Archive for July, 2010

In honor of the Miami Heat signing Eddie House, here is one of the lasting moments from the 2009 NBA playoffs. (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 Magic: NBA ALL-STAR DWIGHT HOWARD LAUNCHES THIRD ANNUAL OLD SPICE BASKETBALL CAMP FOR CHARITY AUGUST 2-4 WHO: Orlando Magic All-Star Dwight Howard WHAT: Kids ages 7-18 are invited to join NBA All-Star Dwight Howard for basketball fundamentals and fun. Each day, the campers will experience various stations, specializing in fundamental skills and the team concept of basketball. Individual groups will be small to assure that each camper gets maximum instruction from the top coaches in the Orlando area. Daily games will be a staple in the Dwight Howard Basketball Camp. In addition, all [...]

Per John Reid of The Times Picayune says Chris Paul will not ask for a trade. After hearing Demps’ plan for retooling the roster, Paul, a three-time All-Star, is on board with the team’s direction and will not seek to force a trade, according to sources close to him. Although Paul has refrained from offering details about Monday’s meeting with Demps, Coach Monty Williams and team president Hugh Weber, sources said it was similar to a family sitting around a table and talking. Demps said they plan to put the necessary pieces around Paul by coming up with creative ways [...]

Otis Smith’s search for a third point guard could be over by the end of the week. President of Basketball Operations Otis Smith said he likely will decide what he’ll do with the Orlando Magic’s third-string point guard spot “by week’s end,” and he added that the role could go to Jason Williams. “Jason Williams we would probably like to have back, but what that would look like I’m not necessarily sure,” Smith said. “We’ll have to have a conversation with his agent in the next couple of days.” Smith said he’s also considering “two younger guys.” Josh Robbins of [...]

Per George Diaz of the Orlando Sentinel, Bob Vander Weide expects to see more of Brandon Bass next season. The organization _ including coach Stan Van Gundy _ seems to have a twinge of regret that Bass didn’t get enough playing time in the regular season to be effective in the playoffs, especially since teammates didn’t have a feel for that particular lineup. It hurt them against a physical and bigger Boston team. “Having Dwight [Howard] we’re obviously going to play inside-out,” Vander Weide said. “And Dwight at his age is only going to improve. Find something 8-to-10 feet from [...]

As I touched on earlier, the Magic are willing to keep spending. He [Vander Weide] responded: “In light of the current business arrangement in the league, I would just tell you we will look at every opportunity — and not specifically to your question — but every opportunity to improve this team. And we will do that.” The Magic’s team payroll for 2010-11 right now stands at about $93 million. The league’s luxury tax threshold for 2010-11 is $70.3 million. The Magic will have to pay $1 to the league for every $1 in team salary by which it exceeds [...]

On Tuesday morning, the Magic made Bob Vander Weide, Alex Martins and Otis Smith available to the media to announce the promotions of Martins and Smith and the extension of Head Coach Stan Van Gundy’s contract through the 2012-2013 season. Van Gundy is vacationing with his family and was unavailable. After the jump, you can read a recap of Tuesday morning’s presser.

(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: ORLANDO MAGIC ANNOUNCE LEADERSHIP PROMOTIONS Martins, Smith elevated, while Van Gundy agrees to multi-year extension Orlando, FL – Orlando Magic Chief Executive Officer/Vice Chair Bob Vander Weide has announced that Alex Martins has been promoted to Team President and Otis Smith has been promoted to President of Basketball Operations. In addition, Head Coach Stan Van Gundy has agreed to a multi-year contract extension. All contracts run through the 2012-13 season. Per team policy, other terms of the deals are not disclosed. “Alex, Otis and Stan have brought great energy, dedication, leadership [...]

Per Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel, the Orlando Magic have extended the contracts of Head Coach Stan Van Gundy and General Manager Otis Smith. The Magic will announce Wednesday that Van Gundy and Smith have had their contracts extended through the 2012-13 season. The extensions were first reported on OrlandoSentinel.com. While technically the general manager, Smith has a new title: president of basketball operations. The club also has promoted Chief Operating Officer Alex Martins to team president and his contract runs through 2012-13. Obviously, this was the right move. The Magic have been one of the league’s elite teams [...]