Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

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July 4

ESPN.com

"Free agent forward Hedo Turkoglu changed his mind Friday, deciding not to join the Portland Trail Blazers, opting instead to accept an offer from the Toronto Raptors, sources told ESPN.com. The Raptors last-minute bid will give Turkoglu all of the salary-cap space they will get by renouncing their rights to Shawn Marion, Anthony Parker and Carlos Delfino. The Raptors expect to have about $10.1 million in cap space to give to Turkoglu for his first-year salary; he would get an eight percent annual raise over the next four seasons of the deal, a source told ESPN.com. The Raptors have until July 7 to renounce Marion, Delfino and Parker, so it remains a possibility and that a sign-and-trade ..."

Trail Blazers refute reports deal is done with Hedo Turkoglu

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July 3

Oregonian

"Despite published reports to the contrary, Hedo Turkoglu has not reached an agreement with the Trail Blazers, a team source announced at 2:20 p.m. Friday. ESPN first reported that a deal had been reached in principle, but general manager Kevin Pritchard and Turkoglu agent Lon Babby have not confirmed the deal. The 6-foot-10 small forward, one of the top commodities in this year's free agent market, arrived in Portland on Thursday afternoon and is expected to leave Saturday morning. If a deal is struck, the Blazers can not officially sign Turkoglu until July 8, when the league's free agent moratorium is lifted. Teams have been allowed to contact and negotiate with free agents since midnight ..."

Turkoglu, Blazers agree

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July 3

ESPN.com

"Hedo Turkoglu has reached an agreement in principle to join the Portland Trail Blazers, according to sources. Although a verbal commitment may be announced sooner, the terms of the contract cannot be finalized until Wednesday, after the NBA informs teams what next year's salary cap will be. Turkoglu The Orlando Magic's recent trade for Vince Carter, who has a large salary and plays small forward -- which is Turkoglu's position -- made it highly unlikely Turkoglu would be back in Orlando. The Toronto Raptors expressed interest, but that was constrained by their other efforts to keep Shawn Marion and Carlos Delfino. Turkoglu, a 6-10 forward from Turkey who played a prominent role in the ..."

Magic contact Rasheed Wallace's agent; likely won't re-sign Gortat

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July 3

Orlando Sentinel

"The Orlando Magic have contacted Rasheed Wallace's agent and likely will not match the Dallas Mavericks' pending offer sheet for Marcin Gortat and want perhaps one last chance at re-signing Hedo Turkoglu. Magic General Manager Otis Smith told the Sentinel on Friday that he has been in contact with Wallace's agent, Bill Strickland. Smith disputed reports that Wallace was making a visit to Orlando, although he said "it was possible" a some point. Smith agreed that Wallace, a veteran 6 feet 11 power forward, would be a nice "fit"alongside center Dwight Howard, but "it just depends on what Rasheed wants to do." Gortat, according to reports, has committed to sign the Mavs' offer sheet, with ..."

Gortat drawing interest

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July 2

Florida Today

"As the free-agent offers for Hedo Turkoglu reportedly continue to soar to as high as $50 million, the likelihood of reserve center Marcin Gortat returning to the Orlando Magic also has increased. The Houston Rockets launched an all-out pursuit of Gortat on Tuesday, meeting with the Magic's coveted center minutes after midnight early Wednesday morning. Rockets general manager Daryl Moray announced his recruitment of Gortat with a mass e-mail on his Facebook.com page and he also urged Rockets fans to leave notes for the Polish-born player at the e-mail address rocketsfanslovegortat@gmail.com. But because Gortat, a two-year NBA player, is a restricted free agent, the Magic have the right to ..."

Turkoglu to meet with Blazers' hierarchy

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July 1

ESPN.com

"Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan is flying to Orlando to have a Wednesday night dinner with the Blazers' top free-agent target, Hedo Turkoglu. Turkoglu's agent, Lon Babby, said Wednesday that Turkoglu will then travel to Oregon for a Thursday tour of the Blazers' facilities and meetings with Portland general manager Kevin Pritchard and assistant GM Tom Penn. With the Blazers projected to have $8 million to $9 million in salary-cap space this summer -- with firm figures not known until the league announces next season's salary cap on July 8 -- and the Orlando Magic lacking the financial flexibility to re-sign Turkoglu after trading for Vince Carter last week, Turkoglu is widely ..."

Newest Net Courtney Lee dealing with 'shock' of trade from Magic

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July 1

New York Daily News

"When Vince Carter was introduced in Orlando last week, he was all smiles, leaving no doubt that he was thrilled to have been traded from the Nets to the Magic, his hometown team. But when Courtney Lee was introduced Tuesday as one of the newest members of the Nets, it was even more obvious that he was not exactly thrilled to have been on the other end of the deal. "It was definitely a shock," said Lee. "Going all the way to the Finals on a good team, just expecting to regroup for next year and make it back to the playoffs again and just to get the news that you've been traded, it definitely was a shock. But it's one I have to live with." Lee, a 6-5 shooting guard who averaged eight points ..."

Blazers pursue Hedo Turkoglu as NBA free agency opens

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July 1

Oregonian

"The Trail Blazers' summer agenda was revealed late Tuesday night at the minute the free agent market opened. That's when general manager Kevin Pritchard and assistant general manager Tom Penn called agent Lon Babby to begin the courtship of small forward Hedo Turkoglu. "Kevin Pritchard and Tom Penn called me at the earliest possible moment and expressed enthusiasm for engaging in discussions about Hedo becoming a Trail Blazer," Babby said late Tuesday night. "We have begun that process." Pritchard said he first contacted guard Brandon Roy and forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who both are seeking contract extensions with the Blazers, before inquiring about Turkoglu. Turkoglu, 30, is a 6-foot-10 ..."

Magic will let free agent market settle before offering Turkoglu a new contract

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July 1

Orlando Sentinel

"The Orlando Magic will make another long-shot run at re-signing small forward Hedo Turkoglu while patiently waiting to bargain-shop after the green flag drops on free agency. Teams can begin courting Turkoglu and other players on Wednesday and begin signing them to contracts on July 8. General Manager Otis Smith said Monday he would reach out to Turkoglu again, but Smith didn't anticipate making any free agent an offer at the first allowable contact — 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday morning. He expects to wait for a cost-conscious market to settle unless a deal comes together. "I'll sit still," Smith said. "I won't be in a big hurry. There's a lot of guys available and not a lot of money out ..."

Magic's Hedo Turkoglu likely to disappear

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June 30

Florida Today

"In the days after his Orlando Magic were beaten in the NBA Finals, free-agent-to-be Hedo Turkoglu was asked if he would be willing to take less money to stay on a championship-ready team. "Depends on how much less money," Turkoglu said before breaking into laughter. That topic isn't a laughing matter now, especially in the Turkoglu household, after the Magic pulled off a blockbuster trade last week for eight-time All-Star guard Vince Carter. Turkoglu, who won the NBA's Most Improved Player award in 2008 and was a driving force in Orlando's run to the Finals in 2009, seemed to have all of the leverage as a free agent in the days after the most successful season in Orlando history ended. The ..."

Will addition of another star player ring a discordant note in Magic chemistry?

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June 29

Orlando Sentinel

"What happens when you add a star to a group of supremely talented, accomplished people who already are stars in their own right? That's the question that the Orlando Magic will face head-on in the season ahead. On paper, the acquisition of eight-time NBA all-star Vince Carter (above, bottom right) gives the Magic a proven scorer who can complement Dwight Howard, (above, top left), Rashard Lewis (above, top right) and Jameer Nelson (above, bottom left) — and Hedo Turkoglu in the unlikely event that he re-signs with the team. "I just want to fit in and get to work," Carter told reporters at RDV Sportsplex just hours after the trade went through Thursday. "They have already accomplished so ..."

Magic, Cavs better or just different?

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June 28

Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

columnist Ira Winderman

"A weekly look at five talking points that have the league buzzing: 1. The "wow" factor. OK, now exhale. Because while the two major trades that went down on draft day appeared to dramatically shake up the Eastern Conference playoff race, the impact might prove less than overwhelming. First take Orlando's acquisition of Vince Carter. While it might sound like a steal, with only Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston and Tony Battie going to New Jersey in return, that hardly paints the complete picture. The move almost certainly removes the Magic from the bidding on free-agent forward Hedo Turkoglu. So that, in essence, means while Orlando adds Carter to its lineup, it loses starters in Lee and ..."

Lewis hopes Magic will keep 'Turk'

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June 27

Florida Today

"The Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs made bold trades this summer to try and enhance their chances of better competing for an NBA championship, acquiring All-Stars Shaquille O'Neal and Richard Jefferson. But when Orlando joined the "Can-you-top-this?" arms race currently going on amongst the league's elite teams, executing a blockbuster deal for Vince Carter, Magic forward Rashard Lewis feels his franchise made a bold, definitive statement to the rest of the NBA. The Magic, who lost in the NBA Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers, want to win and they want to win now, Lewis stressed. "The Magic have made a big statement that we're here to compete for a championship," said Lewis, who ..."

Magic hope championship will fall in place with Vince Carter in their arsenal

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June 27

Orlando Sentinel

"It will take a few more weeks and several dozen more phone calls with agents and general managers before he can exhale. But Orlando Magic General Manager Otis Smith is starting to breathe easier about how his roster will look next season as the Magic retool for another championship bid. There may be a few questions about how he will fit in, but Thursday's addition of Vince Carter and his "Vin-Sanity" go-to scoring ability made many Magic observers go from screaming for Hedo Turkoglu's re-signing to shrugging, "Hedo Turko-Who?" "I think when you lose in the NBA Finals, you look at the team that beat you," TNT and NBA TV analyst David Aldridge said of the trade. "The L.A. Lakers beat ..."

Will Vince Carter make a fool of Magic GM Otis Smith?

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June 27

Orlando Sentinel

columnist Andrea Adelson

"So the man who once called Vince Carter "fool's gold" now wants us to believe the all-star guard is what the Magic need to win the NBA Finals. That is pretty laughable. Maybe General Manager Otis Smith forgot he made the remark back in 2007 when rumors were flying that the Nets and Magic were talking about a trade that would bring Carter to Orlando for Darko Milicic, Hedo Turkoglu and J.J. Redick. On Feb. 22, 2007, Smith said: "I'm not going to take a step back and fall for what I call fool's gold. It shines and it glitters, but it just doesn't stick or pass the test." So if Carter was fool's gold then, has he somehow polished himself up and turned into solid gold now despite two more ..."

Nets trade Vince Carter much to Coach Lawrence Frank's chagrin

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June 27

New York Daily News

"Lawrence Frank was all smiles when the Nets introduced top draft pick Terrence Williams to the media Friday. But Frank could be frowning once the season begins. Heading into the final year of his contract, Frank may need to win early and often to keep his job. However, he will no longer have the player who would have given him the best chance to do that - Vince Carter. Carter was traded to the Magic on Thursday and will take his 20-plus point scoring average with him to Orlando. He was also the team captain and the player opposing teams focused on most, which helped free up Devin Harris last season, the best of his career. But even though Frank lost the player who would have given the ..."

Nets trade Vince Carter to Orlando

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June 26

Bergen Record

"Vince Carter won't get a chance to lead the Nets back to the playoffs, but they hope his departure will help them land a superstar next summer. The Nets traded Carter, their best and most popular player, and young forward Ryan Anderson to the Orlando Magic for guards Courtney Lee and Rafer Alston and veteran big man Tony Battie on Thursday. The Nets also received trade exceptions worth $3.7 million and $1.2 million that they have one year to use. Getting rid of Carter could mean a third straight season without postseason basketball. But cutting his salary - $33.6 million guaranteed for the next two seasons - opens up about $17.5 million next summer when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris ..."

Magic acquire Vince Carter from Nets; Hedo return unlikely

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June 26

Orlando Sentinel

"The Orlando Magic's blockbuster formula for winning the NBA Finals now involves shooting guard Vince Carter as the go-to-guy and very likely not small forward Hedo Turkoglu, who probably will move on after turning down an offer from the club. Magic General Manager Otis Smith told the Sentinel that he made Turkoglu a "decent" initial offer before receiving Turkoglu's official letter this week notifying the team he had opted out of his contract. Smith didn't go into details, but said that Thursday's acquisition of Carter - an eight-time all-star - will make re-signing Turkoglu something of a long-shot."

NJ Nets: The VC Deal, By The Numbers

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June 26

Newark Star-Ledger

"Looking ahead on the big board, we've lopped off Vince Carter's $33 million, factored in Terrence Williams' new contract numbers, and came up with this: Cap space for 2010-11 before the Vince trade -- $9,724,569 (10 players). That was with a $46,775,431 payroll. Cap space for 2010-11 after the Vince trade -- $27,303,344 (9 players). And that's with a 29,196,656 payroll. And all those figures are based on a $56,500,000 salary cap, and assuming that they'll pick up the options on CDR, Yi, and Sean Williams (which they won't, in his case). More numbers: Those two trade exceptions the Nets received from Orlando are valued at $3.75M and $1.2M. Williams will earn salaries of $2.06 and $2.2 ..."

Vince Carter 'can't wait to get started' in Orlando after trade from New Jersey

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June 26

Newark Star-Ledger

"Vince Carter didn't have far to travel when he got the news the Nets had traded him to the Orlando Magic -- he found out at his basketball camp in his hometown of Daytona, according to the Orlando Sentinel. "What a day," Carter said. "I don't know where to start. I was surprised when they told me. They told me I was going to get traded and I was like 'Where?' They told me back home. Now I just can't just wait to get started. It's going to feel like old times.""

Area legend Vince Carter coming home

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June 26

Orlando Sentinel

"The last time Vince Carter played on a basketball team in Central Florida, he led the Mainland High Buccaneers to the Class 6A state championship. That was back in 1995, and in the years since, his legend here has only grown. As he was dunking and averaging over 20 points a game in NBA arenas, he also was donating $2.5 million to build a gym at his alma mater. More recently, the Volusia County native and his mom, Michelle Carter-Scott, gave $1.6 million to help build an addiction treatment center in Flagler County. His trade Thursday to the Orlando Magic will give him one more chance to add to his legacy in his home region, and those who've known him for years predict Carter will make the ..."

Big moves by Cavs, Magic make it tougher for Pistons

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June 26

Detroit Free Press

"Two events over the past two days kind of overshadowed Thursday night's NBA draft. Orlando made major news early Thursday by acquiring superstar Vince Carter in a move to try to get closer to capturing the NBA title it lost to the Lakers this month. And that move paled in comparison to the Cavs finalizing the deal to grab one of the best centers ever in Shaquille O'Neal. On paper it looks as though winning the Eastern Conference just got a little tougher for the Pistons. Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars didn't address that possibility directly, but he did say it showed the need to strengthen the talent base. "You have to have incredible depth now," Dumars said to a ..."

New Piston Austin Daye a lot like Magic's Lewis

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June 26

Detroit Free Press

"Let the comparisons to Tayshaun Prince begin. With the 15th pick of the first round, the Pistons selected Gonzaga sophomore Austin Daye in the NBA draft Thursday night. When fans get a look at the 6-foot-11 forward with the 190-pound frame, they immediately will think of Prince, the Pistons' small forward who is 6-9 and 215 -- at least 15 pounds more than when he was selected as the 21st pick of the first round in 2002. But the player Daye reminds Pistons president Joe Dumars and coach Michael Curry more of is Orlando Magic forward Rashard Lewis, who made quite a name during his team's run to the NBA Finals. And while Daye definitely needs to gain weight to reach his full potential, Dumars ..."

Nets deal Vince Carter to Orlando, draft Louisville's Terrence Williams

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June 26

New York Daily News

"Months after they first entertained the possibility of shipping Carter out to save money - and nearly one year to the day since they pulled off another draft-day shocker - the Nets sent Carter to the Orlando Magic Thursday for promising but unproven shooting guard Courtney Lee and the expiring contracts of Tony Battie and New York playground legend Rafer Alston. The Nets also sent Ryan Anderson to the Magic and received a pair of trade exceptions. After trading Carter, the Nets took Louisville swingman Terrence Williams with the 11th pick in Thursday night's draft. Williams could compete with Lee and Chris Douglas-Roberts for Carter's starting shooting guard spot, or play small forward. ..."

Magic Gets Carter and Hope From Nets

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June 26

New York Times

"The Nets acquired Vince Carter from the Toronto Raptors more than four years ago in the hope that he would combine with the team's established stars — then Richard Jefferson and Jason Kidd — to lift them to an N.B.A. title.Now, the Orlando Magic has that same hope for Carter. On Thursday, the Nets traded Carter and the 2008 first-round draft pick Ryan Anderson to the Eastern Conference champion Magic for Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee and Tony Battie. "With Vince, this was a deal that we feel helps us as we go forward," Rod Thorn, the Nets' president, said. "Maybe not today, but we think this is a deal that really helps us." On Thursday, the Nets had one pick in the N.B.A draft, and they ..."

Nets Agree to Move Vince Carter to Orlando

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June 25

Trenton Times

"Vince Carter is heading home, to central Florida - and he's bringing Ryan Anderson with him. The Nets have agreed in principle to trade their leading scorer and major gate attraction to the Orlando Magic in exchange for three players, which will effectively help them clear more than $18 million off their 2010-11 salary cap. Coming to New Jersey are point guard Rafer Alston, power forward Tony Battie, and rookie shooting guard Courtney Lee. Anderson will be sent to Orlando in a separate deal for Orlando's trade exception. It is now likely that the Nets will lean toward drafting a two-guard to take Carter's place, such as Terrence Williams."

Vince Carter to Magic trade official

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June 25

Boston Globe

"An NBA source told The Boston Globe that a trade was just consummated sending Nets forward Vince Carter to Orlando for guard Rafer Alston, forward Tony Battie and guard Courtney Lee."

Sources: Nets, Magic in serious talks for Vince Carter

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June 25

ESPN.com

"The New Jersey Nets are in serious talks with the Magic about a deal that will send Vince Carter to Orlando for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee, two league sources told ESPN.com. The talks have reached a point that a deal could be done by the end of the day Thursday, according to sources. The trade would give the Magic even more star power on their quest to win an NBA championship. The addition of Carter to a lineup that already consists of All-Star players Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson would make Orlando the favorite to win the Eastern Conference title next year if the franchise also finds a way to bring back Hedo Turkoglu, who will opt out of his contract this ..."

Magic face quiet draft night

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June 25

Florida Today

"Already in the midst of the shortest offseason in franchise history, the Orlando Magic's summer to-do list will be a little less hectic tonight when they likely will remain on the outside looking in at the NBA Draft. The Magic, who lost the NBA Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers, do not have a pick in tonight's draft, and most likely will keep it that way. Orlando wants to save every salary-cap dollar it can for free agents Hedo Turkoglu and Marcin Gortat and doesn't want to waste financial resources on an unproven rookie from what is thought to be a weak draft class. First-round draft picks are guaranteed three-year contracts at about $1 million a season, money that Magic general manager ..."

Which Orlando Magic player might be moved in the NBA draft?

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June 25

Orlando Sentinel

"You say the Orlando Magic could make some trades tonight, but who exactly might be in play? With the exception of Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson, just about everybody else is in play tonight in a bid to clear enough payroll space to re-sign Hedo Turkoglu. Turk is looking for at least $10 million a season and a long-term deal. Rafer Alston, Tony Battie, Anthony Johnson and J.J. Redick all have expiring contracts next season that could help free up the cash, with Battie making the most money out of the lot ($6.2 million)."

Van Gundy wants to add elements of Lakers' triangle offense to Magic

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June 23

Orlando Sentinel

"After getting away for a few days to "decompress," Orlando Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy will return to drawing up X's and O's. And some of his new plays will involve incorporating things the Los Angeles Lakers used to beat the Magic in the NBA Finals. "I want to watch and try to steal ideas. I always have different projects in the summer. I watch how certain people do things. I like what L.A. does with the triangle offense, watch what San Antonio does," he said. "One of the things we want to do this summer is work on our post-up offense, how to cut and move and what we can do when the ball gets thrown into Dwight [Howard]." Van Gundy, fresh off a 59-23 season, spoke with Magic beat writer ..."

Orlando Magic fans can't let up now

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June 20

Orlando Sentinel

columnist Andrea Adelson

"The last image the world has of Magic fans is actually no image at all. It is of Lakers fans crashing Amway Arena and filling the lower bowl to celebrate another NBA championship while Magic fans had their backs turned, headed for the exits. One angry reader, Nichole Bryant, e-mailed me after that Game 5 loss to the Lakers in the Finals, saying, "I am appalled at some of the Magic fans who were in the Arena. I don't care if the Magic were down 100-1, all those fans should have been cheering and rooting their team on for the whole 48+ minutes." Magic fans should be embarrassed for allowing that to happen. You don't want to be known as a bunch of bandwagon fair-weather fans ready to jump off ..."

Latest NBA rumor: Blazers targeting Turkoglu, Kidd?

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June 19

Oregonian

"Nothing better to usher us into the weekend than a big, juicy rumor. From Yahoo! Sports and Adrian Wojnarowski: For all the Portland Trail Blazers' usual misdirection plays about moving up in the draft, few say they're sincere in climbing into the lottery. Ultimately, it's thought that the Blazers are trying to clear cap space - perhaps as much as $10 million - and multiple league executives think Portland is determined to sign Orlando Magic free agent Hedo Turkoglu.For now, the Blazers are trying to find a taker for point guard Sergio Rodriguez and his $1.6 million salary. They're interested in Dallas Mavericks free agent Jason Kidd, too. The Mavericks want to keep Kidd, who will probably ..."

Dwight Howard must become even more dominant but without losing his smile

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June 19

Orlando Sentinel

columnist George Diaz

"It nags Dwight Howard everywhere he goes. It will nag him during the summer breeze of '09 and into the fall's chill. It has its own annoying soundtrack, complete with a robust chorus. The voices are in his head: Dwight needs to improve his game. Dwight needs to hit his free throws. Dwight needs to develop a short jumper. Dwight needs to be able to go left. Dwight needs. Yada-yada-yada. Everybody gets a whack. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar calls him "predictable." "Until he gets a go-to move, he will continue to struggle and his teams will continue to fall short," says a recent article on bleacherreport.com. "How do you feel about missing those two free throws that y'all could have won?" the Dwight ..."

Grading how the Orlando Magic performed in the 2008-09 season

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June 19

Orlando Sentinel

"Orlando Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy pointed out during the NBA Finals that his team and the Los Angeles Lakers were subject to harsher "scrutiny" because they had made it to the big stage. "When you make mistakes at this level, those people end up getting ripped more than teams who win 20 games. ... There's no problem with any of those players, they're all winners," Van Gundy said, sarcastically. "But the guys who are here and lose in the Finals, then we've got to find something wrong with them." The Magic lost to the Lakers in the Finals 4-1. Looking back at the season, there wasn't much to find wrong with the Magic. Still, working stiffs are subject to job-performance reviews. So we go to ..."

Star player lacks star treatment

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June 17

Florida Today

columnist Peter Kerasotis

"Stan Van Gundy is surprised. A little annoyed. But mostly surprised. All during the NBA postseason, and even now, the Orlando Magic head coach found it hard to fathom why Dwight Howard isn't coveted for the national spotlight, as are Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and even, to a degree, the Boston Celtics. Yeah, Kobe is the game's greatest player. And LeBron is, well, LeBron. The Celtics, of course, are the league's most storied franchise. But, c'mon. What's Dwight Howard? Some chump? No, the answer is that Dwight Howard is charismatic and marketable, a dominating presence, and simply the best center in the game today, not to mention the foreseeable future. "Was it annoying? Maybe a little," ..."

Magic may bend to keep Turkoglu

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June 17

Florida Today

"For weeks, Hedo Turkoglu has used the analogy of knocking on the door of a great opportunity as it relates to his impending free agency. His only concern: will the Orlando Magic answer his request for a lucrative contract that will provide him long-term security and keep the team's talented nucleus intact? "It has to be something that works for both sides, I understand that," Turkoglu said on Tuesday. "But I can't keep knocking on the door if nobody answers." When Turkoglu opts out of the final year of a six-year, $36 million contract on June 30, he'll become an unrestricted free agent starting July 1. He'll assuredly be looking for a five-year contract and likely one worth the $10 million ..."

Opponent, and story arc of Finals, were unpredictable for Lakers

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June 17

Los Angeles Times

"No one was banking on the Magic getting in the way of an NBA Finals matching Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. With ads showcasing puppets of the league's top two players even through the Finals, the Magic dealt with the question of whether it deserved to be there . . . even if Orlando had unseated Philadelphia, Boston and Cleveland on the way. The Lakers' Game 1 victory appeared to answer that question, with Bryant scoring 40 points, Orlando shooting 29.9% and Magic center Dwight Howard mustering only one field goal. But in a Game 2 that featured 23 lead changes and 21 ties, the series could have been tied if Courtney Lee's layup attempt off a lob pass from Hedo Turkoglu had fallen in as ..."

Magic motivated to return

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June 16

Florida Today

"As he sat on the Orlando Magic's bench and watched the Los Angeles Lakers' championship celebration -- fittingly outside of the restrictive ropes lining the court -- Dwight Howard kept thinking about one thing: Newly-crowned champ Kobe Bryant was in Howard's same sullen spot just last year. A Lakers team that was embarrassed by 39 points in Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals rebounded and won it all in 2009 by beating Howard and the Magic 4-1. L.A. became the 10th team in Finals history to lose in the championship round one season and win it all the following year. That thought gave Howard hope that Sunday's disappointing finish to The Finals was actually somewhat of a beginning for the Magic. ..."

Magic's Turkoglu opts out of contract

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June 16

Orlando Sentinel

"Hedo Turkoglu will delve into the free-agent market on July 1, quickly testing whether the Orlando Magic can keep a core of key players together who led the club to an appearance in the NBA Finals. A day after losing the title series to the Los Angeles Lakers, the agent for Turkoglu told the Sentinel on Monday that the Magic small forward will opt out of his contract and become a free agent in two weeks. "It would make sense for him to opt out," Lon Babby, Turkoglu's agent, said by phone. "I can't imagine a scenario in which he would not." Magic General Manager Otis Smith said he was not surprised by Turkoglu's pending decision and likes the franchise's chances of re-signing him. "Turk ..."

PG Alston must be let go if Magic want team unity

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June 16

Orlando Sentinel

columnist Mike Bianchi

"Once the Magic clear their heads of the hellacious hangover that comes with getting bounced from the NBA Finals, the common thought is that their No. 1 priority must be to do whatever is necessary to keep free agent Hedo Turkoglu. Think again. The Magic's first order of business during this all-important offseason must be to do whatever is necessary to get rid of point guard Rafer Alston. You heard me. "Skip to My Lou" must skip outta town if the Magic are to move forward with Jameer Nelson as the starting point guard and de facto leader of the team. Just call it addition by subtraction. This is not a knock on Alston; far from it. Magic GM Otis Smith's decision to make a deal for Alston ..."

ABC's Van Gundy Remained Mum About His Brother

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June 16

New York Times

"ABC's Jeff Van Gundy warned us: He could not be objective about his brother, Stan, the Orlando Magic coach. But he did not say that he would barely let Stan's name pass his lips during the N.B.A. finals, which the Lakers won on Sunday night. Jeff discussed the failings of the Magic players and their bad plays, but he did not analyze Stan. There was no Stan equivalent of comments like Jeff's on Sunday night that the Magic's Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis "haven't delivered the last two games." That was a shame, even if Jeff, the younger Van Gundy, does not like criticizing any coach. "I think this was harder for him than he thought it would be," said Mike Breen, whose command as the ..."

Magic entice celebs with courtside seats for NBA Finals at a price

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June 15

Orlando Sentinel

"Being the "Black Mamba" is one thing. Being the guy to seat VIPs near Kobe Bryant (the "Black Mamba") in the NBA Finals is quite another. You can thank Michael Lipman for helping to bring in stars like Rihanna, Lil Wayne and Plaxico Burress to Amway Arena during the Orlando Magic's historic NBA Finals run. "If I say Lil Wayne is sitting in this seat, he better be sitting in that seat," said Lipman, president of Tickets of America. "Or else, I lose my credibility." There was no such thing as free tickets for celebrity fans looking for courtside seats. You can rest assured stars like Lil Wayne dug deep into their bank accounts to sit in luxury. And according to Lipman, he even had to turn ..."

Magic G Mickael Pietrus insists life is good, despite losing bid for NBA title

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June 15

Orlando Sentinel

"Mickael Pietrus insists he has no regrets. Pietrus didn't flash his thousand-watt smile minutes after the Magic fell 99-86 to the Lakers and Los Angeles clinched the NBA title on Sunday night, but he still managed to put a positive spin on Orlando's playoff run. "It was a wonderful experience," he said. "I always dreamed about making it to the NBA Finals and this team worked very hard together. It was very special for us. I wish we could have won the championship, but we learned a lot as a team." Pietrus is one of many Magic players who has displayed a remarkable ability to shrug off adversity. He said he doesn't think about missing an off-balance jumper in the waning seconds of regulation ..."

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard can't get it going in Game 5 against the Lakers

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June 15

Orlando Sentinel

"During the Game 5 pregame festivities Sunday there was a montage of the Magic's playoff run playing on the scoreboard above the Amway Arena court. Included were all of Orlando's moments of triumph and survival on their way to the Finals, set to the backdrop of Van Halen's classic rally track "Right Now." It was a fitting song choice. It was also the theme of Magic center Dwight Howard's motivational speech to his teammates during a team meeting the day after a heartbreaking overtime Game 4 loss that put them in a 3-1 series hole and on the brink of watching their championship dreams end. After missing two late free throws that could have secured the win in regulation and tied the series at ..."

Alston brushes off controversy

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June 15

Orlando Sentinel

"To understand just how divisive the Orlando Magic's NBA Finals point guard controversy became, know this: A smattering of boos greeted usual fan-favorite Jameer Nelson when he entered Game 5 with 1:40 remaining in the first quarter. And now that the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Magic 99-86 Sunday and captured the championship by winning four of five Finals games, whether Nelson should've played against the Lakers at all after missing four months due to injury likely will remain a point of contention. But on Sunday night alone, it was tough to blame the Magic's loss on Nelson. Starter Rafer Alston — not Nelson — was in the game for Los Angeles' entire 16-0 second-quarter run, which saw ..."

Face it, Orlando, we're lucky to be here

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June 15

Orlando Sentinel

columnist George Diaz

""My God, my heart is starting to break into itty bitty pieces. I am so proud of them to get here — but ... " That Facebook post came in from a friend late in the third quarter, when the Magic were treating a desperation game like a light workout at the Y. Like they wanted to be anywhere else but at Amway Arena, playing for professional pride. Like they had already packed their Teva sandals for that all-inclusive vacation in Antigua. Why not enjoy sand in your shoes after you got sand in your face from the muscle boys on basketball beach, the Los Angeles Lakers? But ... and why? The Magic broke a lot of hearts Sunday night, hearts that had come to believe in the grit and greatness of this ..."

Magic's bid for NBA title ends as Lakers win Game 5

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June 15

Orlando Sentinel

columnist Mike Bianchi

"It was 13 summers ago that former Magic player Nick Anderson sat on his couch and watched the Olympics on television. His phone rang, and it was his father on the other end telling him to switch the station to ESPN. When he did, he saw Magic center Shaquille O'Neal holding up a purple-and-gold Lakers jersey. "Son," Nick's dad said, "your championship rings just went to L.A." And now, after Sunday's devastating, season-ending 99-86 loss the Lakers at Amway Arena, here we go again. California, there it goes. Another potential Magic championship trophy is jetting off to the West Coast. With apologies to Randy Newman, who could blame every Magic fan today for shouting out: "I HATE L.A.!"? The ..."

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