Orlando Pinstriped Post: FanPosts

Dwight Howard and scoring volatility

2012-02-02T19:15:55Z

Tom Ziller has a breakdown on which top scorers are the most volatile. (LINK)

The least volatile are Lebron James, Kevin Durant and Lamarcus Aldridge. The three worst and most volatile of the top scorers: Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard and Monta Ellis.

Howard, surprisingly, is right behind 'Melo. Seeing a big man so high on the list fights conventional wisdom, which is that since big men tend to have higher shooting percentages, their production is more reliable. While Kevin Love, Blake Griffin and Lamarcus Aldridge all seem to bolster that hypothesis with relatively low volatility marks, Howard -- a regular near the top of field goal percentage rankings -- is a blinking signal of doubt.

Post-Game Recap: Magic 109, Wizards 103

2012-02-02T06:19:35Z

The Orlando Magic (13-9) had a long-overdue offensive explosion, scoring 40 fourth quarter points to break open a 71-71 tie early in the quarter on their way to the 109-103 victory over the woeful Washington Wizards (4-19). The Magic's largest fourth quarter lead was 89-77, but Washington got as close as 104-100 before the Magic finally put the Wizards away.

Three Magic players scored over 20 points, led by Dwight Howard and Ryan Anderson with 23 points apiece. Howard added 18 rebounds and 4 steals, along with a respectable 11 of 16 from the free throw line, while Anderson shot 6 of 9 from three point range. J.J. Redick, starting in place of Jason Richardson at shooting guard, was very efficient while scoring 21 points on 5 of 7 shooting.

Team	Pace	Efficiency	eFG%	FT Rate	OReb%	TO Rate
Wizards	92.7	111.1	52.2%	7.6	35.7	17.3
Magic	92.7	117.6	54.1%	41.1	25.0	16.2
Green denotes a stat better than the team's season average; red denotes a stat worse than the team's season average.

The Wizards were led by SG Nick Young with 24 points on 8 of 13 shooting. Former Magic Rashard Lewis scored a season-high 20 points on 8 of 12 shooting along with 8 rebounds. 2010 top draft pick John Wall dished out 10 assists, but had one of the worst shooting games in the NBA this season, shooting 1 for 12 on his way to 2 points.

The Magic started out strong, jumping out to a 21-10 lead with just over three minutes remaining in the opening quarter and led 25-20 after one. The Wizards were in the midst of a 26-9 run, which culminated in a 36-30 Washington lead with 6:39 remaining in the half. The Magic then stepped up their game, holding the Wizards scoreless for over three minutes while going on a 12-0 run to lead 45-38. The first half closed with the Magic leading 47-43. Orlando shot 42.9% in the first half, with Washington shooting 39.2%.

The Magic continued to lead throughout most of the third quarter, but the Wizards kept the game close as the Magic's largest lead was just five points as they hung on to a 69-68 lead after three. The Magic never lost the lead in the final quarter on the way to a much-needed victory.

Other game notes:

-In the Magic's 40 point fourth quarter, they shot 11 of 19 (57.9%) from the field, including 4 of 6 on three pointers and 14 of 19 from the free throw line.

-Washington, which came into the game dead last in offensive rating, scored 60 second-half points on 22 of 41 (53.7%) FG shooting, including 9 of 15 on three pointers.

-The Wizards' reserves scored a collective 51 points, and had three players in double figures led by Jordan Crawford's 19 points.

-Von Wafer scored 9 points to lead the Magic reserves, and Glen Davis added 8 points. Davis would grab just one rebound in 21 minutes, though.

-Hedo Turkoglu led the Magic with 5 assists, but shot just 5 of 16 from the field and finished with 16 points.

-Chris Duhon was steady as the Magic's starting point guard in 30 minutes of action. He finished with 7 points and 4 assists, but had no turnovers and had a team-best plus/minus of +22.

-This was the first game all season that the Magic shot at least 45% from the field and 75% from the free throw line in the same game.

It was good to see the Magic come alive offensively, but this was far from a convincing win against one of the worst teams in the NBA. The defensive performance left a lot to be desired against a Wizards' team that has really struggled on the offensive end all season. Maybe this win can give the Magic some confidence, which they really need.

Here is the complete box score from espn.com

VOTE!!: Rondo, JO, Allen, 2 picks for D12 & Nelson

2012-02-02T02:57:54Z

Full disclosure, I am a Celts fan. I put this same proposal (and poll) up on Celticsblog.com to get the feedback from other celts fans (http://www.celticsblog.com/2012/1/31/2762819/vote-rondo-jo-allen-2-picks-for-d12-nelson). To come up with it I used conversations from this blog to get something realistic. So...

How do you view this trade proposal?

Magic get: 2 2012 1st Round Draft Picks (Bos & LAC), Rondo, JO, and Ray Allen

Magic Trade: Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson

As an Orlando fan, what are your thoughts?

Poll

How do you view this trade?

Poll: Who has the worse contract?

2012-02-01T20:23:43Z

Quick poll to see who you think has the worse contract and which one would have to be included in a potential Dwight Howard trade.

Turk-2 years left, $23 mil, $17 mil guaranteed, age at end of contract-35

Jason Richardson-4 years fully guaranteed at $24 mil, age at end of contract-34

Glen Davis-4 years fully guaranteed at $25.7 mil, age at end of contract-29

Chris Duhon-2 years left at $6.7, $4.7 guaranteed, age at end of contract-32

QRich-2 years left,$5.4 fully guaranteed with 15% trade kicker making it 6.25, age at end-33

Ugh, these are really ugly deals when looking at the age when they expire. I didn't realize how tough it is going to be to trade QRich. Although Turk has looked really bad these last few games, he is someone we should keep since next year is almost like an expiring deal. Because of Big Baby's age, he may eventually have some value to someone else and can be traded down the line. Duhon's contract isn't as bad, but he is a terrible PG. My vote is for JRich's deal which was bad to begin with but will have to be included in a any deal involving Dwight.

Poll

Worse Contract?

Oh Jameer, Jameer, where hast thou gone?

2012-02-01T19:09:10Z

Eight points, Five assists, Two (and a half) caroms. 30 (THIRTY) minutes a game. Chris Duhon career best averages you say? Sadly, no. These numbers do not even begin to portray the poor (destitute comes to mind) play of our beloved point guard Jameer Nelson. How and Where did it all go wrong, one cares to ask?

Well, this off season as you may be aware (unless you were living under a rock or didn't care for Orlando Magic news, in which case, why are you here?) Dwight Howard made shock waves throughout the Magic Kingdom and beyond, demanding a trade to greener pastures, larger bodies of water, and [insert euphemism for larger metropolitan markets and bigger endorsement dollars here]. Speculation abounded of Dwight's wishes to tandem with one of the League's elite point guards (i.e. Chris Paul, Deron Williams, anyone NOT Jameer Nelson), effectively throwing former best buddy and Current point guard Jameer under the proverbial bus (and reversed, and drove back over again) in the process. Jameer, while known for his tough play and clutch shooting, turns out was still very human and susceptible to weird things like emotions, and was more than likely deeply wounded by Dwight's remarks, and by the ensuing (and continuing) trade fiasco.

So What, you might ask? Jameer Nelson is a professional basketball player, paid to play the school yard game he grew up loving. This year he is set to make $7.31 Million dollars (even the .31 part is more then I'd dream to make this year), so you might say to your self, Self, if I was Jameer and making (and probably rolling around and sleeping on) this amount of aforementioned money, wouldn't I just suck that ish up and go All Out every night on the court? And in most cases, you would be very right. Unfortunately, this is a flawed assumption, based out of a vacuum universe in which others' actions don't affect our own. The reality is, professional sports is just as much about Confidence as it is Ability, and Orlando's co-captain has clearly found himself in a rut.

So what has changed in Jameer's game, you might ask? An excellent question, I'm glad you asked. The answer is, frankly, Everything. Some might point to his shooting (down from his nearly 17ppg output on Orlando's march to the Finals in '08) and accompanying percentages ('08->'11 contrast... FT: 89 to 76%; 3PT: 45 to 29% FG: 50 to 39%). Defense, while in some ways unquantifiable, is still identifiable by the naked eye as consistent energy and commitment (and moving of feet) to keeping your man in front of you, and at least funneling him towards the best defensive big man of our generation. This year, Jameer might have put many Spanish matadors to shame with his propensity of letting opposing 1's drift right by into the lane for scoring opportunities.

What has been Missing in Jameer's game most significantly this year though, and what will never show up in the box scores, is his sense of Fearlessness. This fearlessness materialized to the Magic's benefit in past seasons with his clutch shooting on MANY, MANY occasions, including the playoffs (does anybody else remember '10 Jameer icing Charlotte all series long like they said something about his momma?). This fearlessness showed in Jameer's willingness in previous seasons to give up his body, whether it be charges, fighting through pick and rolls, or diving into the lane amongst the trees to create buckets. None of that has been consistent this year, and that is what made Jameer a Game Changer for the Magic. Heck, even his rebounds (down from '08 3.5 rpg) and fouls ( down from '08's total of almost 3 fouls to 2 this year) are testaments to his lack of aggressiveness, where he once regularly snuck in to pull down a board to spark a Magic fastbreak or got an extra whistle blown for tighter D and feisty hands. This fearlessness allowed Jameer to make PLAYS, unafraid to make mistakes and letting the game come to him.

This year you don't even see Nelson hooking up with Dwight for alleys, which used to be a Given at least once or twice a game, and it makes you wonder if it's out of spite or lack of connection. Whatever it is, I wish Jameer would just sit down, clear his mind, watch old game tape, whatever is needed, and remember why he is the Orlando Magic's starting point guard and fan favorite, before it's frankly too late.

The Dwight Saga

2012-02-01T01:36:44Z

This has been a troubling season so far. After a strong start to the shortened season, the Magic have regressed drastically and have appeared to have given up on the season. Since the season is apparently over for these Magic players, I have decided to track this so called Dwight saga, through memes.

It all started during the lockout:

via f.static.memegenerator.net

After Speculation, Dwight came out and requested a trade to either the Nets, Mavericks, or Lakers:

via d.static.memegenerator.net

After this request, a chain reaction of events happened. First there was Jameer Nelson:

via h.static.memegenerator.net

Then the Nets fans heard they were the number one destination for Dwight:

via c.static.memegenerator.net

And finally, other teams started making trade proposals for our superstar:

via e.static.memegenerator.net

Despite all of the drama, all the speculation, Dwight remained with the Magic until the start of the season. After a slow showing on Christmas day, the Magic were playing well. Hedo looked reinvigorated, JJ looked like the white mamba, and Ryan Anderson appeared to be blossoming into an all star. The team seemed to be handling the Dwightmare like professionals:

via e.static.memegenerator.net

Unfortunately, the winning was not having an effect on Dwight. He wanted out of here:

via g.static.memegenerator.net

Then, things started going south for the Magic. A combination of injuries and mental fatigue led to this debacle:

via h.static.memegenerator.net

Dwight, disgusted with the effort put forth in the Magic's first loss to the Celtics and the epic collapse in the second game, decided to call his team out:

via c.static.memegenerator.net

The rest of the team, fed up with Dwight and his fickle trade demands, decided to check out. The play was uninspired and probably led to the most frustrating week of Magic basketball ever:

via e.static.memegenerator.net

And so the national media frenzy has escalated. The team continues to be blown out by just about every team, every player is seemingly ineffective, and players just are not buying into SVG's system. Now I have to boycott Sportscenter and ESPN:

via g.static.memegenerator.net

Who knows how the saga will play out. There is one certainty though, Dwight Howard's days in Orlando are numbered. They way I see it, there will only be two possible resolutions: Will Otis let him walk in free agency? or will Otis trade him after the All Star Game? Either way, the Magic need to start their rebuilding plan, whether that is acquiring proven vets to stay semi-relevent or blow it up completely.

Thanks for all the good memories Dwight.

Nelson for Calderon?

2012-02-01T01:00:43Z

The Raptors have put Jose Calderon on the trade market, and one source believes the Magic could be a potential suitor.

"Another potential destination for the Spaniard could be in Orlando, where the combination of Jameer Nelson and Chris Duhon are just not getting it done for the Magic. The team is loaded with guys that can score the basket but need a facilitator to get everyone involved.

Nelson for Calderon works under the trade rules and both have a year remaining on their contract, but that trade seems like a wash at this point. The Lakers and Knicks also need a point guard in the worst way but the pieces they would probably trade are not really attractive to the Raptors."

http://blogs.canada.com/2012/01/28/trade-destinations-for-jose-calderon/

Calderon's stats for the 2011-2012 season are:

10.5 ppg, 8.4 apg, and a PER of 16.80

I personally would welcome Calderon to our team considering our need for a playmaking PG that can feed Dwight. If we could package J Rich or Redick instead, I would prefer that since we would still have Nelson as our backup PG and Von Wafer could move into the backup SG role.

What do you guys think?

Poll

Do you want the Magic to trade for Calderon?

Stupid Dwight Howard Trade Posts

2012-01-31T21:33:51Z

Like many Orlando magic fans, I anticipate that the chatter regarding Dwight Howard's trade status is only going to increase. It is, I believe, primarily a function of media-the number of media outlets have increased, but the number of legitimate stories have not. As such, I believe that "sources" will continue to generate more and more stories about where Dwight Howard will be playing next year. And inevitably, with the generation of these stories will come trade suggestions. Some trade suggestions are well-thought out scenarios, with caveats given to respect the personalities that affect the trades themselves, as well as the myriad financial and personnel implications of aforementioned trades.

Many trade suggestions, however, are ridiculous pipe-dreams with no basis in reality. Some like to deride these trades, some dismiss them, I say . . .

. . .well, here's a place to put 'em!

Rather than dumping ridiculous trade ideas in a thread where they don't belong, put them here in this post! Is it silly? One-sided? Defiant of all reason? Now there's a place for it!!

Dwight for Varejao, Gibson, and Hollins? GREAT! Cleveland gets the most dominant center in the league, and Orlando gets Sideshow Bob, a guy whose nickname is "boobie," and . . . well . . . Ryan Hollins (couldn't think of anything funny about him.) And the salaries work! WIN-WIN!

Dwight to the Kings for Jimmer Fredette, Tyreke Evans, Isaiah Thomas, and John Salmons? Why not? Sacramento gets the most dominant center in the league, and I've been saying all along that Orlando really needs to get shorter! And think of all the options we'll have in the 1/2 spot! And we get Isaiah Thomas! Not the late '80s Thomas that played for the Pistons! No, the other guy! You know, Isaiah Thomas?! That plays for the Kings? You don't know?! Well, still: WIN-WIN!

This way, we can all have a laugh instead of weeping and gnashing our teeth. If there's anything missing in Orlando lately, it's smiling (well, besides consistency, hustle, dependable perimeter defense, etc.) Put your suggestions in the comments below. It's all in fun, so try not to take it too seriously.

Fran Vazquez will likely play in the NBA next year.

2012-01-31T18:22:24Z

This is an interview that "MundoDeportivo.com" made to Fran last year (during the lockout). I translated it myself from spanish to english, so hope it's understandable!

I take two things from this interview:

1) He is willing to come and play here next year.

2) He seems to be a cry baby. "Too tired to play for the national team" "If you play abroad it's hard because you miss your family", "I am afraid of going there and not playing" boo hoo!

Interview with Fran Vazquez: "The 'Lockout' has stopped me"

Fran Vazquez (2.09, 28) recently renewed by the Regal FC Barcelona with a contract for one year and shortly after announced he was resigning to play with the Spanish team in the Eurobasket tournament in Lithuania this summer.

What is your feeling after having re-signed for one season with Regal FC Barcelona?

I'm happy because I will continue on a team where I have won many titles over the years. For next season the challenge is to get another local trophy, another Euroleague championship and try to do my best, as I always do when I get to the court.

Why did you sign for one season and didn't accept the long-term contract offered by the club?

I did it in order to have the option of going to the NBA next season or doing anything else.

What has stopped you from leaving this year to the NBA? Was the lockout a factor?

Well, honestly, yes, going to the NBA was a bit risky. The possibility of not playing for many months did not help at all. I guess I've done well by staying at the club for an extra year and get the chance to keep playing.

You refused to play in the NBA several years ago because you had doubts about taking the leap, but the fact of having re-signed for one year so you can go there indicates that these doubts have disappeared. Is that the case? Are you already mentally prepared to play in the NBA?

Well, I'm ready to go there or elsewhere. There may come a time when my time runs out at this club and gotta need a breath of fresh air, you never know. I don't close the door to anything, but now I just focus on this club. Both sides have reached an agreement and I'm glad for that.

You are not going to the NBA this year, but Ricky Rubio, your former colleague, has already been introduced with his new team. Do you think he will do well there?

He has demonstrated that he is able to lead a big team like Barca. I think it will be hard for him, because you're away from your country, your family and friends, that happens to any player, but I think he will do well. I wish him all the best.

I would ask also for the national team. Your absence in the squad for the Eurobasket torunament was a surprise. How do you explain that?

There comes a time when the body gets tired and that's what has happened to me. I had a time without stopping and at the end of the season my body felt it. I needed to rest and stop playing a little basketball. There comes a time when you are saturated with basketball and that happens to me. I need rest.

. . .

In other words, there's nothing else, no tactical issues or relationships with other players ...

Nothing, nothing like that, nor is it true that I will need surgery. People like to talk nonsense. It's a physical issue.

Are you out from the National Team only for this year or is it final?

Well, next year is still a long time, so we'll see.

Source.

Post-Game Recap: 76ers 74, Magic 69

2012-01-31T03:49:54Z

In a very low-scoring game that wasn't as close as the final score might indicate, Andre Iguodala scored 14 points along with 11 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals to lead Philadelphia (15-6) over the struggling Magic (12-9) 74-69. Dwight Howard had 17 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Magic, but shot just 6 of 17 from the field and 5 of 13 at the free throw line. Ryan Anderson had a career-high 20 rebounds, including 11 offensive rebounds, to go along with 14 points. The Magic could only connect on 33.3% of their field goals, while the 76ers didn't do much better, making 37.5% of their shots.

Chris Duhon and J.J. Redick were the starting backcourt for the Magic, as Jameer Nelson and Jason Richardson sat.

The 76ers led much of the first half, and the half ended with the 76ers on top 37-33, as the Magic's largest lead was just one point. The Magic shot just 12 of 36 (33.3%) in the first half, compared to 17 of 43 (39.5%) for the 76ers.

Philadelphia began to pull away in the third quarter, as the Magic had a horrible quarter offensively. The 76ers outscored the Magic 21-9 as the Magic were 3 of 17 (17.6%) from the field, 0 for 6 on threes, and 3 of 7 at the free throw line. The Magic trailed 58-42 entering the final quarter.

The 76ers put the game away for all intents and purposes as they led 68-49 in the fourth with just 3:19 remaining. The Magic then finally showed signs of life offensively as they closed the game on a 20-6 run, with Redick hitting a three pointer at the buzzer for the 74-69 final. What's noteworthy is that the Magic made this run with Howard on the bench, as he was pulled with 2:51 remaining.

Other game notes:

This was the fourth game in a row that the Magic have been held to 85 points or less. This was only the fourth time in Magic franchise history that has happened, and the first time in the Stan Van Gundy era.

No Magic starter shot better than 47%. Anderson's 6 of 13 FG shooting led the starters. The other four starters combined to shoot 11 of 43 (25.6%), with Hedo Turkoglu (1 for 9) and J.J. Redick (3 of 13) having particularly bad nights. Redick missed all eight of his two point attempts.

Other than Iguodala, no other 76ers starter scored in double figures. Evan Turner with 12 points and Thaddeus Young with 10 points contributed off the bench.

Glen Davis made his fifth career three pointer in 27 attempts with 25 seconds remaining.

Howard is now 9 for 28 (32.1%) on free throws in his last two games.

The top assist man for the Magic was Quentin Richardson off the bench, with three.

Von Wafer led the Magic reserves with 8 points.

The Magic have Tuesday off before resuming Wednesday at home against Washington.

Here is the complete box score from Yahoo! Sports.

Magic vs 76ers Game Preview and Thread

2012-01-30T23:50:25Z

Not sure if a game preview will be posted on the main page, so I put this one up as a fan post.

The struggling Orlando Magic have their work cut out for them tonight, as they face the much-improved Philadelphia 76ers, who are 14-6 and in first place by 4 1/2 games in the Atlantic Division.

Offensively, the 76ers are averaging 98.7 PPG on 46.9% FG shooting, 73.2% FT shooting, and 38.9% three point shooting. Their offensive rating is 107.4, which is fifth in the league.

Defensively, the 76ers are allowing opposing teams just 87.0 PPG on 41.8% FG shooting and 27.8% on three point shooting. Their defensive rating is 94.6, which is first in the league.

The Magic are averaging 92.3 PPG on 43.9% FG shooting, 63.9% FT shooting, and 38.9% three point shooting, with an offensive rating of 102.7, which is 16th in the league.

The Magic are allowing opposing teams 91.7 PPG on 44.5% FG shooting and 32.9% on three point shooting, with a defensive rating of 101.9, which is 15th in the league.

The 76ers have the clear-cut statistical advantage both offensively and defensively. The Magic need to obviously play at a very high level to have a chance of winning tonight.

The 76ers are 7 1/2 point favorites (http://sportsbook.com).

What are the Magic's Ills and How to Fix Them?

2012-01-30T22:44:08Z

I predicted that at some point of time, Dwight's departure is going to become a distraction, and we are witnessing it now. Is this team worse than the team past last year's December trades? Hardly, in my view. Anderson is playing way better ... Redick is back to form ... Richardson is playing some defense ... and Duhon is finally getting where he was expected to be. So why is the team struggling? I would say lack of Purpose and Focus.

On defense this team is not worse than last year's (past trades) team unless we claim that Bass is a better defender than Davis ... Anderson did not learn anything on defense ... etc. But this team does not play consistent defense for longer stretches of the games ... again due to lack of Purpose and Focus.
Offensively, this team has a potent offense, despite not enjoying a slashing guard, thanks to a 3-point shooting squad. This team's offense is better than last year's (past trades) team - at least on paper - since almost all players have shown improvement at the start of the season, unless one ignores Anderson's leap while claiming that Wafer + Hughes is less than Arenas. The team struggles, however, again due to lack of Purpose and Focus.

Is there any real fix? I outline what I think could be the two primary elements which have to be addressed:

I don't think that Dwight should be traded, and of course no efforts should be spared to retain him, but I hold that the team should not be kept hostage to his whims neither. Coach Van Gundy has to have the authority to lead the team in a manner an excellent coach like him is capable of. Co-captains could assist in leading the team in ways they are capable of, but there is no way that anybody from inside (i.e., players playing in the game) could see what is going on the same way that someone from outside (i.e., the coach) could.
Otis Smith has lost any and all creditability to handle the situation, and it is best for the franchise to replace him - even though for the interim - so that a meaningful conversation could be started with Dwight and his agent. The two sides should be able to reach a gentlemen agreement on a road-map for the way forward so that some differences - if not all - would be set aside for the time being, and playing without distractions could start, in earnest.

What the Orlando Magic look like to a Chicago Bulls fan.

2012-01-27T04:44:01Z

So Magic fans anyone proud of their team right now? There was very little support from there fan base. With that said I have to ask a question, was there nothing but Celtics fans in the Amway arena? In the beginning there were lots of cheers directed toward the Magic but when the game began to favor the Celtics the fans started cheering for the Celtics. With the fans becoming more and more in favor of the Celtics Dwight Howard and everyone became more and more aggravated. Not only did production begin to seize but also technical fouls began to come in due to aggravation.

I have no idea if Orlando fans are accustomed to this but me being a Chicago Bulls fan we never have a complete overtake of the opponent’s fans inside of our own arena. Of course the Chicago Bulls have a very proud fan base. You go all around the USA and you will find Chicago Bulls apparel. But when it comes to the Magic it’s hard to even find a hat 90 miles from downtown Orlando.

I hope nobody takes this the wrong way. I am still a Magic fan and yes I still watch and want them to win every game. But Chicago Bulls fans would literally start a fight with another fan if they ever told them that their team …well… the other word for stink (Sorry I have no idea if that is a bad word or not). But yes, I still love the Orlando Magic. I am a true fan unlike most of them people down there in Miami that only have fans because they win.

Have your say in the comments below and tell me what you think of the Orlando Magic right now and yes I would love to have some comments from the people that were actually at this game.

Thanks for reading.

Anyone Remember This Dwight??

2012-01-27T01:35:03Z

This is an Orlando Sentinel article awhile back... I miss this Dwight! Anyone else remember this?

Orlando Magic all-star center Dwight Howard, publicly addressing his long-term future for the first time, told the Sentinel on Monday that he'd love to finish his career in Orlando.

As long as Orlando wants him, he says.

"It is an interesting question," Howard said. "You know what? I'll be here as long as the fans want me to be here. They have a lot of do with it."

Howard, 23, is a five-year veteran and has four more years left on his $85-million contract.

"I tell my friends this: I want to stay here. It will be based upon the city. We want the support of our fans. That's what carries us, that's what inspires us, that's what keeps us motivated.

"You want to feel loved. That's the biggest thing. I show my love to the community. I show my love to this city by stepping on the floor every night and playing as hard as I can. That's all we want back."

Howard said he was bothered by the few times during the season in which fans booed the club. He also was upset when a few "Rally Rackets" were tossed on the floor after a Game 1 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the playoffs.

While he expresses his commitment to Orlando, Howard says he understands Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James -- who can become a free agent in 2010 -- weighing his options.

"You just don't want to say something. You want to wait and weigh your options," Howard said. "Everybody can say that LeBron should stay in Cleveland. That's where he's from. But you have to think about what's best for you and your family.

"That's the way I look at it."

Howard helped oust James and the Cavs in the Eastern Conference finals to secure the Magic's first trip to the NBA Finals since Shaquille O'Neal led the club to a title shot in 1995.

Howard said he realizes the devastating impact Shaq's exit after the next season had on Orlando as a city and a franchise. O'Neal left as a free agent to join the Los Angeles Lakers -- the Magic's opponent in this season's Finals, oddly enough -- before being traded to the Miami Heat by the Lakers in 2004.

Depending on whom you believe, Shaq left the Magic because he always wanted to be a Laker; the club tried to low-ball him financially; and/or he was upset after an opinion poll in the Sentinel revealed most readers/fans didn't think he was worth a mega-contract.

Howard said the history of Shaq's departure would play a role in his re-signing with the Magic "a little bit."

"My responsibility is to my family first, then the organization and then my city. I will never turn my back on this city as long as they don't turn their back on me. I've always been down for this city. I've always represented Orlando, whatever it is," he said.

"I've always wanted to see Orlando on top because we've always been overlooked -- not just as a basketball franchise -- but as a city. I do a lot for the community, especially in the African American community, because of what goes on. I try to do my best. One thing I said [when he was drafted in 2004], whatever city I go to, I'd always try to do my best to change it.

"So I love this place. I want to stay here."

As far as the Magic franchise's responsibility in his future, Howard clearly wants to play with a contender.

"As a franchise, we all have to take on a championship mentality. That's the thing I've been telling [General Manager] Otis [Smith] and [team president] Bob [Vander Weide] that we have to have a championship mentality every day," he said.

"We have to bring that mentality to our city and show our city that we're champions. Whatever we do, we have to do it like we're champions. That's when people say the Magic are serious."

TRUST ME... The Fans Still Want You HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dwight Howard to Celtics

2012-01-26T17:27:56Z

Celtics fan here. Just curious from the perspective of a Magic fan, what would it take to for you to be happy with trading Dwight Howard to Boston?

In addition to the draft picks they own, they also are owed:

2012 first round draft pick from L.A. Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers' own 2012 first round draft pick to Boston via Oklahoma City (top 10 protected in the 2012 draft, top 10 protected in 2013, top 10 protected in 2014, top 10 protected in 2015 and unprotected in the 2016 Draft). In addition, if the Los Angeles Clippers are required to send their 2012 first round pick pursuant to the above and are also entitled to receive Minnesota's own 2012 first round draft, then Boston via Oklahoma City shall receive the lesser of the Los Angeles Clippers' own 2012 first round pick and Minnesota's own 2012 first round pick. [L.A. Clippers -Oklahoma City, 6/24/2010 and then Boston - Oklahoma City, 2/24/2011]

2012 second round draft pick from Milwaukee
Milwaukee's own 2012 2nd round pick to Boston (top 44 protected in the 2012 Draft). If Milwaukee's own 2012 2nd round pick is in the top 44 picks, then Milwaukee's obligations to Boston shall be extinguished. [Boston - Milwaukee, 12/9/2011]

2013 second round draft pick from Minnesota
Minnesota's own 2013 2nd round pick to Boston via Cleveland. [Cleveland - Minnesota, 7/26/2010, and then Boston - Cleveland 2/24/2011]

2014 second round draft pick from New Jersey
New Jersey's own 2014 2nd round pick to Boston. [Boston - New Jersey, 6/23/2011]

2015 second round draft pick from Sacramento
Sacramento's own 2015 2nd round pick to Boston (top 55 protected in the 2015 Draft). If Sacramento's own 2015 2nd round pick is in the top 55 picks, then Sacramento's obligations to Boston shall be extinguished. [Boston - Sacramento, 2/17/2009]

2017 second round draft pick from Sacramento
Sacramento's own 2017 2nd round pick to Boston (top 55 protected in the 2017 Draft). If Sacramento's own 2017 2nd round pick is in the top 55 picks, then Sacramento's obligations to Boston shall be extinguished. [Boston - Sacramento, 2/24/2011]