Orlando Magic Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Howard, Morris, Anderson, Knicks

March 7th, 2012 at 11:31pm CST by Alex Lee

While there haven't been any big Dwight Howard rumors so far today, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel indicates that there has been a "shift in tone" in how Howard's desires are perceived. As we documented yesterday, the rumors are running wild, seemingly due to Howard's ambivalence. Here is what else is going on around the league on this Wednesday evening:

Brian Schmitz from the Orlando Sentinel takes a look at the some of the hardships facing the Magic leading up to the trade deadline, including their tough schedule and inconsistency.
Eddie Sefko from the Dallas Morning News says (via chat), should Dwight Howard not get traded by March 15th, he considers the Mavericks the heavy favorites to land both Howard and Deron Williams. He also mentions Gerald Wallace and C.J. Miles as potential complimentary fits around Dirk Nowitzki, Howard and Williams.
According to Yahoo's Marc Spears, Lakers assign rookie guard Darius Morris to the NBDL D-Fenders. Mike Bresnahan, Lakers beat writer for the L.A. Times, adds that Morris is still counted on the roster and will continue to get paid as a Laker.
Chris Bernucca from Sheridan Hoops examines some of the recent deadline deals, and their impact on the league today.
Magic forward Ryan Anderson has been trying to block out the Dwight Howard rumors, says Brian Schmitz from the Orlando Sentinel. Anderson knows he could be packaged with Howard, or traded to get Howard help.
Mike D'Antoni recognizes that the Knicks are struggling with Carmelo Anthony and Jeremy Lin on the floor, but D'Antoni thinks it's a solvable problem, writes Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.

Five Eastern Contenders To Watch At The Deadline

March 7th, 2012 at 11:11am CST by Luke Adams

We covered five Western Conference contenders to watch at the trade deadline yesterday, so let's head east today. Here are five likely Eastern Conference playoff clubs who have some decisions to make by next Thursday:

Heat: With virtually all their key players on multiyear contracts, the Heat don't have much flexibility to make moves. That's not necessarily a big deal for Miami though, since they have a championship-caliber roster as is, and don't need to make a huge splash before the deadline. What they would like to do is add one more big man, preferably a true center who can take the pressure off the power forwards like Joel Anthony and Udonis Haslem currently playing out of position for the team. I don't see an obvious target for the Heat, unless they were willing to part with one or two rotation pieces. While I'm Miami will explore myriad trade possibilities, the club may ultimately have to shift its focus to buyout candidates after the deadline.
Bulls: Chicago has enough trade assets to shoot for the moon and make a run at Dwight Howard or Pau Gasol, but that's probably a long shot. Still, with Richard Hamilton's health in question, I don't know that this team is much better than the squad that fell to the Heat in last season's Eastern Conference Finals. I think it'd be worthwhile to explore a deal for a shooting guard in case Hamilton can't be relied upon in the postseason, but the price may be steep. Ray Allen would be a great fit, but is there any way the Celtics trade him to a team they could face in the first round? Yesterday, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune mentioned Jamal Crawford as a possible target, but he'd be a rental that would likely cost the Bulls a young player and the Bobcats' first-round draft pick. Bringing Mike James back may be a simpler and less costly insurance policy for Hamilton.
Magic: The most obvious name on this list, the Magic would create a domino effect of activity around the league if they made a definitive decision on Dwight Howard's status. With just a week over until the trade deadline, reports continue to suggest Orlando seeks reinforcements around Howard, rather than offers for the star center. At this point, I'd be surprised if the Magic altered that stance. I think the team feels it's better off taking its chances trying to convince D12 to stay in Orlando, rather than taking 50 cents on the dollar (or worse) to ship him out of town. A trade for Steve Nash or Monta Ellis is an extreme long shot though, so I'll be interested to see if the Magic can turn their few assets of interest into anything that resembles an actual upgrade.
Pacers: They have a top-four record in the East, but I'm not convinced the Pacers are ready to contend for a title quite yet. They're still at least a piece or two away, and I don't expect they'll find that piece in the next week. But Indiana's tremendous amount of cap space makes the team an obvious candidate to take involve itself in a ton of trade talks. Even if the Pacers don't shop for an immediate upgrade to the current roster, they have the flexibility to take on salary to accommodate another team, perhaps acquiring a draft pick or two for their troubles.
Celtics: Much has been written about whether the Celtics are shopping or listening to offers for Rajon Rondo and their Big Three (Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen). I wouldn't put it past GM Danny Ainge, who's never shy about pulling the trigger on a major deal, to move one of those four players, but I think it's just as likely that Boston has a relatively quiet deadline. With over $40MM in expiring contracts set to come off the books this summer, the Celtics won't make a move that compromises their future cap flexibility unless they can acquire a core piece in the process. If that deal isn't out there, Boston could make a simpler move, such as trading Brandon Bass in an effort to clear even more cap room for next season.

Dwight Howard Rumors: Tuesday

March 6th, 2012 at 10:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Another day, another round of Dwight Howard rumors. You can check out yesterday's updates here and follow along with today's Howard-related items below. You'll find any new updates up top throughout the day:

A person close to Howard tells Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter), "We want to work it out [in Orlando]."
The Magic are still telling anyone who calls on Howard that they're buyers, not sellers, and that they aren't interested in moving D12, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Some teams believe the Magic, while others think they'll eventually change their stance. One source tells Wojnarowski that Howard's apparent uncertainty is validating the Magic's confidence: "Don’t underestimate how much it means to Dwight to be a pillar in that community. Everyone else wants to pull him out of there, but I’m not so sure that’s where his heart is."
Some clubs believe no one in the Magic organization wants to tell owner Rich DeVos that they recommend trading Howard, says Wojnarowksi. Adds one rival exec: "They’re going to reach a dead end here. It’s just a matter of time."
Jason Fleming of HoopsWorld breaks down five hypothetical trades involving Howard and potential suitors, ultimately concluding that Orlando won't receive equal value in any of them.
In talking with Magic brass, Howard has conveyed his love for the team and city, sources tell Fred Kerber of the New York Post. "I really don’t think [Howard] knows exactly what he wants to do," said one of Kerber's sources.
If Howard had decided to remain with the Magic for another year, we would have heard about it by now, says Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel. Schmitz expects that Howard still intends to test free agency this summer.
Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel says Howard should know the Magic are serious about winning without the team having to force a deadline deal to try to bring in more reinforcements around him.

Kennedy On Clippers, Allen, Celtics, Crawford

March 6th, 2012 at 7:37pm CST by Zachary Links

Here's a look at some highlights from tonight's column from Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld..

Over the next week and a half, the Clippers will make a strong push to land a starting shooting guard, according to multiple sources close to the situation. Los Angeles has been in search of a two-guard ever since losing Chauncey Billups for the year. As of right now, Randy Foye and Travis Leslie are the only true shooting guards on the roster and the club has expressed interest in Ray Allen and Jamal Crawford, according to sources.
The Celtics aren’t actively shopping Allen but are listening to offers. It’s unclear what Boston would want in exchange for the 36-year-old, though many teams have expressed interest in him.
Sources say that Crawford will opt-out of the final year of his contract to test free agency this summer and the Trail Blazers may look to move him before the deadline. The Clippers are expressing interest along with the Timberwolves. The Clips tried to sign-and-trade for Crawford over the offseason, but the Hawks didn’t want to take back any contracts.
Other two-guards who could be on the move include the Grizzlies' O.J. Mayo, Courtney Lee of the Rockets, and Anthony Morrow of the Nets. If any of the three guards are made available, the Clippers can be expected to be in the mix. Recently, I broke down the case for New Jersey parting with Morrow.
Sources believe that the Magic will hold onto Dwight Howard past the trade deadline. There are members of the organization who remain optimistic that Howard will re-sign this summer if the right moves are made. The Magic will pursue players like Steve Nash and Monta Ellis before the deadline, but it'll be an uphill battle due to their lack of trade chips outside of Howard.

Odds & Ends: Randolph, Carter, Bulls, Vazquez

March 6th, 2012 at 4:22pm CST by Luke Adams

While the returns of J.R. Smith and Wilson Chandler from the Chinese Basketball Association grabbed more headlines over the last month or so, there are other former NBA players still returning from overseas in search of NBA gigs. One such player is former 76ers forward Shavlik Randolph, who averaged 24.7 PPG, 11.9 RPG, and 1.6 BPG in China this season. According to Sportando, Randolph is "in serious talks" with two NBA clubs and could sign a deal soon. While we wait to see if the Duke product can find his way back to an NBA roster, let's check out a few more links from around the league….

With the Raptors looking to trade or release Anthony Carter, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel thinks the point guard could be a solid insurance policy for the Heat.
After Richard Hamilton left last night's game with another injury, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune wondered whether the Bulls will need to acquire a shooting guard via trade. Prior to last year's deadline, Johnson says, Chicago discussed deals for O.J. Mayo and Courtney Lee. The Bulls announced today that Hamilton is day-to-day with a shoulder contusion and mild sprain.
The Magic still own the NBA rights to 2005 draft pick Fran Vazquez and hope to bring him over for next season, according to Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel.
David Thorpe of ESPN.com (Insider link) lists the five best "chemistry" guys potentially available at the deadline. His picks: Pau Gasol, Paul Millsap, Gerald Wallace, Chris Andersen, and Rajon Rondo.
Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee questions why the Kings felt they had to make the decision to exercise Keith Smart's 2012/13 option so soon.
A few potential first-round draft picks could be running out of time to showcase their in-game skills, writes Chad Ford of ESPN.com in an Insider-only piece.

Smith: Six To Eight Teams Calling About Howard

March 5th, 2012 at 8:40pm CST by Michael Pina

Before Orlando defeated Toronto tonight by a score of 92-88, Magic General Manager Otis Smith told reporters that there were six to eight teams that still believe they have a shot at acquiring Dwight Howard in a trade before March 15, according to Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel. Since the season began, the Magic has spoken to "everybody in the league" regarding Dwight's availability, Smith said, but there's nothing new to report on whether there are any front runners, or even if the team is willing to strike a deal at all.

Magic CEO Alex Martins has been talking to Howard directly, trying to convince him that staying with the only team he's ever known is the right decision.

Dwight Howard Rumors: Monday

March 5th, 2012 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld reported that the Magic think their chances of retaining Dwight Howard for at least one more season are at least 50/50. As long as the team continues to feel that way, it's unlikely we see Howard traded before the deadline. For now, it appears any moves the Magic make will intended to improve the roster around Howard, though the club doesn't have many appealing assets to offer in any deals. Here are the rest of today's Howard-related updates, with the newest up top:

The Nets announced today that Brook Lopez has suffered a sprained right ankle and will be sidelined for three weeks (Twitter links). If New Jersey hopes to acquire Howard by March 15th, Lopez would almost certainly need to be involved, so Lopez's continued injury woes make a D12 deal look less and less likely for New Jersey. As Andy Vasquez of the Bergen Record tweets, Lopez's injury doesn't mean he can't be traded, but it certainly complicates negotiations for the Nets.
Ken Berger of CBS Sports hears from sources that serious trade talks around the league are on hold while teams wait for the Magic to decide whether or not they'll keep Howard.
While Howard's list of preferred destinations only includes three teams, Magic GM Otis Smith could try to work out a trade with a club not on Howard's list. But are there any teams that would be willing to acquire Howard without assurances that he'd stay long-term? Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel looks at a few clubs who might take that risk, though none of his hypothetical deals are particularly appealing for the Magic.

Kyler On Thunder, Howard, Crawford, Young

March 5th, 2012 at 10:27am CST by Luke Adams

Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld wraps up his look at trade options for all 30 NBA clubs today, running alphabetically from Oklahoma City through Washington. You can find our recaps of the first two installments in the series here and here. Now, let's round up a few of the highlights from Kyler in part three….

The Thunder aren't actively engaged in any trade talks, but if they're concerned about Thabo Sefolosha's foot injury lingering, they could look into acquiring a defensive-minded replacement.
Sources close to the Dwight Howard process say the Magic are at least 50% sure they can keep D12 around for another season, if not longer. If that's the case, a blockbuster trade involving Howard is unlikely. Orlando is working hard to acquire pieces around its star center, though the team's lack of assets is making it a challenge.
Daniel Orton is "a safe bet" to be traded by the Magic.
While the 76ers have trade chips, they're unlikely to make a move before the deadline.
The Suns would gladly move Josh Childress, Hakim Warrick, or Robin Lopez.
Kyler hears from sources close to Jamal Crawford that the Blazers guard hasn't requested a trade, but that he wouldn't be opposed to being sent to a less chaotic situation.
The Spurs haven't had "meaningful discussions" with any potential trade partners, and will probably stand pat at the deadline.
The Raptors may be active in the next ten days, but Toronto continues to turn away proposals for Andrea Bargnani.
Although the Jazz have some strong trade assets, they probably would want to include Devin Harris in any deals, which could turn off potential suitors for other players.
Having accepted a qualifying offer from the Wizards this season, Nick Young can veto any deal that sends him out of town. However, Kyler hears that Young would welcome a move.

Southeast Notes: Diaw, Wizards, Howard, Heat

March 5th, 2012 at 9:49am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we heard the Heat are shopping around for a big man. Let's check out a few more items out of the Southeast Division….

Bobcats officials say they won't make any pre-deadline deals that would compromise their rebuilding plans, says Richard Walker of the Gaston Gazette. However, Walker says it wouldn't be surprising to see the team move Boris Diaw, who has clashed with coach Paul Silas this season.
Former Wizard Antawn Jamison still keep tabs on his old club, as he tells Michael Lee of the Washington Post: "Oh, I watch them. Young talent. It’s just a notion of learning how to be professionals on and off the court, but you can’t question the talent that they have here at all."
If there's a chance of convincing Dwight Howard to stay in Orlando, Magic CEO Alex Martins is the man George Diaz of the Orlando Sentinel trusts with the job.
The majority of Ira Winderman's Monday mailbag for the South Florida Sun Sentinel focuses on the Heat's need for frontcourt reinforcements.

Dwight Howard Rumors: Saturday

March 3rd, 2012 at 2:23pm CST by Zachary Links

After putting up 33 points and nine boards in a losing effort against the Thunder on Thursday night, Dwight Howard took questions from the press as he gets ready to take on the Bucks tonight. Here's the latest on Howard..

RealGM columnist Jarrod Rudolph believes teams don't like what the Magic have to offer other than Howard, and that's slowing trade talk right now. If the Knicks make a play for Howard, though, Rudolph thinks they offer Orlando the best deal in return. (Twitter links)
After hearing Howard's trade requests for months, the Magic are crazy to think they have a shot at keeping him, salary cap expert Larry Coon tweets.
While talking with reporters, Howard seemed to leave open the door about possibly remaining with the Magic for the long term, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. At the same time, the big man was vague and wouldn't answer a question asking whether he has made a choice about his future.