Posts Tagged → Otis Smith
Thursday’s Magic Word
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: “As much as [Otis] Smith likes Arenas — and their relationship is akin to that of a father and son — I don’t think Arenas fits for the [Orlando] Magic. Forget all the controversy that surrounds Arenas. Smith knows Arenas well and wouldn’t consider that a roadblock. Instead, Arenas has a recent injury history that can’t be ignored. Even worse, he has a massive contract and will earn $62 million more in the three seasons after this one. One of those concerns could be overlooked if the other problem didn’t exist. But the two taken together? That’s why I don’t think the Magic would trade for Arenas.”
- Should the Orlando Magic try to acquire Tayshaun Prince in a trade?
- John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com talks about Mickael Pietrus‘ positive impact on the Magic: “Early in the season, Orlando Magic small forward Mickael Pietrus was in a danger zone of sorts. He was not only playing just 14 minutes a night, but he wasn’t playing especially well and he had just gotten pushed out of the rotation. He exchanged heated words with Magic coach Stan Van Gundy along the sideline, was benched for two games and quietly wondered if his future was still in Orlando even though he had previously enjoyed two of the best years of his NBA career with the Magic. Knowing full well that his season could likely head one of two ways – sulk and play himself out of Orlando or stay focused and get back in the good graces of the team – Pietrus poured himself back into his work. The straying, after all, was surprising because Pietrus had been one of Orlando’s best players in the preseason and seemed poised for a big season. Pietrus doesn’t always fit the NBA mold with his happy-go-lucky nature and his carefree attitude. The Guadeloupe native has an free-flowing island sense about him and never is there a sense of entitlement. He openly talks about his love for Orlando and his blessings to be playing in the NBA, and he said he owed it to his teammates and his supporters to play his way back onto the floor.”
- Brandon Bass is shooting the lights out of the basketball.
- Bryan Crawford of SLAM ONLINE witnessed Orlando’s domination of the Chicago Bulls.
- Dwight Howard is a fun person to be around.
- Howard is happy about the Magic’s win against the Bulls: “We got us a really good win Tuesday night against Detroit and then an even better one last night in Chicago. We were facing a Bulls team that hadn´t played since Saturday while we were on a back-to-back. Chicago was getting Booze back and D-Rose is steady blowing up. We played defense like a championship team and we moved the ball on offense. When we put it all together and ball like we did last night, I think we show people and even ourselves how good we can be as a team.”
- Gilbert Arenas isn’t expected to be traded by the Washington Wizards. Not yet, at least.
The ongoing saga involving Gilbert Arenas
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Via Evan Dunlap of Orlando Pinstriped Post:
The Orlando Magic have engaged the Washington Wizards in an ongoing trade dialog centered around Wizards shooting guard Gilbert Arenas, Orlando Pinstriped Post has learned. What Orlando would send Washington in return for the three-time All-Star is less clear, but the proposed deal likely includes shooting guard Vince Carter, according to a source. Wizards big man Andray Blatche, Magic forward Rashard Lewis, and Magic center Daniel Orton could also be involved. Both teams have a mutual understanding of what the trade might include, the source says, and it’s unclear what factors are holding up the trade. What is clear around the league, however, is that Magic President of Basketball Operations Otis Smith has his eye on Arenas. If Orlando is to make a major trade this season, Arenas will likely be the target.
CBS Sports’ Ken Berger reported the Magic listened to trade offers regarding Arenas this summer, but rebuffed the Wizards due to concern over the salary remaining on his contract, which runs for three seasons after this one, at a total cost of $62.4 million. In early November, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported “the Magic have cooled on the notion of a Vince Carter-for-Arenas exchange,” citing “NBA front-office sources.” However, the source who spoke to Orlando Pinstriped Post contradicts Stein’s report, saying Orlando has indeed initiated the discussions with Washington of late.
Orlando Pinstriped Post’s report was later refuted by general manager Otis Smith.
Still, it’s a topic worth discussing.
One of the most common criticisms of the Orlando Magic, when determining their chances of winning a championship this season, is that there is no one on the roster that can serve as a go-to scorer on the perimeter. The Los Angeles Lakers have Kobe Bryant, the Miami Heat have LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, the Boston Celtics have Paul Pierce, and the San Antonio Spurs have Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. These are players that have proven themselves when the stakes are at the highest. But what about the Magic?
There’s Jameer Nelson. If there’s anyone on the roster for Orlando that comes closest to being regarded as a go-to scorer (the main knock is his consistency), it’s Nelson. There’s no question that Nelson has been a clutch performer for the Magic not only this year, but in years past. It’s a shame that Nelson played through an injury in the 2009 NBA Finals because it would have been interesting to see how he would have fared against the Lakers, a team he demonized in the regular season that year, with the bright lights on him and fully healthy.
There’s Vince Carter. It’s fair to say that his performance in the 2010 NBA Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics is a major reason why people are skeptical that Carter can be relied upon when the going gets tough.
And that’s it.
Which is why, for better or worse, Gilbert Arenas’ name keeps getting mentioned in trade rumors with Orlando. But is Arenas really the answer?
Really?
There’s a possible answer to that question. Problem is, no one will know until the trade deadline comes and goes in February. Until then, everyone is going to try to determine whether or not the Magic need Arenas.
Wednesday’s Magic Word
- Zach McCann of the Orlando Sentinel: “Suddenly, Rashard Lewis’ stats are meaning out to his career average. Lewis made 7-of-10 field goals for a game-high 20 points in the Orlando Magic’s 90-79 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night, and his horrid start to the season appears to be what he’s said all along – not that big of a deal. [...] Lewis – and his 7-year, $118 million dollar contract that gets mentioned as much as his name – began the year looking washed up, averaging 10.3 points and shooting just 30.6 percent from three-point range. Because Lewis contributes very little outside of scoring, his poor shooting put him in the crosshairs of upset fans. At the time, Lewis let the negativity roll off his back and expressed confidence his shot would come around. He’s in his 13th season, after all – he’s been through a few shooting slumps in his day.”
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: “Orlando faced some tests early in the season. There was a game in Miami on the second leg of a back-to-back. There were home games against the Atlanta Hawks and the Utah Jazz. And the team faced the San Antonio Spurs in Texas and the Miami Heat at Amway Center during a three-day span. But the fact remains that the Magic played 11 of their first 17 games against teams that currently have losing records. The Magic started their season 13-4, but the team notched wins at New Jersey, at Indiana and at Washington only after Jameer Nelson or Dwight Howard scored go-ahead baskets in the games’ final minute. The Bulls, the Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks should be just as tough, if not tougher.”
- Charles Barkley thinks the Chicago Bulls are going to win the Eastern Conference.
- Evan Dunlap of Orlando Pinstriped Post with the biggest Orlando Magic-related news of the day: “The Orlando Magic have engaged the Washington Wizards in an ongoing trade dialog centered around Wizards shooting guard Gilbert Arenas, Orlando Pinstriped Post has learned. What Orlando would send Washington in return for the three-time All-Star is less clear, but the proposed deal likely includes shooting guard Vince Carter, according to a source. Wizards big man Andray Blatche, Magic forward Rashard Lewis, and Magic center Daniel Orton could also be involved. Both teams have a mutual understanding of what the trade might include, the source says, and it’s unclear what factors are holding up the trade. What is clear around the league, however, is that Magic President of Basketball Operations Otis Smith has his eye on Arenas. If Orlando is to make a major trade this season, Arenas will likely be the target.”
- Royce Young of CBSSports.com chimes in on Dunlap’s report: “An interesting deal, especially if Blatche were involved, considering the Wizards just locked him up to be part of their future. But swapping Carter for Arenas makes sense because it gives the Magic the scorer they want and with Carter’s deal being up soon, the Wizards have a nice contract to come off the books in the near future, plus can hand the reins of the team completely over to Wall.”
- Kurt Helin of ProBasketballTalk wonders if Gilbert Arenas is the answer for the Magic.
- Zach Lowe of The Point Forward: “Taking on Arenas without getting rid of other long-term obligations puts Orlando in a difficult cap situation and could easily result in the team’s being stuck with a long-term core of Arenas, Lewis, Dwight Howard and Nelson. That’s not a bad core, but it’s not a championship-level core, either, unless Orlando can find supplementary talent elsewhere.”
- Arie Stark of Dime Magazine remembers when Shaquille O’Neal, who left Orlando as a free agent in 1996, made his first return to the City Beautiful as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers: “Shaq left Orlando on bitter terms with the organization after not being compensated adequately. In his first trip back to Orlando after signing with the Lakers after the 1995-96 season, Shaq produced 20 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks but was outshined that night by Nick Anderson who went off for 30 points – including the game-winning three-pointer. To add insult to injury, Anderson mocked Shaq’s celebratory dance after his big shot.”
- Dwight Howard makes fun of Derek Anderson’s now-infamous rant.
- Ken Berger of CBSSports.com: “Since being reinserted into the starting lineup eight games ago, Arenas has been consistently exceeding 30 minutes a night and has scored at least 20 points in five of those games. While the Magic have let it be known that they’re willing to make a big deal if it involves trading anyone except Dwight Howard, sources say there has been no movement on the Arenas front since the aforementioned discussions fell apart.”
Orlando Magic assign Daniel Orton to New Mexico of the NBA D-League
Via the Orlando Magic:
The Orlando Magic have assigned center Daniel Orton to the New Mexico Thunderbirds of the NBA Development League, President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Otis Smith announced today.
Orton (6’10”, 255, 8/6/90) has not played during the 2010-11 regular season. He was selected by the Magic in the first round (29th overall) of the 2010 NBA Draft.
Orton played in all 38 games during his freshman season at the University of Kentucky, averaging 3.4 ppg., 3.3 rpg. and 1.39 blkpg. in 13.4 minpg. Orton helped the Wildcats reach the Elite Eight during the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
Tuesday’s Magic Word
- Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel: “As of Monday, [Dwight] Howard, the reigning two-time Defensive Player of the Year, was in the top 5 in rebounding and blocks. Scoring weighs heavily in MVP voting, as overrated as it is. ‘Voters don’t look at Dwight’s affect on the game as a whole. It’s not sexy,’ General Manager Otis Smith said. ‘Scoring 30 points a night is sexy.’ Howard is trying to sex it up with his offensive expansion. He’s risen to No. 12 in scoring — a high-water mark for him if the season ended today — at a career-best 22.6 points per game. He’d crack the top 10 easily and gain more attention if he’d improve at the free-throw line (53.8 percent), where he’s leaving points on the floor and damaging his MVP campaign. He’s also in the top 5 in field-goal percentage, double-doubles and efficiency rating.”
- Head coach Stan Van Gundy won’t limit Vince Carter‘s minutes when he plays.
- Van Gundy talks about the Detroit Pistons.
- Tracy McGrady on the future his career: “I’m not what I once was, but I think I’m a smart enough basketball player to be able to modify my game. It’s just working on fine-tuning what I can and what I can’t do on the basketball court. Everything is an adjustment. As long as I’m healthy, I feel good about my future.”
- John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com: “Sunday was a day off for the Orlando Magic after playing in Washington, D.C., the night before and not arriving back in Central Florida until 3 a.m. But not for veteran guard Vince Carter, who arrived early at the team headquarters and took advantage of the solitude inside the gym. With only an athletic trainer looking on, Carter wanted to test out the bruised left knee that had kept him out of the previous three Magic wins against Miami, Cleveland and Washington. On his own, Carter wanted to push the injured knee and clear whatever mental hurdle that might have existed in the recesses of his mind. So for a couple of hours, Carter simulated game-like conditions with shooting drills, cutting exercises and full-court sprints. And he liked that there was no pain and a return of his explosiveness. [...] Carter got a good look at what he will be facing while trying to guard Detroit veteran guard Richard Hamilton when he chased Orlando’s J.J. Redick around screens on Monday. Hamilton has been effective for years by staying in motion and running over a series of screens along the baseline. Carter took a deep sigh when asked about having to check Hamilton, but said the test will prove to himself and others that his knee is sound structurally.”
- Howard is getting a lot of MVP love.
J.J. Redick TV Special Debuts Friday
AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack
Via Fox Sports Florida:
“Inside the Magic: J.J. Redick” premieres this Friday, 11/26, at 10:00pm on FOX Sports Florida immediately following the Cavaliers @ Magic game.
Hosted by Jessica Blaylock. Produced by Lynne Mixson.
One of the Orlando Magic’s key moves in the off-season was the decision to match the Chicago Bulls’ three-year, $19-million offer sheet to J.J. Redick. On this edition of “Inside the Magic” we look at J.J.’s journey: how he transformed his game from riding the bench as a Magic rookie into a valued member this NBA franchise. We revisit his days at Duke, as one of college basketball’s best, and most reviled, players, plus, we shine a light on J.J.’s unique personality and style.
Featured on the half-hour show are:
- J.J. Redick
- Otis Smith
- Stan Van Gundy & other members of Magic coaching staff
- Dwight Howard
- Ryan Anderson
- Vince Carter
- Chris Duhon
- Jameer Nelson
- Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski
Tuesday’s Magic Word
- Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel: “Kay Kellogg loved Dwight Howard. Loved him to death. And, sadly, her death came on Sunday night. Kellogg passed away at her home at age 62 after a battle with Multiple Myeloma, an aggressive cancer that searches out and destroys the blood plasma in the bone marrow. Her disease was inoperable and incurable. You might know Kellogg from a couple of columns I wrote in the Orlando Sentinel. She became known as “Mama Kay” because that’s what Dwight Howard called her when he met her a couple of months ago. You see, her dying wish was to meet Howard, her sports hero, before she died. Not only did she meet him, she made an imprint on his life.”
- Vince Carter has a sprained knee. Good news for Magic fans.
- What are the best five-man units for the Orlando Magic?
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: “Dwight Howard received a technical foul with 5:37 remaining in the first quarter of Monday night’s game between the Orlando Magic and the San Antonio. Howard pumped his fist after he made a shot, appearing to call for an “and-one” shooting foul against Tim Duncan. A referee gave Howard a “T” because of the gesture. From the Magic’s perspective, it could have been worse. After all, the NBA giveth. The NBA taketh away. Orlando Magic President of Basketball Operations Otis Smith said before tipoff that league officials have rescinded one of Howard’s earlier technical fouls and replaced it with a Flagrant 1 foul. Howard was called for a technical in the first quarter of Saturday’s game in Indianapolis for an elbow on the Indiana Pacers’ Roy Hibbert. At the time, it looked like it was Howard’s fifth technical of the season. But the league has now made that infraction a Flagrant 1 foul instead, Smith said.”
- Rest assured, the Magic will be ready for the Miami Heat in tomorrow night’s grudge match. John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com has more: “Within minutes of Orlando coming up short in a measuring stick game against the surging San Antonio Spurs on Monday night, the Magic quickly moved on mentally to the next litmus test dead ahead. But then again, it’s not as if the rival Miami Heat have ever really left the Magic’s consciousness. The Magic were embarrassed in their second game of the regular season by the revamped Heat and the unsightly 96-70 beatdown has never strayed far from Orlando’s psyches. [...] Still, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy knows the Magic have their work cut out in trying to keep Wade and James from slashing and Bosh from scoring inside. Van Gundy was upset at Orlando’s inability to handle San Antonio’s drive-and-kick game on Monday night, and the Heat will once against test Orlando’s defensive mettle.”
- Breaking news: Rashard Lewis is overpaid.
- Eric Freeman of Ball Don’t Lie prays that Howard stops singing.
- Britt Robson of Sports Illustrated details Carter’s importance to Orlando: “From admitting he didn’t always give maximum effort while playing in Toronto to his lackluster performance against Boston in last year’s conference finals, Vince Carter justifiably attracts a significant amount of criticism. But statistical measures are pretty emphatic about Carter’s value to the Magic. According to 82games.com, Orlando scores 19.5 more points and allows 9.8 fewer points per 100 possessions when Carter plays compared to when he sits. The more sophisticated, “adjusted plus/minus” metrics at Basketball Value reinforce his worth. For those who like to keep it simple, Carter — who left Monday’s loss at San Antonio in the fourth quarter because of a knee injury – is shooting less frequently but more accurately from the field than ever before, and he’s also converting a career-high 42.2 percent from deep.”
- Kelly Dwyer of Ball Don’t Lie chimes in on “Mama Kay.”
- More from Dwyer: “At this pace, Howard is going to be earning a one-game suspension for every two technicals he picks up by late January, and I’m sorry, but that’s not exactly what MVPs do. I also find it a little curious that the man who insists on quoting scripture at every given opportunity seems to take his lord’s name in vain quite frequently and loudly and matched with another curse word in close proximity to microphones, children, or the microphones that relay that message into people’s living rooms in front of children. I don’t care if he cusses until he’s Magic-blue in the face. Go nuts, Dwight. Just don’t try to have it both ways.”
Recap: Orlando Magic 89, Memphis Grizzlies 72
AP Photo/John Raoux
In a strange game that involved a lot of turnovers (37 of them in total), the Orlando Magic were able to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies by the score of 89-72. For the Magic, it was — easily — their best performance defensively of the regular season. Orlando was led by Dwight Howard, who had 18 points, 14 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks, setting the tone on defense but he wasn’t alone in his efforts. Vince Carter finished with 19 points on eight shots, performing with excellent efficiency on offense and was only unable to do more damage on that end of the floor due to foul trouble. Jameer Nelson‘s stat-line was a bit underwhelming, with 11 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals, but he was a disruptive force throughout the game and played with a high amount of energy.
For Magic fans, this was not an aesthetically pleasing game to watch.
Friday’s Magic Word
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: “Looking to give his players some stability night-in and night-out, Stan Van Gundy has settled on one starting lineup for the foreseeable future. Van Gundy said following his team’s shootaround today that he’ll start Jameer Nelson at point guard, Vince Carter at shooting guard, Quentin Richardson at small forward, Rashard Lewis at power forward and Dwight Howard at center each game, regardless of the matchups opposing teams present. [...] Also, Mickael Pietrus will return to the rotation, while Ryan Anderson is out of the rotation — at least for the time being. Brandon Bass will be the first power forward off the bench. [...] All that said, Lewis will still sometimes shift to small forward during games. Marcin Gortat will sometimes play at power forward, though usually not in the first quarter.”
- Head coach Stan Van Gundy talks about the Toronto Raptors.
- Zach McCann of the Orlando Sentinel on Ryan Anderson’s benching: “The fact that Anderson’s taking the high road on the decision isn’t surprising. Anderson’s one of the nicest and most even-keeled players on the team, and he knows that another opportunity for playing time will most likely arise this season. Rotations rarely stay the same all season, and injuries haven’t hit the frontcourt yet.”
- One person approves Van Gundy’s decision to settle on a rotation.
- Julius Erving talks about the Magic: “They’re one of the elite teams, they’re one of the top eight teams in the league. And there’s times during the season when they’ve had the best record and have been the best team. Top eight in the league, you’ve got creds and now you’ve have a responsibility to service your fans with that new building. With that new building, they need to step up and win games because that’s a beautiful place. They have talent, they got good coaching and they just have to make some breaks for themselves. Don’t rely on luck, you know, prepare yourself and go out and do battle every night.”
- Evan Dunlap of Orlando Pinstriped Post comments on the Amway Center’s technology.
- John Hollinger of ESPN Insider, on the eve of Anderson being demoted in the Orlando Magic’s rotation, thinks he should be playing more: “With Rashard Lewis struggling mightily and the Magic’s small forwards largely ineffective thus far, the obvious solution seems to be handing Anderson the keys to the power forward spot and moving Lewis to the 3 for long stretches. The Magic have started games this way recently but seem reluctant to stick with it, even though Anderson’s career numbers suggest he’ll more than offset any defensive shortcomings with his wicked outside shooting and underrated board work.”
- Tim Povtak of NBA FanHouse: “If Magic center Dwight Howard was looking for sympathy when it comes to his early-season technical foul trouble — stemming from the new, low-tolerance rule — he won’t find any with his own general manager. Old-school GM Otis Smith likes the new rule, which has cracked down on the unsightly and constant complaining about calls by officials.”
- Allen Kim of SLAM ONLINE believes the Magic could use Steve Nash.
Revisiting the Issue of Playing Time
AP Photo/Jeffrey M. Boan
Via Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel:
Coach Stan Van Gundy and General Manager Otis Smith met Thursday before the Magic’s practice. [...]
Their meeting came in the wake of small forward Mickael Pietrus‘ shouting match with Van Gundy near the bench on Wednesday night.
Frustrated with his dwindling role, Pietrus was pulled out of the game by Van Gundy after just three minutes into the final period during the Magic’s blow-out victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Amway Center.
Teammates, including co-captain Dwight Howard, tried to calm Pietrus. One player said that MP wanted to be traded if he’s not playing regularly, although MP told me he didn’t want to leave a contender.
Van Gundy and Pietrus both confirmed Thursday to the Sentinel that they exchanged words.
“MP was unhappy about when he went into the game and he was unhappy about me telling him to play defense,” Van Gundy said. “He didn’t like what I was saying and I didn’t like his response, so I took him out of the game.”
This was bound to happen sooner or later. The Orlando Magic have so many rotation-quality players, there are going to be instances when someone on the roster isn’t going to be happy with playing time. Last season, that was either Brandon Bass or Ryan Anderson. This year, because head coach Stan Van Gundy is making a concerted effort to play Rashard Lewis more at the small forward position, someone like Mickael Pietrus is feeling the pinch.
This situation won’t go away anytime soon, so it’ll be interesting to see how Van Gundy balances everything. Van Gundy has dealt with this before, so it’s not like it’s something new to him.
