Orlando Magic News for August 18th: Dwight Howard Speaks, 'Building Magic' Update, and More

by erivera7 on Aug 18, 2009 6:47 PM EDT in News Comment 9 comments

Q&A with Magic center Dwight Howard
Bill Eichenberger of the Sporting News was able to chat with Dwight Howard while he was filming a movie last week in New Jersey.

BE: Speaking of real basketball, what’s your reaction to the moves made this offseason by the other teams in the East, starting with Shaquille O’Neal going to the Cavs and Rasheed Wallace going to the Celtics? Will they make it tougher for the Magic to get back to The Finals?

DH: Nah. For us to get back to The Finals, we have to worry about ourselves, get ourselves better. Everybody is talking about the moves that everyone else has made. We’ve made a lot of moves ourselves to get better. But I don’t think a lot of people have recognized that because it’s mostly not big-name players. But it’s the little pieces that hold everything together.
Photo: Oh, Orlando Magic team building exercise '09!
J.E. Skeets of Ball Don't Lie posts a picture of several Orlando Magic players donning camouflage outfits and sporting paintball guns. Don't worry, the team is ALSO doing basketball-related drills. Still, doesn't hurt to have some fun.
C.J. Watson's off the table, so what's next at point guard?
Tania Ganguli lists possible options at point guard for the Magic.
Summer shuffling, done right, can turn a team around
Jeff Case of NBA.com takes the time to lists off-season moves in the past that dramatically changed a team's fortune for the better or for the worse. Naturally, Orlando makes the list. (via the Orlando Sentinel)

Sept. 19 & Sept. 22, 1994 -- Magic sign Horace Grant and Brian Shaw

The buzz: Orlando was fresh off its first 50-win season, had a budding star tandem in Shaquille O'Neal and Anfernee Hardaway but had yet to win a playoff game. With some cash in hand, the Magic signed veterans Grant and Shaw, who helped Orlando to 57 wins in 1994-95 and the team's first Finals appearance.

The aftermath: The youthful Magic were swept by the Rockets in the 1995 Finals. The 1995-96 Magic won 60 games, a franchise first, but were swept in the conference finals by the Bulls. From there, Shaq left town for L.A., Penny started to break down and the Magic suddenly fell off the title-contending map. Grant was traded to the Sonics on June 30, 1999 while Shaw was traded to the Warriors on Oct. 28, 1997.
UPDATE: Superman works on a commercial for ESPN, today. (via Twitter)
http://twitpic.com/eeh9h - me (clark kent) and hannah storm (lois lane) filming a @sportscenter commercial

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What movie is he filming now?

Spreading that Calgary Flames, Montreal Expos, The U, and Orlando Magic love.

by KingJafi on Aug 18, 2009 8:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Just Wright, with Common and Queen Latifah.

He was filming last week.

I'm the other guy at Third Quarter Collapse, with a Twitter account.

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement." - Michael Corleone

by erivera7 on Aug 18, 2009 9:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Remember when I was bitching about Dwight filming another movie in LA earlier this summer and everyone came down hard on me about it. Well it wasn’t so far off base because now the Sentinel is writing about about my exact gripe. I know the quick answer is to say that there is a difference between Shaq’s foray to Tinsletown and Dwight’s flirtations with LA…but where there’s smoke there’s usually fire. I’m not saying that Dwight is going to bolt anytime soon but you never ever ever know what goes on in the mind of a young 20 year old that gets wrapped up in the whole mess that is Hollywood. If you ask me, Bianchi brings up a lot of good points in the article. Listen, I’m just a wounded soul…and rightfully so. Proceed with caution Dwight.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orl-sportsmagic-bianchi-19081909aug19,0,102413.column

Spreading that Calgary Flames, Montreal Expos, The U, and Orlando Magic love.

by KingJafi on Aug 19, 2009 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Howard is signed until 2012.

I’m not worried about it .. Shaq leaving Orlando had as much to do with management screwing him over as it did with O’Neal’s desire to be in Los Angeles and live a more lavish lifestyle.

I'm the other guy at Third Quarter Collapse, with a Twitter account.

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement." - Michael Corleone

by erivera7 on Aug 19, 2009 6:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Can't wait for that SportsCenter spot to hit the airwaves.

Third Quarter Collapse: An Orlando Magic blog at SB Nation | Brandon Bass: "I just play hard."

by Ben Q Rock on Aug 18, 2009 8:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Me too.

I'm the other guy at Third Quarter Collapse, with a Twitter account.

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement." - Michael Corleone

by erivera7 on Aug 19, 2009 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Apparently the Watson possibility is not quite dead....

According to Orlando Sentinel.According to Orlando Sentinel.

by josh99 on Aug 18, 2009 9:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Lol

Messed up yet again.

by josh99 on Aug 18, 2009 9:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

dwight leaving isn't something we need to focus on or talk about every day

but it is definitely the biggest question mark looming over the franchise. one more 4-5 year extension and we’ll have him through his prime. correct me if i’m wrong, but i think the last year of dwight’s contract is a player option, so really we only have him locked up for 3 more years (bianchi said 4). either way, i intend to enjoy the hell out of those 3 years, and to hope he wants to go the way of malone, stockton and reggie miller, and not the big mungrag.

as i’ve previously pleaded, we’ve got to, as fans, show dwight the passion at every turn. standing ovations, m-v-p chants, signs and banners. let the man know he’s loved here.

by pinthatd12 on Aug 19, 2009 7:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs