With the Orlando Magic being one of the most talked about teams in the NBA currently as they prepare for the start of their season in just less than two weeks, it’s easy to presume that they could have trouble focusing.
The Magic franchise is in a state of uncertainty as their superstar franchise cornerstone, Dwight Howard, may no longer be donning an Orlando uniform in the near future.
According to ESPN reports and statements directly from the center, he has requested for the Magic to trade him. He has stated that winning is his No. 1 priority as he enters the prime of his career, and that he wants to go to a franchise that will make the necessary moves in order to compete for a championship.
“If it’s meant for me to stay here, then I’ll stay,” Howard said. “I love this city, and there’s no place I’d rather be than Orlando. I just want to make sure that we have the right things here so we can win a championship. And I’m all about change. If you’re willing to change and willing do what it takes to win, then you’ve got me.”
Despite the widespread rumors, according to reports on Wednesday from ESPN, the Magic have taken Howard off the trade block for the time being. They are set to start the season with the All-Star on their roster and see if they can convince him to stay in town.
With that news, Magic players and fans have to continue to endure the agony of not knowing whether or not Howard will be on the team past this season. On top of all that, they still need to remain focused as the season gets closer and closer. Despite that distraction, the Magic players still seem collectively ready for the season to just start and to play the sport they love.
“My job is solely to play the game of basketball and help out this franchise and this community,” point guard Jameer Nelson said.
With the lockout cutting into the start of the season, Magic players are just trying to get in shape and shake off the rust from a five-month layoff.
“I know the first couple of weeks will be kind of rough, because we haven’t played in five or six months, to get in shape,” veteran forward Hedo Turkoglu said. “Otherwise, we’ve been here before, and we know our team. We have a few additions, and these few weeks should be enough to get to know them, and hopefully it will be a good year.”
Last Year
The Magic had a more than disappointing end to their year last season. After two straight trips to the Eastern Conference Finals, including a NBA Finals run in 2009, Orlando bowed out of the playoffs early last season, losing in the first round.
After sweeping the Atlanta Hawks two years ago, the Magic lost to their Southeast Division foes in six games in the first round despite holding the fourth seed and homecourt advantage in the series.
“The ending to last year stung for a while, but I’m just happy to start fresh this season,” forward Ryan Anderson said.
The early playoff exit occurred after the Magic made a questionable blockbuster deal in hopes of improving their roster for a championship run. Orlando GM Otis Smith dealt Rashard Lewis, Vince Carter, Mickael Pietrus, Marcin Gortat and a future first-round pick, while acquiring Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Earl Clark in separate deals.
The move didn’t translate into much success, as the Magic lost in the first round of the postseason and recently cut Arenas with their one-time amnesty clause.
Orlando had some memorable moments last year, such as the nine-game winning streak the team enjoyed from late December to early January that included wins over the Celtics and Spurs.
Howard made his fifth All-Star appearance and won his record third straight Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Despite the individual success, the Magic fell way short of expectations with their early playoff exit and fourth seed finish in the Eastern Conference. That has led them to where they’re now- an uncertain future and the possibility of losing Howard to a different team.
Looking Ahead to the 2011-2012 Season
After a long lockout that nearly cost the entire NBA season, there are bigger issues at stake than just Dwight Howard.
The team must prepare for a condensed 66-game season with very little training camp to get back in basketball shape and adjust to the new players on the roster.
In the days since the lockout ended, the Magic have cut Arenas, resigned Jason Richardson to a four-year deal, signed free agents Larry Hughes and Von Wafer, and traded Brandon Bass to the Boston Celtics for Glen Davis.
Orlando seems to be doing everything in its power to convince Howard to stay with the only team he’s played for in his career. It appears that with the news that Orlando has cut off trade talks for the center, they are going to see what they can put together in order to keep Dwight happy.
“As an organization, we need to show him we’ll do whatever it takes for this city to be a championship team,” point guard Chris Duhon said.”He wants to stay, he’s always said he loves Orlando and that Orlando is home. We just have to provide things that will keep him here.”
According to sources, Howard has requested to be traded by the March 15 deadline, or he’ll leave the Magic in free agency, and they will receive nothing.
Orlando will hope to surround him with the talent that will keep him happy with the little money they have to make maneuvers, or they will look to trade him to a team that will give them the best package.
Regardless of Howard’s future, the Magic have a decent roster in place with Jameer Nelson and Hedo Turkoglu returning from their ’09 Finals roster, as well as potent scorer Jason Richardson, and key role role players- J.J. Redick and Ryan Anderson.
The addition of “Big Baby” gives the Magic a solid big man presence on both sides of the ball, but more from a defensive standpoint, as well as the benefit of championship experience.
The 6’9″ forward has nearly identical statistics to Bass, but has been apart of a championship team with the 2008 Celtics, as well as another Finals run in 2010, when Boston lost to the Lakers in seven games. He will help the Magic roster with his locker room presence.
“This is a brotherhood. We have to understand as teammates that if you fight, I fight; if you fall, I fall,” Davis said. “We gotta be here for each other, and that’s what it’s all about. From the ball boy to the head coach, we all have to be on one court… I’ve experienced that championship feeling; I’ve been there when we won and when we lost. I know how that feels, and I’m willing to sacrifice everything to bring that here.”
Davis was also reportedly on Dwight Howard’s “request list” as he has expressed his willingness to be a part of the front office’s decisions.
“I didn’t know. I have no idea. I’m glad he wanted me here. It feels good to be in an organization that feels like they need me,” Davis said. “I’ve been playing with the Boston Celtics for a long time. When you got a guy like KG-I’m coming off the bench. It feels good that the hard work is paying off.”
Competition
The Magic will face tough competition in not only the Eastern Conference, but in their own division with the star-studded Miami Heat standing in their way. The Heat ended the Magic’s three-year run as Southeast Division champions last season when they finished 58-24 and notched the second seed in the East.
Orlando will have to deal with Miami again, who came two games from winning the title last year. In addition, Atlanta is always a tough opponent and will give the Magic some trouble. Orlando will look to get revenge after last year’s playoff defeat to the Hawks.
Boston, Chicago and New York are also in the mix for a top four seed in the Eastern Conference, so the Magic will have their hands full.
Orlando’s early schedule is favorable to give them time to gel, as they face only two playoff teams from last year in the team’s first nine contests. They open their season with a Christmas Day matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and play the Bulls in the second week of their season.
A mid-January stretch has the Magic playing the Knicks, Spurs, Lakers and Celtics during an eight-day span. Orlando will be tested early on, and this stretch will be a valuable look into how successful the Magic may be this season.
Final Thoughts
A lot of the Magic’s season ultimately hinges on the future of Dwight Howard. Howard is the centerpiece of the franchise and knowing whether they need to build around him or rebuild the team if he leaves determines how the team’s season will play out.
If Howard stays, and Otis Smith is able to pull off some deals that actually benefit the team, the Magic could be in contention. Howard is the most dominant big man in the game right now, and if he is surrounded by the right pieces, he is bound for a ring.
If he commits to staying and the Magic, and they add some more pieces, mainly a second scorer, such as Andre Igoudala, I think the Magic will earn a top four spot in the East and have any where from a 38-42 (condensed schedule) win season. With the current competition in the East, I see the Eastern Conference Championship as a reach, but certainly still possible because of Superman alone.
If he is traded early into the season, Orlando has almost no chance of reaching the postseason and will likely fall into the depths of the East along with Charlotte, Washington and Cleveland.
Regardless of Dwight’s future, the Magic players are just happy to get the season underway and play basketball.
“At first, because there were so many talks of this and that meeting, when the season was gonna start up, or if there’s not even gonna be a season at all, it was tough,” Anderson said. “When I got the call that the season was starting up, it was a little surprising.”
