Reports: Orlando Magic Pull Dwight Howard Off Trade Block

By: Tyler Ward

According to multiple sources, the Magic have reportedly pulled All-Star center Dwight Howard off of the trading block and are no longer willing to trade him elsewhere.

The Magic have said that none of the offers that have been on the table, most notably from the Lakers and Nets, have been worth accepting. To avoid more headlines, the team is no longer taking calls for the aforementioned Howard, who has been on the trading block as of late.

Yesterday, Howard made a short list of teams he's willing to play for that included the Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, New Jersey Nets and the defending champions Dallas Mavericks. Now it looks like Howard will remain an integral part of the Magic heading into the upcoming season.

Early Wednesday morning, reports surfaced that the Nets were close to striking a deal for Howard, that included the Blazers and of course, the Magic.

The Nets would have acquired Howard, point guard Chris Duhon and Hedo Turkoglu's hefty contract from the Magic, while Orlando would have received center Brook Lopez and center Johan Petro from New Jersey and forward Gerald Wallace from Portland -- they would have also likely received one or two first-round picks. In exchange for Wallace and for participating in the trade, the Blazers would have acquired an astounding four first-round picks. 

However, the deal died after it was first reported by ESPN.com and it appears that Howard isn't going anywhere, as the Magic are preparing to keep him for the entire 2011-12 season.

General manager Otis Smith was trying to achieve financial flexibility with the deal, as he would have gotten rid of Howard's remaining contract, along with Turkoglu and Duhon, who are both combined to be owed almost $45 million for the next three seasons.

But if the deal had still gone through, the Magic wouldn't have been a cap-friendly team anyway. They recently re-signed Jason Richardson to a four-year, $25 million deal and signed forward Glen Davis, who they just acquired from Boston, to a four-year, $26 million contract. That does not help them moving forward, as they're looking to sign Howard to a long-term extension.

The Nets had recently been looking for a third team to help them acquire Howard -- Golden State had recently attempted to become that third team, in hopes of getting rid of Monta Ellis to provide valuable assets to the Magic.

Orlando had reportedly wanted to get rid of Turkoglu's hefty contract, along with Duhon, who is owed $10.7 million over the next three seasons.

But it looks like for now, the Magic will retain Howard and it is uncertain whether he will be traded anytime soon.

Orlando's Dwight Howard Narrows His List Down To Four Teams

By: Tyler Ward

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard, along with Hornets point guard Chris Paul, have been subject to many trade rumors as of late and it has become apparent that one of both will be traded before the NBA season opens Dec. 25.

There are currently 30 teams in the NBA and Howard doesn't want to go to 26 of them -- he has made a list for the Magic that consists of four teams that he wants to play for.

This list consists of the Orlando Magic, who drafted Howard in 2004 and have made one NBA Finals appearance since then, mainly due to Howard's spectacular play. There is also rapper Jay-Z's New Jersey Nets, last season's champions Dallas Mavericks and of course, the Los Angeles Lakers.

Lately, there has been speculation that the Chicago Bulls could also be on Howard's list, as they have a budding superstar in Derrick Rose, who was last season's MVP. There is also Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer, who both form one of the best frontcourts in the NBA. The Bulls also have players that could entice the Magic in dealing Howard to the Windy City.

However, this list limits trade possibilities for the Magic, which has said that they won't exclusively deal to a few teams and that they will field offers from the league's 29 other teams. Unfortunately, no team is going to make a blockbuster trade to acquire Howard if he won't sign a lengthy contract extension with whichever team lands him. So, this practically means that it really is just four teams that he'd ideally play for because he won't sign an extension with any of the other 26 teams and would become a free agent after this upcoming season is over.

Alex Martins, the team's new CEO, met with Howard on Monday morning at the Amway Center and after the meeting, Howard apparently had toned down a little about wanting to get out of Orlando as quick as possible.

"I love this city, there is no place I'd rather be but Orlando. I just want to make sure we have the right things here so we can win a championship," Howard said. "I'm all about change. If you're willing to change and you're willing to do what it takes to win, then, you know, you got me."

Martins, who became the CEO last week after the resignation of Bob Vander Weide, has made no secret that he wants Howard to return to Orlando and help the team win their first ever championship.

Last Friday, the Magic gave Howard permission to speak with the teams on his list -- the Nets, Mavericks and Lakers.

The All-Star has seemed to be most frustrated with the fact that he feels the Magic haven't made enough changes to become a championship-caliber team. They did make the NBA Finals a few seasons ago, but haven't been close to going back since that campaign. General Manager Otis Smith has made the team into a perennial playoff team, but hasn't made significant roster changes.

If you look at the past couple of seasons, the teams that have won a championship have had multiple All-Star talents with key role players -- Los Angeles Lakers with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum; Boston Celtics with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo; Dallas Mavericks with Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Jason Kidd and Tyson Chandler.

For the Magic, there seems to be just Dwight Howard. He has solid players around him such as Jameer Nelson and Jason Richardson, but those three players aren't going to land Orlando their first NBA championship. There needs to be more pieces added to the puzzle and Howard feels that Smith and the rest of the team's personnel have failed to surround him with multiple great players that could succeed in the playoffs.

And I can't blame Howard for being frustrated. When you enter a professional sport, the main thing to do is win a championship; not filling up stats in the record books -- for instance, Dan Marino in the NFL; Marino was one of the best quarterbacks of all-time, but he never won a championship. He put up gaudy numbers for the Dolphins, but was never able to win the big game. If he had won at least one championship, he'd be considered the greatest at his position of all-time.

Howard is undoubtedly the best center in the NBA. There is no doubt about it. But if he wants to go down as one of the all-time great centers, he needs to win a championship. And the Magic have failed to provide him with that opportunity to hoist the trophy above his head.

So now, with Howard threatening to leave, it may just strike that fear into Martins and Smith that they need to acquire a big name or they will never win a championship, as they would have to deal away the best player in the franchise's history. When you look at it, Howard on the Nets with Deron Williams have that opportunity to win a ring. Going down to Dallas with Dirk Nowtizki has that chance. He, Derrick Rose and Co. has a chance to win it, too. And of course, Kobe Bryant, the best center of our generation, and the rest of his Lakers, also. All these teams listed above with Howard make them among the league's best to win a ring.

If the Magic want to be among the league's best, they will give Howard a superstar to team up with, no matter what it costs. And it'd be a wise decision to do so. I can't blame the former No. 1 overall pick for one second. Maybe he can finally win a ring whether it be with Orlando or some other fortunate team.

Orlando Magic Use Amnesty Clause On Former All-Star Gilbert Arenas

By: Tyler Ward

A team has finally used the new amnesty clause and that team is the Orlando Magic. According to reports, the Magic have reportedly used the clause on Gilbert Arenas, a three-time All-Star and 2003's Most Improved Player.

The Magic officially waived Arenas on Friday, the first day teams could sign and waive players.

Arenas is currently owed $62 million scattered over three years and he will eventually receive the money, but it will not count against the Magic's salary cap and their luxury-tax.

Arenas played in 70 games last season as was primarily used as a back-up behind point guard Jameer Nelson. The former Wizard and Warrior averaged 10.8 points and 3.9 assists per game for the Magic last season.

After entering the NBA in 2001 with the Golden State Warriors, Arenas was considered to be one of the best up-and-coming players in the NBA. In the 200-03 season, Arenas averaged 18.3 points per game and entered free agency.

He chose the Washington Wizards to sign with, but did it in a very odd way -- Arenas flipped a coin to decide which team to pick. His list included the Wizards, Clippers and the Warriors, but ultimately decided to go to a new team.

However, in his first season with the Wizards, Arenas battled a strained abdominal muscle injury all year, appearing in just 55 contests, while averaging 19.6 points per game in the process.

He would come back the following season and team up with Larry Hughes, as they formed one of the most potent backcourt duos in the NBA. The duo also led the league in scoring for a backcourt combination (Hughes - 22 PPG, Arenas - 25.5 PPG).

That season, Arenas made his first All-Star squad, while helping the Wizards to their first playoff appearance since 1997. Arenas and Co. defeated the Bulls in the first round of the playoffs, including a 16-foot fadeaway by Arenas in Game 5 that gave them the 112-110 victory. It was the Wizards' first playoff series victory since in more than a decade.

The following season, "Agent Zero" averaged 29.3 points, a career-high in that category. He made his second straight All-Star appearance after Jermaine O'Neal was forced to sit out because of injury.

During the 2006-07 season, Arenas scored a career-high 60 points against the Los Angeles Lakers, while also adding eight rebounds and eight assists in the Wizards' 147-141 victory. Arenas' performance set a franchise record for most points in a game, successfully out-doing Earl Monroe's 56 in 1968. Additionally, with the outing, Arenas is just one of twenty players in NBA history to score 60 points in a single game.

Arenas tore his MCL towards the end of the season when Charlotte's Gerald Wallace fell on his leg. The Wizards struggled the rest of the way without Arenas and Caron Butler, but still made the playoffs and were eventually swept in the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

During the offseason, Arenas told The Washington Post that he would opt out of his contract following the 2007-08 season. On June 9, 2008, Arenas opted out of his contract, but stated that he'd re-sign with the team if they kept Antawn Jamison. They did retain Jamison and Arenas eventually signed a six-year, $111 million contract on July 13, 2008-- the Warriors also offered him a five-year deal worth more than $100 million.

However, in the 2008-09 season, Arenas played in just two games for the Wizards and his contract seemed to be regrettable.

On. Dec. 24, 2009, it was revealed that Arenas had admitted to storing firearms in his locker room at the Verizon Center and had surrendered them to security. Arenas violated NBA rules in the process, along with D.C. ordinances as well. On Jan. 1, 2010, it was reported that Arenas and teammate Javaris Crittenton had unloaded guns in the locker room during an argument that regarded gambling debts.

On Jan. 27, 2010, commisioner David Stern suspended Arenas and Crittentoon for the remainder of the season. He was convicted on March 26 and was sentenced to two years probation and 30 days in a halfway house.

24 games into the 2010-11 season, Arenas was dealt to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Rashard Lewis, both of whom have humongous contracts. Arenas decided to wear No. 1 in honor of his favorite player, Penny Hardaway.

His stint with the Magic didn't even last for a year and now he will be looking for a new team.

Arenas will definitely be grabbed up by somebody, the one question that remains is who? It is likely that a team such as the Warriors, Nets, Lakers, Hornets, Bulls, Knicks, Blazers, Thunder, Bobcats and Pacers could take a shot at him. Of course, Arenas will have to sign a mid-level exception to sign with some of these teams, as a few do not have much cap space. But if Arenas wants to win a championship, he will attempt to take a pay cut in exchange for a championship ring.

Report: Orlando's Dwight Howard Seeks Trade To Nets

By: Tyler Ward

It was announced late last night that it has been rumored that Orlando's franchise player and perhaps the best center in the game, Dwight Howard, could be on his way out of Florida -- and to the New Jersey Nets (who will be the Brooklyn Nets, starting in 2012).

Howard intends to ask the Magic for a deal to the Nets that would likely include forward/center Brook Lopez and two first-round picks. If the deal went down, the Nets are also likely to take Hedo Turkoglu and the remaining three years and $34 million they currently owe him.

If there was a trade, Howard would join fellow All-Star point guard Deron Williams, who could become a free agent after the season is over. Howard is also set to become a free agent in 2012, but it appears that if they play together for the Nets, they will sign extensions with the team.

On Monday, Williams told reporters that he'd definitely re-sign with the team if they somehow landed Howard.

The All-Star point guard said of Williams, "He's a monster. He's like a created player. He's not real."

"I've talked to him a lot. We've had some conversations. He knows I want to play with him. I don't think there's a player in the NBA who doesn't want to play with Dwight Howard," Williams continued. "I think he would love to play with me, as well."

If Howard demanded a trade to the Nets, the Magic will still have to agree to the terms of the deal.

However, there is very big incentive for them to take the deal, as they could get something in return for Howard this season, maybe including a superstar, instead of Howard opting out of his contract after the season. If he opts out, the Magic would get nothing for him, so it would be wise for them to get something out of it while they still can.

According to reports, Howard is ready to boycott the start of training camp until he gets what he wants -- a trade to the Nets.

The Nets have done little so far in free agency, while watching Tyson Chandler sign with the Knicks, Caron Butler sign with the resurgent Clippers, defensive stalwart Shane Battier leaving Memphis for the Heat and the Pistons re-signing veteran Tayshaun Prince.

However, if the Nets somehow land Howard, it really wouldn't matter if they had missed out on multiple free agents as they have practically caught the biggest fish in the sea.

Reports have surfaced Friday that the Nets and Howard met with each other Thursday except there was something wrong with that meeting. It can't happen right now.

The meeting was a violation of the league's tampering rules, according to league sources. It is mainly a violation because Howard's current team, the Orlando Magic, did not know of the meeting or give the Nets permission to talk to their star player.

Howard met with general manager Billy King and owner Mikhail Prokhorov in Miami yesterday.

According to Howard in a telephone conversation Friday, he said that he denied meeting with the Nets, saying, "There was no meeting. Right now, my plan is to show up to training camp for the Orlando Magic."

NBA.com has reportedly stated that they plan on file tampering charges against two teams -- the Nets and the Houston Rockets, who apparently also talked to Howard.

Sources say that Howard had planned on asking the Magic for a trade early Friday morning. The Magic had been discussing a possible deal with the Nets the last few days, but nothing has become official.

Orlando Magic Vs. Atlanta Hawks (Game 2) 4/19/11 (Highlights)

By: Stephen Patterson

Atlanta Hawks Vs. Orlando Magic (Game 1) 4/16/11 (Highlights)

By: Stephen Patterson

Dwight Howard: Top 10 Plays Of The 2010-11 Season

By: Stephen Patterson

Indiana Pacers Vs. Orlando Magic 4/13/11 (Highlights)

By: Stephen Patterson

Orlando Magic Vs. Philadelphia 76ers 4/11/11 (Highlights)

By: Stephen Patterson

Chicago Bulls Vs. Orlando Magic 4/10/11 (Highlights)

By: Stephen Patterson

With another major statement game for Derrick Rose, is he now a lock to take MVP honors this season over LeBron James?

Let us know what you think below and show your love for D-Rose or tell us why LeBron is still King.

Orlando Magic: League Suspends Dwight Howard One Game; Quentin Richardson Two Games

By: Stephen Patterson

In a follow-up from yesterday's post on Quentin Richardson shoving Gerald Henderson in the face during the Magic-Bobcats game, Q-Rich has been suspended two games by the league for the incident.

The league also suspended the Magic's franchise player, Dwight Howard, for one game after he picked up his 18th technical foul of the season.

Howard has been a target all season by players as know he has a history of reacting when he is fouled and doesn't receive the call he believes he deserves.

This has been a topic of discussion all season long, as his head coach, Stan Van Gundy, has said publicly on several occasions that he thinks referees treat Howard differently because of his size, often refusing to call flagrant fouls when small players foul him hard.

To see video of the Richardson-Henderson incident, see this post: Quention Richardson & Gerald Henderson Confrontation (Video)

Both players will miss the Magic's next game at home against the Chicago Bulls, while Richardson will also miss Orlando's final road game of the regular season at the Philadelphia 76ers.

Quentin Richardson & Gerald Henderson Confrontation (Video)

By: Stephen Patterson

Orlando Magic Vs. Charlotte Bobcats 4/6/11 (Highlights)

By: Stephen Patterson

Milwaukee Bucks Vs. Orlando Magic 4/5/11 (Highlights)

By: Stephen Patterson

A Look Back: Fight Between Orlando Magic & Memphis Grizzlies (April 2010)

By: Stephen Patterson

Orlando Magic Vs. Toronto Raptors 4/3/11 (Highlights)

By: Stephen Patterson

Charlotte Bobcats Vs. Orlando Magic 4/1/11 (Highlights)

By: Stephen Patterson

Orlando Magic vs Atlanta Hawks 3/30/11 (Highlights)

By: Stephen Patterson

New York Knicks Vs. Orlando Magic 03/28/2011 (Highlights)

By: Stephen Patterson

The New York Knicks finally got the much-needed victory they have battled for in recent games, picking up a 113-106 win in overtime against the Orlando Magic last night to end a six-game losing streak.

It took Melo's best game as a Knick, a 39 point and 10 rebound performance, but the Knicks got the job done and did so against a playoff-tested team in the Magic.

The Knicks are looking to make their first trip to the postseason since 2004, and were desperate for a victory after losing nine out their past ten games.

New York is just 8-12 since acquiring Anthony in the mega-deal of the season, but if they can get things right and get on the same page, the Knicks could be a dangerous first round match-up in the playoffs for a team like the Boston Celtics or Miami Heat.

Orlando, on the other hand, is slowly falling away from the championship-contending team from a couple of seasons ago.

If they can't fix things in the offseason and finally appease Dwight Howard, the Magic could be the next franchise forced to move their superstar player next season.

With Howard eligible for free agency after next season, I think Orlando might have to move him if they think he is going to walk in the summer.

Losses like this one, despite his own contributions 29 points and 18 rebounds, aren't convincing him to stick around and chase titles with the Magic.

NBA Games To Watch

By: Stephen Patterson

Oct. 26 - Miami @ Boston: This game is one of the most anticipated openers in recent memory and will certainly have a lot of attention surrounding it. It will be will be the first game that the new "Miami Thrice" will play together since signing LeBron James and Chris Bosh to play alongside Dwyane Wade, who re-signed with the team. 

The Heat have done an excellent job of surrounding their version of the "Big Three", adding players such as Mike Miller, Juwan Howard, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Eddie House to play along with them. Many experts think this team has the potential to be very special, but opinions widely vary on whether or not they will begin that greatness this season. While I'm not sure I'd agree with Jeff Van Gundy that they will bring the NBA records of 72 wins in a season and a 33 game win streak, I can see where he is coming from. This team will be great this season, and they will look to display that in the opener.

While their acquisitions this offseason may not have been as big a splash as signing LeBron or Bosh, the Celtics have had one of the best overall offseasons of any team in the NBA. While they made the expected moves of re-signing Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, the team also went out and signed a pair of former All-Star O'Neals, Jermaine and Shaquille. Both additions will no doubt help bolster their backcourt during the postseason, but it will also help soften the blow of Kendrick Perkin's knee injury, which will keep him out possibly until around the All-Star break, and the somewhat sudden retirement of Rasheed Wallace.

Expect these two teams to look to establish a dominance of the Eastern Conference right out of the gates with an excellent game.

Oct. 29 - Orlando @ Miami: This will be the Heat's first home game since landing their new superstar Big Three, and it will also be the first game of the the newly rekindled instate rivalry. 

Orlando hasn't really made any major moves this offseason, but they also didn't downgrade much with the exception of Matt Barnes leaving to join the Los Angeles Lakers. Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy are already tired of all of the hype surrounding the Heat, so expect them to play an extremely hard fought game in Miami. While Orlando has had a strong hold on the division over the past three seasons, they will have a hard time keeping the streak of dominance alive this season. 

Look for this to be a very toughly contested match-up with a lot of fouls. The crowd will be fired up seeing LeBron in a Heat uniform for the first team, therefore I expect the Heat to narrowly pull out the victory here to appease the support of their fans.

Dec. 2 - Miami @ Cleveland: This will be the first time LeBron James returns to his native state of Ohio to play his former team since leaving for the Miami Heat last month. You can definitely expect the crowd to be fired up for this game, and barring some kind of miracle gesture by LeBron towards the city, a lot of angry people to be there. 

Formers fans of James literally went to the streets in anger when he made his infamous "Decision", and burned merchandise of their former hero. Dan Gilbert sent out one of the most incendiary letters in professional sports history to fans, completely trashing his former cash cow. While I can understand while fans and Gilbert were hurt by how LeBron handled his situation, he did what was best for him and his family. No one can fault him for that. And while Gilbert guaranteed a title before the Heat in his letter, he has done very little to add pieces to accomplish that. If you couldn't win with LeBron seven times, do you really think Ramon Sessions is going to change your fortunes? Good luck.

I expect this game to be a blowout for the Heat, and if fans don't start littering the bench with trash, I expect the Big Three to be out of the game well before the final buzzer. If the Cavaliers can keep it close, or somehow steal a win, I will be extremely surprised.

Dec. 25 - Miami @ LA Lakers: This will be the first match-up between the two favorites to reach the NBA Fianls this season, and the NBA put it in the biggest spotlight of the season.

These two teams could potentially be one of the greatest rivalries in the NBA since the Lakers and Celtics in the 80's. They match-up almost perfectly for each other. Kobe Bryant will be going up against Dwyane Wade in avery high scoring match-up. LeBron James will be contested by Ron Artest, who will look to lockdown the star. Chris Bosh and Pau Gasol are two of the best big men in the NBA right now and will certainly be entertaining to watch in the post.

It's really hard to make a pick here because both teams will be really stacked, and while I want to pull for the Heat here, I think the defending champs will pull out the win on their home floor setting the tone for the future match-ups between these two mega-teams. The Lakers bench is a little stronger than Miami's currently, so it will take monster games from their Big Three to beat the Lakers this season.