Orlando Magic Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Rondo, Heat, Ivey, Magic

October 9th, 2013 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

The Western Conference looks like it’ll be wide open this season, as the results from last night’s poll show. However, the same can’t be said for the Eastern Conference. Online sportsbook Bovada.lv gives the Heat even odds to come out of the East in 2014 for the fourth straight year. As we look forward to Miami getting its title defense underway, let’s round up a few notes from around the conference….

While the Celtics finally got the rebuilding process underway this summer by dealing Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry to the Nets, Rajon Rondo isn’t looking for an escape route of his own, as he tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. “This is my team; why would I want to leave?” Rondo said. “Why would I want out? I’ve never really backed away from a challenge.”
Asked about the possibility of Eric Griffin earning a spot on the Heat‘s regular-season roster, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel echoes something we heard from Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald yesterday, predicting that Michael Beasley and Roger Mason Jr. will grab the last two openings.
Royal Ivey‘s short-term goal involves landing a roster spot with the Hawks, but he hopes to transition into coaching in the not-too-distant future, writes Lang Greene of HoopsWorld.
“I see a couple more years and then I want to do other ventures,” Ivey said. “I think I have a chance to coach and I’m definitely going to take heed to that.”
14 NBA teams currently have one-on-one relationships with their D-League affiliates, and the Magic are hoping to become No. 15, writes Don Coble at Jacksonville.com. Magic CEO Alex Martins tells Coble that the team has “made it clear” to the NBA that it would like to set up a D-League squad in Jacksonville, rather than share the Fort Wayne Mad Ants with five other NBA clubs.

Southeast Notes: Big Three, Beasley, Maynor

October 5th, 2013 at 9:57am CST by Zachary Links

Today's look at the Southeast Division..

Heat president Pat Riley and owner Micky Arison have a great deal to do with the future of the Big Three, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. Arison has to be willing to spend an astronomical amount of money to keep all three in place because of the luxury tax and Riley, who turns 69 in March, may not want to keep his job in Miami forever.
In today's mailbag, a reader asks Winderman if offseason acquisition Michael Beasley is engaged in Heat practices. If the low-risk signing fails, Winderman says that it won't be because of a lack of effort as Beasley is working hard to get himself ready for the upcoming season. What could hurt him, however, is making the transition to being a complementary player which will call for a greater emphasis on passing.
After signing a two-year, $4MM deal with the Wizards this summer, Eric Maynor's goal is to be a steady complement to John Wall, writes Michael Lee from the Washington Post. Washington was sloppy on offense last season and the addition of Maynor, who has a career 2.81-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, should help to straighten out the offense.
Rookie Victor Oladipo is ready to help the Magic turn things around, writes Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.

Pacific Notes: Afflalo, Kobe, Gortat, Lakers, Suns

October 4th, 2013 at 4:13pm CST by Zachary Links

Players who are oft featured on Hoops Rumors, like the Lakers' Pau Gasol, can attest to the fact that trade rumors can negatively impact your on-court performance. Magic guard Arron Afflalo was in headlines for a good portion of the summer as it was rumored he would be in a deal sending him to the Clippers for Eric Bledsoe. However, the talk didn't bother the 27-year-old at all, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. "I've seen a lot of trades go down within my own NBA circle with my team, whether I was in Detroit or Denver," Afflalo said. "It's part of the game. It's part of the business. At the end of the day, I'm very, very blessed to play this game no matter where I'm playing, and I'm proud of that. "You just have to be professional with those things. As long as you're wearing this Magic uniform, you give it your best." Here's more out of the Pacific Division..

Sean Deveney of the Sporting News wonders if Kobe Bryant will take a paycut for the Lakers' benefit. There is room for middle ground between Kobe asking for another deal with a $30MM salary and a bargain basement deal. A deal paying Bryant about $20MM wouldn't allow the Lakers to sign two max players in the 2014 offseason, but it would give them enough breathing room to get one max player plus someone else in the $10MM range.
Suns center Marcin Gortat will have to fight to keep his job thanks to the additions of No. 5 overall pick Alex Len and Miles Plumlee, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Len's ankle issues could be an issue, but coach Jeff Hornacek says he's doing great. “Alex has done a great job of pushing through this,” Hornacek said. “For a ‘big’ that size and as much as we want to run, that gets tough. He’s winded quite a bit and that affects some of his shots when he does get the ball inside but he’s had some nice moves. He’s working every day to get better. I think he’s improved, obviously with conditioning, over these four days but also with being able to pick up the offense.”
Are the aging Lakers better than the new-look Warriors? Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times pits them against each other. The verdict: the Warriors will probably win 50 games with a shot at 55 while the Lakers look like a team in the 40-50 range with a lot depending on the health of Kobe Bryant.

Odds & Ends: Nelson, D12, Blazers, Gomes

October 2nd, 2013 at 4:40pm CST by Luke Adams

As news of the first few cuts of training camp begins to trickle in, let's round up a few odds and ends from around the Association….

Jameer Nelson realizes that he could eventually become a trade chip as the Magic continue their rebuilding process, but for now he's focusing on his role as a team leader and mentor, as Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel details.
Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy are more than a year removed from their days in Orlando, but Howard tells Bill Reiter of FOX Sports (Twitter link) that his former coach played a part in his free agent decision this summer, encouraging him to consider the Rockets.
While the Blazers' announcement that they've exercised third-year options for Damian Lillard, Meyers Leonard, and Thomas Robinson could be viewed as "trivial housekeeping," Mike Tokito of the Oregonian suggests it's a good sign for the improving long-term health of the team.
Ryan Gomes earned another $25K when he wasn't waived by the Thunder by October 1st, as Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com outlines in his breakdown of Gomes' deal.
Ron Anderson, who spent the 2012/13 season with the Tulsa 66ers and played for the Thunder in Summer League play this year, has agreed to a one-year deal with Argentina's Estudiantes Concordia, reports Shams Charania of RealGM.com (via Twitter).

Eastern Notes: Kirilenko, Bucks, Collins, Magic

October 1st, 2013 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Let's round up a few Tuesday items out of the Eastern Conference….

In a column on the Nets' addition of Andrei Kirilenko, Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report details the veteran forward's time on the open market, which initially saw him turn down overtures from the Nets. According to Zwerling, Kirilenko drew some interest from the Warriors and Spurs, and was in talks with three non-playoff teams for larger salaries before he reconsidered Brooklyn's mini mid-level offer.
Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel rounds up several comments from Bucks owner Herb Kohl about the possibility of a new arena in Milwaukee, the offseason roster overhaul, and his aversion to tanking.
ESPN.com's Marc Stein explains why Jason Collins isn't in camp with an NBA team, and identifies three clubs that could be fits for the big man once the season gets underway, including the Wizards and Nets.
Player development is the primary focus in Orlando, but Magic executives tell Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld that the team doesn't view developing young players and winning games as mutually exclusive.
Pistons rookie forward Tony Mitchell is probably headed for a D-League stint at some point this season, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.

Southeast Notes: Beasley, Mason, Wiggins

September 29th, 2013 at 4:17pm CST by Zachary Links

Erik Spoelstra was scheduled to hit the open market after the 2013/14 season, but the Heat realized that he would have a red-hot market if that were to happen. Today, Miami locked the coach up with a contract extension that will keep him in place for years to come, even if the future of the Big Three isn’t certain at this juncture. Here’s the latest out of the Southeast..

In today’s mailbag, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel was asked by a reader which “longshots” have the best chance of hooking on with the Heat. Michael Beasley seems pretty likely to get the 14th spot on the roster and Winderman likes Roger Mason Jr.’s chances of getting the final one, if the heat are willing to carry 15. It’s not a great year for non-guaranteed guys in Miami with 13 guaranteed contracts already on the payroll.
Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel previews the season ahead for the Magic. Schmitz stops short of rooting for the team to tank, but he implores Orlando not to win too many games and hurt their chances of landing Andrew Wiggins in June.
Guard Jeff Teague is excited about the new-look Hawks in 2013/14, writes HoopsWorld’s Alex Kennedy. Teague was left in limbo for a little while by Atlanta but ultimately re-signed on a four-year, $32MM deal. “I’m definitely glad [free agency] is over with,” Teague added. “I really didn’t think about it much last year, but during the summer it was a difficult time. I learned the whole business of basketball basically. I’m excited to have that done though.”
There’s been a lot of change in Atlanta, but Al Horford is still a part of the Hawks after their makeover, writes Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Hedo Turkoglu Won’t Be With Magic For Camp

September 27th, 2013 at 5:15pm CST by Chuck Myron

While most updates this time of year are about non-rostered players who will be with teams for camp, there's one player currently on a roster who won't be with his team in October. The Magic and Hedo Turkoglu have agreed to have the veteran small forward sit out of camp while both sides work toward a buyout agreement, reports Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. The arrangement effectively ends Turkoglu's tenure with the Magic, though he technically remains on the roster, as Robbins clarifies via Twitter.

"Our organization has a great deal of respect for Hedo and the contributions he’s made to the team over the years," Magic GM Rob Hennigan said. "We’ve made an organizational decision to move in a different direction. During the pendency of our buyout negotiations, we’ve mutually agreed to have Hedo remain with his family while we work toward an agreement."

Turkoglu's contract calls for him to earn $12MM this season, but a few years ago he agreed to reduce the guaranteed amount on this season to just $6MM. The Jim Tanner client may wind up accepting even less than that to get out of the contract early and take an offer reportedly worth about $3.4MM from Fenerbahce Ulker in his native Turkey.

The Magic have made it clear for a while that they don't see Turkoglu as part of their future, and Turkoglu said in the spring that he'd be surprised if he played for the team in 2013/14. The Magic have yet to waive Turkoglu in part because they hope to find a team willing to trade for him, Robbins writes.

Turkoglu, 35, has spent seven and a half seasons with the Magic over two separate stints. He played in only 11 games last season because of injury and a 10-game suspension that stemmed from a positive test for methenolone.

Magic Sign Osby, Four Free Agents

September 27th, 2013 at 12:33pm CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 27TH: The Magic have officially announced their camp invitees in a press release. However, although Osby, Jones, Joseph, and Harris were confirmed, the team's announcement mentions big man Mickell Gladness rather than Micheal Eric.

It's not clear whether the name was originally misreported, or if an issue arose that led Orlando to bring in Gladness rather than Eric. For now though, it seems as if Eric isn't a part of the team's camp roster, while Gladness is.

SEPTEMBER 19TH: The Magic currently have 14 players on their roster, but will take advantage of increased offseason roster limits to bring five more players to camp, according to Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel. Schmitz reports (via Twitter) that Solomon Jones, Kris Joseph, Manny Harris, and Micheal Eric will be in camp with Orlando. The team is also bringing second-rounder Romero Osby to camp, though the two sides are still negotiating a contract, says Schmitz (Twitter link).

Although Jones and Joseph each saw NBA action in 2012/13, neither played extensive minutes. Jones, a big man who has spent time with five NBA teams, appeared in two games for the Knicks last season. Meanwhile, Joseph shuffled back and forth between the Nets and Celtics, and was included in the summer's Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce blockbuster before he was waived by Boston. The 24-year-old forward was said to have a deal with a Chinese team, but it appears he'll try to earn an NBA roster spot before exploring options overseas.

Harris and Eric both have some history with the Cavaliers, though Harris is the only one of the two that has NBA experience. Harris, 23, appeared in 80 games for the Cavs from 2010 to 2012, averaging 6.2 PPG in 17.4 minutes per contest. He spent last season playing in the Ukraine, as our international tracker shows. As for Eric, he participated in camp with Cleveland last fall before joining the club's D-League affiliate in Canton.

While the five additions to the camp roster will bring Orlando's roster count to 19, only 12 players have fully guaranteed contracts. Kyle O'Quinn's deal won't become guaranteed until opening night, and Schmitz tweets that the club continues to negotiate a buyout with Hedo Turkoglu, whose $12MM salary is only 50% guaranteed. Assuming O'Quinn is ticketed for the regular-season roster and Turkoglu isn't, there should be one or two spots up for grabs in camp.

Magic Inviting Five Players To Camp

September 19th, 2013 at 1:36pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic currently have 14 players on their roster, but will take advantage of increased offseason roster limits to bring five more players to camp, according to Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel. Schmitz reports (via Twitter) that Solomon Jones, Kris Joseph, Manny Harris, and Micheal Eric will be in camp with Orlando. The team is also bringing second-rounder Romero Osby to camp, though the two sides are still negotiating a contract, says Schmitz (Twitter link).

Although Jones and Joseph each saw NBA action in 2012/13, neither played extensive minutes. Jones, a big man who has spent time with five NBA teams, appeared in two games for the Knicks last season. Meanwhile, Joseph shuffled back and forth between the Nets and Celtics, and was included in the summer's Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce blockbuster before he was waived by Boston. The 24-year-old forward was said to have a deal with a Chinese team, but it appears he'll try to earn an NBA roster spot before exploring options overseas.

Harris and Eric both have some history with the Cavaliers, though Harris is the only one of the two that has NBA experience. Harris, 23, appeared in 80 games for the Cavs from 2010 to 2012, averaging 6.2 PPG in 17.4 minutes per contest. He spent last season playing in the Ukraine, as our international tracker shows. As for Eric, he participated in camp with Cleveland last fall before joining the club's D-League affiliate in Canton.

While the five additions to the camp roster will bring Orlando's roster count to 19, only 12 players have fully guaranteed contracts. Kyle O'Quinn's deal won't become guaranteed until opening night, and Schmitz tweets that the club continues to negotiate a buyout with Hedo Turkoglu, whose $12MM salary is only 50% guaranteed. Assuming O'Quinn is ticketed for the regular-season roster and Turkoglu isn't, there should be one or two spots up for grabs in camp.

Eastern Notes: Carmelo, Knicks, Bucks, Czyz

September 16th, 2013 at 10:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Roughly two-and-a-half years after the Knicks-Nuggets trade that sent Carmelo Anthony to New York, Keith Schlosser of Knicks Journal tries to parcel out who got the better of the swap. While stars of Melo's caliber are hard to come by, they did give up quite a bit to get him - Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Timofey Mozgov, and draft picks were all shipped out to Denver. Ultimately, Schlosser believes that only time (namely, this season) will tell if acquiring Anthony was worth blowing up the roster. Here's a quick look around the Eastern Conference..

The Knicks aren't getting any closer to a title, and that means Anthony's ability to become a free agent next summer will be a cloud over the Knicks' heads all season, writes Howard Beck of The New York Times.
Polish forward Olek Czyz has an offer from Italian club Vanoli Cremona but he may join the Bucks in training camp instead, according to a report from la Provincia di Cremona passed along by Emiliano Carchia of Sportando (via Twitter). The 23-year-old forward was in summer league with the Bulls last summer but wasn't able to make the roster.
To say that this year's Bucks team is different from last year’s Bucks team would be a massive understatement, the HoopsWorld staff writes in their preview of Milwaukee for the upcoming season. How far will they get with Brandon Knight and O.J. Mayo replacing Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis as the Bucks’ starting backcourt? Most of the staff sees them finishing in the basement of the Central with one vote putting them in fourth place.
Victor Oladipo's past detractors motivate him to achieve as much success as possible in the NBA, writes John Denton of NBA.com. The Indiana University product is now being predicted by many to win the 2013/14 Rookie of the Year award.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.