home the NBA's Most Improved Player award earlier in May. On Monday, he received another accolade, as Team USA Basketball invited him to join the Select Team, which will convene prior to the 2012 Olympic Games to compete against the Team USA squad which will ultimately compete for the gold in London. Matt Steinmetz of CSN Bay Area reported the news first, while Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel

Ryan Anderson invited to join the USA Select team

Source: Orlando Magic BasketBlog by Josh Robbins

Ryan Anderson will help the U.S. men’s basketball team prepare for the Summer Olympics in London.

The Orlando Magic forward has been added to the USA Select team roster that will help the Olympic squad train July 6-12 in Las Vegas. CSNBayArea.com first reported the news, and a league source confirmed Anderson’s inclusion to the Orlando Sentinel.

The USA Select team also will include DeMarcus Cousins, Kyrie Irving, Jeremy Lin and John Wall.

The experience should help Anderson, the winner of the NBA’s 2011-12 Most Improved Player award, hone his game.

Anderson, 24, will be a restricted free agent this summer.

Follow Josh Robbins on Twitter at @JoshuaBRobbins and e-mail him at jrobbins@orlandosentinel.com. Subscribe to our Orlando Magic newsletter at OrlandoSentinel.com/joinus.

NBA Rumors: Jameer Nelson "Wants to Test Free Agency" in 2012, According to Report

Source: Third Quarter Collapse by Evan Dunlap

Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson "wants to test free agency," reports Alex Kennedy of HOOPSWORLD, and as such is likely to decline his player option for the 2012/13 season. "Nelson doesn’t want to be dealt as an expiring contract and end up in a bad situation," Kennedy says, which is why he'd be willing to forgo the final year, worth as much as $8.6 million, according to ShamSports, in order to secure his long-term

Magic “Zeroing In” On The Next GM?

Source: Howard the Dunk by Andrew Melnick

Douglas Jones-US PRESSWIRE

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Colangelo thankful for more time to pick US Olympians (AFP)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

US Olympic men's basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo is thankful for a few extra days to consider a final roster after a flurry of injuries during the NBA playoffs.

Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Earl Clark

Source: Third Quarter Collapse by Evan Dunlap

Earl Clark is the rare sort of youngster who made crazy strides in improving in 2011/12, but only on one side of the ball. Defensively, Clark developed into the Orlando Magic's best per-minute shot-blocker, which is a huge development: the former lottery pick finally has a reliable, bankable NBA skill which should at least keep him on the fringes of the league for a few more years.

The big issue is that Clark is, apart from the occasional stickback, a complete and utter liability at the offensive end. It's not right for a player with his size and athleticism to shoot 36.7 percent from the floor; the

Orlando Magic: 7 Player/Personnel Decisions the Team Needs to Make

Source: Bleacher Report

After the debacle that was the 2011-12 season, the Orlando Magic enter the offseason with more questions than answers.

Of course, the big question revolves around the future of star Dwight Howard, but there are other decisions the team will need to make heading into next season.

Here are 7 player and personnel decisions the team will need to make this offseason.

Begin Slideshow

Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Ryan Anderson

Source: Third Quarter Collapse by Evan Dunlap

Ryan Anderson enjoyed a career-year for the Orlando Magic in 2011/12, setting career-highs in per-game minutes, scoring, and rebounding, as well as in all shooting percentages from the field, three-point range, and the foul line. For his efforts, the NBA named him its Most Improved Player, which honor will certainly raise his price on the restricted free-agent market in July.

Whether Anderson actually deserved Most Improved honors is a matter of some debate--Eddy Rivera of MagicBasketball.net and Kelly Dwyer of Ball Don't Lie have more on that score on their respective sites--it's hard to question

Dwight Howard "bored" but still in touch with Magic

Source: Orlando Magic Daily

The Magic are in a full holding pattern.

This week management will meet and begin making decisions and evaluations of everyone on the Magic staff and roster. Ultimately though, the Magic's future lies in the decisions of one Dwight David Howard Jr.

This past season was all about Howard decision or indecision. It dominated headlines throughout the season and it is something that the Magic do not want to go through again. So at the end of the season as Orlando sorts through what is looking to be a mess of an offseason it all boils down to one decision once again:

Will Dwight Howard sign a long-term extension with the Magic? Does he want to be in Orlando for the short or long term?

It seems every decision the Magic are going to make this offseason will depend on that answer. Alex Martins has all but said that if Howard will not sign a long-term extension this offseason, the team will go forward with what is best for the team. That likely means getting what value the team can for Howard in a trade. And it seems that will get done before the season begins.

The one voice that has been uncharacteristically quiet though is Dwight Howard himself.

The public has not heard from Howard since TMZ cornered him coming out of rehab a little more than a week ago. There, Howard said he had been in contact with coach Stan Van Gundy and his teammates. Van Gundy confirmed that he had chatted with Howard via text before Game Two but said at exit interviews that he had not spoken to him since. Several players, including Jameer Nelson, said they had been in touch with Howard via the phone.

"He is bored to death because he can't really do anything," Stan Van Gundy said before Game Four of his conversations with Howard. "He is sitting in a motel and doing his rehab. and the rehab is not like he is running three miles or anything. You are starting out slow. He is bored more than anything."

Howard said in that interview with TMZ that he feels like he is in jail because he cannot go anywhere and could not be with his teammates. Howard grew visibly frustrated in the interview when the interviewer brought up the subject of whether he was faking any part of his injury. That is how the interview abruptly ends if you watch it again.

Fans I have talked to have been very critical of Howard's absence from the team during the Playoffs and at the end of the season. It is tough to say exactly what Howard is thinking. I will not pretend to know -- otherwise, reporting would be easy at this stage of the offseason.

Phil Jackson & The Magic?

Source: Howard the Dunk by Andrew Melnick

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Pacers Can’t Take the Heat: A Fan’s Perspective (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

So what exactly did we learn about the Miami Heat in their first round series with the New York Knicks?

Five NBA Players Who Have Been Awarded MVP Three Times (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

The NBA MVP is awarded to the player who gives his best performance during the season. MVP awards are also given to the best player in the NBA Finals and All-Star games. LeBron James plays for the Miami Heat, and is the latest NBA player to be awarded MVP. James also received the MVP award in 2009 and 2010. LeBron James has now joined the prestigious list of NBA players who have been awarded MVP three times.

NBA Rumors: Orlando Magic Must Trade Dwight Howard to Avoid a Nightmare Season

Source: Bleacher Report

The annual drama which is the often turbulent and always confusing Orlando Magic basketball season has mercifully come to a close.

That doesn't mean, however, that the drama between the team and star center Dwight Howard is anywhere near drawing to a close.

According to an article from Bright House Sports Network, we may, in fact, see the culmination of this soap opera in the coming months.

Apparently, team CEO Alex Martins wants to see an end to this dog-and-pony show sooner rather than later.

"If he decides not to sign an extension, then we're going to make decisions necessary so we don't go through a season like we went through this year," Martins said.

When prodded if he meant he would trade Howard if he didn't sign a long-term deal, Martins added, "We'll cross that bridge when we get there but our number one goal is to get him to sign an extension this summer."

 

So, will he sign? The Case for Returning

Let's take a look at the pros and cons of signing an extension with Orlando.

First off, Orlando can pay him more money. It can go over its own salary cap to re-sign its own players and seem desperate enough to pay him whatever he wants to keep him in Orlando.

Additionally, Florida is one of nine states without a state income tax, meaning that no other team (outside of those in Texas) can even offer him that additional benefit.

So the money would be the first reason to stay around.

Secondly, the team seems comfortable giving him at least some say on roster issues, meaning that he would have a voice in some of the personnel decisions on the team.

No other team is likely to match that offer either.

Thirdly, Orlando is comfortable to Howard. It is the only basketball home he has known since he was a teenager, and there is certainly something to be said for familiarity.

There is no real way to quantify that, so let's not spend too much time focusing on it.

 

The Case for Leaving

Where to begin.

First, the Magic have a pretty crummy roster. They do not have an elite player at any position other than center, and they do not have any cap room or even anything resembling wiggle room.

They are committed to Hedo Turkoglu for $23 million over the next two years, upwards of $20 million over the next three to Glen Davis and upwards of $30 million to the trio of Jason Richardson, Quentin Richardson and Chris Duhon through at least the next two years.

They really can't count on the draft to supply an impact player, and a mid-level contract really won't help quantitatively either.

They don't have a lot of young talent, and their second-best player, Jameer Nelson, is only signed through next season.

They also have a general manager that is not signed past this summer, and a coach that he has had a very rocky relationship with (although the coach also is not signed for the upcoming season).

Trying to get Howard to re-sign will most assuredly have to be centered around money, and the confidence that Howard might have in the front office to swing a major deal.

Their track record on this front is anything but gleaming.

So basically, Howard has a choice to make.

Either he can choose to remain in Orlando for a load of cash without a shot at a title, or he can choose to go elsewhere for a shot at winning.

 

What should Orlando Do?

Since it appears less than likely that Orlando has a shot at re-signing Howard, they should immediately start to field offers for the star big man.

The one glaring question centers on Howard's health.

Most people feel that Howard will certainly not be effected by his back surgery. Any trades will most likely have to wait until Howard is healthy enough for a medical evaluation.

Howard began a walking program for the first phase of his rehabilitation from back surgery immediately following the procedure, and there have been no indications that he has had any setbacks as he continues his rehab from Los Angeles.

That being said, one of the best tools at a general manager's disposal for making trades is the NBA draft, but given that that is in June, it seems unlikely that Howard would be healthy enough for evaluation by then.

Therefore, in order to use the draft as a tool, another team would have to be supremely confident that Howard will indeed be the same player he was before the injury.

So for argument's sake, let's take a look at the teams that might be in the market for Howard.

 

Los Angeles Lakers

This truly has been the rumor that won't die.

For nearly two years, there has been chatter that the Lakers were interested in dealing center Andrew Bynum for Howard.

Given how poorly Bynum has played in the playoffs and the constant questions about his maturity and dedication, it appears that his trade value may be taking a hit.

That being said, he is still extremely young, talented and could benefit from a change in scenery.

The Magic probably wouldn't trade Howard for Bynum straight up and would ask for a package including someone else, perhaps point guard Darius Morris and forward Jordan Hill.

If the Lakers threw in both of those youngsters, the Magic should certainly consider it, especially if they feel that Howard won't re-sign.

 

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls need to figure themselves out.

Sure, they were the odds on favorite to meet Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals before Derrick Rose blew up his knee.

But there are definitely holes on this team.

Up front, Joakim Noah is a bruiser, but Carlos Boozer has been a huge disappointment, and Taj Gibson can be up and down.

They certainly would love to bring in Howard to the mix.

But who exactly would they offer up for him?

Noah would have to be part of the mix, but he really isn't a sexy player for Orlando to consider. The rest of the Bulls roster is mainly comprised of role players and savvy vets that probably won't bring out the Orlando fans.

Remember, the Magic are losing their one and only attendance draw, so whoever they bring back will have to put butts in the seats.

If the Bulls want to be a player, they will have to hope that the Lakers balk at dealing Bynum and they are able to find a third team to help them parlay Howard.

 

Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies are an intriguing team to consider.

They have a lot of young talent, they have a good group of players to build around and they could certainly use the likes of Howard.

But would Howard consent to re-sign there? If Orlando is suddenly too small for Howard, how is Memphis going to get in the mix?

 

Oklahoma City Thunder

This is another intriguing option.

If the Thunder fail to win a ring or even come close, would they consider breaking up their young squad for a chance at Howard?

Kevin Durant is the face of the franchise and isn't going anywhere.

But could they consider dealing Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka for Howard?

It certainly would be the best deal available for Orlando, but let's look at it from Oklahoma City's standpoint.

Westbrook is dynamic, but so too is James Harden, and Harden could certainly take a lot of the sting out of this move for the Thunder.

Ibaka is a very good defender and is one of the most athletic big men in the league, but Howard is the best center on the planet and does everything that Ibaka does but better.

A three-man grouping of Durant, Harden and Howard would certainly catapult the Thunder into title contention, but would the team be willing to give up on Westbrook?

 

Others

Just about every team on the planet would want Howard, and most would be willing to deal nearly their entire roster for a shot at him.

Utah has a lot of young, big talent, but Howard probably wouldn't re-sign there.

Detroit has a great big man and a lottery pick to offer, but Howard definitely wouldn't remain in a Pistons uniform.

New Orleans, Denver and Houston also have a lot of talent that they could offer, but only the Rockets would be mildly tempting from Howard's perspective.

Brooklyn offers a chance at taking New York, but it doesn't have enough talent to make the deal intriguing for Orlando.

Additionally, Miami, New York and a whole host of other teams would love to bring in Howard, but similarly, they don't have the required players available to make it worth Orlando's while.

 

Conclusion

Orlando must deal Howard. That is no longer up for debate. His history of flip-flopping and making outlandish demands and then backing off from them hints at an immature, petulant talent that has no clue what he wants.

It needs to rid itself of this soap opera and turn the page in order to help salvage their franchise.

It can't afford to let him walk like it did with Shaquille O'Neal in the 1990's, and it can't continue to let him hold its franchise captive.

It needs to make a deal, and make it quickly.

The best bet is still the Lakers, but if I were the Magic, I would keep close tabs on Oklahoma City.

If the Thunder disappoint this year, they may be in the market for an elite center, and a package of Westbrook and Ibaka would certainly help the Magic return to the playoffs.

Read more Orlando Magic news on BleacherReport.com

2012 NBA Playoffs: Miami Heat Vs. Indiana Pacers Eastern Conference Semifinals Matchup Fan's View (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

The Miami Heat needed two chances to do it, but they did get it done. After taking a 3-0 series lead over the New York Knicks in the opening round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs, Miami lost Game 4 before closing the series with a 106-94 victory in Game 5.

Miami Heat Look to Start Strong Against Pacers: Fan Preview (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

The Miami Heat will start off their second round postseason series against the Indiana Pacers on May 13. The Heat didn't have any problems against the New York Knicks, sending their conference rivals home in five games. They'll look to do the same against the Pacers, and the numbers are in their favor.

Dwight Howard or Shaquille O'Neal, Who is the Greatest Magic Center of All-Time - Fan Perspective (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

During their short NBA history the Orlando Magic have had the good fortune of drafting two of the NBA's most dominant centers of their generation, Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard. So of the two, who rates as the best center in Magic history? Now before answering that it's O'Neal in a runaway, let's remember that the former LSU star only spent the first four seasons of his storied NBA career in Orlando. That said, here is a breakdown of the two stars and how they compare to each other in franchise history.

Magic executives to meet this week, decisions may follow

Source: Orlando Magic Daily

The Magic's season is not a week over, and uncertainty regins at Amway Center an in the Magic offices. Really uncertainty has reigned in the Magic offices since early December when Dwight Howard formally requested a trade and perhaps even before that when the franchise had no idea what Howard wanted or his position on his future with the team.

With the team facing and dealing with a second straight first round exit, the Magic have questions to answer as they try to figure out what lies in their future.

Alex Martins said earlier this week at the team's exit interviews that the team will take some time to decompress before beginning postseason evaluations. He would not put a time table on when that process would begin or would result in a decision to retain or release the team's head coach and the team's general manager.

Orlando Magic Daily has learned that this process is expected to begin this week when Magic ownership meets to evaluate the season. The source tells Orlando Magic Daily that the feeling is this meeting may result in a final decision concerning Stan Van Gundy's future with the team by the end of the week.

There is no guarantee that there will be action coming out of these initial meetings between Magic CEO Alex Martins, Magic chairman Dan DeVos, owner Rich DeVos and the others involved in this meeting of the Magic's ownership and management group. But the postseason evaluations have begun in earnest. And certainly the Magic would like to have some things resolved with the coach and general manager before the team enters full NBA Draft preparations ahead of the June 28 NBA Draft.

"We're going to start a full evaluation process of our entire organization. That's what we do at the end of each season," Martins said at the Magic's exit interviews last week. "We base everything that we do on trying to win a championship. So we're going to do that this offseason like we do every offseason. Everything will be evaluated so that we get to next season and we will be in a better position than we are today to have won a title.

"Everything we have done over the years is about getting to win a championship. Unfortunately getting to the Playoffs is just not good enough. We have to find a way to get back to the Eastern Conference Finals and back to the Finals and have an opportunity to win a championship. Everything has to be evaluated."

Lakers back Brown after Magic's prediction (The Associated Press)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) The Lakers have issued a statement publicly backing Mike Brown after Magic Johnson declared the first-year head coach would be fired if Los Angeles lost Game 7 of its first-round playoff series with Denver.

LeBron James wins 3rd NBA MVP award (The Associated Press)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

MIAMI (AP) LeBron James spent two days trying to figure out the right words. An assistant jotted some ideas on notecards, which were ignored. So when the moment came to deliver his MVP acceptance speech, James spoke emotionally about family, charity, history and what the Miami Heat organization means to him.

NBA Free Agents 2012: Why Steve Nash Should Choose the Orlando Magic

Source: Bleacher Report

The 2012 NBA Playoffs are currently underway, but the 2012 NBA free agency period is inching dangerously close, with one major superstar about to hit the market—Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash.

The Suns are doing everything within their power to keep Nash, including reportedly offering him a two-year, $20 million deal.

Despite that ridiculous amount of money being offered, it doesn’t sound like Nash is interested. Nash is 38 years old and has yet to win a championship. Nash has made it clear to the Suns organization and everyone involved that he wants to win now.

That means teams like the Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, and New York Knicks will be in the running for Nash’s services when the NBA free agency period opens.

While the Heat and Knicks are solid options, the Magic are the best choice for Nash. Here’s why:

Immediate playing time

In Orlando, Nash will be the starter right away and not have and not have any threats to his starting role should he begin to falter. In New York, Jeremy Lin isn’t going anywhere, and if Nash has a bad game, the media will spin the “Nash or Lin” debate to a fever pitch.

In Miami, Mario Chalmers has looked solid, and it’s hard to imagine the Heat have enough money to bring in Nash as a starter. With Orlando, Nash won’t have any issues with money or fans should he struggle.

 

 

Jameer Nelson is a free agent, leaving the door wide open for Nash. He fits the offense better because the Magic focus on shooting the three to win, which brings me to my next point:

The offense

As stated, the Magic live and die by the three. Nash is prolific at shooting the three and will excel in Orlando because he’ll have many open looks with defenses keying on Dwight Howard.

In Miami, there won’t be enough shots to go around thanks to Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. James likes to act as a point, so a traditional point guard like Nash might not be a great fit.

The same thing goes for New York. Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony are going to take all the shots, and Nash might not be a great fit for a team that tends to have selfish tendencies.

Dwight Howard

Go ahead, envision a pick-and-roll with Nash and Howard.

Unstoppable.

There aren’t many teams in the league that are going to be able to stop that. Nash can’t find that anywhere else. There’s no effective big man in Miami and the Nash-Stoudemire experiment in Phoenix didn’t work out. That was without Anthony in the corner sulking because he didn’t get to shoot.

In Orlando, Nash gets the most dominant big man in the game setting picks for him and allowing Nash to make the veteran decision. It’s a duo many have dreamed of, but that is now actually in the realm of coming to fruition.

All Nash has to do is make the right decision. 

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LeBron James wins 2012 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award (NBA)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

LeBron James wins 2012 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award

‘Deep Thoughts’ and Cheap Thoughts: Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers (Ball Don't Lie)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

For every postseason matchup, Ball Don't Lie's resident dummy will offer a topically appropriate entry from the best-selling series of "Deep Thoughts" books written by legendary humorist Jack Handey, plus some of his own original thoughts on the playoff series. … Continue reading →

Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Quentin Richardson

Source: Third Quarter Collapse by Evan Dunlap

Quentin Richardson logged 866 minutes for the Orlando Magic in the 2011/12 season--more than 14 hours' worth--but I defy you to name a single play he made, good or bad, during that span.

Go ahead. I'll wait.

Richardson's problem isn't necessarily a lack of skill, but rather a lack of productivity. Orlando brought Richardson aboard prior to the 2010/11 season for his toughness, three-point shooting, and rebounding from the wing position. After two seasons, he's provided the first, but not the second or third, skills for which he was touted.

Quentin Richardson No. 5 Small

NBA Rumors: Magic Hiring Mike D'Antoni as Head Coach Would Result in Disaster

Source: Bleacher Report

Mike D'Antoni is reportedly interested in becoming the next head coach of the Orlando Magic if the position is available this summer, but if the Magic are serious about becoming a championship team, they shouldn't even consider hiring the former New York Knicks coach.

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel explained the situation via Twitter:

Hearing whispers that Mike D'Antoni would be very interested in a vacant Magic coaching job.

— Brian K. Schmitz (@MagicInsider) May 11, 2012

The Magic are going to do everything they can to convince superstar center Dwight Howard to stay with the team long-term, and hiring D'Antoni, a coach with little playoff success, would be a terrible idea.

Current Magic head coach, Stan Van Gundy, is an excellent coach and it would be incredibly foolish to replace him with an inferior coach like D'Antoni. That makes no sense at all.

It was clear that D'Antoni and Knicks superstar Carmelo Anthony did not see eye to eye this season, so taking over a team led by another drama queen in Howard would probably not work out well.

One of the major criticisms of D'Antoni's coaching career is that his teams don't play defense, and it's a very valid criticism.

His teams consistently play poor defense in the playoffs, which is why he's never made the NBA finals despite leading some immensely talented Phoenix Suns over the last decade.

Over the last five years, D'Antoni's teams missed the playoffs twice and lost in the first round twice. He didn't finish this season with the Knicks because he resigned in March.

The Magic need an experienced head coach with championship experience who can motivate the players to perform at a high level in the postseason. D'Antoni won't do that for the Magic.

Schmitz speculated that D'Antoni might be able to convince upcoming free agent point guard Steve Nash to join him in Orlando if he's offered the head coaching job.

And might D'Antoni be able to bring along his old point guard Steve Nash to Orlando? Might that keep Dwight Howard in town?

— Brian K. Schmitz (@MagicInsider) May 11, 2012

This would be a terrible idea. Nash is 38 years old and won't play at an elite level for much longer. Unless he's surrounded by a ton of talent, he won't lead a team to a championship as the No. 2 guy.

Nash also struggles defensively, which isn't ideal in an Eastern Conference where top contenders like the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls are led by elite point guards.

Hiring D'Antoni and signing Steve Nash are two equally bad ideas that would cripple the Magic going forward.

If Orlando makes either of these moves, they will lose Howard in the next year for sure.

 

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Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Hedo Turkoglu

Source: Third Quarter Collapse by Evan Dunlap

If Hedo Turkoglu's 2011/12 season with the Orlando Magic demonstrated anything, it's that the 12-year veteran really needs to transition into a new role. Turkoglu rose to prominence under coach Stan Van Gundy during the 2007/08 season, Van Gundy's first with the Magic, as Van Gundy entrusted Turkoglu with secondary ballhandling duties. The 6-foot-10 Turkoglu ran high pick-and-roll after high pick-and-roll with Dwight Howard, and to great effect, capturing Most Improved

Miami Heat Vs. Indiana Pacers Playoff Schedule (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

The 2012 Eastern Conference Playoffs have moved to the second round and the NBA has released most of the schedule for the Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers series. In the first round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs, the Heat defeated the New York Knicks in five games. The Pacers also took only five games to eliminate the Orlando Magic and now the two winners meet in the second round.