Dwight Howard still prefers a trade from the Magic, according to a source.
Orlando announced that the tenures of Stan Van Gundy and Otis Smith were over on Monday, but Howard still seeks a trade before the start of the season, according to the source.
The Nets are considered the frontrunner, but "it is not going to be a one-horse race,” the source said. The Mavericks and Knicks are also in the conversation, while the Lakers and Clippers are as well to a lesser extent.
Howard is eager to begin the next phase of his career and the Magic don't want a repeat of circumstances they endured during the 11-12 season.
Executives from the Magic are expected to meet with Howard soon and will accomodate his trade request should he ask for a trade.
The team that is able and willing to take back the contract of Hedo Turkoglu is likely to have an edge in trading for Howard.
Kyrie Irving, Ricky Rubio, Kenneth Faried, Klay Thompson, Iman Shumpert, Kawhi Leonard and Brandon Knight have been voted to the 2011-12 NBA All-Rookie First Team.
On the All-Rookie Second Team is Chandler Parsons, Isaiah Thomas, MarShon Brooks, Derrick Williams and Tristan Thompson.
The following players also received votes:
Markieff Morris, Phoenix, 7 (1); Kemba Walker, Charlotte 7; Alec Burks, Utah 2; Norris Cole, Miami 2; Bismack Biyombo, Charlotte 2; Enes Kanter, Utah 1; Greg Stiemsma, Boston 1; Gustavo Ayon, New Orleans 1; Nikola Vucevic, Philadelphia 1.
Kobe Bryant sounded defiant after the Lakers’ 106-90 season-ending loss in Game 5 against Oklahoma City.
“We’re not going anywhere,” Bryant said. “It’s not one of those things where the Bulls beat the Pistons and the Pistons disappeared forever. I’m not going for that (stuff).”
The Lakers are well above the luxury tax threshold, which will limit their options in free agency.
“It’s tough to really process (so soon) exactly what we need with improvements and what area we need to improve on,” Bryant said. “But that’s something that we’ll definitely think through and we’ve really been great at as an organization. Mitch (Kupchak, the general manager) has really done a phenomenal job this past decade in building title teams pretty quickly. We just have to do it again.
“I’m not the most patient of people and the organization’s not extremely patient either. We want to win and win now. I’m sure we’ll figure it out. We always have and I’m sure we will again.”
Delonte West said that there is "no question'' he'd like to return to the Mavericks.
"It's in the Lord's hands,'' West said. "All I know is that it's always tough in free agency. I hope I showed this team and the NBA that I'm invested in the future. I kind of really found my groove this year and I'm still a young man, but I also have so much playoff experience.
"I've been to the playoffs (almost) every year and I'm just going into my prime. Once I incorporate the floater into my game, I feel I'll be very valuable to anybody's team. In these playoffs, I see how deep all these teams are and a guard like myself could be very valuable. I've found a home here in Dallas. And I'd like to finish my career out here.''
West signed a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum last December.
Chris Paul called Neil Olshey shortly after the Clippers' 102-99 Game 4 loss Sunday.
Paul, distraught over being swept by the Spurs, told Olshey that “this isn’t going to happen again.”
“I talked to him, thanked him for the opportunity, and told him that I hated how it ended,” Paul said. “I didn’t think we should have been swept. I told him, ‘I’ll get better.’”
Olshey said that Paul “already wanted to start talking about what we need, what we need to add,” which led the general manager to tell reporters that the star he signed is indeed “all in.”
Paul will enter next season in the final year of his contract.
Donatas Motiejunas is unlikely to play for the Lithuanian national team at this summer’s Olympics.
Motiejunas, a 6-foot-11 power forward, was acquired by the Rockets in a 2011 draft-night deal with Minnesota.
He will be eligible to sign a contract with Houston on July 1.
“I spoke a lot with Donatas, he really wants to play, but hasn’t signed a contract yet," national team coach Kestutis Kemzuras said. "He would be risking his NBA contract in case of an injury. He told me that he could only come on 2 July, but that would literally be the day before the Olympic Qualifying Tournament starts.
"I told him to be ready just in case, but there’s no hiding it – if we were to make it to the Olympics, it wouldn’t be fair to cut any of the players and include Motiejunas instead.”
Adam Morrison competed in the start of a three-day mini-camp staged by the Nets in East Rutherford.
“He knows how to play. Unfortunately he didn’t have a point guard who could find him because he came off screens open,” Nets general manager Billy King said. “But he knows how to set himself up, come off screens. He didn’t make some shots early, but he got them to go. One thing, we know he can do that."
Morrison was selected by Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Bobcats with the third pick of the 2006 draft.
“I understand I’m never going to shake being a bust or being a failure in some people’s eyes,” said Morrison. “I’ve experienced a lot of highs in basketball, so I guess you could call it a hardship, but it’s really not. I get to play basketball for money. That’s pretty good.”
Neil Olshey was noncommittal on whether the Clippers would pick up Vinny Del Negro’s option for the 2012-2013 season.
"That’s not what we’re here to talk about," Olshey said. "Coaching contacts, GM contracts, trainers' contracts, that’s not today.
"I think we deserve the same courtesy everybody else gets. ... [Atlanta Hawks Coach] Larry Drewgot his option picked up a few days [after their season ended]. … I think Vinny did a great job, and that’s as far as I’m going to go today.”
Del Negro owns a 72-76 over his two seasons in Los Angeles.
Stan Van Gundy has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the Magic, while President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Otis Smith and the organization have mutually agreed to part ways.
"On behalf of the DeVos Family, we sincerely appreciate and thank Otis and Stan for all that they have done on and off the floor for the Orlando Magic,” said Martins. "These are the days you dread in this business, but we feel it's time for new leadership and new voices."
Van Gundy was named head coach in June of 2007. Van Gundy has a career NBA head coaching regular season record of 371-208 (.641), including 259-135 (.657) in five seasons in Orlando.
Smith was named general manager on May 3, 2006. He was assistant general manager during the 2005-06 campaign, after serving as director of player development for two seasons.
Some rival executives believe Dwight Howard may be more willing to sign a long-term deal with the Magic this offseason following his season-ending back surgery.
Jeremy Lin's agent, Roger Montgomery, said that he doesn't expect negotiations with the Knicks to be as simple as they have been portrayed by Mike Woodson.
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