Posted by Ben Golliver  

Orlando Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu was whistled for a technical foul during the fourth quarter of a Thursday night game against the Chicago Bulls after he touched NBA referee Karl Lane with both of his hands while protesting a no-call on a drive.

It's likely that Turkoglu will be suspended for Sunday night's game against the Indiana Pacers.

The NBA rule book notes: "Any player or coach guilty of intentional physical contact with an official shall automatically be suspended without pay for one game. A fine and/or longer period of suspension will result if circumstances so dictate."

The sequence occurred with just less than four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, with the Magic leading the Bulls 89-88. Turkoglu drove through multiple defenders and was stripped of the ball as he rose to attempt a lay-up. Turkoglu went over to Lane to protest the call and put both of his hands on Lane's shoulders while arguing. He then continued to argue with referee Bill Spooner, making contact with him as well, before he was able to be settled down so that play could continue.

The Magic went on to defeat the Bulls 99-94 at the United Center. Turkoglu finished with 13 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 1 steal on 3-for-10 shooting in 39 minutes.


Here's the video of Orlando Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu making contact with official Karl Lane during a game against the Chicago Bulls. 

By Matt Moore

Thirty-five million dollars.

That's the amount of money the New Jesey Nets just wiped off their cap space today by using the amnesty clause provided by the  new Collective Bargaining Agreement to waive Travis Outlaw. The Nets are free to unwisely spend their money again.

Outlaw will still make all $35 million dollars, it just won't be applied to New Jersey's cap. And in doing so, the Nets clear more space to take on a big contract, like, oh, I don't know, just off the top of my head, Hedo Turkoglu. 

Outlaw was brought in as part of the Nets' efforts last summer to spend their way into victories after having whiffed on every major free agent on the market. They had tons of cap space and nowhere to go with it, so they gave money to Anthony Morrow, Outlaw, and Jordan Farmar, along with the most egregious deal, Johan Petro's 3-year, $10 million deal. Outlaw was the bigger drain, though, as he absolutely bottomed out, posting a career low in field goal percentage and PER (a dismal 8.8). 

It was also revealed that Outlaw has a broken right hand, which will likely delay his signing by any team in particular for a while. He will likely clear waivers and be an unrestricted free agent.  

Posted by Ben Golliver. 



Get me out of here!

Orlando Magic All-Star center Dwight Howard has reportedly told the team that he wants to be shipped out of town.

The Orlando Sentinel reported Saturday that Howard had request a trade multiple times this week.

Dwight Howard has told the Orlando Magic that he wants to be traded, Magic General Manager Otis Smith told the Orlando Sentinel Saturday afternoon.

Smith said Howard has made the request twice in separate conversations since Monday.

Yahoo Sports reported soon after that Howard, who would be eligible for free agency next summer, had requested a trade to the New Jersey Nets.

Ken Berger of CBSSports.com confirmed Saturday that Howard has requested a trade to New Jersey but noted that "a person involved in the chase cautions not to count out the Los Angeles Lakers" and that Howard "still views L.A. as the best fit for his off-court pursuits." Berger reported on Friday night that the Magic had given permission for Howard to speak with the Nets, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Howard's particular interest in the Nets was first reported on Friday. Almost two weeks ago, the Nets reportedly offered a trade package to the Magic that includes center Brook Lopez and two first round draft picks in exchange for Howard and forward Hedo Turkoglu.

As noted Friday, if Howard's heart is truly set on landing in New Jersey there's an excellent chance it could happen, especially now that chaos reigns over the Los Angeles Lakers, arguably his strongest other suitor. But that still remains an "if" until we hear from Howard personally or from the Magic, in the form of a completed trade.

Howard, 26, is a 5-time All-Star and the best center in the NBA, by far. In New Jersey, he would be the immediate face of the franchise and he would soon be in Brooklyn, adjacent to the media center of the universe and right in the middle of all the fame he can handle. The Nets, given their cap situation, would have a fair degree of flexibility in building around All-Star point guard Deron Williams and Howard, so he wouldn't be stuck in a capped-out situation like he is in Orlando, at least not immediately. He would figure to have solid input in helping New Jersey build around him, as the Nets surely would want to avoid the Magic's mistakes.

Posted by Ben Golliver. 



Earlier this week, word surfaced that the New Jersey Nets were preparing your classic "young piece / financial relief / draft picks" package in an attempt to swing a deal for Orlando Magic All-Star center Dwight Howard. The Nets have been kind of a running punchline for the last few years, so the offer was seen merely as an opening salvo in what could potentially be a long and complicated trade process.

But ESPN.com reported on Thursday that this isn't necessarily a one-way street of interest. Indeed, the site reported that Howard "is expected to ask the Magic to trade him to New Jersey" as the Nets "have emerged as his No. 1 choice."

The benefits for Orlando are clear. They can toss in Hedo Turkoglu's terrible contract, amnesty Gilbert Arenas and begin work on crafting their future. New Jersey can toss in cash, picks and all the other accoutrements to make the bitter pill of trading Howard go down a bit easier. 

New Jersey's motivations are equally transparent. Landing Howard not only gives them one of the league's top-2 players, but it serves as the perfect hook for keeping All-Star point guard and impending free agent Deron Williams in town. Pairing Williams and Howard would give the Nets arguably the best inside-out pair in the game. Williams is 27-years-old and Howard is 26-years-old, so the Nets would figure to be strong title contenders for the next four years, minimum.

This all comes down to Howard and his motivations. He hasn't made extensive public comments to this point so it's not easy to gauge where he stands or what's most important to him, other than the obvious desire to win a title. In New Jersey, he would be the immediate face of the franchise and he would soon be in Brooklyn, adjacent to the media center of the universe and right in the middle of all the fame he can handle. The Nets, given their cap situation, would have a fair degree of flexibility in building around Williams and Howard, so he wouldn't be stuck in a capped-out situation like he is in Orlando, at least not immediately. He would figure to have solid input in helping New Jersey build around him, as the Nets surely would want to avoid the Magic's mistakes.

If Howard's heart is truly set on landing in New Jersey there's an excellent chance it could happen, especially now that chaos reigns over the Los Angeles Lakers, arguably his strongest other suitor. But that still remains an "if" until we hear from Howard personally or from the Magic, in the form of a completed trade.

Posted by Ben Golliver. 



The feeding frenzy for Superman is now officially in full effect.

ESPN.com reports that the New Jersey Nets, having traded the house for All-Star point guard Deron Williams before last season's trade deadline, are preparing to make another bold move in an effort to acquire Orlando Magic center All-Star Dwight Howard.

The New Jersey Nets are prepared to offer a trade package featuring Brook Lopez and two future first-round picks to acquire Dwight Howard before the Orlando Magic center becomes a free agent in July 2012, according to sources close to the situation.

Sources told ESPN.com this week that, to sweeten the proposal, New Jersey would likewise offer to take back the contract of Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu, who has three seasons left on his contract worth just under $35 million. 

The Nets have loads of cap space and will have even more if they proceed with waiving forward Travis Outlaw via the amnesty clause, as is widely expected. Their interest in Howard is obvious. He is by far the best center in the NBA, he is incredibly durable, he is a force on both ends, he is entering the prime of his career and he is a marketer's dream. His financial impact on a team like the Nets would be enormous. He averaged 22.9 points, 14.1 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, 1.4 assists, 1.4 steals and shot 59.3 percent from the field last year. He should have been the league's MVP. He would make an excellent inside force for any point guard, let alone Williams, one of the game's best floor generals.

For the Magic, this is an interesting and not-totally-uncompelling opening offer for Howard, the type of package that hits all three major categories: a quality and proven young piece, major financial relief and draft pick building blocks. A similar trade package saw the Denver Nuggets send Carmelo Anthony and expensive point guard Chauncey Billups to the New York Knicks for draft picks, younger players and cash.

The Magic are way over the salary cap and lack the ability to add truly meaningful pieces to a roster that lost in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs and lacks a supporting star for Howard. This trade would bring in Lopez to fill the mammoth hole that will be left by Howard's departure, an impossible task, but Lopez, 23, averaged 20.8 points and 6.0 rebounds last season, so it could be worse. One complication: Lopez's deal expires after the 2011-2012 season and he will likely command a fair sum when it comes time for him to make a deal.

Any Howard trade will need to clear out Turkoglu too, as he is Orlando's second most ridiculous contract. The Magic would be set up pretty quickly for a post-Howard rebuilding by getting out of the $34 million guaranteed to Turkoglu through 2013-2014 and waiving guard Gilbert Arenas via the amnesty clause. None of the other contracts currently on their books are particularly outrageous and the Magic has no other major salary committments past 2012-2013 other than Turkoglu. The ground-up method is generally considered the best way to bounce back from a departure of a major superstar. This type of deal would get them there.

Still, the price the Magic will be able to command for Howard, assuming they relent in their effort to sign him to a contract extension and agree to pursue trade possibilities, should be significantly greater. That said, this isn't not the worst opening bid.

One thing is absolutely certain: many teams will look to top this reported offer in the coming months. And one major thing is uncertain: How would Howard feel about playing for a team that has gone a combined 104-224 in the last four seasons?

Posted by Matt Moore

From Ken Berger of CBSSports.com:

A source also said discussions between Atlanta and Orlando with Josh Smith going to the Magic are "totally legit." Executives say the Hawks have expressed an eagerness to move Smith and would like to shed salary in the process.

via Draft buzz: Nash, Smoove, and more - CBSSports.com.

You tell me that discussions with Otis Smith, one of the biggest traders in the GM market, are "totally legit" and you have my attention. 

Smith's at once a perfect and terrible fit in Orlando. Let's examine:

Perfect Fit

Smith provides an athletic wing who can create opportunities by driving and slashing. The death of the Orlando offense is predicated by ball stoppage and useless perimeter passing to whoever can find an inch to launch a 3-pointer vs. working to collapse the defense and initiate the perimeter rotation to a wide-open shooter. Smith brings a weapon the defense has to commit to stopping, which will free more opportunities. He's also a willing passer, which could be extremely dangerous if he could work to find opportunities for the other Magic players, or in lobbing to Dwight Howard. Smith would also help considerably with rebounding both when Howard is on the floor and off. When on, the Magic would unquestionably have the best rebounding combination in the league. Defensively, they'd be even more of a nightmare. Smith is able to corral perimeter wings and has incredible instincts for weak-side block situations. The Magic might double up the next team in offensive rebounds and blocks with that pair. 

Terrible Fit

The worst part of Smith's game is his preference for 3-point shooting when he doesn't have a 3-point shot. A hilarious memory from the playoffs was listening to the Atlanta crowd scream "No!" whenever Smith found himself open on the perimeter debating a heave. So to give him more chances at that in a system that so often allows for both those shots and mid-range jumpers is a terrible plan. Additionally, Smith's good at driving and capitalizing on opportunities, but he's definitely not a "pull-up jumper" kind of scorer. He's not going to work well in the pick and roll with Howard. If the defense cuts off his path to the basket by help or positioning, the offense has to reset. His passing is solid, but he's not going to be a creator in an offensive set. He's an end point or near end point, not a playmaker. And defensively, were he assigned to cover the faster forward with Hedo Turkoglu covering the other, Smith would perform ably but wouldn't be best suited.

It's a good fit should the trade go down, but not perfect. The question will be what more salary the Magic can take on, if any, to get a deal done. They've already got what seems like billions wrapped up in Turkoglu and Gilbert Arenas, neither of whom is a player the Hawks will want to take on.

We'll keep you updated on the Hawks' efforts to move Smith.

The Toronto Raptors have reportedly reached agreement on a contract extension with GM Bryan Colangelo. Posted by Ben Golliver. 

UPDATE: The National Post reports that Colangelo says he has " agreed in principle" to a "multi-year" extension with the Toronto Raptors. The team has also officially announced the signing.

The Toronto Raptors were awful in the first year of the post-Chris Bosh era, but that's not stopping the team from locking up its top basketball executive.

TheStar.com reports that Raptors president and GM Bryan Colangelo is about to receive a contract extension. 

The club’s president and general manager is closing in on a new multi-year deal to remain in charge of Toronto’s basketball operation, multiple NBA sources said Tuesday.

“It’s happening,” said one person with knowledge of the negotiations.

Colangelo, who previously worked for the Phoenix Suns, twice won the NBA's Executive of the Year award but has fallen on tougher times in recent years. 

The Raptors won just 22 games this season, missing the playoffs for the third straight season. Colangelo allowed Bosh to walk without receiving meaningful compensation in return and then had a hissy fit in the media, blasting Bosh for not playing through injury.
He also inked Andrea Bargnani to a big-dollar extension, a deal some have questioned due to Bargnani's weak rebounding and defense. 

Let's also not forget that Colangelo paid an exorbitant sum to sign Hedo Turkoglu in free agency and, after one failed season, quickly moved to undo that damage by shipping him to the Phoenix Suns.

His other big move this season was acquiring promising combo guard Jerryd Bayless, who continues to show flashes but probably isn't a franchise building block going forward. On the plus side, he has drafted two promising youngsters -- DeMar DeRozan and Ed Davis -- but patience is a virtue in both cases.

Really, it's felt like Colangelo has been spinning his wheels for a few years now. With a weak draft this year, and three large contracts already on the books -- Bargnani, Jose Calderon and Leandro Barbosa -- Colangelo has his work cut out for him if he hopes to meaningfully improve this team next season.

Best of luck, Raptors fans.

Dwight Howard wants Magic fans to believe in the team. He should start believing his shooters need to step up. 
Posted by Matt Moore




What a difference two years can make. Two years ago, the Magic entered the postseason as the underrated team with something to prove. They were ranked third in efficiency differential, and had a better defense than the defending champion Boston Celtics. Now? They've dropped to sixth in efficiency differential, and third in defense. They're stumbling to the finish line, having lost 3 of their last 5 games. Things look as remote for their championship chances as ever. But Dwight Howard has the answer. 

You gotta believe!

From the Orlando Sentinel: 

“We’re not perfect, we’re going to make mistakes, we’re going to miss shots, we’re going to make bad turnovers, bad decisions with the ball, but we just need everybody to believe in us,” Howard said. “We are going to continue to believe in ourselves and believe in each other, but we need our city to continue to believe in us.”

via Dwight Howard to Orlando Magic fans: We need our city to believe (Video) – Orlando Magic BasketBlog – Orlando Sentinel.

This from a guy who's pretty much asking the same fans to believe he'll come back in 2012. Magic fans are smart fans. They know good basketball. And the kind this team has been playing lately isn't. 

It wasn't a bad plan, the midseason trades. Jason Richardson has a gear and toughness Vince Carter doesn't. Earl Clark is a nice young player. But in key ways, it hasn't worked out. Specifically, the Magic's biggest weapon, which made them such a threat in 2009, their three-point shooting, hasn't come around. The Magic are still No.1 in made and attempted three-pointers, but are 12th in percentage. They were 3rd in 2010, and 7th in 2011. 

But there's still hope. If the Magic shooters can catch fire, their system makes it nearly impossible for teams to counter their offense. They're set on defense. So the only real question is if that will happen. 

But for Dwight, that development won't come from belief.