Orlando Magic News & Notes: Hawks @ Magic

Click here to see the Sentinel’s preview of the game.

Brian Schmitz previews the Southeast Division.

Bill Simmons has posted his annual NBA preview and he says that Vince Carter is the fourth most intriguing person in the entire NBA for the upcoming season.

4. Vince Carter
Forget everything you know about him. Forget how he quit on Toronto, forget how Jason Kidd pushed for a trade to Dallas just to get away from him, forget that the most memorable moments of his career were a slam dunk contest and the time he dunked on Fred Weis. Forget that you’re disappointed in him, that you don’t trust him, that you wouldn’t want to go to war with him. Forget that he’s played 42 games TOTAL in 11 years, or that he hasn’t made an All-NBA team since the first year of Dubya’s presidency. Forget that he’s the active league leader in “most willing to never drive to the basket again if you knock him down once” and “most times rolling around underneath the rim like he’s been shot” categories. Forget all of these things. And ask yourself this question:

Has Vince Carter ever played for a good team?

Click here to see the full preview.

Tim Povtak discusses the eye injury that Dwight Howard suffered on Wednesday night and jokes about him wearing an eye patch for Halloween.

“I might have to wear a patch. Call me `Patch Howard,”’ he said, adding in a pirate voice, “Arrrrrgh, matey.”

Howard also suggested he might start wearing goggles, like former Magic player Bo Outlaw, or even a facemask like the one worn last season by former Magic player Courtney Lee.

Click here for the full story.

Dwight Howard has updated his official blog and discusses his acting career. Click here to read that.

Stan Van Gundy discussed the rotation after practice yesterday.

Stan Van Gundy gave 10 players significant minutes during Wednesday night’s victory over the Indiana Pacers, and the Orlando Magic coach is likely to begin the regular season with 10 guys in the team’s playing rotation.

“That could get shortened at times, but that’s sort of where I’m headed right now,” Van Gundy said following the Magic’s practice Thursday afternoon at RDV Sportsplex. “The rotation will probably at some point have to be shortened, but right now I think we’ll basically go with two guys at each position.”

Tania Ganguli has the report here.

The Magic will also host a very special ceremony tonight.

ORLANDO MAGIC TO HOST DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY NATURALIZATION CEREMONY

-Eighty-one candidates for U.S. citizenship to be sworn in at Amway Arena-

WHO: Eighty-one candidates for U.S. citizenship; Orlando Magic Community Ambassador Nick Anderson; Orlando Magic Vice President of Community Relations and Government Affairs Linda Landman-Gonzalez

WHAT: The Orlando Magic have partnered with the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to host a naturalization ceremony for 81 candidates for U.S. citizenship at Amway Arena. The 81 candidates will take part in a ceremony in the afternoon, featuring Anderson and Landman-Gonzalez, and will conclude their last steps to become a U.S. citizen on the court at halftime of that night’s game.

WHEN: Main ceremony: Friday, October 23, 2009; 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Conclusion of the ceremony: Halftime of the Magic vs. Hawks preseason game – tip-off is 8:00 p.m.

WHERE:Amway Arena
600 W. Amelia St., Orlando, FL 32801

(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger. Subscribe to his RSS feed and add him on Twitter to follow him daily.)