BREAKING: Stan Van Gundy just told us he WILL NOT be a head coach in the NBA next season. It’s a family decision.

— David Baumann (@DavidBaumann33) May 21, 2013

Stan Van Gundy also told us he HAS NOT interviewed with any teams, although several teams had contacted him and he keeps telling them no.

— David Baumann (@DavidBaumann33) May 21, 2013

Stan Van Gundy: “The longer you are out, the more difficult it is to get back in… Right now it’s not in the best interest of my family.”

— David Baumann (@DavidBaumann33) May 21, 2013

Even though he made the decision not to return this year, Van Gundy will have suitors every time there are head coaching vacancies. Whether it’s two, or three, or five years down the line, it’s safe too say we’ll see Van Gundy coaching in the NBA again sometime soon.

Feb 26, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center. The Magic defeated the Sixers 98-84. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Think back to this summer. After months of the “Dwightmare,” the Magic finally dealt Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a four-team trade. They also shipped out Earl Clark and Chris Duhon to Los Angeles and sent Jason Richardson to Philadelphia; all of whom were simply thrown in to make the money work.

In return, the Magic received Aaron Afflalo and Al Harrington from Denver, Nikola Vucevic, Moe Harkless and a future first-round pick from Philadelphia, and Josh McRoberts and Christian Eyenga from Los Angeles.

If someone looked at the names coming back to Orlando last summer, what would they think? Well, Aaron Afflalo is a very solid rotation player, and Al Harrington is a veteran who could maybe help you off the bench, but nothing spectacular.

Most casual NBA fans probably hadn’t even heard of some of the players, especially not Nikola Vucevic.

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The 7-footer from Montenegro, by way of the University of Southern California, was taken 16^th overall by the 76ers in the 2011 draft. Many regarded him as a big body; someone who could rebound and chip in offensively, essentially, a back up center in the league.

In his rookie season in Philadelphia that’s basically what he was. He played in 51 games, starting 15 of them, averaging 5.5 points and 5 rebounds in 16 minutes a night. It was an inauspicious start to the young big man’s career. And after just one season as a Sixer, he was off to Orlando.

In his first season as a member of the Magic, however, Vucevic has shown that he can be much more. Vucevic has started all 63 games this year for the Magic, averaging just over 12 points and 11 rebounds a game.

His improved play has impressed everyone around the league, including his head coach, Jacque Vaughn, who said about the big man,

“His ability to get rebounds, to provide a touch around the rim with both hands, has been extremely impressive to me”

Vucevic has shown improvements across the board, but his rebounding ability has really stood out. At just over 11 rebounds a game, he ranks 5^th in rebounding in the league. He also boasts an impressive 20.0% total rebounding percentage, good for 4^th in the league. (Total rebound percentage is an estimate of the percentage of available rebounds a player grabbed while he was on the floor.)

In just his second season, Vucevic is already an elite rebounder. And the bad news for the rest of the league is that he can get even better, at least that’s what Coach Vaughn thinks.

He added about Vucevic,

“I think he’ll even be better once he gets more physical in the sense of stronger as an individual, and matures. He’ll be able to get some of those rebounds where he’s just stronger and bigger than the other guy”

His size and high level rebounding ability is good enough by itself to earn Vucevic a starting role in the league for a long time to come.

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Offensively, Vucevic isn’t great, but he is improving, and has a lot of room to grow at just 22 years old.

First, check out his shooting chart from this season.

He shoots 52% from the field (18^th in the league), which is up from 45% last season and while taking more shots. While his percentage around the basket can be definitely be improved, he shoots pretty well from mid range.

When Vucevic gets the ball in the post, his go to move is a little jump hook. He can shoot it with either hand, and can go towards the baseline and towards the middle of the court.

He also likes to shoot mid range jumpers, and can do so in a variety of ways. Instead of going to the hook in the post, he is capable of turning and facing for a jumper. He will also spot up and is even a threat on pick-and-pops.

As a big man, he will also continue to get baskets just by hanging out down low. In just his second year, Vucevic doesn’t have a polished offensive game, but he has already shown good growth. Coach Vaughn pointed out,

“Now I think you see him putting it all together. He’s extremely confident shooting the basketball. I think he’s gaining confidence getting the ball on the block, surveying, making moves, making passes out of the post position.”

Given the opportunity to start this year in Orlando, Vucevic has proven the skeptics wrong. He’s more than just a back up big man. If he can continue to improve his offensive game, he has the potential to become one of the league’s better big men.

No longer will the Orlando big man be glanced over when looking at whom the Magic got back for Dwight Howard. His name will be the first you notice; because he is an elite rebounder, because he’s shown he belongs in this league, and because it deserves to be recognized.

His name is: Nikola Vucevic.

Feb 19, 2013; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic shooting guard J.J. Redick (7) reacts during the first quarter against the Charlotte Bobcats at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Douglas Jones-USA TODAY Sports

J.J. Redick

As we close in on the trade deadline, it surely seems that Redick will be dealt. There are numerous teams involved at the moment, and it would make sense for the Magic to move the sharpshooter. Redick will be a free agent after this year, and it doesn’t look like the Magic will resign him, so they might as well try and get the best offer they can for him.

According to Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski, Orlando has multiple offers of first-round picks.

Orlando has secured offers of first-round picks for J.J. Redick, sources tell Y! Sports. So far, those belong to teams drafting in the 20′s.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) February 21, 2013

One possible landing spot for Redick appears to be San Antonio.

I discounted San Antonio-Redick talks a bit earlier, but sources insisting there are legitimate scenarios in play that make Spurs a factor.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) February 21, 2013

Redick would be a great fit in San Antonio. The Spurs love to space the floor and find open shooters. They already shoot about 22 three-pointers a game, and having Redick would make their offense much more dangerous.

Josh Smith

Smith has been the talk of the deadline this year, with rumored destinations ranging from Milwaukee to Phoenix to Brooklyn to Boston. As of this morning, it seems that the best offer for Smith may actually be from the Bucks, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Wojnarowski.

Hawks, Bucks seriously talking on Josh Smith deal, sources tell Y! Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh among players discussed for Smith, Devin Harris.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) February 21, 2013

Wojnarowski has reported, however, that the Hawks would rather send Smith to the West.

Atlanta has to do the best possible deal for Smith. That could still be the Bucks in the East, but again, Hawks prefer to send him West.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) February 21, 2013

If the Hawks are truly set on not re-signing Smith, then they might as well try to trade him. Because other teams know this, and factoring in Smith’s expiring contract, it will be tough for the Hawks to get a lot in return.

Josh Smith

Feb 11, 2013; Dallas, TX, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith (5) dunks against Dallas Mavericks forward Shawn Marion (0) at the American Airlines Center. The Hawks beat the Mavs 105-101. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Josh Smith being traded is probably the most inevitable move that will be made in the next few days. The question is though, where is he going to end up? According to HoopsRumors.com, several teams have shown interest in acquiring Smith’s services. Teams like the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, and Washington Wizards are reported to have been in contact with Atlanta Hawks GM, Danny Ferry.

ESPN’s Marc Stein tweeted that if the Hawks were to make a deal with the Bucks, Atlanta would want to receive Monta Ellis in return. Atlanta believes that Ellis would be a great compliment to Jeff Teague. The Hawks are confident in Teague and apparently plan to move forward with him.

On Bucks/Josh Smith talk: Hawks’ interest believed to start w/Monta Ellis, since Monta could play next to Jeff Teague, whom Hawks still like

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) February 19, 2013

The Phoenix Suns have also been rumored to be strong suitors for Josh Smith. However, reports are that both teams are concerned that Smith may not be willing to resign with the Suns after he becomes a free agent at season’s end. If a deal were to get done, I can almost guarantee that Marcin Gortat would be involved due to the fact that the Hawks are looking to bring in a center in exchange for Smith. Bringing in Gortat would allow the Hawks to move Al Horford back to his natural power forward position. Perhaps out of desperation, the Washington Wizards have let Atlanta know that everyone on their team is available with the exception of John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Nene Hilario.

In talks with ATL for Josh Smith, Wizards have said all but 3 players available: J Wall, B Beal & Nene — Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) February 19, 2013

  I don’t believe that there is a great chance for the Wizards to grab Smith unless Emeka Okafor was sent to Atlanta. Again, Okafor would allow the Hawks to satisfy their desire to move Horford to the power forward. Finally, what has emerged as the most probable destination for Smith has been reported by ESPN’s Marc Stein. The Brooklyn Nets are predicted to land Smith in a three team deal, says one unknown team close to the situation. Although this has been reported, I’m not so sure who the Nets would include in the group they would end up exporting. Kris Humphries isn’t exactly a valued commodity in the NBA right now, per Brian Windhorst of ESPN.

Nets trying for Josh Smith but ATL has no interest in offers w/Kris Humphries. Neither do many teams they’re trying to involve for 3-way — Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) February 19, 2013

JJ Redick

JJ Redick might be rumored to be on the move less than Josh Smith is but nonetheless, Redick has been talked about. The Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, and most recently, the New York Knicks have all showed interest in the sharp shooter.

The Magic and Knicks have discussed a J.J. Redick for Iman Shumpert trade. Other players (and maybe a third team) would have to be involved.

— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) February 19, 2013

Feb 8, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New York Knicks point guard Iman Shumpert (21) drives to the basket past Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio (9) in the first half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

A deal of this nature really makes sense to me. Redick would fit right in with a Knicks team that absolutely loves to hoist up 3′s. The veteran two guard will also contribute to the Knicks’ “win-now” mentality. Redick has experienced the playoffs a few times, including a 2009 NBA Finals appearance with the Orlando Magic. On the other side of the coin, Iman Shumpert would be a great addition to the Magic. He’s a young, athletic player with plenty of potential that can help this team through the rebuilding process. Not that Shumpert is going to be the next Messiah in Orlando, but he’ll surely be apart of their future plans.

As you see above, Alex Kennedy of Hoops World reports that there would need to be other players or teams involved for this deal to get done. Said players/teams are unknown but when it comes down to it, if these two teams are serious about this, they will find a facilitator to get it done by Thursday. One thing to keep in mind though is that GM Rob Hennigan has told Redick that the team is open to resigning him when he hits free agency this summer, according to reports from Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.

Other Murmurs

• The Los Angeles Lakers head coach, Mike D’Antoni wants to make a move to acquire guard, Raja Bell. D’Antoni coached Bell in early Phoenix days.

Mike D’Antoni has remained intrigued with bringing exiled Jazz guard Raja Bell to Lakers, sources say.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) February 19, 2013

• The Portland Trailblazers are still open to move JJ Hickson but apparently haven’t been blown away by any offers they may have gotten from teams around the league. Portland still willing to move J.J. Hickson, but hasn’t found an appealing offer yet, sources tell Y!

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) February 19, 2013

• Eric Maynor and Sebastian Telfair of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns respectively, are available.

OKC aggressively shopping PG Eric Maynor. Asking price is high. Phoenix looking to move Sebastian Telfair to clear PT for Kendall Marshall.

— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) February 19, 2013

Stay with us at SavingtheSkyhook.com as we continue to report more on the highly anticipated NBA trading deadline. We will be getting news out as soon as we hear about it.

January 30, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Orlando Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu (15) is defended by New York Knicks guard Raymond Felton (2) during the third quarter of an NBA game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Unusual news in the NBA world today, as it was announced that the Orlando Magic’s Hedo Turkoglu has been suspended for violating the league’s drug policy.

The NBA PR department announced the news on Twitter earlier today.

Whoa. RT @nbapr: ORL’s Hedo Turkoglu Suspended 20 games for violating terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program.

— Dan Devine (@YourManDevine) February 13, 2013

According to the press release from the Magic, the drug in question was called methenolone, which is an anabolic steroid.

From the same press release, Turkoglu had this to say about the suspension.

“While I was back home in Turkey this past summer, I was given a medication by my trainer to help recover more quickly from a shoulder injury. I didn’t know that this was a banned substance and didn’t check before taking it.”

He added,

“I take full responsibility for anything that goes into my body. This was a complete error in judgment on my part and I apologize to the Orlando Magic organization, the league, my teammates, and the Magic fans. I know I have let down a lot of people and I am truly sorry for my mistake.”

Turkoglu, who has barely played this season, last appeared on February 4 against the Philadelphia 76ers, scoring 0 points over 18 minutes. For the season, Turkoglu is averaging just 3 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.

Nov 21, 2012; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic shooting guard J.J. Redick (7) and point guard Jameer Nelson (14) talk during a stop in play against the Detroit Pistons during the fourth quarter at Amway Center. Orlando defeated Detroit 90-74. Mandatory Credit: Douglas Jones-US PRESSWIRE

In case you haven’t noticed, there is still a basketball team in Central Florida.  After being the center of media attention for 1.5+ seasons, the Orlando Magic are now the forgotten team of the NBA.  Now that Dwight Howard can no longer hold the franchise hostage, it’s time to evaluate how the team can work its way back to relevance.  Even before Howard was traded, the Magic were given two nationally televised games during 2012-13.  Since then, those networks re-assigned the national telecast to other games, so few will ever have the opportunity to watch this team and give them a fair shake.  As a Magic season ticket holder, I’m among the few who have been able to evaluate the team first hand.  And despite my heavy pessimism about the team’s outlook heading into the season, I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised.  Last night, I watched the team give Boston a run for their money in OT after being down for most of the game, and despite the loss, think there is a lot of good that can come out the game that can carry through the rest of this season.

In what was Dwight’s (and coach Stan Van Gundy’s) last season with the Magic, it was painfully evident how awful the team’s chemistry was.  Even though they were still somehow won 56% of their games, you could tell there was something wrong.  You could see it in the other Magic players’ body language:  they were sick and tired of the soap opera revolving around Dwight.  They couldn’t stand him pointing out their inadequacies.  They simply didn’t want to play with him anymore.

In the blockbuster trade over the summer where superstars were dangling around among three other teams (LA, Denver, and Philadelphia), none of the biggest names were going to Orlando – not Andrew Bynum, not Pau Gasol, not anybody the Magic were originally considering trading for.  Instead, they completely dismantled the team and got a boat load of trade exceptions and draft picks, as well as middle-of-the-road players like Arron Afflalo, Al Harrington, Nikola Vucevic, and Moe Harkless.  Then began life After Dwight Howard (A.D.12), where the team is now being built around Afflalo, JJ Redick, and Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis – a trio hardly anybody considers to be top tier.

Expected to be the laughingstock in most preseason predictions of various NBA affiliates worldwide (myself included), this Orlando team has been consistently displaying something I never saw last season:  Heart and Hustle.   While their lack of superstar talent is extremely evident, they have been playing like a playoff team, and are better than what their record (5-8) indicates.  As the season progresses, they will either become a lottery team or be a threat to make the 7^th or 8^th seed in the East.  We won’t know which way they will go, but here are a few strengths and weaknesses to consider:

Strengths

Coaching:  Considering the circumstances, new head coach Jacque Vaughn clearly has been managing the team extremely well.  Many scoffed at Orlando’s decision to hire Vaughn over the likes of Brian Shaw, but even Shaq – one of the biggest critics of the acquisition – pointed out that Doc Rivers was the last coach hired by the Magic with no head coaching experience, and we all know he turned out to be one of the best.  I’m not sure if Vaughn will get there, but he has been a dark horse Coach of the Year candidate to me so far.  He has been able to maximize the effort from his young  and inexperienced team.

Shooting:  Most lineups that coach Vaughn has put on the floor have featured five players that can all shoot from the perimeter.  Because they don’t have a dominating force in the paint anymore, this is mostly a perimeter team without any real good slashers (other than a few glimpses of vintage Jameer Nelson and Hedo Turkoglu). Nelson, Afflalo, Redick, and Turkoglu can all light it up from downtown, and big guys like Vucevic and Big Baby are fairly consistent from mid-range.

Ball Movement:  With the lack of a go-to superstar, ball movement has been a crucial element to the Magic so far.  A year ago, their offense mostly consisted of force feeding it to Dwight Howard in the post, which often resulted in him displaying his still-raw post game and poor free throw shooting.  Now, there are several shooters spacing the floor, and Nelson and Redick have been able to facilitate the offense fairly efficiently in certain pick-and-roll situations.   Although they are a perimeter oriented team without any great playmakers, they somehow have a decent amount of firepower on offense.

Weaknesses

Rebounding:  Although Vucevic and Big Baby have been holding their own so far, the Magic have often shown an inability to close out defensive plays.  The stats don’t reflect it yet with a small sample size of games, but with undersized bigs like Big Baby and Harkless, this team is going to get outrebounded regularly.

Dribble Penetration:  A team without elite playmakers, slashers, or post players, the Magic do not exactly feature an inside-out attack.  They are currently 2^nd to last in Offensive Efficiency.  Most of their points come from pick and rolls featuring Nelson and Redick, as well as Big Baby’s creativity underneath the basket.  Afflalo, who is the most gifted scorer on the team, needs to improve his ability to penetrate in order to add another dimension to this offense – especially while Hedo Turkoglu is out with a broken hand.

Perimeter and Post Defense:  Kevin Garnett and Brook Lopez were licking their chops when they saw this team on their schedule.  The Magic have nobody to keep elite bigs out of the paint.  Also, great point guards like Deron Williams and Rajon Rondo have had absolute field days against this team due to their inability to contain quick perimeter players.  Josh McRoberts has been doing his best against bigs like Lopez and KG, but he can only do so much.

Overall, I have been impressed by the Magic so far.  They are a scrappy, hard-playing team that won’t quit on any given night.  Obviously they have a long way to go, but considering that the team was decimated over the summer and is basically being built from the ground up, Magic fans have a reason to be optimistic about their future.  Of course, they could easily lose a lot of games this year given all their inexperience and weaknesses, but there is light at the end of the tunnel in the A.D.12 era.

• 

  Jan. 2, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford (15) is fouled by Miami Heat center Joel Anthony (50) during the first half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

  AL HORFORD, C, Atlanta Hawks
  Last season: 31.6 MPG, 12.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 19.02 PER
  When he’s on the floor, Al Horford is one of the more efficient, well-rounded centers in the Eastern Conference and has made a couple of All-Star appearances as proof. However, reader Wesley Morton once pointed out that ”it’s unfair to compare him to centers.” Really? Should we compare him to point guards then? Regardless of that nonsense, Horford is considered an above-average center and will continue to perform consistently as long as he plays in the majority of the Hawks games. Given the roster was completely turned upside down in the offseason, it’s hard to pinpoint any of the new guys (could make a small case for Lou Williams) to be X-Factors. With Horford’s presence, the team at least has a chance as a postseason run, without him, they are in the lottery. We’ve been down the Zaza path before, it’s bleek.

• 

  June 28, 2012; Newark, NJ, USA; Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Kentucky), right, is introduced as the number two overall pick to the Charlotte Bobcats by NBA commissioner David Stern during the 2012 NBA Draft at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

  MICHAEL KIDD-GILCHRIST, SF, Charlotte Bobcats
  Last season (at Kentucky, 40 games): 31.1 MPG, 11.9 PPG, 7.4 RPG
  Surely the Bobcats won’t break NBA history once again and duplicate their .106 winning percentage from last season. I like that they did add some veterans in Haywood, Gordon and Sessions to blend with the insanely young roster of a year ago. That should make them better, albeit only slightly. With those three ultimately being of the role player variety, the true improvement of this team, now and long term, rests on the shoulders of their #2 overall pick, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Expectations will be high, but given MKG’s versatile skill set and relentless hustle, he should keep the Bobcats in a few more games this year and will certainly make them more bearable to watch, perhaps even exciting. Time will tell if this is Michael Jordan’s smartest decision yet, though it looks like it before the season tips off.

• 

  July 11 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat player Ray Allen (34), center, hold up his jersey next to president Pat Riley (left), and head coach Erik Spoelstra (right) during a press conference during a press conference at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

  RAY ALLEN, SG, Miami Heat
  Last season: 34.0 MPG, 14.2 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 14.83 PER
  We all know exactly what the NBA Champion Miami Heat are… juggernauts. The team hardly needing fixing and is basically unchanged from last year, other than adding a couple of former teammates (on the cheap) named Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen, you might have heard of them. Of course LeBron, Wade and Bosh are the focal points and will get theirs. Allen is the true X-Factor and with him, the Heat addressed one of the areas that they’re generally slammed for, their outside shooting. Who knows how far back the broken Mike Miller comes back and if he’ll be able to contribute at all? Even though Ray is well past his peek, the open looks he’ll get with the playmaking and command drawn by the “Big Three” (man I hate using that) makes them even more dangerous, if that’s even possible.

• 

  Oct 14, 2010; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Eric Gordon (10) is defended by Denver Nuggets guard Aaron Afflalo (6) at the Staples Center. The Nuggets defeated the Clippers 100-95. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

  AARON AFFLALO, SG, Orlando Magic
  Last season: 33.6 MPG, 15.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 14.76 PER
  With the way the Magic’s roster has changed over the past couple of months, you could literally pick an “X-Factor” out of a hat. This franchise will be in trouble this year. Big Baby Davis needs to come into camp in shape, Jameer needs to play steady, Reddick needs to step forward and of course, you never know what to expect from Hedo. That’s why I think the real star of this team needs to be Aaron Afflalo. Already a terrific defender, Afflalo’s offense has gotten progressively better in each of his first five seasons, with his point totals looking like this: 3.7, 4.9, 8.8, 12.6 and 15.2. Based on that trend, he should make another leap this year. He did get a pretty generous contact in Denver, but he has a chance to prove that he’s worth even more this year as the potential face of the new-look Magic franchise and launch himself into the conversation of the premier guards in the East. He’ll certainly get to know them up close and personally when he’s in their face every night.

• 

  January 13, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Hornets center Emeka Okafor (right) drives in against Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love (left) during the second quarter of a game at the New Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

  EMEKA OKAFOR, C, Washington Wizards
  Last season: 28.9 MPG, 9.9 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 15.13 PER (27 games)
  True story: I lost $500 on this game last season when the Washington Wizards decided to put up one of the most prolific shooting barrages the NBA has ever seen while visiting Portland. I watched, I almost cried, I could barely breathe. My point is, that was the ’11-12 Wizards, a careless, zero expectations crew that could string together a ridiculously lucky offensive performance every few weeks. This season, they NEED defense. I’ve encountered people of the opinion that the Wiz are a potential sleeper and have a shot at snagging a bottom playoff seed. To do that, they need a full, consistent season from Emeka Okafor. Yes, Nene absolutely has to play the same way, as well as the young fellas that make up the bench in Booker, Seraphin and Vesely. But Okafor must revisit the Charlotte Bobcats version of himself and get back near that double double player he once was. Although if Wiz are terrible again, no one will be shocked.

Feb. 22, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Golden State Warriors center Andris Biedrins (15) against the Phoenix Suns at the US Airways Center. The Warriors defeated the Suns 106 - 104. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-US PRESSWIRE.

Thankfully, all the Dwight Howard drama that just ended didn’t heavily involve actual contract talks, but rather the various pieces that made up the final trade puzzle. The contract stuff? Oh that will be next year. Although you just might hear it mentioned once or thirty times during the season itself.

But speaking about contracts, let’s move away from Howard. There are plenty of bad contracts scattered throughout the league and EVERY team has been guilty of handing out a bad contract or two over the past few seasons. It’s a reality of NBA business and sometimes the decision to offer an unproven NBA player a sizable contract is the indirect portrayal of an NBA GM’s quality.

Frequently, a “bad” NBA contract has as much to do with length (number of years given) as it does with the dollar value and guaranteed money. However, in this instance, we’re going to eliminate the length factor and focus in on simply the 2012-13 NBA salaries and determine the ugly contracts haunting some teams.

Andris Biedrins, Warriors ($9,000,000)
Few players have fallen off the earth as quick as Biedrins, so let’s start here. Just a couple of seasons ago, the Warriors thought they had their center of the future and a defensive force in Biedrins. What they got instead, since his very nice 2008-09 year (11.9 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 1.0 spg), were three seasons full of injuries and declining production. In averaging only 15.7 minutes per game last year, (and even started 35 games) he averaged 1.7 ppg and 3.8 rpg. Worst of all, the guy shot 11% from the free throw line! 11%!! Good thing the Warriors are only investing $9 million dollars into this terrible situation this season.

Joe Johnson, Brooklyn Nets ($19,752,645)
Personally, I didn’t like this contact the moment the ink dried on the paper. I completely respect Johnson’s game and do think he’s a great talent, but he’s not a max player. While we know he can score the basketball, he’s better suited to be #2 option or even an equal part of an outstanding backcourt like he will be in Brooklyn with Deron Williams, rather than “the” guy. Obviously his 25.0 ppg in 2006-07 was impressive, but he also only played 57 games that year. Simply , there are better players in the league that are making a fraction of Joe’s $20 million. Now joining the Brooklyn Nets, he gives them four players that now make at least $12 million (Humphries, Lopez, Johnson, Williams). While I think the Humphries and Lopez contracts are bad as well, Johnson’s seems to bring least bang for $20 million bucks.

Ben Gordon, Bobcats ($12,400,000)
Although Gordon finally lands in a place where he’ll be featured as at least “a” primary scoring option again, he’ll be doing it for an extremely costly $12.4 million! Other than scoring, Gordon has failed to provide anything else of significance on the court (I suppose that one could make a small case for his three-point and free throw shooting). For the bulk of minutes he’s played, his career averages of 2.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game are disappointing. Really, it’s almost unfathomable to think that Ben Gordon will be making more than $12 million next season. But then again, doesn’t that perfectly reflect what the broken Bobcats are these days?

DeSagana Diop, Bobcats ($7,372,200)
Speaking of the Badcats, how on earth is DeSagana Diop still making THIS much money? Really, how is Diop even in the league at all? His 2011-12 stat line represents what a complete travesty this salary is: 12.0 mpg, 1.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.5 bpg. On top of that, I didn’t think that 36% shooting was even possible for a 7-foot center. Keep the dollars and losses flowing Charlotte.

Jose Calderon, Raptors ($10,561,982)
With the signing of Kyle Lowry to be the new starting point guard in Toronto, Calderon’s contract becomes an even bigger disaster. Calderon, currently the highest paid player on the Raptors squad, ultimately got handed a multi-year deal for his career year in 2008-09 when he averaged 8.9 assists, shot 98% from the free throw line and was at the top of league in assist-to-turnover ratio. However, by acquiring Lowry, Jose will now come off the bench, making him an extremely overpaid backup point guard. The Raptors failed to find partner to move him this offseason, so they now have to endure one more season of this inflated deal. Even though his numbers haven’t declined significantly, his impact has been minimal and doesn’t justify a $10.5 million contract.

Luke Walton, Cavs ($6,091,363)
The glory days of Luke Walton being an important role player appear to be over, though he is still being paid like one. While there will be more opportunity for minutes in Cleveland than there was in L.A., at 32-years old and with a limited skill set to begin with, Walton won’t contribute like a $6 million player should. Luckily, the Cavaliers have a very young roster, lots of cap space and really no other terrible contracts on the team. It’s not ideal, but they’ll be able to absorb the signing of Walton’s paychecks for one more season.

Amare Stoudemire, Knicks ($19,948,799)
There really couldn’t be a “bad contract” post without mentioning a New York Knick could there? Look, Amare Stoudemire is still a solid player, he’s just not the same player he was during his Suns glory days and certainly not a guy that should make $20 million dollars. Even though he now represents one third of New York’s “Big Three,” this is an absolute joke of a contract. Amare really needs to bet back to the 20 and 10 player he used to be and avoid punching fire extinguishers to validate this monstrosity.

Hedo Turkoglu, Magic ($11,815,850)
This contract doesn’t even need an explanation, as it’s punchline popularity has spanned a couple of seasons now. The contract is so attached to Turkoglu like it’s a cancer that whenever he’s mentioned in a trade scenario, the question is always, “who is going to take on Hedo’s contract?” The Raptors were on the hook for giving Turkoglu a 5-year, $54 million deal in 2009, but now the Magic hold the three remaining years on this juggernaut.

Marvin Williams, Jazz ($8,287,500)
As a former #2 overall pick, a big time bust with an even worse contract. Somehow has averaged 30.4 minutes and started 78% of his games over his career. Marvin’s coming off season of 10.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg and shooting a career-low 43% from the field, certainly not worthy $8.2 million. But you really can’t blame him, he cashed in and the Jazz traded for him. It may be begrudgingly, but Utah now has to pay the guy.

Dishonorable mentions
Al Horford, Hawks ($13,000,000), Kris Humphries, Nets ($12,000,000), Carlos Boozer, Bulls ($15,000,000), JaVale McGee, Nuggets ($10,000,000), Corey Maggette, Pistons ($10,924,138), Rudy Gay, Grizzlies ($16,460,538), Zach Randolph, Grizzlies ($16,500,000),  Richard Jefferson, Warriors ($10,164,000), Brad Miller, Suns ($5,104,000), Stephen Jackson, Spurs ($10,059,750), Amir Johnson, Raptors ($6,050,000)

April 10, 2012; Washington, DC, USA; Injured Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard claps from the sidelines against the Washington Wizards in the second half at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 93-85. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE

Dwight Howard finally got traded. So now we all can get on with our lives, his “Indecision” is now over after a blockbuster 4-team deal brings him to Lakerland where he will join forces with Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Pau Gasol (how is this even possible?). Before I break down what the deal means for each team, below are all the players and draft picks involved. David Stern is cringing somewhere trying to comprehend this trade.

Lakers receive: Dwight Howard, Chris Duhon, Earl Clark

Magic receive: Arron Afflalo, Al Harrington, Josh McRoberts, Nikola Vucevic, Moe Harkless, Christian Eyenga, 3 protected 1st round draft picks (1 from each team), 2 2nd round draft picks

Sixers receive: Andrew Bynum, Jason Richardson

Nuggets receive: Andre Iguodala

Apr 5, 2012; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard (12) reacts after a turnover during the fourth quarter at Amway Center. New York defeated Orlando, 96-80. Mandatory Credit: Douglas Jones-US PRESSWIRE

Los Angeles Lakers – Is it possible for General Manager of the 2012-2013 season to be locked up already? Because Mitch Kupchak is making a phenomenal case for that award right now. With Kupchak’s moves, the Lakers have gone from a respected but not serious championship contender to possibly the favorites to win coming into next season. Steve Nash for 4 draft picks and now Dwight Howard suiting up for the purple and gold without having to give up Pau Gasol sounds like an excellent summer to me. The Lakers also received Chris Duhon (completely and uttlerly useless at this stage of his career) and Earl Clark, who actually could turn into a decent backup but is far from the main attraction. With the addition of Dwight Howard, the Lakers become an even more problematic team on both ends of the court to contend with. On the defensive end, Dwight Howard will mask much of the Lakers weaknesses on that end. Teams can no longer pick and roll them to death and with D12′s shot-blocking and rebounding prowess, the Lakers will be a defensive force. Not to mention coach Mike Brown hangs his hat on his defensive schemes, with the 3-time Defensive Player of the Year anchoring the paint the Lakers will be difficult to light up. Now on the offensive side of the ball; picture the many looks the Lakers can give opponents, I’m having visions of pick and roll being run to perfection with Steve Nash and Dwight, Pau Gasol at the high post and Kobe Bryant on the wings, just think about that for a second. The YouTube link in the last sentence is  p&r run with JJ Redick, this is infinitely scarier as a defense with one of the best point guards of all time running it. While Dwight Howard does not have the post repertoire of Andrew Bynum, he is still a high percentage scorer (57.7 percent from the field over his career) and commands a double team. With an all time legend running the point, Dwight Howard’s skills will be maximized offensively. With 4 guys capable of being a first option on any given night, there will naturally be some sacrifice in order for the Lakers to reach their vast potential but this trade was an absolute no brainer for L.A..

While Dwight Howard seems set on exploring free agency next summer, does anyone really believe he will leave the glits and glamour that comes with being a Laker? Nevermind the fact that he would be sacrificing money to leave, he gets to perform in one of the two biggest media markets in the country (New York being the other) and will be playing on a team very capable of winning a championship.

Grade: A+

Apr 26, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Denver Nuggets shooting guard Arron Afflalo (6) against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter at Target Center. Nuggets won 131-102. Mandatory Credit: Greg Smith-US PRESSWIRE

Orlando Magic – Any time you can turn the best big man in the NBA into the pu pu platter that is Arron Afflalo, Al Harrington, Nikola Vucevic, Josh McRoberts, Christian Eyenga, Moe Harkless and draft picks that very likely won’t be before the 20′s, you have to do it right? I’ll stop being facetious now, it is obvious that new GM Rob Hennigan is trying to build from the ground up. I don’t need to rehash the whole Dwight Howard fiasco leading to this trade so I will focus on the future ramifications for Orlando. At first glance, it appears that Orlando is maybe getting 10 cents on the dollar and one would be correct to assume as much. None of the players the Magic received currently are or project to be superstars, though Moe Harkless has potential to be a very solid swingman some day. Arron Afflalo is a solid role player, one who plays strong defense and can hit the three and Al Harrington who is a nice, instant offense 6th man type player. Nikola Vucevic showed flashes of potential in limited playing time for Philadelphia last season averaging 5.5 points and 4.8 rebounds in less than 16 minutes a contest. The Magic will also receive 3 1st round draft picks (all of which are protected) and 2 2nd round picks in this deal. While Orlando could have received much more talent in return for Dwight Howard, they were able to rid themselves of some questionable contracts (Jason Richardson, Chris Duhon) and will have maximum cap room for the 2013 off-season. Orlando has always been a friendly destination for free agents, with the warm climate and no state tax the Magic shouldn’t struggle to improve their team through free agency, especially considering that they can free up even more money if they choose to cut partially guaranteed deals to both Harrington and Hedo Turkoglu. I’m sure Magic fans while not satisfied with the return they got for Dwight Howard are happy that they can finally sleep at night knowing this situation is over. I’m sure they will be ready to shower Howard with boos when he returns to Orlando on March 12th.

Grade: D, I’m not giving an F only because if Hennigan hits on these future draft picks the outlook is much less pessimistic in Orlando.

April 22, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum (17) makes a dunk past Oklahoma City Thunder shooting guard Thabo Sefolosha (2) in the second half of the game at the Staples Center. Lakers won in double OT 114-106. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Philadelphia 76ers- I for one think the Sixers front office did an excellent job in this trade. For all of the concerns that come with Andrew Bynum, mainly his attitude and his injury history, he is an immensely talented post player and immediately becomes Philadelphia’s first legitimate go to player since the beloved Allen Iverson. He should be able to average 20 and 10 easily on his new team and will appreciate being the number one option which is something he would never be in Los Angeles so long as Kobe Bryant is still a Laker. The Sixers also acquired Jason Richardson in this deal, while JRich at 31 has seen better days as a basketball player he will be a great complement to Bynum as someone that can space the floor as a three point specialist and is an undervalued component of this trade. For everything Andre Iguodala did well as a defender and a playmaker, he was miscast as the go-to guy for the Sixers for years and received his fair share of criticism in his eight years in Philadelphia. The Sixers never made it past the second round of the playoffs throughout Iguodala’s tenure in Philadelphia and this transaction signifies the beginning of a new era, one that Sixers faithful should be very excited about. Bynum instantly makes the Sixers a threat in the East and while they are not in the class of the Miami Heat, they should project to win around 50 games this season and fight for a high playoff seed.

It is unclear whether Andrew Bynum will choose to sign an extension with Philadelphia but much like in Howard’s situation, he would be turning down millions of dollars if he leaves after the 2013 season. Plus growing up an hour outside of Philly can’t hurt, right?

Grade: A

Denver Nuggets – While the Nuggets clearly upgraded in talent, acquiring 2012 All-Star and Olympian Andre Iguodala, it did come at a cost of helping a conference foe get significantly better as well. I’m sure General Manager Masai Ujiri will live with the trade-off however, Iguodala is a picture perfect fit for the up-tempo style George Karl employs and the Nuggets save money long term on this deal, shedding the contracts of Afflalo and Harrington. Iguodala quietly had the best three point shooting percentage of his career this season (39.4 percent from deep) and is an elite defensive stud. While he only averaged 10 shot attempts a game, he averaged 12.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists for the Sixers in 2011-2012 and is no longer in a situation where he is expected to be a heavy scorer as he was circa 2006-2010 in Philadelphia. With great point guard play from Ty Lawson and Andre Miller at his side, I expect an uptick in Andre’s scoring in 2013. A starting lineup of Javale McGee, Kenneth Faried, Wilson Chandler/Danilo Gallinari, Andre Iguodala and Ty Lawson is young, scary athletic and should be an incredibly fun team to watch this upcoming season. Masai Ujiri has done a masterful job building this Denver Nuggets team since trading Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks in February 2011 and while they are likely not a championship threat, this team is an unenviable match-up on any given night.

Grade: A-

Jan 20, 2012; Orlando, FL, USA; Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant (24) and Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard (12) meet prior to the start of the game at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Douglas Jones-US PRESSWIRE

Everyone can finally wake up… the Dwightmare is over!

After what is now months of basketball and media torture, Dwight Howard was traded from the Orlando Magic to the Los Angeles Lakers late Thursday night in a four-team, 8-player trade that also involved the Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers. According to ESPN’s Mark Stein, there is a trade call with the league office scheduled for Friday to secure the necessary NBA approval to make the deal official.

The full, completed trade will look like this:

While many NBA fans will hardly be blindsided by the news of this inevitable Dwight Howard trade, the assessment of the deal should serve as some serious water cooler buzz throughout offices tomorrow morning. By adding Nash and now Howard, are the Lakers now clearly the team to beat? Did the Magic get enough back in return? Will Bynum be happy enough in Philly to sign long-term? Did Denver add enough in Iguodala? All questions to be debated by experts and fans alike.

Here is a preliminary breakdown to what this trade means to each team:

LOS ANGELES LAKERS

Obviously, they are the major player in this deal. Basically, they replace Andrew Bynum (and give up a protected first-round pick) with Dwight Howard and somehow manage to keep Pau Gasol in the process, which might very well be the underlying remarkable element to this whole deal. So after acquiring two-time MVP Steve Nash a month ago to come facilitate a new era of Showtime in Los Angeles, the Lakers will send out a starting lineup of Nash, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, likely Metta World Peace and Dwight “I’ll play out the 2012-13 season before deciding how comfortable I am in Los Angeles” Howard. Even after finally being dealt out of Orlando to an instant contender, the guy is still unbelievable.

Kobe Bryant, chasing a gold medal over in London at the moment was apparently “ecstatic” to add a piece like Howard without having to give up Gasol in the process. Wow, do you think?

So now the Lakers, already contenders without this deal, perhaps jump to the top of the Western Conference as favorites over the youthful Oklahoma City Thunder and veteran San Antonio Spurs. While the starting lineup certainly breeds no questions, some may arise about the depth of the bench. Upon reacting to the trade and taking into consideration their draft and offseason moves, I don’t believe they will be quite as thin as some may originally think. Adding Antawn Jamison on the cheap was definitely a key move, while role players like Steve Blake, Jordan Hill, Andrew Goudelock and Josh McRoberts will have the opportunity to solidify their place in the rotation. I even like what the Lakers did in the Draft by grabbing who I think is an underrated Robert Sacre out of Gonzaga and Darius Johnson-Odom from Marquette.

Trust me, the Lakers and their ability to now run an almost-unstoppable pick and roll, will be just fine for a full 48 minutes a game.

May 26, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers small forward Andre Iguodala (9) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics in game seven of the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

DENVER NUGGETS

I feel like the Nuggets gave up a slightly too much to land just Andre Iguodala in all of this. Aaron Afflalo, who they just signed to a very healthy long-term deal last season, is basically a poor man’s version of Andre Iguodala, without the brand name and the double the price tag.

Their numbers from last season are very comparable, with Afflalo having an advantage in several categories, including scoring and all of the shooting percentages:

Al Harrington, one of the first options off the Denver bench, will be hard to immediately replace with his solid scoring and perimeter shooting. And surely he can’t be thrilled about moving to the rebuilding project in Orlando. It’s also worth being reminded that Denver also gives up a protected first-round pick to the Magic. All of this seems like a lot for Iguodala and doesn’t essentially improve the Nuggets.

Iguodala, an All-Star and also chasing a medal in London, has been on the block for a few seasons now and may finally welcome a move out of Philly.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

May 6, 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Aaron Afflalo (6) shoots the ball against Los Angeles Lakers center Jordan Hill (27) during the first half of game four in the Western Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-US PRESSWIRE

The Sixers come away from the deal with a young star in Bynum that they can build around… if of course, he wants to stick around after this season. Growing up about an hour away from Philadelphia combined with now having “his own team,” might be reasons for him to play there beyond next season. Also, the idea of being a dominant big man in the Eastern Conference while earning multiple All-Star and potential playoff appearances must be enticing. During this season, Bynum could sign a three-year, $60 million extension or wait until next season when he would be eligible for a five-year, $102 million deal. Regardless, the Sixers were apparently comfortable to roll the dice without Bynum’s commitment.

In Jason Richardson, the Sixers get a veteran scorer with a very favorable contract. Whether he’s a starter like most of his career, or he comes off the bench, he’ll help mentor the team’s younger players at the shooting guard and perhaps even the small forward position. His production has dipped the past couple of seasons, but the Sixers could do worse.

ORLANDO MAGIC

May 6, 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Aaron Afflalo (6) shoots the ball against Los Angeles Lakers center Jordan Hill (27) during the first half of game four in the Western Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-US PRESSWIRE

While the Magic are certainly relieved to have this hostage situation behind them now, they immediately enter rebuilding mode and go from the 6th seed in the East to the lottery. Initially there were some reactions that the Magic didn’t get enough back in the deal. I disagree. Getting rid of Howard was the move they were forced (literally) to make and one that I don’t necessarily see as negative. They knew by doing so that they were starting from scratch. By adding veterans Afflalo and Harrington, young guy Nikola Vucevic (who showed some promise last season) and St. Johns rookie Moe Harkless, they pulled in a solid enough mix with guys that can contribute right away and others with the potential to. Does all of it replace Dwight Howard? No, but that wasn’t the goal anyway. I think when you consider that they added three first-round picks, they could be in a very nice position in just a couple of seasons. This season will end up being a long one in Orlando, where the fans have become accustomed to a perennial playoff team.

As Stan Van Gundy is off in a corner weeping, the rest of us can rejoice as the Dwight Howard saga has finally come to and end… until next season.

Well, worry no more Indiana.

Granger found his stroke in Game 3, leading the way for the Pacers with 26 points on 9-for-16 shooting from the field (including five three pointers). Indiana easily took Game 3 with a 97-74 victory over the Orlando Magic. The win gives Indiana a 2-1 series advantage.

Box Score

Quick recap: Granger came out hot early, scoring eight of the Pacers first 18 points, after shooting just 14-for-41 from the field in the first two games.  Behind Granger, Indiana took a 23-14 first quarter lead and never looked back. The Magic cut the lead to three in the second quarter, but were never able to get any closer. The Pacers used a 32-17 third quarter to pull away for good.

What it means for Orlando: This is exactly what could not happen for Orlando. The Magic have been blown out in back-to-back games and that Game 1 win now seems like a distant memory. Game 4 is an absolute must-win.

Despite Orlando’s struggles, the play of Glen Davis can not be ignored. He’s playing out of position and has to battle against a great defensive center in Roy Hibbert on every play, and still managed to score 22 points on 10-for-18 shooting. If only some of his teammates could score.

The other player covered in my Game 3 preview, Ryan Anderson, struggled yet again. In Game 3 he only attempted six shots and finished with seven points. For Orlando to get back into this series, they are going to need a big game from Anderson.

Seven. That’s how many fast break points Orlando has in this series. They aren’t the most athletic team in the league, but they need to push the pace and score before Indiana’s big men can set up defensively. This can’t be stressed enough.

What it means for Indiana: And just like that, the Pacers reclaimed home-court advantage.

Outside of Granger, the Pacers also received a very efficient night from Hibbert, who scored 18 points on 8-10 shooting from the field, while also pulling down 10 rebounds. It’s good to see Hibbert finally take advantage of these smaller Orlando defenders.

Where is the bench? This was supposed to be a strength for this team but the bench struggled again tonight, shooting just 6-17 from the field. Indiana can survive with those type of numbers against this Orlando team, but in a round two matchup likely against the Miami Heat? Good luck.

It seems Indiana might have sucked the life out of Orlando. A win in Game 4 will essentially clinch the series. It will be interesting to see how this young team comes out to start the game. Given the wave of momentum they are now riding, my guess is that they will come out strong.

On the exterior, Granger’s numbers don’t look so bad. He’s combined for 35 points and 15 rebounds in two games. But you look a little deeper and you see that Granger is shooting well.

At all.

In two games, Granger has taken 41 shots from the field and has only made 14 of them. That’s an abysmal 34%. To make matters worse, he’s only hit on 21% of his three pointers and 57% of his free throws. Yes, this is a small sample size to work with but are you telling me that Danny Granger can’t have his way with Hedo Turkoglu defending him? Come on.

Look, the Pacers ranked second to last in the league with 18.6 assists per game. The fact that they were still able to average almost 98 points a game shows that they were able to get good production from their one-on-one players. If Danny Granger’s shooting woes continue, it’s going to hurt the Pacers at some point if he’s shooting 20 times a game.

So how does he get out of the slump? He needs to drive to the rim more. The Magic have nobody inside to stop him and he should be able to blow by Turkoglu at will. The worst case scenario is he gets fouled and goes to the line (which could help him find his rhythm). Look fro Granger to drive more in Games 3 and 4 instead of settling for the outside shot (he attempted 10 threes in Game 2).

Ryan Anderson, on the other hand, needs to start shooting more. There’s a reason that Anderson led the league in three pointers made this season: He’s good at them.  But after averaging more than 12 field goals per game in the regular season, Anderson has only attempted 16 shots in the first two games combined. With Dwight Howard out of the picture, there is no reason that Anderson shouldn’t be averaging 15 shots a game. I would imagine that Stan Van Gundy will look to draw up more plays to get more shots for his talented power forward. If Anderson catches fire, he can completely swing a game or two.

Will he be able to swing Game 3? We will have to wait and find out.

Prediction: Orlando 90, Indiana 86

Box Score

Quick Recap: Orlando led by two at the half, but Indiana used a 30-13 third quarter to take control of the game. The Magic were never able to cut the lead to single digits in the fourth quarter as Indiana cruised to victory.

What it means for Orlando: Taking a two game lead back home would have been huge for the Magic, who are still seen as underdogs in this series despite winning Game 1. Still, going back home with a one-one split is better than most people expected from this team.

If we learned anything from these first two games about the Magic, it’s that they will need Jameer Nelson to play at his best for Orlando to have a chance in this series. He played well in Game 1, but struggled in Game 2 (4-for-13 from the field, just three assists). The Magic are at their best when Nelson is playing well.

Glen Davis now has 13 offensive rebounds in the first two games. His ability to keep possessions alive and create opportunities for second chance points can keep the Magic in this series.

Ryan Anderson needs to step up. He averaged over 16 points per game this season, but only has 16 points in the first two games combined. He’s not shooting as much as he did in the regular season, but the Magic need him to.

What it means for Indiana: This was a must win game for the Pacers, and they responded so.

As I pointed out in my Game 2 preview, Indiana was reluctant to go to David West in the second half of Game 1 despite his first half success. Well, West struggled with his shot in Game 2 (5-for-14 from the field), but took advantage of Orlando’s weak interior defense and was able to get to the line consistently. West finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds, and there is no reason that the Pacers should stop going to him in this series.

Danny Granger’s struggles are a bit of a concern. He only shot 7-for-21 from the field (1-for-10 from three), and as the assumed best player on the team, Indiana will need more from him going forward.

It has to be encouraging to see a good shooting night from Paul George (7-for-10 from the field) after he struggled with his shot in Game 1. Being only 21 years-old and playing in a playoff atmosphere might have rattled him Saturday, but the fact that he was able to rebound nicely in Game 2 is a good sign for Indiana.

The Pacers did a good job taking care of the basketball in Game 2 (only 11 turnovers). This is key because it prevents Orlando from hitting the open court and allows for Indiana’s big men to set up defensively.

Game 3 will be played Wednesday night in Orlando and could serve as the pivotal game in the series. Check back tomorrow for the preview.

5. The offensive impact of David West and Roy Hibbert

• Without Dwight Howard in the lineup, the Orlando Magic have nobody – I repeat, nobody – that can defend West, Hibbert, or even Tyler Hansbrough. When Earl Clark might be your best defensive inside presence, you are in trouble. The Pacers went to West early and often in Game 1, but shied away from him in the second half. Look for Indiana to try and get their big men involved early and take advantage of Orlando’s weak interior defense.

4.  Free Throw Shooting

Apr 28, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Orlando Magic power forward Glen Davis (11) shoots the ball against Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert (55) during the first half of game one in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Michael Hickey-US PRESSWIRE

Maybe it was a sign of a young, inexperienced team, but Indiana really struggled from the line on Saturday, making just 13 of 22 free throws. Some of those tries came late in the fourth quarter and could have helped the Pacers pull away. Most notably, Danny Granger, an 87% free throw shooter on the year, shot 1-for-4 from the line. Indiana should win this series, but little things like missed free throws can keep Orlando in it.

3. Orlando’s Three-Point Shooting

• Hibbert made it clear that he’s not going to allow Jameer Nelson, Glen Davis, or anyone else to have an easy time around the basket. That means there is even more pressure on Orlando’s three point shooters (Ryan Anderson, J.J. Redick, and Jason Richardson) to keep them in the game. Each of the last three or four postseasons, Orlando has been known to live or die by the three. Without Howard as a scoring option down low, the Magic will rely on their shooters more than ever.

2. Bench play

• Indiana had such a spectacular season in large part due to their depth, but on Saturday their bench players shot a combined 6-24 from the field. On the other hand, Orlando’s bench is seen to be much more thin but shot an efficient 6-14 from the field and outscored the Pacers bench 17-14. Once again, maybe it’s lack of playoff experience, but Indiana needs to live up to its regular season strengths, and its bench is do doubt one of them.

1. Crunch-time scorer

• We saw in Game 1 that Orlando knows what to do in the final few minutes of a close game, even without Dwight Howard. Jameer Nelson or Hedo Turkoglu (more likely to be Jameer Nelson at this point in their careers) will have the ball, looking to create his own shot or to find the hot hand (Jason Richardson in Game 1). Indiana, on the other hand, looked confused and uncertain in the games final minutes. Someone needs to be the guy for Indiana if this game, or any of the next few, come down to the wire. Logic says it should be Danny Granger, but if someone else needs to step up, so be it.

Final Thoughts: This is a must-win game for Indiana. Hitting the road with a two game deficit would be a nightmare. The Pacers know that. Even though Indiana lost by four in Game 1, the players should take comfort in knowing that they played an awful first game and still almost won (and should have).

Prediction: Indiana 88, Orlando 80

Box Score

Quick Recap: Orlando led for most of the second and third quarters, but the Pacers battled back to take a seven point lead late in the fourth. The Magic responded by scoring the games final 11 points. Jameer Nelson and Jason Richardson led the way for Orlando with 17 points each, while David West paced Indiana with a game-high 19.

What it means for Orlando: Orlando desperately needed this game to prove to themselves that they are good enough to win this series without Howard anchoring the middle. With the win, the Magic have already swung home-court advantage back in their favor and now have a chance to go back home with a two games to none lead.

It’s encouraging for Orlando that Nelson was able to get into the lane at will. That being said, even when Nelson did get into the lane, he had to severely alter his shot to prevent it from getting swatted by Roy Hibbert or dump it off to Glen Davis, who also had trouble finishing at the rim. It’ll be interesting to see if Stan Van Gundy will continue to have Nelson penetrate the lane but look to kick out more to the three point shooters in coming games.

Orlando benefits by having three outstanding three-point shooters in Richardson, Ryan Anderson, and J.J. Redick. It looks like Van Gundy will feed whoever of the three has the hot hand (last night it was Richardson who went five for eight from beyond the arc), and if all three have it going, that could easily swing another game in Orlando’s favor.

I’m not sure if Davis has the conditioning to play 40 minutes a night in a playoff series. Most of the second half he was lightly jogging up the court. That means we will see more of Earl Clark (nine rebounds, four blocks in 20 minutes) and maybe even Daniel Orton going forward.

It is worrisome that Orlando only scored 30 points in the second half. All season long they were prone to going into offensive slumps, and even though the Magic were able to pull out the win, scoring 30 points in the half won’t win you most games.

What it means for Indiana: Their lack of playoff experience and a go-to star showed in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. With 24 seconds left and trailing by three, the Pacers settled for a jump-shot from ice-cold Darren Collison (one field goal all game) instead of looking to get the ball to Danny Granger (it’s assumed alpha dog) or David West (who dominated Orlando defenders all night long). If we learned anything from the Miami Heat last year, it’s that you need to have an identity in crunch time to be successful. I’m not sure Indiana does.

West’s play has to be encouraging for Indiana. He averaged 12.9 points per game this season, his lowest average since becoming a regular starter. But last night he scored 19 points on 8-for-14 shooting. He should have his way with the Orlando front court this series,  as long as Indiana continues to feed him the ball.

Even though the Pacers let this game slip away, a silver lining is that they didn’t play well at all and only lost by four. Take West out of the equation and the rest of the team shot 22-for-73 from the field. Orlando’s defense isn’t that good. The Pacers will shoot better. They have to.

Roy Hibbert tallied up a playoff franchise record nine blocks, causing the Magic to only score 25 points in the paint all night. As long as Hibbert stays out of foul trouble, Orlando will continue to have trouble scoring the ball this series.

Even though this was only one game, Game 2 is a must win for the Indiana Pacers. It doesn’t matter who you are playing, it’s almost insurmountable to overcome losing the first two home games of a playoff series.

Let’s go back to the summer of 2010.

LeBron James won back-to-back MVP awards and had indisputably become the best player on the planet. James just infamously announced that he was leaving Cleveland to play for the Miami Heat. In less than 20 seconds, he went from being one of the most loved players in NBA history to the most hated.  That left the door open for Dwight Howard to become the ultimate fan favorite and the face of what is right in the NBA.

Only it never happened.

And after Howard’s behavior this season, it never will.

In 2010, Howard’s Orlando Magic lost to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, one year after losing in the NBA Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers. It appeared that Orlando would be title contenders for years to come. Everybody loved Howard, and how couldn’t they? He just won consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards and his offensive game was making serious improvements.  He made the Dunk Contest cool again. He made an album covering popular party songs for and with kids. But what made Howard the player that everyone loved? He never stopped smiling. If there was one player for all of the former LeBron fans to gravitate toward that season it was Dwight Howard.

But it’s not even two years later and the smile has vanished. Maybe Howard changed because the Magic organization made too many questionable moves in such a short period of time (trading away Howard’s best friend Courtney Lee, acquiring team-killer Vince Carter, trading away the team’s two best defensive players outside of Howard in Marcin Gortat and Mickael Pietrus, etc.). Or maybe it was because analysts criticized him for not caring enough, which is something that I personally never understood. These were the same people who praised Brett Favre for “playing like a kid out there.” Just because you are smiling doesn’t mean that you don’t care.  But regardless of the reason, Howard doesn’t play with the excitement and joy he once did, and that won’t be changing anytime soon.

For much of this season, nobody knew if Howard wanted to be traded or not (maybe not even Howard himself). His indecisiveness led to what seemed like endless speculation of whether or not he would be. In what seemed to be a panic move, Howard decided to opt into his contract, locking him up with Orlando through next year. Drama over, right? At least until we have to deal with the same situation again next year? Wrong. It was only just the beginning.

Apr 15, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA; Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy reacts in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-US PRESSWIRE

Since then, Dwight has requested for his coach, Stan Van Gundy, to be fired, only to deny the rumors right after Van Gundy confirmed them. Then yesterday, it was reported by ESPN that Howard contacted ownership and informed them that he wouldn’t play another game as long as Van Gundy was the coach. Just hours later, it was revealed that Howard would undergo back surgery and miss the rest of the year.

Howard’s surgery puts an end to any hope Orlando had at a playoff run, but he killed the season months ago. With all of that drama going on, did the Magic have any sort of shot this postseason? No. It’s impressive they even clinched a playoff spot. But Orlando’s success or failure isn’t what’s important here. What’s important is that Howard’s behavior this season represents exactly what is wrong with the NBA. The players have too much power. Since 2010, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, and Deron Williams have all found their way onto another team, with Howard halfway out the door. Those are five of the league’s 15 best players.

Two years ago, Howard had the chance to become the face of the NBA. Everyone hated LeBron for the way he left Cleveland and needed another player to root for. Howard could have been that player, but he failed. Now he will be called a coach-killer and maybe even a team-killer. And that’s fair. What he did this year in Orlando is far worse than what LeBron did by leaving Cleveland. He put his teammates and fans through an agonizingly long season and left them without much hope for what once was a promising future.

Talent-wise, James is the best player in the league. And in some order, Howard and Kevin Durant are second and third. Durant is only 23 years old, has already won two scoring titles, and is the best player on the best team in the Western Conference. More importantly, he is signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder through the 2015-16 season.

So, Kevin Durant, here are the keys to the NBA. Don’t lose them.

Thursday morning’s press conference had Stan Van Gundy (left) and Dwight Howard (right) in a bizzare and awkward situation

Before offering my opinion on Howard, I will say this:  ESPN’s David Thorpe offered some very perceptive words about Dwight Howard on Thursday, saying that Howard “is really just like so many young stars in all careers — Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. Young men with enormous talent and a promising future, forced to grow up faster than they are prepared to do. Mistakes in judgment are made, and sometimes emotions ugly things up for a while. But I am sure that over time things will get better for him as he matures.”

While it’s so easy for all of us outsiders to criticize Dwight, we do tend to overlook what Thorpe pointed out:  he’s still a young 26-year old kid.  We just tend to ignore that because, like many lines of work, the NBA is another place that forces you to mature faster than you can.  That’s why Howard has been handling all of this so poorly – even though we have high expectations, maturity wise, for a team’s franchise player, being in a position to flex power and leverage can have dire consequences for an immature person.  So, while I am just as guilty as anyone of no longer giving Howard any benefit of the doubt, we do have to give him a chance to grow up after this experience.

Okay, enough of playing devil’s advocate.  That being said…

Howard simply cannot be trusted.  He has a disturbing tendency to throw everyone else around him – players, coaches, GMs, what have you – under the bus.  And as we found out before the trade deadline, he is extraordinarily flaky.  After Thursday night’s blowout loss to the Knicks (at HOME, no less), where Howard had a poor game (8 points, 8 rebounds, and was scoreless at the half), he claimed he was trying to get back in a rhythm after returning from injury – but still putting in max effort for his team.  Who’s BSing now?  If I’m a GM, I’d be weary of a guy who has a history of calling out his teammates for not being good enough and his coach for being too negative.  There are extenuating circumstances when a player has a right to complain to upper management about their coaching situation (e.g. Magic Johnson with Paul Westhead), but this is certainly not one of them.

After Dwight’s series of bad decision making, does LeBron James’ “Decision” look that bad anymore?  I don’t think it does.  Unlike LeBron, Howard has caused several uproars and imploded the team before even becoming a free agent.  Yes, I think Howard has made people hate LeBron a little less – and that in itself is no small feat.

Much of the hatred toward LeBron for his “Decision” has been shifting towards Dwight Howard

Van Gundy has taken a lot of criticism as well – especially for revealing a supposedly private conversation with management to the media.  But if you were Van Gundy, would you WANT to keep quiet and continue to be a scapegoat in defense of a guy who’s trying to get you fired?  He has kept pretty quiet in the midst of all the turmoil for this long.  After Howard continued his subversive antics, you can’t blame SVG for saying what he said.  Let’s not side with the guy who – let’s not forget – is still handcuffing the organization by refusing to commit to them long term.  Why would GM Otis Smith take his advice on personnel decisions?

So what’s next for Van Gundy, Howard, and Orlando?

I think Stan is going to resign.  Whether he’s lost the entire team is up for debate, as we’re not entirely sure if the rest of the team has any qualms with Van Gundy the same way Dwight evidently has.  If Stan has lost the team, then so has Howard; he has isolated himself by his flakiness and the constant criticism of everyone else around him.  The fact that they’ve had the 3^rd-best record in the East for most of the season is a miracle – and a testament to Van Gundy, not Howard.  But either way, there’s no way Van Gundy can keep this up for much longer.  If they think they can suck it up the rest of the season, they’re kidding themselves.

1. Chicago Bulls

The Bulls continue to come on strong, led by MVP candidate Derrick Rose (24.9 PPG, 7.8 APG on the season). The Bulls have held their opponents under 85 points seven times in the month of march and have won eight of their last ten.

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Why is Dwight Howard the MVP? 

Dwight Howard is having his finest statistical season yet. He’s scoring almost 5 ppg more than he did last year (23.2, up from 18.3) and is rebounding like he did in ’09 season, snagging 13.8 a game, yet Orlando is seemingly underachieving. They’re sitting at 4^th in the East at 38-22, and many are questioning “What’s wrong with the Magic?”. There’s a simple reason behind this: Orlando’s other players simply aren’t as good as their reputations.  

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Orlando Magic (59-23, Lost Eastern Conference Finals): C

The Orlando Magic will still compete deep into this year’s playoffs, but now that the Heat have bulked up, the Magic should have made some move to make the team better. Instead, they lost out on Matt Barnes, a tough defender and good shooter in the system. Good thing they matched the offer on J.J. Redick, or he would have been a substantial loss. Drafting a project center in Daniel Orton who won’t even break the second unit with all the 4s and 5s on the team was not a good idea for a team that needs more immediate role players to enhance the chances of winning a title.

Atlanta Hawks (53-29, Lost Eastern Conference Semifinals): B

The Atlanta Hawks might not be ready to win the Eastern Conference, but they kept their team from caving in by re-signing Joe Johnson, even though it cost them a pretty penny. If he left, the Hawks would probably be a lottery team next year. Getting Larry Drew to coach should be a good move, but Mike Woodson didn’t deserve to be fired after his team quit on him. Lastly, Jordan Crawford is a born scorer, but he makes the second J. Crawford on the team that’s a born scorer. The former’s role is in question. How could they finish this offseason with a bang? Sign Shaq to a one-year deal. Then they’ll have a counter to Dwight Howard, and maybe they won’t look so pathetic against the Magic again.

Miami Heat (47-35, Lost First Round): A+

Need I say more? Aside from the Big 3, though, Pat Riley has managed to assemble an amazing cast of supporters, anchored by Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller. They’re definitely the favorites in the East next season.

Charlotte Bobcats (44-38, Lost First Round): C-

The Bobcats didn’t take on any players in the draft, but they did re-sign Tyrus Thomas, who hasn’t yet proven his worth in the NBA. They lost Tyson Chandler, though, who was a defensive anchor for a fantastic defensive team last season. They also lost Raymond Felton, so they’ll have to hope that D.J. Augustin can foot the bill as the starting point guard.

Washington Wizards (26-56, Missed Playoffs): B+

The Wizards’ ranking might be mostly based on luck, but bringing on John Wall is going to change that franchise for the better. His Summer League performances only confirmed that he is going to be a star. They cleaned house, though, and Randy Foye, Mike Miller, Caron Butler, and Antawn Jamison are all gone. If it all works out, Gilbert Arenas will gel in an off-ball role, Andray Blatche will continue his surprising development, and Josh Howard will play like he did a few years ago in Dallas.