Archive for June, 2011

Evan Dunlap of Orlando Pinstriped Post analyzes Monta Ellis: Still, Ellis can score a ton… You don’t rank among the league’s top-10 scorers for two straight seasons on accident. In 144 games since 2009/10, Ellis has scored 30-plus points 45 times. That’s roughly three times every ten games. As a team, the Magic have 25 such games in the same span. Wing players account for only four of them. … but some factors artificially inflate Ellis’ stats Ellis has led the league in minutes per game since 2009/10, which gives him extra opportunities to boost his per-game scoring Further, the [...]

Everybody’s favorite rumor, which involves Philadelphia 76ers wing Andre Iguodala being traded to the Orlando Magic, is back in the headlines today. Per our good friend Steve Kyler of Hoops World, the Magic have been discussing a package for Iguodala which centers around Hedo Turkoglu and Jameer Nelson. Over the last few weeks more and more trade rumors have surfaced with Andre’s name on them, and it’s starting to look inevitable that Andre Iguodala is going to be traded, and it’s likely going to happen around the NBA Draft on June 23rd. Iguodala has been linked to the Orlando Magic [...]

Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle reported the Orlando Magic have had talks with the Golden State Warriors. League sources said the Warriors also have discussed Ellis, among a variety of other players, in trade talks with Atlanta, Chicago, Memphis, Orlando and the Lakers. Executive board member Jerry West said at his opening news conference last month that the Warriors needed to be willing to take risks, and the most obvious gamble would be breaking up the backcourt of Ellis and Stephen Curry. “We are doing business as usual and will explore possibilities relating to getting the team better,” [...]

The @agentzeroshow is already in serious damage of being short lived.  Zach McCann of the Orlando Sentinel reported today that Gil has indeed been fined by the league.  Gilbert previously had touched on the fines via the same medium that got him fined, Twitter. My first reaction to this whole fine is to channel my inner Seth Myers and shout out. “REALLY”… and the more I think about it, the more I think it’s crazy. This is the most entertainment that NBA fans have gotten from Gil in YEARS.  A truly refreshing break from NBA players tweeting boring, mundane garbage.  [...]

  As you’ll remember, J.J. Redick was sidelined for the final 17 games of the regular season because of this torn abdominal muscle. Orlando Magic guard J.J. Redick recently underwent successful surgery for a torn abdominal muscle on May 26, Magic spokesman Joel Glass confirmed to the Orlando Sentinel Monday night. Zach McCann of the Orlando Sentinel has the story first reported by David Pingalore of Local 6 here. Kurt Helin of Pro Basketball Talk says this surgery is common and not very dangerous. It’s a pretty common surgery without a lot of risk, and it’s not one that would [...]

Our social networking page has been updated with just about everything you need to know concerning the Orlando Magic and who to follow on twitter. You can click here to or on the “Social” tab above to access the page. (Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger, ESPN 1080′s Magic Insider (http://espn1080.com) and is the co-host of the ESPN1080.com Insiders Show Sunday mornings at 10:00 am EST. Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter to follow him daily. You can download the HTD app here).

Alex Kennedy of Hoops World touches on the topic of Dwight Howard and Otis Smith: Dwight Howard hasn’t talked to Otis Smith in weeks, but he’s communicating directly with ownership about making changes. Do the math. Ken Berger of CBS Sports reported Shaq’s thoughts on Dwight Howard: On Dwight Howard’s recent comment about wanting to make his own path, Shaq said, “I hope he lives up to those words and stays (in Orlando).” Jarrod Rudolph of Real GM address the rumors surrounding the Magic: At a glance, it really doesn’t make sense for the Sixers. In fact, it’s nuts when [...]

Orlando Sentinel reporter Josh Robbins through Daniel Paulling can confirm David Pingalore’s report of Dwight Howard’s extension is false. “There’s no truth to that,” Howard told reporters in Birmingham. “The biggest thing right now is everybody understands I have one more year left. I’m keeping my options open, but there’s no other place I’d rather be than Orlando. I want them to understand that.” “But, at the same time, I do want to win, make sure everything is in line: our team, just everything from top to bottom, everybody is reaching for a championship. It can’t be me and a [...]

Wednesday night, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, reported Ricky Rubio of F.C. Barcelona and the fifth pick of the 2009 draft, will join the Minnesota Timberwolves next season. As many of you already know, Rubio’s most famous teammate in Barcelona, at least in the eye of Magic fans, is Fran Vazquez. Vazquez was selected by the Magic with the 11th overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft but has remained in Spain. With the rumors of Vazquez’s possible move to America to play with the Magic, Rubio’s move to the NBA can’t be bad news for the Magic, who would [...]

David Pingalore of Local 6 released a report about Dwight Howard signing a two-year extension with the Orlando Magic. Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel says he regards this report with skepticism: Pingalore says that a two-year extension “is all but signed by Howard.” So far, no one has corroborated that report. Indeed, five hours before Ping sent out his report over Twitter, Howard told the Sentinel that he’s “not focused” on an extension or on other future considerations. Please note the words I’ve italicized. Howard said: “One of the reasons why I just wanted to have this little get-together [...]