Orlando Magic Blog – Page 45 – NBA Blog

Dwight Howard tells Magic he won’t opt out of contract

Dwight Howard has told several teammates, as well as members of the Orlando Magic organization, that he will not opt out of his contract at the end of this season, sources close to the situation said.

That would mean Howard would remain under contract in Orlando through the 2012-2013 season.

Howard has not signed a waiver of his early termination option at this point, which means nothing is guaranteed yet. Both Howard and his representation must sign the documentation.

This latest development comes one day after league sources with knowledge of the situation said Howard’s public plea late Tuesday to remain in Orlando for the rest of the season only served to anger the Magic and has pushed them closer than ever to trading their superstar center.

Convinced that Howard, on the advice of his agent, is trying to manipulate the situation, the Magic are telling teams they will trade Howard before Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline if he does not commit to them beyond this season, league sources said.

— Reported by Chris Broussard of ESPN the Magazine

Dwight Howard may be resisting a trade to Bulls

The Orlando Magic would like to seriously engage the Bulls in trade talks for Dwight Howard, but the All-Star center’s apparent reluctance to make a long-term commitment to Chicago has all but killed the discussions, league sources told CBSSports.com.

The feeling among rival executives remains that the Magic seem intent on rolling the dice and keeping Howard for the rest of the season, hoping a long playoff run, emotional ties to Orlando and an extra year and $29 million they could offer would persuade him to stay beyond this season. But the move would be highly risky, given that Howard has refused to publicly commit to the Magic — a stance that sources view as a strong sign that he’d leave as a free agent if he isn’t traded.

“He’s telling everyone he’s leaving,” one league source said Sunday.

Magic executives are said to be unimpressed with the assets Howard’s three preferred teams could provide in a trade, prompting them to engage in a calculated campaign to expand the field of potential suitors beyond the Nets, Mavericks and Lakers. But the team that can make the strongest case for Orlando to depart from its risky strategy of holding onto Howard are the Bulls, who could offer 7-footer Omer Asik, Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer for Howard and Hedo Turkoglu, sources said. The Bulls also could offer a valuable first-round pick from Charlotte — top-14 protected in this year’s draft but but unprotected by 2016.

— Reported by Ken Berger of CBS Sports

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Derrick Rose dismisses talk of trade for Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard

He’s tall

If Dwight Howard is in town, that means questions about where he will be playing after the March 15 trade deadline are too.

“It definitely is getting old,” Derrick Rose said of being asked about the center before the Bulls lost to the Magic 99-94 Thursday night at United Center. “I’m sick and tired of hearing it. Chicago, marketing-wise is a great city. If someone chooses to come here, they definitely could.

“But I’m cool with the teammates I have. We have a winning record. It ain’t like we need to change anything. It’s not up to me. It’s up to the front office.”

There are zero indications Howard will add the Bulls to his list of teams with which he would sign an extension or that the Bulls are pursuing him.

“If it’s not about the Bulls, I really couldn’t care less about it,” Rose said.

— Reported by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune

Magic end Bulls’ 8-game win streak

Dwight Howard

Jumps very high

Dwight Howard had 29 points and 18 rebounds to lead the Orlando Magic to a 99-94 win over the Bulls on Thursday, snapping Chicago’s eight-game winning streak.

Chicago twice overcame double-digit deficits and led 91-89 with 2:56 to play after Derrick Rose passed to Carlos Boozer for a jumper.

Orlando responded with an 8-1 run started by Jameer Nelson’s lob to Howard for a dunk. Ryan Anderson hit a 3 and a pair of free throws in the game-deciding rally.

The Magic bounced back from a 100-84 loss at Charlotte, beating the league-best Bulls two nights after losing to the last-place Bobcats.

Boozer led the Bulls with 26 points. Rose added 17 points and nine assists, but shot just 6 for 22 from the field.

Jason Richardson scored 18 points and hit four 3-pointers for the Magic. Orlando hit 11 3-pointers.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Fran Vazquez still might someday join Magic

Fran Vazquez

Apparently does exist

Remember Fran Vazquez?

The Magic haven’t forgotten the forgotten man of their 2005 draft.

Smith said Vazquez’ contractual situation will allow him to come over to the states and maybe finally attempt to make the Magic’s roster.

“That’s the plan,” Smith said of the Spanish power forward.

Vazquez is playing for FCB Regal in Spain. Smith said Assistant General Manager Dave Twardzik and scout Sam Foggin have seen and spoke with Vazquez.

The Magic still own the NBA rights to Vazquez. The club drafted Vazquez with the 11th pick, but he decided to remain in Spain.

— Reported by Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Magic interested in hosting 2016 NBA All-Star Game

Orlando Magic Chief Executive Officer Alex Martins said the franchise will bid to host the 2016 NBA All-Star Game at Amway Center if, as expected, city and county government officials support bringing the exhibition back to Central Florida for the second time in four years.

NBA Commissioner David Stern said during the recently completed All-Star weekend that Orlando is “a perfect city to host an All-Star Game with all things good, from the hotels to the golf courses to the spectacular Amway Center.”

Stern added: “We look forward to coming back, but I can’t say when.”

The league solicits bids for All-Star Games in two-year increments. The 2013 game already has been awarded to Houston, and the host city for the 2014 game will announced 12 to 18 months before the 2014 game is played.

In the next few months, the league will ask franchises to make bids to host the All-Star Game in either 2015 or 2016.

— Reported by Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel

Magic CEO thinks Dwight Howard can be convinced to stay

Dwight Howard

Jumps very high

Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins apparently is not going to trade Dwight Howard until every last effort is exhausted to convince him to stay in Orlando.

Martins said on our radio show Thursday that he still believes the Magic can convince Howard that Orlando is the best place for him to win a championship.

“We have a couple of weeks until the trade deadline, which is a critical point on the calendar to determine how we can move forward together,” Martins said of the ongoing Dwight saga. “Our conversations with Dwight continue, and I feel good about the conversations we’ve had. … I’ve said all along our reason for not trading Dwight at the beginning of the season is that time would be on our side one way or another. Time would be on our side in the fact that we could work with Dwight to address his needs and ultimately convince him to stay. Or time would work on our side in that if Dwight made the decision that he didn’t want to stay, we would have more time to talk to other teams about what trade possibilities exist.”

— Reported by Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel (Blog)

Shaq says Dwight Howard leaving Orlando would be a travesty

Shaquille O’Neal

Never leaves teams or pushes for trades

Shaquille O’Neal says it would be a “travesty” if Dwight Howard leaves the Orlando Magic.

O’Neal also says Howard’s situation is not like his was when he left for the Lakers in 1996, because he says he wanted to stay with the Magic but had a better option.

— Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press

Orlando Magic sign guard Ish Smith

Ish Smith

Has cool first name

The Orlando Magic have signed free agent guard Ish Smith from the NBA D-League’s Los Angeles D-Fenders, President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Otis Smith announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed.

Smith (#10, 6’0”, 175, 7/5/88) was not selected in the 2010 NBA Draft. This season, he played in six games (one start) with Golden State, averaging 4.5 ppg., 1.5 rpg. and 1.5 apg. in 10.5 minpg. Last season (2010-11), Smith played in 43 combined games (three starts) with Houston and Memphis during his rookie campaign, averaging 2.3 ppg., 1.8 apg. and 1.1 rpg. in 10.3 minpg. He also played in eight games (five starts) with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League, averaging 12.5 ppg., 7.9 apg., 4.3 rpg., 1.50 stlpg. And 1.25 blkpg. in 32.9 minpg.

Smith appeared in 121 career games (91 starts) during his four-year collegiate career at Wake Forest, averaging 9.2 ppg., 5.1 apg., 3.7 rpg. and 1.26 stlpg. He became the first player in Wake Forest history to post more than 1,000 points (1,114) and 600 assists (612) during his career. Smith finished his career ranked second all-time on the Demon Deacons’ list in assists.

As a senior (2009-10), he started all 31 games, averaging 13.2 ppg., 6.0 apg. (seventh in the nation), 4.9 rpg. and 1.68 stlpg., earning Second Team All-ACC honors. As a freshman (2006-07), became the first freshman in ACC history to lead the conference in assists (6.0 apg.) and the first Wake Forest player to do so since Muggsy Bogues in 1987.

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Orlando Magic waive guard Larry Hughes

Larry Hughes

Still exists

Following tonight’s game vs. Washington, the Orlando Magic have waived guard Larry Hughes, President of Basketball Operations/GM Otis Smith announced.

Orlando’s roster now stands at 14 players.

Hughes, who was signed as a free agent by Orlando on Dec. 9, appeared in nine games this season with the Magic, averaging 1.3 ppg. in 12.7 minpg.

The Magic host Cleveland on Friday, Feb. 3 at 7 p.m.