Orlando Magic Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacific Notes: Afflalo, Kobe, Gortat, Lakers, Suns

October 4th, 2013 at 4:13pm CST by Zachary Links

Players who are oft featured on Hoops Rumors, like the Lakers' Pau Gasol, can attest to the fact that trade rumors can negatively impact your on-court performance. Magic guard Arron Afflalo was in headlines for a good portion of the summer as it was rumored he would be in a deal sending him to the Clippers for Eric Bledsoe. However, the talk didn't bother the 27-year-old at all, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. "I've seen a lot of trades go down within my own NBA circle with my team, whether I was in Detroit or Denver," Afflalo said. "It's part of the game. It's part of the business. At the end of the day, I'm very, very blessed to play this game no matter where I'm playing, and I'm proud of that. "You just have to be professional with those things. As long as you're wearing this Magic uniform, you give it your best." Here's more out of the Pacific Division..

Sean Deveney of the Sporting News wonders if Kobe Bryant will take a paycut for the Lakers' benefit. There is room for middle ground between Kobe asking for another deal with a $30MM salary and a bargain basement deal. A deal paying Bryant about $20MM wouldn't allow the Lakers to sign two max players in the 2014 offseason, but it would give them enough breathing room to get one max player plus someone else in the $10MM range.
Suns center Marcin Gortat will have to fight to keep his job thanks to the additions of No. 5 overall pick Alex Len and Miles Plumlee, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Len's ankle issues could be an issue, but coach Jeff Hornacek says he's doing great. “Alex has done a great job of pushing through this,” Hornacek said. “For a ‘big’ that size and as much as we want to run, that gets tough. He’s winded quite a bit and that affects some of his shots when he does get the ball inside but he’s had some nice moves. He’s working every day to get better. I think he’s improved, obviously with conditioning, over these four days but also with being able to pick up the offense.”
Are the aging Lakers better than the new-look Warriors? Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times pits them against each other. The verdict: the Warriors will probably win 50 games with a shot at 55 while the Lakers look like a team in the 40-50 range with a lot depending on the health of Kobe Bryant.

Odds & Ends: Nelson, D12, Blazers, Gomes

October 2nd, 2013 at 4:40pm CST by Luke Adams

As news of the first few cuts of training camp begins to trickle in, let's round up a few odds and ends from around the Association….

Jameer Nelson realizes that he could eventually become a trade chip as the Magic continue their rebuilding process, but for now he's focusing on his role as a team leader and mentor, as Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel details.
Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy are more than a year removed from their days in Orlando, but Howard tells Bill Reiter of FOX Sports (Twitter link) that his former coach played a part in his free agent decision this summer, encouraging him to consider the Rockets.
While the Blazers' announcement that they've exercised third-year options for Damian Lillard, Meyers Leonard, and Thomas Robinson could be viewed as "trivial housekeeping," Mike Tokito of the Oregonian suggests it's a good sign for the improving long-term health of the team.
Ryan Gomes earned another $25K when he wasn't waived by the Thunder by October 1st, as Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com outlines in his breakdown of Gomes' deal.
Ron Anderson, who spent the 2012/13 season with the Tulsa 66ers and played for the Thunder in Summer League play this year, has agreed to a one-year deal with Argentina's Estudiantes Concordia, reports Shams Charania of RealGM.com (via Twitter).

Eastern Notes: Kirilenko, Bucks, Collins, Magic

October 1st, 2013 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Let's round up a few Tuesday items out of the Eastern Conference….

In a column on the Nets' addition of Andrei Kirilenko, Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report details the veteran forward's time on the open market, which initially saw him turn down overtures from the Nets. According to Zwerling, Kirilenko drew some interest from the Warriors and Spurs, and was in talks with three non-playoff teams for larger salaries before he reconsidered Brooklyn's mini mid-level offer.
Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel rounds up several comments from Bucks owner Herb Kohl about the possibility of a new arena in Milwaukee, the offseason roster overhaul, and his aversion to tanking.
ESPN.com's Marc Stein explains why Jason Collins isn't in camp with an NBA team, and identifies three clubs that could be fits for the big man once the season gets underway, including the Wizards and Nets.
Player development is the primary focus in Orlando, but Magic executives tell Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld that the team doesn't view developing young players and winning games as mutually exclusive.
Pistons rookie forward Tony Mitchell is probably headed for a D-League stint at some point this season, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.

Southeast Notes: Beasley, Mason, Wiggins

September 29th, 2013 at 4:17pm CST by Zachary Links

Erik Spoelstra was scheduled to hit the open market after the 2013/14 season, but the Heat realized that he would have a red-hot market if that were to happen. Today, Miami locked the coach up with a contract extension that will keep him in place for years to come, even if the future of the Big Three isn’t certain at this juncture. Here’s the latest out of the Southeast..

In today’s mailbag, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel was asked by a reader which “longshots” have the best chance of hooking on with the Heat. Michael Beasley seems pretty likely to get the 14th spot on the roster and Winderman likes Roger Mason Jr.’s chances of getting the final one, if the heat are willing to carry 15. It’s not a great year for non-guaranteed guys in Miami with 13 guaranteed contracts already on the payroll.
Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel previews the season ahead for the Magic. Schmitz stops short of rooting for the team to tank, but he implores Orlando not to win too many games and hurt their chances of landing Andrew Wiggins in June.
Guard Jeff Teague is excited about the new-look Hawks in 2013/14, writes HoopsWorld’s Alex Kennedy. Teague was left in limbo for a little while by Atlanta but ultimately re-signed on a four-year, $32MM deal. “I’m definitely glad [free agency] is over with,” Teague added. “I really didn’t think about it much last year, but during the summer it was a difficult time. I learned the whole business of basketball basically. I’m excited to have that done though.”
There’s been a lot of change in Atlanta, but Al Horford is still a part of the Hawks after their makeover, writes Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Hedo Turkoglu Won’t Be With Magic For Camp

September 27th, 2013 at 5:15pm CST by Chuck Myron

While most updates this time of year are about non-rostered players who will be with teams for camp, there's one player currently on a roster who won't be with his team in October. The Magic and Hedo Turkoglu have agreed to have the veteran small forward sit out of camp while both sides work toward a buyout agreement, reports Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. The arrangement effectively ends Turkoglu's tenure with the Magic, though he technically remains on the roster, as Robbins clarifies via Twitter.

"Our organization has a great deal of respect for Hedo and the contributions he’s made to the team over the years," Magic GM Rob Hennigan said. "We’ve made an organizational decision to move in a different direction. During the pendency of our buyout negotiations, we’ve mutually agreed to have Hedo remain with his family while we work toward an agreement."

Turkoglu's contract calls for him to earn $12MM this season, but a few years ago he agreed to reduce the guaranteed amount on this season to just $6MM. The Jim Tanner client may wind up accepting even less than that to get out of the contract early and take an offer reportedly worth about $3.4MM from Fenerbahce Ulker in his native Turkey.

The Magic have made it clear for a while that they don't see Turkoglu as part of their future, and Turkoglu said in the spring that he'd be surprised if he played for the team in 2013/14. The Magic have yet to waive Turkoglu in part because they hope to find a team willing to trade for him, Robbins writes.

Turkoglu, 35, has spent seven and a half seasons with the Magic over two separate stints. He played in only 11 games last season because of injury and a 10-game suspension that stemmed from a positive test for methenolone.

Magic Sign Osby, Four Free Agents

September 27th, 2013 at 12:33pm CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 27TH: The Magic have officially announced their camp invitees in a press release. However, although Osby, Jones, Joseph, and Harris were confirmed, the team's announcement mentions big man Mickell Gladness rather than Micheal Eric.

It's not clear whether the name was originally misreported, or if an issue arose that led Orlando to bring in Gladness rather than Eric. For now though, it seems as if Eric isn't a part of the team's camp roster, while Gladness is.

SEPTEMBER 19TH: The Magic currently have 14 players on their roster, but will take advantage of increased offseason roster limits to bring five more players to camp, according to Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel. Schmitz reports (via Twitter) that Solomon Jones, Kris Joseph, Manny Harris, and Micheal Eric will be in camp with Orlando. The team is also bringing second-rounder Romero Osby to camp, though the two sides are still negotiating a contract, says Schmitz (Twitter link).

Although Jones and Joseph each saw NBA action in 2012/13, neither played extensive minutes. Jones, a big man who has spent time with five NBA teams, appeared in two games for the Knicks last season. Meanwhile, Joseph shuffled back and forth between the Nets and Celtics, and was included in the summer's Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce blockbuster before he was waived by Boston. The 24-year-old forward was said to have a deal with a Chinese team, but it appears he'll try to earn an NBA roster spot before exploring options overseas.

Harris and Eric both have some history with the Cavaliers, though Harris is the only one of the two that has NBA experience. Harris, 23, appeared in 80 games for the Cavs from 2010 to 2012, averaging 6.2 PPG in 17.4 minutes per contest. He spent last season playing in the Ukraine, as our international tracker shows. As for Eric, he participated in camp with Cleveland last fall before joining the club's D-League affiliate in Canton.

While the five additions to the camp roster will bring Orlando's roster count to 19, only 12 players have fully guaranteed contracts. Kyle O'Quinn's deal won't become guaranteed until opening night, and Schmitz tweets that the club continues to negotiate a buyout with Hedo Turkoglu, whose $12MM salary is only 50% guaranteed. Assuming O'Quinn is ticketed for the regular-season roster and Turkoglu isn't, there should be one or two spots up for grabs in camp.

Magic Inviting Five Players To Camp

September 19th, 2013 at 1:36pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic currently have 14 players on their roster, but will take advantage of increased offseason roster limits to bring five more players to camp, according to Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel. Schmitz reports (via Twitter) that Solomon Jones, Kris Joseph, Manny Harris, and Micheal Eric will be in camp with Orlando. The team is also bringing second-rounder Romero Osby to camp, though the two sides are still negotiating a contract, says Schmitz (Twitter link).

Although Jones and Joseph each saw NBA action in 2012/13, neither played extensive minutes. Jones, a big man who has spent time with five NBA teams, appeared in two games for the Knicks last season. Meanwhile, Joseph shuffled back and forth between the Nets and Celtics, and was included in the summer's Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce blockbuster before he was waived by Boston. The 24-year-old forward was said to have a deal with a Chinese team, but it appears he'll try to earn an NBA roster spot before exploring options overseas.

Harris and Eric both have some history with the Cavaliers, though Harris is the only one of the two that has NBA experience. Harris, 23, appeared in 80 games for the Cavs from 2010 to 2012, averaging 6.2 PPG in 17.4 minutes per contest. He spent last season playing in the Ukraine, as our international tracker shows. As for Eric, he participated in camp with Cleveland last fall before joining the club's D-League affiliate in Canton.

While the five additions to the camp roster will bring Orlando's roster count to 19, only 12 players have fully guaranteed contracts. Kyle O'Quinn's deal won't become guaranteed until opening night, and Schmitz tweets that the club continues to negotiate a buyout with Hedo Turkoglu, whose $12MM salary is only 50% guaranteed. Assuming O'Quinn is ticketed for the regular-season roster and Turkoglu isn't, there should be one or two spots up for grabs in camp.

Eastern Notes: Carmelo, Knicks, Bucks, Czyz

September 16th, 2013 at 10:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Roughly two-and-a-half years after the Knicks-Nuggets trade that sent Carmelo Anthony to New York, Keith Schlosser of Knicks Journal tries to parcel out who got the better of the swap. While stars of Melo's caliber are hard to come by, they did give up quite a bit to get him - Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Timofey Mozgov, and draft picks were all shipped out to Denver. Ultimately, Schlosser believes that only time (namely, this season) will tell if acquiring Anthony was worth blowing up the roster. Here's a quick look around the Eastern Conference..

The Knicks aren't getting any closer to a title, and that means Anthony's ability to become a free agent next summer will be a cloud over the Knicks' heads all season, writes Howard Beck of The New York Times.
Polish forward Olek Czyz has an offer from Italian club Vanoli Cremona but he may join the Bucks in training camp instead, according to a report from la Provincia di Cremona passed along by Emiliano Carchia of Sportando (via Twitter). The 23-year-old forward was in summer league with the Bulls last summer but wasn't able to make the roster.
To say that this year's Bucks team is different from last year’s Bucks team would be a massive understatement, the HoopsWorld staff writes in their preview of Milwaukee for the upcoming season. How far will they get with Brandon Knight and O.J. Mayo replacing Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis as the Bucks’ starting backcourt? Most of the staff sees them finishing in the basement of the Central with one vote putting them in fourth place.
Victor Oladipo's past detractors motivate him to achieve as much success as possible in the NBA, writes John Denton of NBA.com. The Indiana University product is now being predicted by many to win the 2013/14 Rookie of the Year award.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Southeast Rumors: Wizards, Magic, Heat

September 16th, 2013 at 1:46pm CST by Chuck Myron

The way the Magic, Hawks and Bobcats stand with training camp approaching figures to make for some intrigue in the weeks ahead, as I examined this weekend. Those three teams have fewer than 13 guaranteed contracts, so there are regular season jobs up for grabs. The same might not be true for the Heat and the Wizards, though Michael Beasley's presence could make it interesting for Miami, and there are other developments for Washington's team, as we detail:

Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld remains in charge, but D.C.'s front office is getting a makeover, the team announced on its website. Tommy Sheppard gets a promotion and will presumably serve as Grunfeld's right-hand man. The Wizards have brought in other officials from the Raptors, Thunder and Hawks.
Washington's offseason additions will allow the Wizards to play more small-ball this season, as J. Michael of CSNWashington.com examines. The opposite approach is taking place in Orlando, where No. 2 overall pick Victor Oladipo will play the point and Maurice Harkless will see some action at two guard, HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy tweets.
In today's mailbag, a reader asks Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel if Michael Beasley could eventually find his way into the Heat's starting lineup ahead of Udonis Haslem. Winderman doesn't see that as a likely outcome, as the starting five is already overloaded with scorers. Beyond that, Beasley has to prove himself as being worthy of a roster spot and worth an extra $2MM+ when factoring in his salary along with the luxury tax.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Odds & Ends: Fratello, Draft, Wright

September 15th, 2013 at 9:20pm CST by Zachary Links

Mike Fratello, who is in charge of Ukraine's national team at EuroBasket, believes that now is the time for a European head coach to break the barrier and take the reins of an NBA team, writes Mark Woods for ESPN.com. "It will take a GM from somewhere who has a very understanding owner, a GM believing and trusting in the person that he's going to select and convincing his owner to trust that this guy can coach," the veteran coach said. Italian coach Ettore Messina has been linked to several jobs in recent years – including the Nets and Hawks – but he remains overseas. Here's more from around the Association..

Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld runs down the picks that have changed hands in the 2014 Draft. The Jazz, Magic, and Celtics are all guaranteed multiple first-round picks, meaning that they're not dependent on anyone else's performance in 2013/14. Meanwhile, the Suns have their fingers crossed that they'll wind up with three first round picks in the talent rich draft.
Tommy Dee of Ridiculous Upside explains why Chris Wright is ready to stick with the Raptors. The athletic tweener showed that he has talent in his time in the D-League, but he'll be going against guards Julyan Stone and Carlos Morais for the 15th and final spot. Of course, the Raptors could also roll with 14 players to start the season.
Last week, Hoops Rumors debuted the brand new International Player Movement Tracker with the help of Mark Porcaro of Secret Rival. Be sure to check it out today.