[BasketballGuru24Participant]

 

 

Orlando Magic President of Basketball Operations Otis Smith said Friday that the organization has offered superstar center Dwight Howard a contract extension, but Howard said he hasn’t seen it.

 "The extension is on the table," Smith said.

That extension is believed to be for two seasons.

Howard can become a free agent following the 2011-12 season.

Smith, coach Stan Van Gundy and Magic players were available to speak to the media Friday, about 15 hours after they were eliminated in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs by the Atlanta Hawks.

When asked about the contract extension Smith referred to, Howard responded, "I haven’t seen a contract."
When a reporter followed up, Howard said, "I haven’t seen it."

 

 

 

Do you think he is going to take the extension? Especially with his team getting worse but the year

 

[SwatLakeCityParticipant]

 Nope: He wants to contend for a Championship and he wants to do so now. Frankly I don’t blame him. Otis Smith is a horrible GM that does not know how to keep his franchise players. All Otis Smith is going to do if Howard does accept the extension is make more trades and draft more players to give Orlando more 3 pt shooters. He thinks that he is opening up the lane for Dwight Howard to do his thing inside, when really all he has to do is give Dwight a good PF to work alongside him. Once he does that then everything will work out and Dwight should be happy. Unfortunately Otis Smith doesn’t see that so him putting this extension on the table for Dwight Howard to sign will only add to the problem. Doesn’t this sound similar to the Cavs situation with Lebron?

The only way I see Dwight Howard take this extension is if Otis Smith is removed as President of Basketball Operations for the Orlando Magic.

Good luck to Dwight Howard in the Offseason. I hope he finds the right team and he can start contending for a Championship again.

[Scottoant93Participant]

Honestly I want to say yeah because D12 seems like he would be one of those types of players that would stay loyal to one team for the rest of his career, … but every year they keep making dumb trades and instead of rising, they keep deteriorating. I think he is done with the magic.

[HotSnotParticipant]

D12 has to be looking around the league at other opportunities.  This seasons deadline trades to "improve" the team was truely an all in play by Otis smith.  They removed any hope for the future.

Turk and Arenas are currently 2 of the most untradeable contracts in the league.  Perhaps Arenas comes back to preinjury form… but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Turk can’t shoot and never really could.  Those 2 players count for 31-32 million against the Magic cap untill the end of the 13-14 season.  If your hoping to build a big 3 in Orl its pretty hard to do when 2 of your big three are those 2 dudes.  Nelson is a decent point guard but lets be fair and say he’s not a top 15 pg in the league.  I don’t know how he made an allstar team 2 years ago.  Duhon is a decent backup but when Nelson is your starter your team is pretty limited at the guard spot on defense.  Your 2 PG’s make 11 mil combined.  If the Magic lose JRich for nothing this offseason they cannot replace him because they are still way over the cap.  This moves Reddick into the starting lineup… or Qrich… ouch.

Loyalty is one thing but common sense says this is a sinking ship which appears impossible to salvage. 

[Meditated StatesParticipant]

They are going to lose him for nothing if they let him become a fee agent. They might have no choice but to deal him and start over. Now people are going to get pissed, but Cavs paid a price for being hard headed in this situation. I always knew Lebron was history. I think D12 has even less incentive to stay in Orlando than Lebron had in his own home town. D12 is gone and they will lose him for nothing if they don’t deal him. Sad to say, but the truth.

[BostonKingzParticipant]

Otis Smith has some work to do, because a deteriorating Magic team with almost 0 defense besides the reigning DPOY, their core getting older, and they live and die by the three point shot isnt really a good thing, but the things orlando DOES have is good weather and a great city with a good fanbase, and we all know this, for right now, D12 is STILL playing for the magic, and that could attract some desireable free agents.

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

I really do not know where he will go, but I think that the Magic made a similar error to the Cavs in the way they built their team. They overpaid for Rashard Lewis, and while you could say it was maybe a more successful signing than that of Larry Hughes in Cleveland, in the end the furthest it got them was to a runner-up to the champ (much like Hughes did with the Cavs as well). The long term deals they have right now make it very difficult to trade for optimum talent to surround DH.

Also, Otis Smith panicked and made some REALLY bad trades this season, not to mention taking on a contract that will be incredibly difficult to move in Gilbert Arenas’. Dwight will definitely try to force his way to a contending team, and it would not surprise me if he tried to team up with a Deron Williams or a Chris Paul. Sorry Magic fans, but that is just how the league works, and Otis Smith made it entirely too difficult to trade for some legitimate help for Dwight Howard.

[ChrischiParticipant]

To me it looks like Dwight has a very good relationship with Ewing, Van Gundy and longtime teammates like Turk and Jameer. But how can he not leave? The Magic are done. They sit on Gilberts huge contract which will stop them from being legit contenders for 2-3 years. It will be tough, but Dwight has to leave, I actually thought that OKC would be a perfect destination for him, before they spent all their money on Perkins.

[SteroidParticipant]

Dwight will waste the prime of his career if he stays, and I hope, for the sake of the NBA, no one wants to see that. The magic started digging their grave all the way back with Rashad Lewis.I think Dwight would have dealt with mediocrity for a few years to get a big name like CP3 or Williams instead of overpaying role players to "win now".

[ProudGrandpaParticipant]

This guy sucks

[HitsterParticipant]

Dwight will be 26 years old when his contract expires next summer so might look at say a 3 year extension and not commit to Orlando into his 30’s. This gives him a chance at 29 or so to move on if required and say he gave the team a decade if they cannot contend again.

Otis tried to make moves but they just didn’t work out and the high salary costs could hurt the team as an early play off exit means they have lost vital revenue.

[SwatLakeCityParticipant]

 mickeyv, here’s some possible destinations that I see for Dwight Howard.

• Lakers
• Nets (teams up with Dwill)
• Knicks
• Mavs (might team up with Dwill if he decides to go back home since both him an J-kidd are free agents the same year [2012] J-kidd will most likely retire this year, soon to follow Dirk. Mavs will be desperate to try and still be contenders. Those 2 would help a ton and I’ve Howard wants to team up with either CP3 or Dwill)
• Clippers
• Thunder
• Maybe Hornets (but that’s if CP3 stays in 2012, but I don’t think he stays either)

That’s about the only one’s I see. Any others?

 

 

[TRC1991Participant]

i think it’d be cool if he, amare, melo, and CP3 all teamed up and created a big 4 out in N.Y.

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