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Hedo Turkoglu News & Rumors

Back spasms keep Hedo Turkoglu out of Magic lineup against Spurs
January 19
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Out of necessity, the Orlando Magic altered their lineup before their game Wednesday night against the San Antonio Spurs. The team deactivated Hedo Turkoglu, who had twisted his back going for a rebound late in Tuesday's win over the Charlotte Bobcats and suffered from back spasms on Wednesday. "They had him in for treatments all day," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "He's a little bit better but not enough to go." Quentin Richardson started in Turkoglu's place at small forward."
Magic hope Hedo Turkoglu will end his maddening inconsistency
December 28
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Some nights, Hedo Turkoglu plays like he did during the Orlando Magic's run to the 2009 NBA Finals. He runs the pick-and-roll with precision, finding open teammates or swishing open shots. Other nights, he struggles as badly as he did during the Magic's disastrous playoff series last spring against the Atlanta Hawks. He misses open shots, then loses his confidence and his aggressiveness. That's the problem: The Magic need him desperately, but the difference between the effective Turkoglu and the ineffective Turkoglu is enormous. "He's that guy for us," said power forward Glen Davis, who has played against Turkoglu when Turkoglu was at his best and has seen Turkoglu at his worst. "He's that"
Magic coach: Turkoglu's injury nothing major
December 21
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Magic SF Hedo Turkoglu, who suffered a bruised left hip from a fall Sunday in the preseason opener, did not practice on Tuesday. Turkoglu said he was sore but felt "OK." Unless his hip tightens up, he expects to play tonight against the Miami Heat in the Magic's final preseason warm-up at Amway Center. "Nothing major," Coach Stan Van Gundy said of Turkoglu's injury. "He had an MRI or an X-ray, and he didn't break anything. He was getting spasms down his leg and we needed to calm it down.""
Hedo Turkoglu's EuroBasket performance is cause for concern
September 14
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Hedo Turkoglu didn't give the Orlando Magic much reason for optimism over the last few weeks. Playing for his native Turkey in EuroBasket 2011, the Magic's starting small forward posted statistics that were eerily similar to his subpar numbers during the 2011 NBA playoffs. Turkoglu averaged 10.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game in eight EuroBasket games. He also shot an anemic 15.6 percent from 3-point range. Those numbers sound familiar?"
Can Arenas, Turk make Magic comebacks?
May 7
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The Magic's fortunes next season - -and maybe the future of the franchise - just might rest on the comebacks of Gilbert Arenas and Hedo Turkoglu. If they can recapture their abilities - physically and mentally - the Magic can improve on their 52-win season and go farther in the playoffs. The offseason is critical for Arenas, especially. He needs to return as fit and flexible as possible. He says he will work dilgently with famed Chicago-based trainer Tim Grover. His left knee, surgically repaired three times, is the key to him restoring some semblance of the explosiveness that made him one of the NBA's top scorers. If Arenas wants to make GM/mentor Otis Smith look good - it was Smith who"
Van Gundy wants Hedo Turkoglu to take open shots
April 24
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Stan Van Gundy and Hedo Turkoglu spent some time after Saturday afternoon's Orlando Magic practice sitting together in plush baseline seats at Philips Arena, squinting at a laptop computer screen. They weren't surfing the Internet. Nope, they were watching video from the Magic's Game 3 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Turkoglu's play on offense was a concern for the Magic as they prepared to play Game 4 this evening. Turkoglu will enter tonight having shot just 9-of-36 from the field in the series, and Van Gundy has said he's concerned that Turkoglu is passing up open shots. "Where he hasn't been ready to shoot or willing to shoot most of the time is when the ball is coming to him from other"
Turkoglu leads Magic into ACC
April 3
Toronto Sun
 
"The long-awaited return of Hedo Turkoglu, at least in the regular season, arrives Sunday night. When he suited up for the Phoenix Suns way back in the pre-season, long before his blockbuster move back to Orlando, a half-empty crowd at the ACC welcomed Turkoglu with half-hearted venom. With little to play for as the Raptors close out their lost season, the only meaningful occasions feature Turkoglu as the backdrop and Chris Bosh in the season finale on April 13 when the Miami Heat comes to town. It makes no sense in retracing the many missteps Turkoglu and the Raptors franchise made, but the way Orlando has used Turkoglu in his second incarnation as a Magic illustrates his value and his"
Magic's Hedo Turkoglu in playoff mode
March 26
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The Magic need this Hedo Turkoglu, and even more of him soon. Turkoglu has been up and down since returning to Orlando via a mid-December trade. He has been on a roll of late. But there have been bad shooting nights, poor shot selection and high turnover rates — nights that mystify the Magic. Turk's troubles sometimes are reflected by a famous quote in golf: "The toughest six inches in golf is the space between your ears." He has all the skills, but on some nights, he plays away from his strengths. Even after all this time in the league, the 6-10 Turk still needs to be reminded to keep on the path that has brought him success. "He's sometimes his own worst enemy, trying to predetermine"
Hedo Turkoglu's aggressiveness on offense a plus for the Magic
March 18
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The Orlando Magic waited several weeks for Hedo Turkoglu to regain an attacking mentality on offense. He found it on the Magic's recently completed five-game road trip. Turkoglu averaged 16.2 points on 51.8 percent shooting — a significant improvement for a player who had been reluctant to look for his own shot. Turkoglu concluded the road swing on a high note, scoring eight of the Magic's 14 overtime points in a 93-89 win Wednesday over the Milwaukee Bucks. He also hit the final go-ahead basket, a 20-footer from in front of the Bucks' bench with a minute remaining in the extra period. "I've always been in this situation in my career, especially with the Magic," Turkoglu said. "They just"
Magic's Hedo Turkoglu has an Olympic dream
March 16
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Magic SF Hedo Turkoglu said he wouldn't be taking his talents overseas if there's an NBA lockout, but he's dead-set on helping his homeland of Turkey make noise in the 2012 London Olympics. Turkoglu, who led Turkey to its runner-up finish to Team USA in the 2010 FIBA world championships, said he plans on playing for the Turkish national team in qualfying rounds with his sights set on reaching London. Turkey's amazing FIBA run was hailed as the country's greatest sporting accomplishment. "I would like to play in the Olympics, of course. That's something I've never done before," Turkoglu said. Turkoglu said he'd be interested in playing overseas during an expected NBA lockout this summer.But"
Hedo Turkoglu miscue costs Orlando Magic in loss to New Orleans Hornets
February 12
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The Orlando Magic aspire to be NBA champions, but they are nowhere near that level. It showed again Friday night. They committed turnovers down the stretch. They allowed average to below-average opposing players to score in double figures. And they stopped feeding their superstar center in the fourth quarter because he didn't hit his free throws. Magic-Hornets photos The Magic lost 99-93 to the New Orleans Hornets and still haven't beaten a team with a winning record in over a month."
Orlando Magic puzzled over Hedo Turkoglu's slump
February 8
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Magic coach Stan Van Gundy wants to know what's ailing Hedo Turkoglu's game lately. Turkoglu says Van Gundy or anybody else can start with his right knee, and he'd prefer you'd approach it with caution. "It's been killing me," Turkoglu said. "It's tough, man. I can't move the way I want to." Turkoglu has been sore ever since Miami Heat forward Mike Miller fell into his leg during Thursday night's game in Orlando. He doesn't believe it's serious, but said, "I might need to get it looked at." Turkoglu, also dealing with some back pain, said that he struggled moving on his leg throughout Sunday's loss against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. He had a dreadful day, going scoreless in the"
Hedo Turkoglu endures rough outing against the Chicago Bulls
January 30
Orlando Sentinel
 
"In a reminder of how quickly one's fortunes and performances can change in the NBA, Hedo Turkoglu had a forgettable night in Friday's loss to the Chicago Bulls, just one game after perhaps his best defensive performance of the season. Turkoglu was matched up against Luol Deng, and Deng scored 24 of his 26 points in Friday's second half. Meanwhile, Turk made only two of his 12 shot attempts from the field to go along with five assists. "I was disappointed," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "I think that Turk's capable of far better defense than that. I thought it was Turk's worst night at both ends of the floor. I just thought that he didn't have much tonight. He didn't play well at either"
Van Gundy likes the way Hedo Turkoglu ran the pick-and-roll against Houston
January 24
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Stan Van Gundy saw a bunch of positives from the Orlando Magic's 118-104 win over the Houston Rockets on Saturday night. One of them: Hedo Turkoglu's performance. Turkoglu carved up the Rockets defense even though he was matched up initially against Shane Battier, one of the sport's best wing defenders. Van Gundy liked that Turkoglu made smart plays in the pick-and-roll game. For example, when Battier went under on the pick-and-roll — essentially attempting to prevent a drive to the hoop — Turk utilized the extra space and took an open shot. Turk finished with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting. He also compiled five assists without a turnover."
Turkoglu leaves the past in the past
January 22
Toronto Sun
 
"Hedo Turkoglu politely declined the request through a team publicist. Turkoglu didn't see any point in re-hashing his forgetful (our words, not his) one season in Toronto with a couple of visiting media members. Safe to say, the conversation likely would have gone something like this. Q: Hedo, now that it's working for you again here in Orlando, what was it about Toronto that made it impossible for you to play? Hedo: Ball. And that would have been it. "I sometimes look in the mirror and wonder, did I not use him the right way but then I see him go to Phoenix and it was the same thing," Triano said. "Maybe this (Orlando) is where he wanted to be all along. He just seems very comfortable"
Turkoglu prefers not to talk about his time with the Raptors
January 22
Orlando Sentinel
 columnist Josh Robbins
"Why did Hedo Turkoglu's tenure with the Toronto Raptors go so badly? Turkoglu tried to steer clear of the controversial subject before the Raptors faced the Orlando Magic on Friday night. "I've moved on," Turk said after the Magic completed their shootaround Friday. "I'm here right now and I'm just trying to do the best I can for the Magic. I just don't want to talk about it like what happened, why, and this and that." The commonly accepted answer why Turk didn't flourish in Toronto is that the Raptors didn't use him enough as a ball-handler and didn't run enough high pick-and-rolls with him. But Raptors coach Jay Triano doesn't agree with that notion. "We thought we had it in his hands"
Van Gundy tells Hedo Turkoglu to shoot more
January 21
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Hedo Turkoglu is shooting far fewer shots per game than his previous five-year stint in Orlando, passing more and looking for his own shot less. He's averaging 9.2 shots per game in 16 games with the Magic. From 2004-09 in Orlando, Turkoglu never averaged fewer than 11.2 shots per game. After Wednesday night's 99-98 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, Van Gundy talked to Turkoglu about it. "He's not looking to shoot the ball," Van Gundy said. "I think now he's coming off screens not even looking at the rim, just looking to pass and looking to Dwight when he comes off the screen. Instead of just coming off hard and making his play and taking what's there.""
Hedo Turkoglu's happy homecoming continues
January 4
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Hedo Turkoglu was having a ball, largely because it was in his hands. He threw the pass to J.J. Redick on the break. As J.J.'s jumper settled into the net, he grinned broadly. The gleam is back in Turk's eye. It wasn't just because he had tied up the loose ends on a triple-double Monday night. It was because he did it here, in Orlando, with his old team, the Magic. Money can't buy happiness, even NBA money. Turk tried hard to make that deal. It just didn't work. He wasn't good at being a mercenary. An unhappy Turk is an unproductive, unmotivated Turk. Toronto is beautiful, even if it's stuck in Canada, and Phoenix is a desert resort. But Hedo did not like working at either place, and it"
Orlando Magic newcomers practice together for first time
December 23
Orlando Sentinel
 
"On Wednesday, for the first time in the Stan Van Gundy era, the Orlando Magic practiced on the day after a back-to-back. Usually when the Magic play games on consecutive days, they take the next day off to allow the players to rest their bodies. Not with the team's current situation, though. As the Magic continue to integrate newcomers Gilbert Arenas, Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson and Earl Clark into the system, Van Gundy felt his team needed the practice. It was the first practice the new guys participated in — they played games against Atlanta on Monday and Dallas on Tuesday without even going through as much as a three-man weave together. The new guys were grateful for the practice"
Magic hope Hedo Turkoglu can regain his old form
December 23
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The person who now wears No. 15 for the Orlando Magic looks and sounds just like the guy who wore No. 15 during the team's run to the 2009 NBA Finals. Same goatee. Same smile. Same accent. But which Hedo Turkoglu did the Magic receive in their recent blockbuster trade with the Phoenix Suns? Is he the same playmaker, deft ball-handler and clutch shooter who helped spark Orlando to the Eastern Conference title a year-and-a-half ago? Or is he the guy who has struggled since then with the Toronto Raptors and the Suns? "I know myself," Turkoglu said. "I know what I can do. All I have to do is go out there and try to play as hard as I can." So far, though, the jury's out. On one hand, he reeled"
Jeff Van Gundy: Magic still not a candidate to reach the NBA Finals
December 21
Orlando Sentinel
 
"While ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy, the brother of Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, admits he's still a bit undecided on the Orlando Magic's recent overhaul, he's confident about one thing: this new Magic team ain't winning it all. "I still don't think they're a candidate to reach the finals," Van Gundy said. "Clearly, Boston and Miami are better with their old team and with their new team. It'll be interesting to see how it works out, though." Orlando's acquisition of Gilbert Arenas, Hedo Turkoglu and Jason Richardson was certainly bold and ambitious, he said. But there are too many question marks for him to really get behind this team. Does Hedo Turkoglu have anything left? Does the have"
Gilbert Arenas, Hedo Turkoglu trades prove no contract is untradeable
December 20
Michigan Live
 columnist Justin Rogers
"On Saturday, the Orlando Magic acquired Gilbert Arenas from the Washington Wizards. Earlier the same day, the Magic brought back Hedo Turkoglu in a separate deal with the Phoenix Suns. In the course of 24 hours, Orlando added two players widely considered to have among the worst contracts in basketball. Both Turkoglu and Arenas are signed through the 2013-14 season, set to make a combined $96 million. And that's not even including their remaining salaries this season. Beyond the massive financial commitments, both players arrive in Orlando with extra baggage."
Magic prepare for adjustment period
December 20
Orlando Sentinel
 
"For the Orlando Magic and other NBA teams, a gameday walkthrough can feel like a nuisance. On the road, they often assemble bleary-eyed and travel-weary in a hotel ballroom around 10 a.m. to prepare for that night's opponent. But the Magic better be alert this morning in Atlanta. There's so much to cover and so little time. Their walkthrough today will begin a potentially difficult adjustment period in which the team must integrate four new players and adapt to the loss of four others. The additions of Gilbert Arenas, Earl Clark, Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu through two blockbuster trades could markedly improve the Magic's offense in the long run. In the short term, however, their"
Magic admit failures in making blockbuster deals for Arenas, Turkoglu
December 19
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Let's not pretend to think we know what will happen next, now that the Orlando Magic have essentially imploded the Master Plan they set for the season and started all over again. There are too many variables, too many egos, too many new faces in new places. But this much is certain: The Magic caught on to what most of us knew watching this team for the first few months of the season: The current roster wasn't going to cut it. Not against the Miami Heat. Not against the Boston Celtics. They would make it through the first round of the playoffs, maybe the second, and then go away. So it was time to say goodbye to Vince Carter, Mikael Pietrus and Marcin Gortat, who were traded to the Phoenix"
Former Raptors on the move again
December 19
Toronto Sun
 
"All that was missing was a Chris Bosh trade. An otherwise quiet day in NBA circles, certainly quiet on the Toronto front, got loud quickly Saturday afternoon when confirmation of a trade that had been percolating for 24 hours finally came to fruition. The fact that it involved two of the most hated ex-Raptors still in the league made it all the more interesting locally. Leaving Phoenix after a stay of just 25 game following his one-season flop in Toronto, was none other than Hedo Turkoglu. The "Turkish Tease" who has never seen enough "ball" since leaving Orlando is headed back to the Magic, while another former Raptor, who left Toronto a lot less happy with him than when he showed up, in"
Magic ship out Carter and Lewis, acquire Arenas, Turkoglu and Richardson
December 19
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The Orlando Magic haven't just tweaked their roster. They've overhauled it. The slumping Magic on Saturday completed two blockbuster trades that carry significant risk but have the potential to markedly upgrade their sputtering offense. In the first trade, Orlando acquired former Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu, swingman Jason Richardson and forward Earl Clark from the Phoenix Suns for guard Vince Carter, center Marcin Gortat, swingman Mickael Pietrus, a 2011 first-round pick and cash. In the second deal, the Magic obtained talented but controversial guard Gilbert Arenas from the Washington Wizards for forward Rashard Lewis. "I thought we needed scoring and we needed a little bit more punch,""
Phoenix Suns, Hedo Turkoglu not backing off marriage
November 5
Arizona Republic
 
"After four minutes and 40 seconds of the third quarter Wednesday night, Suns forward Hedo Turkoglu left the US Airways Center floor with the Suns trailing by nine and never returned in a 112-110 loss to San Antonio. But the Suns coaches could not pull him off the floor Thursday. Turkoglu stayed more than an hour after practice to work with Suns player development personnel, new hire Nenad Trajkovic and Mercury coach Corey Gaines. Turkoglu will not be moved to the bench for Friday's home game with Memphis, despite some support for Hakim Warrick to take his spot. Turkoglu also will not move from his belief that he will figure out this new position and role soon. Through the Suns' 1-3 start,"
Hedo Turkoglu having a production shortage
October 31
Arizona Republic
 
"Observers of Hedo Turkoglu's 10 seasons in the NBA, or maybe even those with just a few glances, know that Turkoglu will not stand out without the ball. Many fans may have been disappointed that a player who will make $32 million the next three seasons is averaging 9.3 points, 5.0 fouls, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in his first three Suns games. The fouls and rebounds are no surprise for a player who never has been a starting power forward. The offensive results might be just as easily explained, considering his lack of involvement or engagement in the offense. In the second half of Friday's 114-106 loss to the Lakers, Turkoglu did not touch the ball in the frontcourt for nearly six"
Hedo Turkoglu key to new season
October 26
Arizona Republic
 
"Tuesday is the night when the Suns see if they have simple answers for their complicated questions. No Suns question looms larger for the season's tip-off Tuesday at Portland than how Hedo Turkoglu will perform with a new team and new role. His passive preseason performance offered no preview of how the big shot-maker/playmaker the Suns expected will pan out as their starting power forward. He has put in extra work, said the right things about fitting in and been an amiable teammate but has not resembled his starry past or $9.8 million salary. Can it all click when the bright lights come on and the games begin to matter Tuesday? "I hope so," Turkoglu said. "They told me it'd take some time"
Fans rip 'Turkaboo,' Turkoglu rips Raptors
October 18
Toronto Star
 columnist Dave Feschuk
"The NBA, in the name of a crackdown on post-whistle whining, is empowering its referees to treat its players with all the tolerance of a Chinese censor. Zebras are slapping dissidents with pre-season technical fouls and accompanying fines for the slightest of sideways glances, shoulder shrugs, dismissive waves, sarcastic smiles. And for all those purists who are happy about this — and there is little doubt that the moaning and whining had become epidemic — you sometimes have to wonder if the league is targeting the wrong guys. Instead of fining players for complaining too much, wouldn't it be a better world if there were a way to penalize the schleps who care too little? At least, this was"
Hedo loves the spotlight
October 17
Toronto Sun
 
"Hedo Turkoglu was only half-joking when he was overheard telling people how he couldn't wait to show his face in Toronto. In the aftermath of an ugly loss to his former team in Vancouver, Turkoglu could he heard saying: "I can't wait to go back." When the Phoenix Suns played host to the Raptors on Oct. 6, the scene inside Rogers Arena was unlike any one has ever, or likely will ever see. Turkoglu was booed when he was introduced, when he touched the ball, but was cheered by Phoenix's followers when he finally scored a bucket. Steve Nash was showered with applause, much like he will on Sunday, providing a rare moment when a hero and anti-hero were cast. And they're on the same team."
Welcome back Turk? Not likely
October 17
Toronto Star
 
"The look on his face was equal parts bewilderment and shock as Hedo Turkoglu was booed by a sellout crowd in Vancouver when he was introduced as the Phoenix Suns faced the Raptors in a pre-season NBA game. As he trotted out to the rude reception, it was if Turkoglu hadn't expected any reaction at all, let alone the hostile welcome he received. He ain't seen nothing yet. Turkoglu and the Suns are in Toronto to play the Raptors again Sunday afternoon and if there's any sure thing in the world, it's that the washout Toronto free agent will be treated with disdain bordering on outright hatred the minute he walks on the court."
Hedo Turkoglu adjusting at both ends to new role
October 11
Arizona Republic
 
"After two weeks of lab work in Suns 101, Hedo Turkoglu is two weeks from his first exam on a course-load of material. His NBA career has never been like this. A playmaking small forward, Turkoglu is being asked to man the Suns' power-forward spot, where rebounding and defensive duties are against bigger opponents and scoring comes with new wrinkles. Which is the tougher adjustment? "Both," Turkoglu said. He never has run this much or needed as many reminders to shoot, such as the one coach Alvin Gentry gave him after Sunday's practice. Picture Turkoglu's dilemma. He heads downcourt, with a team moving at a faster pace than he has run, and naturally looks to take his left lane, only to find"
Phoenix Suns' honeymoon with Hedo Turkoglu is on
October 1
Arizona Republic
 
"After the Suns' first scrimmaging Tuesday, coach Alvin Gentry quickly noted that Hedo Turkoglu gradually will get the ball more. After the second day, Turkoglu was quick to note that he does not need the ball more if he is with Steve Nash. The honeymoon is on, with all aiming to please. One day, Turkoglu is assisting and deferring. The next, with Gentry's prodding, Turkoglu is making a series of shots. "I just want people to know I'm not the guy that I want the ball in my hands all the time or I want to shoot the ball all the time," Turkoglu said. "It's just the things that I was used to. On the Orlando team, things were going through me and I was able to make plays. If you look in"
Phoenix Suns' success depends on which Hedo Turkoglu will show up
September 26
Arizona Republic
 
"Hedo Turkoglu looks happy. Really happy, revealing nothing that resembles the disengaged expression television cameras would catch on the Toronto Raptors bench last season. "I told my agent, 'Make this happen,' " he said Friday about the July trade to the Suns. " 'I don't care how much I have to give up, how much money it will cost me. I'm open to anything they want me to be. I want to be one of them.' " He is, and will make his official debut with the team Tuesday when it opens 2010 training camp in San Diego. Much of what the Suns will become in the post-Amar'e Stoudemire era will hinge on who Turkoglu decides to be: The NBA's Most Improved Player in 2007-08 who helped Orlando to the"
For Turkish fans, Hedo Turkoglu's still gold
September 6
Toronto Star
 
"From the 20-foot-high facing of an overpass bridging a six-lane highway on the southwestern edge of this massive city, his face beams down. In and around the Sultanahmet area — the gorgeous, centuries-old home of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, the two most recognizable landmarks of this historic city — his face adorns billboards and buildings at almost every turn. He is there in the port and around the arena, omnipresent. And when you mention Hedo Turkoglu's name around these parts, people perk up."
Heat's Chris Bosh a quitter? No way says Hedo Turkoglu
August 3
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 
"Days after Toronto Raptors General Manager Bryan Colangelo questioned last season's commitment by Miami Heat free-agent acquisition Chris Bosh, a former Raptors teammate has rallied to Bosh's defense. Forward Hedo Turkoglu, acquired last month by the Phoenix Suns from the Raptors, told Fox Sports Arizona that organizational issues in Toronto created the unease. "People have to realize something is wrong with that organization and nobody wants to go there anymore," Turkoglu told the sports network in a phone interview from his native Turkey. "It's not just the players who see this." In an interview on a Toronto radio station last week, Colangelo hinted that Bosh already had made his"
Turkoglu takes a shot at Raptors, Colangelo
August 2
Foxsports.com
 
"New Phoenix Suns forward Hedo Turkoglu took aim at his former team, the Toronto Raptors, and their general manager, Bryan Colangelo, this weekend. "People have to realize something is wrong with that organization and nobody wants to go there any more," he said in a phone interview from Turkey, where he is captaining the Turkish national team at the World Championships. "It's not just the players who see this." Turkoglu's remarks were sparked by Colangelo's recent criticism of former Raptors teammate Chris Bosh. Colangelo accused Bosh of "checking out" last season while the Raptors were battling the Chicago Bulls for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. Bosh, an unrestricted free"
Hedo Turkoglu looking for a rebirth with Phoenix Suns
July 22
Arizona Republic
 
"A year ago, Toronto signed versatile free agent forward Hedo Turkoglu believing he might be the final piece to an Eastern Conference contending club and a player that might help the Raptors keep Chris Bosh around. The 6-foot-10 Turkoglu just had finished helping the Orlando Magic reach the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Lakers, and for all the hype that surrounded Magic center Dwight Howard, it was Turkoglu whom the Magic ran their offense through that season. But Turkoglu's talents never meshed with the Raptors and Bosh. Now, Bosh is in South Beach with Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. And Turkoglu is ready for a rebirth in Phoenix. When the Suns introduced the 31-year-old to the media"
Phoenix Suns' Hedo Turkoglu undergoes gall bladder surgery
July 17
Arizona Republic
 
"New Suns guard-forward Hedo Turkoglu underwent minor gall bladder surgery last week in Turkey, where he was training with the Turkish national team in preparation for the World Championships in August. The procedure originally was reported by Turkish media and translated into English by the basketball website realgm.com. He is not expected to miss significant time with the national team. "It's not a big deal," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said Friday. "We checked with the doctors, and it's a minor procedure. He (was) just having some gallstones removed. He's supposed to be playing in 3 to 4 days and has been cleared to travel next week.""
Full speed ahead for Raptors as Barbosa-Turkoglu deal finally done
July 15
Toronto Star
 
"There is little doubt what management would like the next incarnation of the Raptors to look like. With the anchor of a relatively slow but effective offence now gone, the emphasis is shifting to speed and athleticism, two attributes addressed in the latest summer transaction. The long-anticipated trade that sent Hedo Turkoglu to the Phoenix Suns for guard Leandro Barbosa was finally consummated Wednesday night, fulfilling president and general manager Bryan Colangelo's desire to build a team around speed and versatility."
Phoenix Suns officially acquire Childress, Turkoglu
July 15
Arizona Republic
 
"The trades were finalized Wednesday, setting forth a new era in Suns basketball. Yes, Amar'e Stoudemire is gone, but the acquisitions of 6-foot-10 versatile forward Hedo Turkoglu and wing Josh Childress might make the All-Star's absence easier for Phoenix fans to stomach. The Suns sent reserve guard Leandro Barbosa and big man Dwayne Jones to Toronto for Turkoglu, a player they had coveted in the past. They snagged Childress in a sign-and-trade deal with Atlanta, giving up their 2012 second-round draft pick in the process. "We lost Amar'e, but (we) picked up some good pieces that can hopefully do what he did," Childress said upon introduction to Valley media. "It might take two or three"
Jose Calderon still a Raptor, but Hedo Turkoglu on way out
July 14
Toronto Star
 
"One trade is dead, another is imminent. And so goes another summer of re-tooling the Raptors. The Charlotte Bobcats may have reneged on one part of a major deal involving the Raptors but the Phoenix Suns did not and Toronto president and general manager Bryan Colangelo should have a trade to announce Wednesday. That previously reported deal will send Hedo Turkoglu to the Suns in exchange for Leandro Barbosa and should get final league approval and end a wild couple of days."
Phoenix Suns close to finalizing deals for Hedo Turkoglu, Josh Childress
July 14
Arizona Republic
 
"Hedo Turkoglu and Josh Childress are set to join the Suns, but the paperwork involving the trades still wasn't complete Tuesday. The Suns were close to finalizing a deal that will send reserve guard Leandro Barbosa and forward/center Dwayne Jones to Toronto for Turkoglu, a 6-foot-10 multi-skilled forward. They also plan to send a 2012 second-round pick and a trade exception to Atlanta for Childress. Turkoglu and Childress help offset the loss of star forward Amar'e Stoudemire, who left last week for the New York Knicks. They could be introduced to Valley media members Wednesday."
From hello to goodbye for Hedo
July 13
Toronto Sun
 
"The night when Hedo met Hello pretty much summed up one of the most unique times in Raptors history, a history that has featured more than its share of uniqueness. Following a 106-104 win at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 28, Hedo Turkoglu was asked to provide a post-game TV interview with Jack Armstrong. One night, one flash point of what Turkoglu's year-long legacy in Toronto would ultimately come to represent. One night best remembered and forgotten. The interview took an odd turn when Armstrong posed an innocuous question concerning the difference in Turkoglu's game. Replied Turkoglu: "Ball.'' Nearly four seconds of awkward silence ensued before Armstrong had the, well, balls, to"
Extreme makeover, Bryan Colangelo style
July 13
Toronto Star
 columnist Dave Feschuk
"Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo held his third annual roster blow-up on Monday. And it's amazing that Colangelo's bosses, who own a TV network starved for content, haven't turned their NBA team's perennial changing of the guards (and forwards and centres) into a ratings killer. It would be like "The Decision" with LeBron James, only instead of the proceeds going to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the money could go to the Yorkville nightclubs decimated by the impending stateside relocation of Hedo Turkoglu's party tab. Nobody in the NBA, after all, explodes and patches up lineups as dramatically as Colangelo, who conducts his reality-TV-worthy off-seasons as"
Raptor rebuild decidedly Sun-ny
July 13
Toronto Star
 
"The Toronto Raptors are bigger and faster and entirely Bryan Colangelo's as the latest roster re-jigging is close to completion. In a major trading binge, the president and general manager got rid of the last playing link to the previous era on Monday and began charting a new course for the future. By dealing away Jose Calderon — the last remaining player from the Rob Babcock days — along with Hedo Turkoglu and Reggie Evans, and adding Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw and Tyson Chandler, Colangelo is now solely responsible for the entire roster."
Colangelo finds taker for Turkoglu, but Bobcats might pull out of Calderon angle of deal
July 13
Toronto Sun
 
"Say this for Bryan Colangelo, he might make a mess, but he cleans up very well. The Raptors president/general manager is not shy about making bold moves. Some turn out to be successes, others, dismal failures. When they don't work out, he moves quickly to try to turn things around. To that end, Colangelo is now on the verge of removing his two ugliest contracts from the books, though nothing is yet official and the bulk of the deal now appears to be in jeopardy. The Arizona Republic first reported Sunday that Hedo Turkoglu — who inked a five-year, $52-million-US deal with the club last summer — would be heading to Phoenix in exchange for guard Leandro Barbosa and that Charlotte forward"
Suns add more talent and question marks in moves for Turkoglu and Childress
July 13
Arizona Republic
 
"When the Suns' trades likely are done today, adding Hedo Turkoglu and Josh Childress while losing Leandro Barbosa makes the Suns undoubtedly more talented. For Phoenix to come away from Amar'e Stoudemire's exit with Hakim Warrick, Turkoglu and Childress is more palatable than how nothing would have tasted. Leandro Barbosa and possibly Dwayne Jones will go to Toronto for Turkoglu. A three-way deal involving Charlotte that would send ex-Suns player Boris Diaw to Toronto remains a possibility, but a Barbosa-Turkoglu swap will happen regardless. The Suns also will send a 2012 second-round pick and a trade exception to Atlanta for Childress. The deals make the Suns intriguing and relevant"