Orlando Magic Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bucks, Magic Talking Redick, Mbah A Moute

February 19th, 2013 at 1:00pm CST by Luke Adams

As the trade deadline approaches and the Magic debate whether or not to move J.J. Redick, one team that has been frequently linked to the sharpshooter is Milwaukee. According to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), the Bucks and Magic have discussed a deal that would see them swap Redick for Luc Mbah a Moute and a first-round pick.

Berger's report suggests that the Magic have extended that offer to Milwaukee, but that the Bucks would only pull the trigger on the deal if they also moved Monta Ellis in a bigger trade (Twitter link). That echoes what Adrian Wojnarowski said yesterday, when he reported that Redick would be a major target for the Bucks if they move one of their starting guards. Earlier today, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports wrote that the Bucks aren't expecting to trade either Ellis or Brandon Jennings.

The Magic are known to be seeking either young talent or draft picks for Redick, and are also willing to simply hang on to him and try to re-sign him this summer. An overnight report indicated that Orlando had engaged in talks with the Knicks involving Redick and Iman Shumpert. In the proposed deal with the Bucks, the first-rounder would be the main piece heading back to Orlando, though it's not clear what protection would be on it. At the moment, Milwaukee's 2013 first-rounder is projected to be 15th overall, according to our tentative '13 draft order.

Magic, Knicks Have Discussed Redick, Shumpert

February 19th, 2013 at 8:17am CST by Luke Adams

The Magic and Knicks have had discussions about a deal that would send J.J. Redick to New York and Iman Shumpert to Orlando, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter). Kennedy notes that if the teams were to get serious about a trade, other players, or perhaps a third club, would have to get involved in order to match salaries.

Shumpert's agent, Happy Walters, said yesterday that reports indicating that his client is unhappy with his role in New York and wants to be traded are "totally false." However, that doesn't necessarily mean that the Knicks wouldn't consider moving him. Although the team seems to value Shumpert highly, he remains virtually the only young piece on a team of veterans. If the Knicks decide to go all-in to contend in the short term, the second-year guard would be the club's most logical trade chip.

The Suns were also said to have interest in Shumpert, though ESPN.com's Chris Broussard reported last week that a deal involving Shumpert and Jared Dudley is "not happening." Meanwhile, the Bucks, Bulls, and Pacers are among the teams reportedly interested in Redick.

Wojnarowski On Wolves, Smith, Nets, Bell

February 18th, 2013 at 10:10pm CST by Zachary Links

Here's the latest news from around the league courtesy of Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski with all links going to Twitter..

The Wolves have been aggressive in offering multiple first-round picks for established talent, according to league sources (Twitter link). We've heard some trade buzz around Minnesota in recent weeks, but it has mostly concerned guard Luke Ridnour.
The Celtics are on several fronts, including discussions on Josh Smith, Wojnarowski tweets. They've got plenty of competition, however, as the Nets are solely focused on making a deal for Smith, despite being linked to a few other big names in recent weeks.
Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni has remained intrigued with bringing exiled Jazz guard Raja Bell to Lakers, sources tell Wojnarowski. The Jazz would be delighted to put a bow on their saga with the disgruntled guard.
League GMs believe that the Hawks, Bucks, and Suns will make significant moves before the trade deadline.
The Trail Blazers are still willing to move J.J. Hickson, but haven't found an appealing offer yet.
Teams trying to trade for J.J. Redick of the Magic are surveying the cost of re-signing him this summer, Wojnarowski tweets. If Bucks move a starting guard, he'll be a major target for them.

Magic Open To Re-Signing J.J. Redick

February 18th, 2013 at 6:02pm CST by Zachary Links

Tomorrow night's game against the Bobcats could be J.J. Redick's last home game as a member of the Magic but the shooting guard has reason to be optimistic about his future in Orlando. Redick says that General Manager Rob Hennigan has told him that the team is "open" to re-signing him when he becomes a free agent this summer, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.

The guard went on to say that Hennigan has stayed in touch with Redick and his agent, Arn Tellem, in recent weeks. At the same time, he says that he is only cautiously optimistic and refuses to get his hopes up about a lucrative new deal in Orlando.

“This is a business. I have to make a business decision. And I know this from experience, regardless of any personal feelings or any emotional attachment to anything, a team is going to do what they feel is best for the team. And there won’t be any hard feelings if I get traded in three days or if they elect not to re-sign me this summer," the 28-year-old said.

Earlier today, Robbins' colleague Brian Schmitz wrote that the Magic would be more willing to move Redick if a team was willing to take on Al Harrington and/or Hedo Turkoglu in a deal. Of course, the odds of that happening aren't great.

Eastern Links: Magic, Vucevic, Sixers, Boozer

February 18th, 2013 at 11:48am CST by Luke Adams

The Eastern Conference may have been on the losing end of yesterday's All-Star Game in Houston, but there's still plenty happening around the conference. Here's the latest:

As decision day nears for the Magic and J.J. Redick, Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel says the team would be more willing to move Redick if another team was willing to take on Al Harrington and/or Hedo Turkoglu along with the sharpshooter, which isn't likely.
Nikola Vucevic, who Schmitz calls Orlando's only untouchable player, appeared on WGYG in Orlando, and said he wasn't bitter at all about the offseason trade that sent him from the Sixers to the Magic (link via Steven Cuce of Sports Radio Interviews).
Phil Sheridan of the Philadelphia Inquirer argues that it's time for the 76ers to cut their losses on another major piece of that Vucevic trade: Andrew Bynum.
One league source tells Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press that he thinks Carlos Boozer is the player most likely to be moved by Thursday (Twitter link).
Josh Smith, Andrea Bargnani, and Rodney Stuckey are among the players Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld says should have been traded before now in order to maximize their value.

Amico On Smith, Nets, Nuggets, Sixers, Thunder

February 15th, 2013 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio has just published a piece rounding up a few of the latest trade rumblings from around the NBA, so let's dive in and tackle the highlights….

Josh Smith is viewed by Amico's sources as a near-lock to be moved, though there's no consensus on where he'll be headed. The Nets, Suns, and Mavericks are mentioned as potential destinations, with the Spurs in the mix as well.
One source isn't so sure the Hawks will move Smith by next Thursday: "They won’t just give the guy away. (Smith) is practically an All-Star. You can deal with the contract situation later."
The Nets haven't completely given up on the idea of making a play for Dwight Howard, but they'd likely need to get a third team involved. I'd consider that one a real long shot.
While the Nuggets are fairly content with their roster at the moment, they could explore a smaller move involving someone like Wilson Chandler, Corey Brewer, or Anthony Randolph. Denver has some interest in J.J. Redick, but Amico says conversations have "all but disappeared after he indicated he wants to stay with the Magic."
The Bulls and 76ers have started to get more active in trade talks within the last week.
The Raptors have engaged the Sixers in trade talks involving Andrea Bargnani, though it's not clear what would be going Toronto's way in a hypothetical deal — Spencer Hawes is one possibility.
After losing twice to the Heat this season, the Thunder are "strongly considering" making a move to bolster their lineup, according to Amico.

Eastern Notes: Bulls, Magic, Bobcats, Garnett

February 14th, 2013 at 10:27pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times relayed some gems out of Bulls camp tonight, reporting that Chicago is still taking and making phone calls as the trade deadline approaches. He cites a source within the organization that says talks between the Bulls and Raptors involving Carlos Boozer are "off the table," and that there hasn't been a high demand for Richard Hamilton. As for Derrick Rose's status, the reality that he might not return this season hasn't put any additional pressure on Chicago to find more help or try to lessen the payroll. Here's more of what we've heard tonight out of the Eastern Conference:

Several Magic veterans weighed in on the possibility of being traded before next Thursday's deadline including J.J. Redick, who is in the final year of his deal and has drawn significant interest from other teams. Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel says that although the front office has told their players that they aren't being shopped, they still acknowledge that they are responsible for listening to offers and taking into account what could make them better in the long term.
Amidst reports of tension boiling over between Bobcats coach Mike Dunlap and embattled guard Ben Gordon on Monday, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer notes that it wasn't the first time that the 29-year-old guard appeared frustrated this season and that Gordon and Dunlap have already met twice before to discuss his role.
Celtics forward Kevin Garnett explained his comments that this Sunday would be his last All-Star game, as some had seen it as possible hint that he would retire after this year: "Let's just put it like this: I'm more than grateful for going. I'm not going to act like I've got more All-Star games in me. So I'm just going to actually enjoy this one with friends and family. That's what I meant" (NBA.com).
Rich Levine of CSNNE.com said that nothing definitive can be concluded by Garnett's comments, and that only time will tell if he is actually contemplating retirement soon.

Broussard On Eric Gordon, Rockets, Pacers, Smith

February 14th, 2013 at 12:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Already today, we've passed along a few trade rumors from Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game and Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. Now, it's Chris Broussard's turn, as the ESPN reporter has published a lengthy Insider-only piece on the latest rumblings from around the league. Here's what Broussard has for us:

The Hornets have made some calls to gauge Eric Gordon's trade value, but Broussard hears that there's less than a 10% chance he's moved within the next week. The Mavericks, Rockets, and the Warriors are among the clubs believed to have inquired on Gordon.
The Rockets still figure to make a run at Dwight Howard this summer, but Andrew Bynum and perhaps a trade for Gordon are the team's Plan Bs. Since Houston is saving its cap space for the summer, the club isn't expected to be too active at the trade deadline.
Indiana will likely keep Danny Granger through the deadline, but is willing to move Tyler Hansbrough, D.J. Augustin, or Gerald Green. The Pacers dangled Hansbrough and Augustin when talking to the Magic about J.J. Redick, but Orlando didn't have interest.
Three different general managers told Broussard on Wednesday that Danny Ferry and the Hawks have decided not to re-sign Josh Smith this summer and are trying hard to trade him this week. Rival executives don't expect Ferry to settle for the Nets' offer of Kris Humphries and MarShon Brooks, however.
The Hawks have also discussed moving Kyle Korver and Anthony Morrow.
Teams have been calling the Suns, one of the league's most active clubs, about Marcin Gortat, Markieff Morris, and Jared Dudley. A deal with the Knicks involving Dudley and Iman Shumpert is "not happening," according to Broussard's sources.
As has been the case for many reporters over the last few weeks, Broussard has received mixed reports on whether the Jazz are more likely to trade Paul Millsap or Al Jefferson. The Trail Blazers are one team that likes Millsap, says Broussard.
A few executives that have spoken to Broussard have mentioned the possibility of the Clippers trying to trade DeAndre Jordan and Caron Butler to create the necessary cap space to make a play for Dwight Howard this summer. That one sounds awfully far-fetched to me though, considering the team would have to make additional moves to clear enough room, and would have to acquire only expiring contracts in return. Even then, there's no guarantee they could land Howard as a free agent.

Hedo Turkoglu Suspended For Failed Drug Test

February 13th, 2013 at 10:11pm CST by Luke Adams

10:11pm: Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel writes that Magic GM Rob Hennigan didn't do or say much in support of Turkoglu at his press conference earlier today.

"I think we're going to get through this step first. We'll worry about the summer when summer comes," Hennigan said. "Certainly, the Hedo situation will be one of them. We're not able to comment now on what that situation will be."

With Turkoglu due $6MM in the final year of his deal in 2013-14, Schmitz opines that the Magic could choose to buy him out of his deal. While there was an outside shot Turkoglu could be bundled with the highly sought after J.J. Redick before the trade deadline, that chance has gone "from slight to zilch" according to Schmitz. With the Magic in the midst of a youth movement, it sounds like Turkoglu understands his days in Orlando may be numbered.

"I've had my best years in Orlando," he said. "This certainly is not in my hands… Like Rob [Hennigan] says, we will wait until the summer for both futures."

4:43pm: The NBA announced today that Hedo Turkoglu has been suspended for violating the league's anti-drug program. It's the first violation for Turkoglu, who will be suspended for 20 games without pay for testing positive for methenolone. Shortly after the NBA announced the suspension, Turkoglu released a statement of his own, taking full responsibility for what he called an "error in judgment."

"While I was back home in Turkey this past summer, I was given a medication by my trainer to help recover more quickly from a shoulder injury," Turkoglu said in the statement. "I didn't know that this was a banned substance and didn't check before taking it."

Under CBA rules, Turkoglu will be docked 1/110th of his 2012/13 salary for each game that he misses. That penalty will reduce his total salary from about $11.82MM to about $9.67MM. Additionally, 50% of the $2.15MM Turkoglu will lose due to the suspension will be removed from Orlando's team salary figure, reducing the team's overall cap hit by about $1.08MM.

The suspension shouldn't entirely rule out the possibility of Turkoglu being moved, since he likely would have only be included in a trade for salary-matching purposes anyway. Still, even though he's on an expiring deal of sorts, since his contract for next year is only partially-guaranteed, Turkoglu remains a long shot to be dealt due to his exorbitant salary.

Odds & Ends: Smith, Sixers, Noel, Exceptions

February 13th, 2013 at 8:48pm CST by Alex Lee

As we've seen, the Josh Smith rumors have been frequent and plentiful. While Smith is aware of the buzz, the veteran forward seems unaffected, reports Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld via a series of tweets. Per Kyler, Smith has asked his family to refrain from bringing up media reports to him since he attempts to block that stuff out. While he is flattered to hear how many teams are interested, Smith's mind is on the present and he says the Hawks have yet to discuss the situation with him. While it certainly looks like there is a solid chance he will be traded, Smith reminds us that his name has been mentioned in rumors before to no avail. (Kyler tweets are listed here)

Smith's Hawks are in Orlando tonight – one of 12 games on the NBA schedule on Wednesday. Let's round up all the odds and ends from around the league here for the night:

The Sixers are not interested in trading Spencer Hawes and Evan Turner for Josh Smith, tweets the Philadelphia Inquirer's John Mitchell, citing two league sources. Philly has reportedly been dangling that duo and may be considered sleepers in the Smith sweepstakes.
Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times tweets that he keeps hearing Smith will end up as a member of the Celtics.
In light of the news that Nerlens Noel suffered a torn ACL on Tuesday, Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld drops the Kentucky freshman to No. 4 in his mock draft. Similar to what we heard from Jeff Goodman earlier, Koutroupis suspects that Noel will remain in this year's draft despite the injury, referencing the strength of next year's field. To me, since Noel will likely miss a sizeable chunk of next year with the Wildcats if he were to stay in school, it makes more sense to leave and rehabilitate his knee under NBA trainers if he can go anywhere in the top 10.
Several general managers still consider Noel a top-5 pick, while one has him slipping to between 10-12 if he comes out, tweets SI's Chris Mannix. Ben Roberts of the Lexington Herald-Leader, quoting Draft Express' Jonathan Givony, writes that the prevailing wisdom is that Noel is still a lock for the top-5. Givony believes Noel could still go No. 1 overall. Roberts adds that young NBA players that have suffered similar injuries have not had long term effects.
In an Insider piece for ESPN.com, Bradford Doolittle points to the Nuggets ($13MM), Magic ($17.8MM), Grizzlies ($7.5MM) and Bulls ($5MM) as teams with Traded Player Exceptions worth $5MM or more. The Nuggets may just have the urgency (their exception expires March 15) and the ability (it's large enough to acquire a significant piece) to make utilizing their exception worth it, Doolittle says. While Memphis is likely to use their modest exception, Orlando and Chicago will likely refrain.