Southeast Notes: Hennigan, Heat, Wizards, Bobcats

The Magic formally introduced new GM Rob Hennigan today, and the former Thunder assistant GM received a thorough vetting from the central Florida media. Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel writes about Hennigan's analytical, "Moneyball" approach and wonders whom he'll hire to coach the team. Fellow Orlando Sentinel writer Mike Bianchi says the 30-year-old Hennigan could age quickly, given the drama surrounding Dwight Howard. John Denton of Magic.com looks at the path Hennigan took to get to his new position, and the tasks that lay ahead. Clearly, Hennigan will be judged first on what he does with Howard, whether that means keeping him or turning him into assets or cap space that can help the team in the future. There's plenty of news concerning Hennigan's opponents in the Southeast Division as well.

  • Mike Ozanian of Forbes.com says the Heat is on the verge of a long-term local broadcast rights deal worth between $80MM and $100MM a year, but the report is being denied by the team, according to a tweet by Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, and Fox Sports, as Ben Golliver reports on CBSSports.com.
  • Ethan J. Skolnick of the Palm Beach Post has a roundup of Heat players who could retire after the Finals.
  • Tom Ziller of SBNation.com writes that the deal the Wizards made to acquire Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza reflects the team's feelings toward the new collective bargaining agreement. Ziller believes the team felt it wouldn't have been able to compete for elite players until the more punitive luxury tax kicks in for 2013/14, so it was content to go after middling veterans like Okafor and Ariza. 
  • The Wizards summer league coaching staff will include Maurice Evans and Roger Mason Jr., two free agents who played for the team this past season, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. That could be a signal that the two are planning to retire.
  • Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer takes a look at the immediate impact new coach Mike Dunlap is having on the Bobcats' draft and offseason preparations. Bonnell also mentions that it's unlikely Byron Mullens will play for the British Olympic team this year.

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