Only 21 years old, Dwight Howard already says he wants to retire in Orlando. He committed to sticking around for a while longer Thursday, as the former No. "Me and Mickey Mouse will be here forever," Howard joked.
It was Orlando's second multimillion dollar move in two days. The Magic officially pulled free agent All-Star Rashard Lewis from Seattle on Wednesday, agreeing to a six-year contract worth more than $110 million in a a sign-and-trade deal. Those two moves will define the team for the foreseeable future, and general manager Otis Smith likes what he sees.
"You have to have a big guy in the middle. (Coach Stan Van Gundy) talked about the great perimeter players, and I feel very good about the opportunity to sign a big guy for a long period of time," Smith said. Howard averaged a team-best 17.
6 points and 12.3 rebounds last season, making his first All-Star game. He has not missed any of Orlando's 82 regular-season games in three seasons, and already holds the franchise record for consecutive games played (246).
Howard shot 81 percent from the field over a five-game stretch last season, 10th best in NBA history behind eight Wilt Chamberlain performances and one stretch from Bob Hanson. He finished second in the league in field goal percentage at 60.3 percent, and third in rebounding.
"Orlando has really seen just a little bit of Dwight Howard," he said. "There are a lot of things that I need to do to get better. I don't really think I have scratched the surface of the things I know I am capable of doing, but each year and each game is an experience for me.
And really I am just so excited right now, it's hard to explain." Like Lewis, Howard joined the league straight out of high school. But the 265-pounder from Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy was the top overall pick, while Lewis slipped into the second round.
Howard and Lewis speak highly of each other, and both are excited to play on the same team. Lewis gives Orlando a prolific scorer inside and out - a 6-foot-10 3-point threat to combine with Howard's brute inside strength. "My goal is to win a championship and we just added a great piece to our team that is going to help us get to that level," Howard said.
Antoine Walker's stately home, which sits along a plush row of town homes on West Huron Street, sits empty. No people standing on the back porch, no flashy cars easing in and out of the alley garage. Just an industrial-size trash can, bulging with bags of garbage and empty shoe boxes near the rear gate.
The Miami Heat forward has left his $4.1 million dollar home and is in the process of moving out, his agent, Mark Bartelstein, said Thursday. The move comes after Walker was duct-taped and robbed at home late Monday afternoon by two masked gunmen, who drove off in Walker's black Mercedes with his cash and jewelry.
On the move Jacque Vaughn and Matt Bonner each re-signed multiyear deals Thursday with the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs. Terms were not released. The Detroit Pistons and forward Amir Johnson agreed to an $11 million, three-year contract Thursday, keeping the restricted free agent with the team that drafted him out of high school.
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