HoopsHype.com Rumors

The other finalists this year were Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks, Jason Terry of the Dallas Mavericks, and J.J. Redick of the Orlando Magic. NBA.com

Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, Orlando Magic, JJ Redick, Josh Smith, Jason Terry 

The final year of J.J. Redick's contract is fully unguaranteed, and if the team waives him before July 7, it won't owe him any more money. Asked if he's received an indication what the team plans to do, Redick answered, "No, and I think I'm down the totem pole. Obviously, the Magic have a decision to make about my contract. It's pretty much out of my hands. I think I've done everything I can do at this point." Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Magic, JJ Redick 

JJ Redick about Howard: “Within the team I think our perception has changed a little bit. I don’t see any way it couldn’t. But I am a Dwight supporter, I played with him for six years, I’ve been through some battles with him, won a lot of games tagging along side of him. He has been great for our organization.” “I think as anyone can attest, sometimes we get confused in life. Sometimes we get bad advice. I think Dwight at his core, at his heart is a great kid, a great person. Maybe he just got a little confused, a little sidetracked about what was important and then at the end of the year he gets hurt and can’t play. It wasn’t a great year for him. I’m sure he’ll bounce back, get healthy and have a great year next year.” NBCSports.com

Orlando Magic, JJ Redick, Dwight Howard 

JJ Redick on Howard’s relationship with Stan Van Gundy: “To be honest with you, it didn’t seem worse or better than any other year. Those two have built a relationship based on winning and before things really started to turn for us we were 32-18 and had the fifth best record in the league. So for 50 of the 66 games this year that relationship was pretty solid. “I’m not sure what happened and what transpired with management, with Dwight’s alleged request for Stan to get fired, I’m not privy to all the inside information. Certainly at some point that relationship started to change a little bit in March, and from that point on things got weird.” NBCSports.com

Orlando Magic, Coaching, JJ Redick, Stan Van Gundy 

Josh Robbins: Redick: "I don't think it's any secret that I am a fan of Stan." Twitter

Orlando Magic, Coaching, JJ Redick, Stan Van Gundy 

While Howard wants Van Gundy out in Orlando, not all players feel the same way. J.J. Redick is one player who is behind Van Gundy and he made that clear during his postgame press conference. “I want to play for Stan, there’s no question,” Redick said. “I’m not a player that wants to make any statements regarding decisions. My job is go out there, play hard and do my job on the court. And I hope that’s with Stan coaching me.” HoopsWorld

Orlando Magic, Coaching, JJ Redick, Dwight Howard, Stan Van Gundy 

 Magic guard J.J. Redick drew laughs this week when he compared Orlando’s offense to socialism and said the team plays better when everyone shares the wealth. “Just to be clear, democracy and capitalism is good for America,” Redick said after the Magic beat the Cavs on Friday. “Socialism is good for the Orlando Magic.” Akron Beacon Journal

Orlando Magic, JJ Redick 

Brian Schmitz: J.J. Redick said the Magic needed to spread wealth before game, be more like "socialists." Twitter

Orlando Magic, JJ Redick 

Chris Tomasson: Asked JJ Redick on appeasing D12-'I’m not really worried about appeasing anybody..If he wants to go somewhere I don’t really care about that Twitter

Orlando Magic, JJ Redick, Dwight Howard 

John Denton: JJ Redick: "We can play with anybody. We’ve beaten good teams this year home and away. There’s a level of confidence going vs. the elite." Twitter

Orlando Magic, JJ Redick 

Howard’s situation wasn’t the only distraction as March 15 approached. The Magic were actively pursuing a second star to put alongside Howard. They offered various packages in hopes of making a splashy move at the deadline, and the players heard the rumors. “There’s a sense of relief just to have it over with,” J.J. Redick admitted. “It’s nice not having to check my cell phone every five minutes.” HoopsWorld

Orlando Magic, Trade, JJ Redick, Dwight Howard 

Andy Vasquez: J.J. Redick just walked by in the Magic locker room, moments after Duke loss. "At least we've got our degrees," he quipped. Twitter

Orlando Magic, JJ Redick 

Alex Kennedy: J.J. Redick and Chris Duhon watched the end of the Duke game in the Magic locker room. Teammates let them hear it when the Blue Devils lost. Twitter

Orlando Magic, Chris Duhon, JJ Redick 

Stefan Bondy: JJ Redick on Duke's disaster: "It’s terrible. Of course I’m not happy." Twitter

Orlando Magic, JJ Redick 

What’s the greatest example in your past of a guy who you didn’t think could do much like a Jeremy Lin and then surprises you? Stan Van Gundy: “Well Dan [LeBatard] I’ve never made a mistake before, so it would be hard for me [joking tone]. I don’t know. That is an interesting question. I hadn’t really thought about that. When you ask it off the top of my head? [Dan LeBatard: Could J.J. Reddick be that guy?] Well J.J.’s progression to me was a pretty normal progression of a guy that just kept getting better and he got more and more opportunity over time. It didn’t like all come at once like he was sitting on the bench and then he was playing 30 minutes a night. He sort of worked his way up and pretty much as…I think you can pretty much expect. I am sure it has happened to somebody that I haven’t played enough and gone somewhere else and really taken off, but off the top of my head I can’t think of it right now.’ Sports Radio Interviews

Orlando Magic, JJ Redick, Stan Van Gundy, Jeremy Lin 

Your answer to the person who says Dwight Howard isn’t connected to his team and has checked out mentally? Stan Van Gundy: “Here’s the thing I have said about it and what we have to avoid and certainly what I think it can become is it becomes a very convenient excuse and when all of that talk went on it was when we were losing 5 out of 6. Then that came. When we started this year 11-4 there really wasn’t anyone saying that. Now that we have won 6 out of 8 with the two losses being in overtime people aren’t saying that, so what was it? He was connected for a while then he wasn’t connected? And now he is connected again? It gets almost ridiculous after awhile. You can have your opinion one way or another that. I’ll give everybody their opinion, but you can’t reasonably keep changing it by the results from week-to-week. Either he is connected with us or he is not. Form your own opinion and go from there.” Sports Radio Interviews

Orlando Magic, JJ Redick, Dwight Howard, Stan Van Gundy, Jeremy Lin 

J.J. Redick said he has not received an invitation to participate in the 3-point shootout on the Saturday of All-Star weekend. Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Magic, JJ Redick, All-Star 

Steve Kyler: "As long as he’s here, it will be a distraction because it’s all anybody talks about when they talk about our team." -- JJ Redick Twitter

Orlando Magic, Trade, JJ Redick, Dwight Howard 

Steve Kyler: "We don’t hear it? Of course we do.... we also have to be professionals, do our jobs, and for the first 15 games we did that." -- Redick Twitter

Orlando Magic, Trade, JJ Redick, Dwight Howard 

Steve Kyler: "And I don’t think that Dwight’s trade situation made us play so badly these last few games." -- Redick Twitter

Orlando Magic, Trade, JJ Redick, Dwight Howard