Orlando Magic Blog – Page 64 – NBA Blog

Memphis Grizzlies waive Jerry Stackhouse

The Memphis Grizzlies waived guard/forward Jerry Stackhouse, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

The 6-6, 218 pound swingman was acquired on July 9 as part of a four-team, eight-player trade also involving the Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic.

The 13-year NBA veteran averaged 4.2 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 16.2 minutes in 10 games (one start) last season, his fifth with the Mavericks. The two-time All-Star (2000, 2001) holds career averages of 18.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 33.4 minutes in 854 games (563 starts) with the Mavericks, the Washington Wizards, the Detroit Pistons and the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal reports: Stackhouse was due more than $7 million with the Mavericks next season. The Griz received enough money in the deal to buy out the $2 million Stackhouse is guaranteed in 2009-10.

Memphis Grizzlies renounce rights to Chris Mihm, Darius Miles and Mike Wilks

The Memphis Grizzlies have renounced their rights to free agents Chris Mihm, Darius Miles and Mike Wilks, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

Mihm, a 7-0, 265-pound center, averaged 2.0 points and 1.9 rebounds in 5.8 minutes in 18 games last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Acquired by the Grizzlies along with cash considerations on Feb. 18 in exchange for a 2013 protected second round draft pick, Mihm did not appear in a game with Memphis and underwent successful right ankle surgery on March 3, ending his season. The eight-year NBA veteran holds career averages of 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds in 436 games (256 starts) with the Lakers, the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Miles, a 6-9, 235-pound forward, averaged 3.5 points and 1.7 rebounds in 8.8 minutes in 34 games last season with Memphis, who originally signed him as a free agent on Dec. 13, 2008. The seven-year NBA veteran owns career averages of 10.1 points and 4.9 rebounds in 446 games (190 starts) with the Grizzlies, the Portland Trail Blazers, the Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Wilks, a 5-10, 180-pound guard, was acquired by the Grizzlies on Feb. 19 from the Orlando Magic along with Orlando’s 2009 first round draft pick (DeMarre Carroll, 27th overall), Adonal Foyle and cash considerations as a part of a three-team trade (also including the Houston Rockets) that sent Kyle Lowry and Brian Cook to Houston and Rafer Alston to Orlando.

After signing with the Magic as a free agent on Sept. 25, 2008, Wilks tore his ACL in his right knee in a preseason game on Oct. 16, 2008 and missed the entire regular season. The seven-year NBA veteran holds career averages of 2.5 points and 1.2 assists in 229 games (11 starts) with the Atlanta Hawks, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Rockets, the San Antonio Spurs, the Cavaliers, the Seattle SuperSonics (twice), the Denver Nuggets and the Washington Wizards.

Per the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, a renounced player no longer counts toward team salary, so teams use renouncement to gain additional cap room. After renouncing a player, the team is still permitted to re-sign such player, but the team must either have enough salary cap room to fit the salary, or sign the player using the Minimum Salary exception. After renouncing a player, a team can still trade the player in a sign-and-trade agreement.

Four-team trade sends Shawn Marion to Mavericks, Hedo Turkoglu to Raptors

The Orlando Magic have acquired a trade exception and cash considerations from the Toronto Raptors, and cash considerations from the Dallas Mavericks as part of a four-team trade, General Manager Otis Smith announced today. As part of a sign-and-trade deal, forward Hedo Turkoglu was traded to Toronto.

“This move allows us some potential flexibility in the future,” said Smith. “Hedo was a big part of our success and did a lot for our organization during his five seasons here. We wish him and his family nothing but the best.”

Also included as parts of the deal – Toronto sends Shawn Marion, Kris Humphries, Nathan Jawai and cash considerations to Dallas, while also sending a future second round draft pick to Memphis; Memphis sends Greg Buckner to Dallas; Dallas sends Jerry Stackhouse and cash considerations to Memphis, while also sending Devean George and Antoine Wright to Toronto.

TRADE SUMMARY

Orlando Magic get: Trade exception and cash considerations from the Toronto Raptors, and cash considerations from the Dallas Mavericks

Toronto Raptors get: Hedo Turkoglu, Devean George and Antoine Wright

Dallas Mavericks get: Shawn Marion, Kris Humphries, Nathan Jawai and cash considerations, Greg Buckner (from Memphis)

Memphis Grizzlies get: Future second round draft pick from Dallas, Jerry Stackhouse and cash considerations (from Dallas)

InsideHoops.com gets: Love and admiration from all basketball fans.

MORE ON EACH PLAYER

Marion (6-7, 215) is a 10-year veteran that holds career averages 17.8 points and 9.9 rebounds to go along with 2.0 assists, 1.83 steals, 1.31 blocks and 37.9 minutes in 745 games (730 starts). He has finished the season with a double-double average four times in his career with the most recent being in 2007-08 when he averaged 15.4 points and 10.2 rebounds in 63 games.

Marion has been named All-NBA Third Team two times (2005, 2006) and was a four-time All-Star with the Phoenix Suns (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007). He has appeared in 65 postseason contests averaging 17.1 points, 10.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.52 blocks and 1.49 steals in 40.6 minutes. Marion has advanced to the Western Conference Finals two times and, in his most recent trip, fell to the Mavericks in 2006 as a member of the Suns. He was also a member of the bronze-medal winning Team USA at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

Humphries (6-9, 235) is a former University of Minnesota standout drafted by the Utah Jazz with the 14th overall pick in the 2004 Draft. He holds career averages of 4.2 points and 3.0 rebounds in 288 games. He averaged 3.9 points and 2.4 rebounds last season before fracturing his right fibula on Jan. 18 vs. Phoenix. Prior to his injury, Humphries was coming off his best year as a pro in 2007-08 when he averaged career highs of 5.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 13.7 minutes in a career-high 70 games.

Jawai (6-10, 280) just completed his rookie season for the Raptors seeing action in six contests. The Australian center scored his first career field goal on Feb. 18 vs. Cleveland. Jawai, the 41st overall pick of the Indiana Pacers in 2008, spent most of last season with the Idaho Stamped of the NBA Development League where he averaged 11.1 points and 6.4 rebounds in 24.0 minutes a game. No stranger to Texas, Jawai played one season of college basketball at Midland (Texas) College in 2006-07 where he averaged 11.4 points and 5.8 rebounds in 23.9 minutes a game.

Buckner (6-4, 210), a 10-year veteran out of Clemson, will be returning to Dallas for a third time. Originally a second-round draft choice of the Mavericks in 1998, Buckner played in Dallas from 1999-2002 before signing with the Philadelphia 76ers as a free agent. The native of Hopkinsville, Ky., returned to the Mavericks in 2006 when he signed as a free agent before getting traded to Minnesota before the start of the 2007-08 campaign. The veteran guard holds career averages of 5.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 570 games.

Hedo Turkoglu to sign with Raptors

The Toronto Star (Doug Smith) reports: To the mercenary professional athletes who ply their trades here, Toronto’s cozy ethnic neighbourhoods may as well be on Mars and “living” in the city means going from condo to arena to airport to an off-season home. To the newest Raptor, the city’s charm is the attraction. Hedo Turkoglu and his wife, Banu, who grew up high school sweethearts in their native Istanbul, should arrive here this week to officially sign a five-year contract worth about $53 million (U.S.) and – in a departure from the norm – it wasn’t the money that attracted them. It was the city and what it had to offer… The Portland Trail Blazers originally thought they were going to get Turkoglu on a five-year, $50 million contract, but the couple reconsidered the offer overnight Thursday and turned it down late Friday.

NBA team, D-League team affiliations announced

The National Basketball Association and the NBA Development League, the official minor league of the NBA, today announced the affiliation system for the 2009-10 season, including the announcement of a direct single-affiliation partnership between the Houston Rockets and Rio Grande Valley Vipers. For the fifth consecutive year, each NBA team has one NBA D-League affiliate to which it may assign players in their first or second NBA season.

The Rockets became the first NBA team to enter into a direct single-affiliation partnership with an NBA D-League team, granting the Rockets full control over the basketball operations of the Vipers. With the move, the Rockets will be the only parent-club of the team.

In a structure similar to other minor leagues, this new partnership model, previously referred to as the “hybrid affiliation,” allows for NBA teams to secure control over and cover the expenses related to the basketball operations of an NBA D-League team, while partnering with existing local ownership, who maintain responsibility for the off-the-court business operations of the team.

The list of affiliations is on our NBA D-League page.

Nets trade Vince Carter to Magic

The Orlando Magic have acquired eight-time NBA All-Star guard Vince Carter and forward Ryan Anderson from the New Jersey Nets in exchange for guard Rafer Alston, forward-center Tony Battie and guard Courtney Lee, General Manager Otis Smith announced this evening.

“Vince (Carter) gives us a veteran, go-to scoring presence, especially at the end of games,” Smith said. “Our goal remains the same – to win a championship. Any time you can add an All-Star to help you reach your goals, you have to do it. Vince has been a bonafide scorer in this league for 11 seasons and we are excited to add both him and Ryan (Anderson) to our team. We thank Rafer, Tony and Courtney for their efforts and wish them success in the future.”

Carter (6’6”, 220, 1/26/77) played in 80 games last season for New Jersey, averaging 20.8 ppg., 5.1 rpg., 4.7 apg. and 1.03 stlpg. in 36.8 minpg. He scored in double figures 71 times, had 20+ points 44 times, scored 30+ points 13 times and had 40+ points once, a season-high 41 points on Mar. 15 at L.A. Clippers. Carter led (or tied) the Nets in scoring 35 times, in rebounding 17 times and in assists 23 times. He recorded eight double-doubles and one triple-double last season. Carter ranked 16th in the NBA in scoring, tied for 26th in minutes played and tied for 30th in assists.

This is an interesting trade. It helps the Nets save some money, as they were going to say goodbye to Carter in the future anyway and aren’t winning much with him. Out with the old, in with the new. The team is basically building around Devin Harris and youth.

As for the Magic, with a healthy Jameer Nelson, Alston would have come off the bench and played limited minutes. Tony Battie is replaceable. But losing Courtney Lee’s hustle may actually hurt. Vince won’t bring that. But the Magic must feel that the scoring and defensive attention Carter draws adds more to their team than what they’re giving up.

More on this tonight. Hit our board to discuss it.

Hedo Turkoglu plans to opt out of Magic contract

The Orlando Sentinel (Brian Schmitz) reports: The agent for Hedo Turkoglu told the Sentinel on Monday that the Orlando Magic small forward will opt out of his contract and become a free agent in two weeks. “It would make sense for him to opt out,” Lon Babby, Turkoglu’s agent said by phone. “I can’t imagine a scenario in which he would not.” The Magic, fresh off an appearance in the NBA Finals, will be challenged to keep their core group together with Turkoglu and center Marcin Gortat testing the free-agent waters. The Magic already have tied up Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson to large, long-term deals… Turkoglu is scheduled to make $7.3 million next season in the final year of a six-year, $36 million deal.

Team, city to split cost of 2009 Lakers championship parade

Economic conditions in Los Angeles, California and the country and world in general won’t prevent fans of the Lakers from getting to enjoy a championship parade. The Los Angeles Times (Julie Cart) reports:

In the end, the team and city will split the cost — each kicking in about $1 million for the festivities, which for the first time includes the significant expense of renting the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The city will pay for police, transportation and general staff, said Mark Szabo, spokesman for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. The mayor said Sunday that it was “untenable” not to have a parade, even though city officials had been meeting behind closed doors to find hundreds of millions of dollars in budget cuts.

Rowdy celebrations in Los Angeles after Lakers win championship

The AP (Christopher Weber) reports: Hundreds celebrated in the streets outside Staples Center after the Los Angeles Lakers’ NBA title win Sunday night, with some revelers damaging police cruisers, throwing rocks and bottles at officers and setting bonfires in the street, authorities said. About 25 people were arrested, most part of a rowdy crowd that split off on to surrounding streets after police declared the gathering an unlawful assembly, officer Karen Rayner said. Several police cruisers were damaged and reinforcement officers were called in from throughout the city to help disperse the crowd, Rayner said. Aerial television footage showed people jumping on a police car, rocking vehicles attempting to pass through the crowd, setting small trees on fire and throwing fireworks and flares set up by police. No injuries were reported. A gas station was looted and several cars, buses and a news van were vandalized, police said.

Lakers win 2009 NBA championship

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic 99-86 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to win the 2008-09 NBA championship, the franchise’s 15th title.

Kobe Bryant led the way for Los Angeles, shooting 10-of-23 for 30 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 4 blocks.

Lamar Odom (5-of-12) had 17 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Trevor Ariza added 15 points and 2 steals, Pau Gasol (6-of-9) had 14 points, 15 rebounds and 4 blocks, and Derek Fisher scored 13.

The Magic led by two after the first quarter, but the Lakers went on a huge run and won the second quarter 30-18. And the Magic scored just 15 points in the third quarter.

Orlando shot just 41.5% from the field and were an awful 8-of-27 from three-point range. And they hit a mere 10-of-16 free throws.

The Lakers won the rebounding battle, 47-36. They had 13 offensive rebounds, including 4 each from Gasol and Andrew Bynum. The team dished just 13 assists.

No one stepped up for the Magic. All five starters had double-digit points, and two players had 10 rebounds, but no one shined. Rashard Lewis led his team with 18 points (on 19 shots), 10 rebounds and 4 assists. Hedo Turkoglu, Rafer Alston and Courtney Lee each scored 12. Dwight Howard was very quiet with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks.

The 2009 NBA Finals MVP award was given to Bryant, who enjoys his 4th championship.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson now has 10 NBA titles as head coach, the most of any coach in league history.