With an unusual and drama-filled season finally in the books, the Magic look ahead to an offseason that could be just as eventful. As one NBA GM told Sean Deveney of the Sporting News, "You can take all of those stories from December and January and February and cut them out and paste them into May and June and July."
With the futures of Dwight Howard, Stan Van Gundy, and others up in the air, here's the latest out of Orlando….
9:06pm:
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel examines the dilemma facing Jameer Nelson, who has three days to decide on his option for next season.
- Stan Van Gundy believes assistant Patrick Ewing is ready to take on a head coaching job, Robbins reports in the same piece.
- Robbins passes along another note about Earl Clark, who said he hasn't thought about his $1.24MM option for next season, but added, "I definitely want to be here. I don't want to be anywhere else."
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5:47pm:
- Adonal Foyle, the Magic's director of player development, took to Twitter to deny an earlier report that he had interviewed for Otis Smith's GM job, adding that Smith is a "friend and mentor and I would never disrespect him in this manner" (hat tip to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld).
- One of the reasons the Magic may promote Foyle would be to keep him away from the Bobcats and other teams who are courting him, reports Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM.com.
- Stan Van Gundy would like to know whether he'll return as Magic coach soon, but knows the issue is out of his hands, as Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today writes. Van Gundy also shares some thoughts about his relationship with Dwight Howard.
3:32pm:
- The Magic would like to lock up their star center long-term, but after last season, they want to do it on their terms rather than Howard's, tweets Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel.
- One Magic source tells Schmitz that he doesn't think Howard wants to be in Orlando (Twitter link).
- If Orlando decides to trade D12 this summer, it likely won't happen until July, tweets Schmitz. That would likely allow teams to see how Howard looks in workouts and to consult doctors, Schmitz adds (via Twitter).
- According to Schmitz, the Magic would be seeking a veteran package and contract relief in exchange for Howard, and would engage more teams than just the Nets and Lakers (Twitter links).
1:09pm:
- Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM reports that the Magic interviewed director of player development Adonal Foyle for the general manager position prior to the trade deadline. Otis Smith remains under contract for next season, but if a change is made, Foyle is believe to be the favorite, according to Rudolph (via Twitter).
- According to Smith, Jameer Nelson has three days to make a decision on whether to exercise his player option, says Josh Robbins (via Twitter).
- J.J. Redick has been told that decisions on Magic management will be coming within the next few weeks, tweets Robbins. CEO Alex Martins didn't commit to a timetable, but said he didn't want to leave anyone in limbo (Twitter link).
- Redick and Ryan Anderson both endorsed Van Gundy's return for next season, tweets Robbins.
9:03am:
- Magic CEO Alex Martins told David Baumann of Bright House Sports Network that the team's number one goal this summer is getting Howard to sign an extension, implying that a trade could be explored if a new contract isn't in place: "If he decides not to sign an extension, then we're going to make decisions necessary so we don't go through a season like we went through this year."
- I'd be a little surprised if Howard ends up re-upping this summer, since there's little incentive for veterans to sign early extensions in the new CBA, as I outlined in February. If Howard signed an extension in July, he could add three years to his existing deal, while waiting until the end of the season would allow him to sign for up to five years.
- GM Otis Smith acknowledged to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel that it's been a difficult season and said he's not sure whether he wants to return next year.
- Jameer Nelson also have a choice to make this summer, as he holds a player option for the 2012/13 season. The point guard tells John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com that he'd love to return to Orlando, but that he and his agent will talk to the organization to determine the best plan of action. I could see Nelson opting out and attempting to re-sign for multiple years, to avoid becoming a trade candidate next season.
- Josh Robbins identifies 10 important decisions the Magic will have to make this offseason, including whether or not to re-sign Ryan Anderson.
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