Archive for December, 2011

Josb Robbins gave live updates from Orlando’s scrimmage here. Brian Schmitz talked about Dwight Howard’s performance: Howard hit a 16-foot jumper, had a putback dunk in traffic and another layup. He hit a cutting Jason Richardson with a pass for a layup. Howard has been working on a jump-shot and hit another from 15 feet. If opponents start respecting that shot, the league will be at his mercy. Schmitz added he doesn’t think Howards wants to be in Orlando: “It was great. I didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “It means a lot, not only to myself, but to [...]

Per Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel, the Magic are still looking for a backup center: The Magic are beginning the season the way they ended last season: looking for a dependable veteran back-up center. “We’d like to get another big at some point,” Coach Stan Van Gundy said. For now, Glen “Big Baby” Davis is backing up Dwight Howard. Davis, 6-foot-9, 290 pounds, is also battling to start at power forward alongside Howard. Asked about being Howard’s sidekick, Davis laughed, “I’ll be his sidekick, back kick, front kick. Whatever kind of kick.” Philip Rossman-Reich wonders if Glen Davis can [...]

Josh Robbins has the story here: Dwight Howard on Thursday dispelled the notion that he’s going back and forth on his desire to be traded from the Orlando Magic. Asked if he’s oscillated on his desire to be traded to the New Jersey Nets or the Los Angeles Lakers or the Dallas Mavericks, Howard responded, “It still stands. We know what’s going on. I talked to Otis today, and what we talk about is going to stay between me and him.” David Baumann also reported from Magic practice: Dwight Howard: “Right now, me and Otis (Smith) are going to continue [...]

The Orlando Magic officially welcomed several new players to the team this week – Justin Harper and DeAndre Liggins via the draft, Glen “Big Baby” Davis and Von Wafer through a trade with the Boston Celtics and Daniel Orton, who is essentially a rookie after missing the entire season last year due to his knee injury. Davis is clearly the most experienced and vocal of the group, so it should be an easy adjustment for him. As for the rest of the newcomers, it’s going to take some time to get acclimated with the system and in the cases of [...]

Josh Robbins has the story: Earl Clark is on the verge of re-signing with the Orlando Magic. Clark, a 6-foot-10 forward, has agreed to terms on a two-year deal, Clark’s agent, Happy Walters, told the Orlando Sentinel. A team official would not comment. Clark is already at the team’s Amway Center training facility, Walters said. (Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger, ESPN Florida’s Magic Insider (http://ESPNFlorida.com) and is the co-host of the ESPNFlorida.com Insiders Show Sunday mornings at 10:00 am EST. Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Facebook and follow him onTwitter to follow him daily. [...]

Per Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo, the Magic have ended trade talks for Dwight Howard: Orlando has ended trade talks for Dwight Howard, league sources tell Y! Sports. Magic decided to take Dwight Howard off market, ending talks with Nets and the rest of his NBA suitors for now, league sources tell Y! You can read my quick take on the situation here. (Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger, ESPN Florida’s Magic Insider (http://ESPNFlorida.com) and is the co-host of the ESPNFlorida.com Insiders Show Sunday mornings at 10:00 am EST. Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Facebook and [...]

Marc Stein reports the Portland Trailblazers are emerging as one of the teams in New Jersey’s potential four-team deal to acquire Dwight Howard: Just filed to ESPN with @chadfordinsider: Blazers emerge in trade scenario that would send Dwight Howard from Magic to Nets. Talks ongoing In most advanced scenario discussed, Blazers swingman Gerald Wallace would join Nets center Brook Lopez as principal pieces Magic would get Remains to be seen if ORL can indeed be convinced to part w/DH12 before season but this deal would also let them shed Hedo/Duhon contracts Update: Here is the complete story. (Andrew Melnick is [...]

Per Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo, the New Jersey Nets are attempting to build a four-team trade in an effort to acquire Dwight Howard: Howard has been sold on the idea of pairing with Deron Williams in a new Brooklyn arena beginning in 2012-13, and informed Magic officials he wants a trade to New Jersey. Howard hasn’t rescinded his trade request to the Nets, but as one source close to him says: “He runs hot and cold. …He just doesn’t always know what he wants.” While the Magic have engaged with the Nets, it’s still unclear if they’re motivated at all [...]

Zach Harper of Hoops Speak has an excellent Magic season preview: And all in this frame of time, Dwight Howard, his young and increasingly jittery star, was apparently dying to have his suggestions for team personnel not only heard but also brought to reality. He wanted a say in his fate of his team. Otis says he took those things into consideration but could never really get them done. At worst, he made Dwight feel like he wasn’t taken seriously, which is probably not the way you want him to feel when his impending free agency is charging at your [...]

The Magic are trying to stay away from the Dwight Howard talk. Hedo Turkoglu is more concerned with making time for his family, while Stan Van Gundy did make one telling comment, “Sometimes the best option is to do nothing. People want to give you nothing for the best Center in the NBA.” Now that Dwight Howard’s situation has been discussed, we can take a look at some other observations from media day. Everyone associated with the Magic is raving about the way Turkoglu looks so far. On Friday, Howard discussed Turkoglu’s improved performance while Stan Van Gundy had great [...]