Here is the official word from the Magic:

Drano “Royal Flush” Set For September 8

The new Amway Center in downtown Orlando meets another milestone as the traditional “Royal Flush” will be held September 8, 2010 beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the construction site (corner of Church Street and Hughey). Drano is sponsoring the event.

The purpose of the Drano “Royal Flush” event is to observe sanitary sewer flows, water consumption and pressure in and around the arena. Approximately 443 toilets will be flushed simultaneously; there are 18 men’s and 19 women’s restrooms in the new Amway Center, compared to just four of each in the old facility.

Orlando Magic President Alex Martins, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, and more than 150 people will take part in the event, including fourth and fifth grade students from Nap Ford Community School.

The Orlando Magic is the developer of the Amway Center which will compete to host major national events, concerts and family shows and serve as the new home of the Orlando Magic. Opening in the fall of 2010, the facility will be owned and operated by the City of Orlando on behalf of the Central Florida community.

The Amway Center was designed to reflect the character of the community, meet the goals of the users and build on the legacy of sports and entertainment in Orlando.

The building’s exterior features a modern blend of glass and metal materials, along with ever-changing graphics via a monumental wall along one façade. A 180-foot tall tower will serve as a beacon amid the downtown skyline.

At 875,000 square feet, the new arena is almost triple the size of the current Amway Arena (367,000 square feet). The building features a sustainable, environmentally-friendly design, unmatched technology, featuring 1,100 digital monitors and the largest, high-definition scoreboard in an NBA venue, and multiple premium amenities available to all patrons in the building. Every level of ticket buyer will have access to: the Budweiser Bar and Food Court, Club Restaurant, Nutrilite Magic Fan Experience and Orlando on Demand, Kid’s Zone and multiple indoor-outdoor spaces which celebrate Florida’s climate.

(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger, a contributor on the Fansided Front Page, and co-host of CB Sports Radio from 5-7 pm week days (1420sports.com). Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Twitter to follow him daily. You can download the HTD app here).

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Dwight Howard discussed his plans to help Haiti.

We are putting on “Concert For A Cause … Remembering Haiti” on Sept. 15 at House of Blues Orlando to raise money for the many organizations who are assisting in the earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.

The concert will feature yours truly and also Tichina Arnold from “Everybody Hates Chris.” The featured performances will come from DJ Chino, K. Michelle, Rupee and several other talented artists. I’m planning on several of my Orlando Magic teammates being there as well, so you guys can come out and get your autographs from those guys at the event.

You can read Dwight’s blog here.

The new Amway Center will get a big flush next week.

Speaking of the new Amway Center, the Magic have a sponsor for their parking garage.

Marc Normandin of Basketball Prospectus discussed Orlando’s signing of Chris Duhon.

SCHOENE sees increased usage in Orlando and shooting that more closely resembles Duhon’s 2008-09 than his previous campaign—it’s easy to see why he will improve. The roster around him is significantly different than what he was playing with in New York thanks to Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, and Vince Carter, three scorers whom Duhon can feed. There will be less pressure on Duhon from the opposing team’s defense because of the presence of this trio, and having someone who can stretch the defense like J.J. Redick on the second unit also bodes well for his game. Context is important when projecting performance, and moving from a team that didn’t win 30 games to one that reached the conference finals is a significant contextual leap.

You can read that story here.

Dan Savage and Josh Cohen of OrlandoMagic.com had a “great debate” over Vince Carter’s restaurant.

Ben Q. Rock of Orlando Pinstriped Post explains pace in his Advanced Metrics Handbook.

The Magic do not use the D-League well.

(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger, a contributor on the Fansided Front Page, and co-host of CB Sports Radio from 5-7 pm week days (1420sports.com). Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Twitter to follow him daily. You can download the HTD app here).

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Dwight Howard is one of the league’s best players on the court but his off the court work is underappreciated.

He is co-hosting a benefit for Haiti in Orlando and will visit the country as well.

Both events take place in September.

Philip Rossman-Reich discusses the way Amway Center pricing is taking shape.

Perhaps in response to the sudden rise in demand for Magic tickets and the completion of the new arena, the team is introducing variable ticket pricing for the first time. This has been a growing trend throughout the NBA, beginning in Portland a few years ago.

The basic premise of variable pricing is to have the market determine how much tickets should cost. For instance a ticket that would have cost $20 in Amway Arena, would now cost $25 for the Thanksgiving Eve game against the Heat but only, say, $15 for the November 3 game against Minnesota.

The price of the ticket will be determined by the opponent, the day of the week and how well teams are playing.

On a purely economic basis, it is a good business decision. Why should you pay the same price to see the Nets as you do the Lakers?

You can read that story here.

Shaun Powell of NBA.com thinks J.J. Redick is a rising star to watch.

It’s only a matter of time before he replaces Vince Carter, or at least gets more minutes in the rotation. That was assured when Redick outplayed Carter in the playoffs (especially against the Celtics in the conference finals) and when the Magic matched the 3-year, $19 million offer sheet he received from the Bulls. It’s no secret that Redick’s biggest fan, after Coach K, is Stan Van Gundy, who showed plenty of confidence in Redick during the post-season by using him in big spots. Redick has spent the last two years toning his body, working on his dribble game and his defense, to the point where neither are major weaknesses anymore. With more time and responsibility, he could become the Magic’s most reliable outside shooter, ahead of Rashard Lewis. This should be the season Redick averages double-figures and makes people pay for doubling on Dwight Howard.

You can read the full story here.

Eddy Rivera of MagicBasketball.Net wonders if Redick will become Orlando’s starting shooting guard.

Happy Birthday, Chris Duhon!

(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger, a contributor on the Fansided Front Page, and co-host of CB Sports Radio from 5-7 pm week days (1420sports.com). Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Twitter to follow him daily. You can download the HTD app here).

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Here is the official word from Charity Buzz:

With a big man’s body, a small forward’s hangtime, the hands of a point guard and the heart of a champion, The Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard has won the adoration of fans around the world. Now, he’s taking that heart one step further with an incredible experience to benefit The New Look Foundation. Dwight Howard is auctioning the chance for one lucky fan to test their skills against his in a high-throttle game of HORSE!

Dwight Howard led the NBA in rebounds before he was even old enough to take a legal drink. One fan will have the rare opportunity to spend an afternoon shooting hoops with this incredible athlete while benefitting a great cause at the same time. The exclusive experience is up for auction on charitybuzz.com through Sept. 2 at: http://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/215610

The New Look Foundation was founded by Usher Raymond IV, who understood early on that youth are the key to successful communities. He established the New Look Foundation to draw attention to the importance of their ideas, hard work and success. Every year, New Look mentors hundreds of youth as they discover their power as global leaders.

(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger, a contributor on the Fansided Front Page, and co-host of CB Sports Radio from 5-7 pm week days (1420sports.com). Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Twitter to follow him daily. You can download the HTD app here).

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Marcin Gortat and is Polish National team failed to qualify for EuroBasket 2011.

Josh Cohen of OrlandoMagic.com has been following Gortat’s performance throughout the competition.

Marcin Gortat may not care that he was, by and large, one of the best, most dominant players during EuroBasket qualifying action in August. The Polish Machine averaged 18 points, nearly nine rebounds and more than two blocks per game for his country.

But, Gortat understands that his individual achievements are very immaterial after learning Poland did not qualify for EuroBasket 2011.

Poland suffered a devastating 70-67 defeat to Belgium on Sunday – allowing Georgia to eclipse the Poles in the standings and earn an automatic bid to next year’s competition. Poland finished Group C in fourth place.

Cohen pointed out the Poles feel especially bad because they had four-point lead with about three minutes to go.

Gortat said he doesn’t care about his individual performance but put up big numbers (as noted above) and had 18 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks against Belgium.

It may have ended poorly for Gortat and the Poles but he earned more experience, which is very valuable for someone who at times finds playing time hard to come by.

(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger, a contributor on the Fansided Front Page, and co-host of CB Sports Radio from 5-7 pm week days (1420sports.com). Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Twitter to follow him daily. You can download the HTD app here).

Backbar Rendering From Brown Forman

Here is the official word from the Orlando Magic:

GENTLEMAN JACK RARE TENNESSEE WHISKEY TO SPONSOR TERRACE PATIO BAR AT AMWAY CENTER

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Magic announced today a new, multi-year relationship with Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey as the official sponsor for the Terrace Level patio bar in the new Amway Center. The brand will sponsor the Gentleman Jack Terrace, one of the premier outdoor spaces in the Amway Center that celebrates Florida’s climate and is accessible to every level of ticket buyer.

The Gentleman Jack Terrace will be located on the Terrace Level of the Amway Center off the escalators from the main atrium. Overlooking Church Street, the Gentleman Jack Terrace will become the destination of choice for fans to enjoy a drink before, during and after events. The sleek layout also allows fans to enjoy the Florida weather outside on the “patio” of Downtown Orlando, while also providing a covered bar space, giving fans the best of both worlds.

In addition to the entitlement of the Gentleman Jack Terrace, the Gentleman Jack brand will also have the designation as the Official North American Whiskey of the Orlando Magic and will receive digital signage in the Amway Center.

The Gentleman Jack Terrace will be one of the premium amenities that will be available to all levels of ticket buyers in the Amway Center. Other spaces with full accessibility to all patrons include a Club Restaurant, the Nutrilite Magic Fan Experience and Orlando on Demand. In addition, the Magic have taken measures to ensure affordability for home games, including 2,500 seats priced $15 or less, 7,000 seats priced $25 or less and 10,000 seats priced $50 or under per game, while supplies last. For the first time ever, the Magic have also introduced a $5 per game ticket, while supplies last, and offer flexible payment plans to its season ticket holders.

(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger, a contributor on the Fansided Front Page, and co-host of CB Sports Radio from 5-7 pm week days (1420sports.com). Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Twitter to follow him daily. You can download the HTD app here).

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There will be plenty of parking at the new Amway Center but it won’t come cheap.

If you can snag a spot in one of the two garages on either side of the new home of the Orlando Magic, it will cost $20, or double the charge for close-by spaces at the old arena.

But with a bit of a walk, you can cut that price in half to $10 by taking advantage of the 11 garages and several surface lots nearby.

All told, about 7,400 spots arewithin a five-minute walk of the center. That’s more than enough, Orlando transportation experts figure, to handle a sellout crowd at the 18,500-seat facility.

Outside of the two close-by garages, the majority of the spots, both in garages and on the street, will cost $10.

Expand your horizons to a 10-minute walk, and there are more than 10,000 parking places. The old arena had fewer than 4,000 spots nearby.

Dan Tracy of the Orlando Sentinel has that story here.

The world’s greatest free throw shooter has reached out to some of the NBA’s worst, including Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard.

To Shaquille O’Neal, Dwight Howard, or even LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, he could be the ticket to an NBA title in 2011.

“I could make any one of them a 90 percent free-throw shooter, if they had a little time and a willingness to learn,” he says matter-of-factly. “I guarantee it. Then, how much better would they be?”

St. Martin, 75, is living now in virtual anonymity, still giving shooting lessons, mostly local kids, on his modest, backyard court, a no-frills setup where he has lived and taught for the last 35 years, a middle-class lifestyle that belies his place in history.

He has been the World Record Holder (according to Guinness World Records) for consecutive free throws made without a miss since 1972, officially resetting his own record 15 times.

Tim Povtak of NBA Fanhouse has that story here.

Eddy Rivera of MagicBasketball.Net takes a look at Orlando’s corner three-pointer.

Magical Hoops profiles Quentin Richardson.

You can now listen to OrlandoMagic.com’s Josh Cohen and Dan Savage when they have their great debate.

(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger, a contributor on the Fansided Front Page, and co-host of CB Sports Radio from 5-7 pm week days (1420sports.com). Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Twitter to follow him daily. You can download the HTD app here).

Here is the official word from the Orlando Magic:

GEICO JOINS ORLANDO MAGIC AND AMWAY CENTER AS ‘CHAMPIONS OF THE COMMUNITY’ PARTNER

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Magic announced today a new, multi-year relationship with GEICO as the auto insurer joins the franchise and the new Amway Center as a ‘Champions of the Community’ partner. The ‘Champions of the Community’ designation represents an elite tier of brands committed to Central Florida and the Parramore community.

As part of the ‘Champions of the Community’ relationship, GEICO will receive entitlement to the GEICO Garage, a parking garage adjacent to the Amway Center and located beside I-4. The entitlement to the City of Orlando parking facility will bring a revenue stream to the city. As another element of the partnership, GEICO also receives designation as the Official Auto Insurance of the Orlando Magic and beginning this season, will receive a digital signage package inside the Amway Center, presence on the Magic’s official website, OrlandoMagic.com, and will receive print advertisements in the game-day program, in-game radio spots and be incorporated into a number of promotions throughout the season such as giveaways and halftime sponsorship.

“We are honored to have GEICO join our ‘Champions of the Community’ partnership category for the new Amway Center,” Orlando Magic President Alex Martins said. “GEICO has been a partner with the Orlando Magic for more than 10 years, and in that time has demonstrated the qualities that align with our ‘Champions of the Community’ partners. We look forward to incorporating GEICO into our Central Florida fan base and for them to play an integral role in the new Amway Center for many years to come.”

“GEICO is proud and pleased to join the Orlando Magic and Amway Center as a ‘Champions of the Community’ partner,” said Ted Ward, GEICO vice president of marketing. “The Orlando Magic is a real champion of the community through its sponsorships and scholarships. We look forward to continuing our partnership with this outstanding franchise.”

GEICO joins the Orlando Magic and Amway Center as the fourth “Champions of the Community’ partner, joining PepsiCo, AirTran Airways and Harris Corporation. Opening in the fall of 2010, the facility, which will be operated by the City of Orlando and owned by the Central Florida Community, will compete to host major national events, concerts and family shows and serve as the new home of the Orlando Magic.

(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger, a contributor on the Fansided Front Page, and co-host of CB Sports Radio from 5-7 pm week days (1420sports.com). Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Twitter to follow him daily. You can download the HTD app here).

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Kelly Dwyer of Ball Don’t Lie got a chance to catch up with Magic Center Dwight Howard.

Kelly Dwyer: I kind of want to get right to what bugs me the most – do you think those who are giving you the most criticism about your post game actually know how hard it is to be a post player in this league, in 2010? With the legal zone and, more or less, legal flopping?

Dwight Howard: I think those guys have never really played basketball. I find it entertaining, very funny, that those who have never played the game are telling people that they can’t play it at a high level.

You can read the full transcript here.

CBS Sports also caught up with the big man.

CBS: Are you guys motivated by people constantly discussing a certain other team in Florida who shall remain unnamed because it’s so early in the morning?

DH: [Laughing] We understand that it’s gonna be there all year — they hype surrounding the Miami Heat. You know, the team that they have, they should have a lot of hype. But I’ve been on teams where we had a lot of great players and we didn’t win when it counted — so it’s not about who you have on a team in terms of stars and big names, it’s about how that team plays together and what they can accomplish as a team.

You can read that transcript here.

Rashard Lewis has learned some new moves in the post.

QUESTION: What’s up JD? I have a question about Rashard Lewis playing the power forward position. I felt the reason it worked the year we went to the Finals was because Hedo Turkoglu was also 6-foot-10 and gave us a mismatch at small forward. Do you think the Magic would consider a more conventional lineup and use Ryan Anderson or Brandon Bass at the PF? — Jean Fremont

ANSWER: After talking to Rashard lately, I can tell you that he worked out with legendary big man Hakeem Olajuwon this summer to come up with some more moves in the low post. Hakeem talked to Lewis about using his body more to attack small forwards when switched to him in the low post.

Using Lewis at power forward the past three years was a stroke of genius by head coach Stan Van Gundy because it gave the Magic a tremendous 3-point threat and pulled other bigs away from the rim to give Howard more room to operate inside.

But Lewis has been told this summer to be ready to play more at the small forward position.

You can read John Denton’s mailbag here.

Sebastian Pruiti of NBA Playbook explains how the Magic beat double teams.

Magic ticket prices could be very high this season, depending on the opponent.

Patrick Ewing Jr., who played with Orlando’s summer league team and is the son of Magic assistant coach Patrick Ewing, has signed with his dad’s former team – the New York Knicks.

Atlanta Hawks guard and 2009-2010 Sixth man of the year Jamal Crawford wants an extension or a trade.

(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger, a contributor on the Fansided Front Page, and co-host of CB Sports Radio from 5-7 pm week days (1420sports.com). Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Twitter to follow him daily. You can download the HTD app here).

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Stop me if you’ve heard this one:  two NBA players walk into a bar, sit down next to a contender, and ask for a tra… oh, you’ve heard this one?

Unless you have been living under a rock lately, most Magic fans are familiar with the Chris Paul to the Magic rumors and the more recent alleged statement that Carmelo Anthony is interested in a trade to the Magic.  Even further, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, says the Nuggets are ready to trade Carmelo Anthony.  The Summer of LeBron has turned into the Summer of Self-Absorption.   All of LeBron’s BFF’s are starting to get jealous, and likely scared, that they will never have a chance to compete with the Triad in Miami so they are wisely trying their best to attach themselves to the game’s best big man in Dwight Howard.  The question becomes, even if their respective teams would pull the trigger on a trade, is making a trade the right move for the Magic? After the jump I will present the case as to why the Magic are better off this season with their current roster.

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