2006-07 Season Preview: Catching Up With...
As the Magic players begin to arrive back in O-Town for voluntary workouts before the start of Training Camp on Oct. 3, OrlandoMagic.com will be catching up with the players to see what they've been up to during their time off. Check back regularly between now and the start of training camp for updates on all the Magic players.
Jameer Nelson
How did you spend your summer?
Working out, enjoying my family. I have been in Philadelphia pretty much the entire summer. I went to Jamaica with my family and I was back and forth to Orlando a few times.
What gave you the idea to bring all of the team up to Philly for a week in the summer?
I feel as though good teams are those that trust one another and that really go out and battle for one another every night. I think me gathering all the guys, it helps us out to bond on the court.
How did you organize it all?
I sat down with the folks that handle my business and we discussed it and I told them what I wanted to do. We picked out restaurants and things to do – different attractions and different activities and nightlife, such as bowling, paintball, things of that nature.
What are your expectations for the season?
I think we will be fine. We still have some learning and adjustments to make. We have a couple new guys, but for the most part I think the core of the team has stayed together and we are going to be just fine!
Darko Milicic
How long have you been back in Orlando?
"Just this week."
After playing in the World Championships, were you able to take a vacation?
"Yes, just hanging out with my friends and relaxing a bit, but I stayed in Serbia all summer long."
How was your experience playing for your country this summer?
"Very good. I had a lot of fun playing in the World Championships and now I'm happy to be back here and ready to play."
How do you feel this training camp is going to be different from the previous ones you had in Detroit?
"It's going to much, much different, because I'm going in knowing that I'm going to play and it's going to be a lot more fun."
What do you think about having so many players return from last year's team?
"It's great. I'm happy that everybody is back. I had a lot of fun playing with everyone here last year and I think it's going to be a lot of fun this year."
What do you think the expectations are going to be for this team?
"Much higher than last year. We are all expecting much more than what we did last year and that's what we are going to try to do."
Dwight Howard
There wasn't much "off" in your off-season was there?
"Not really. I was playing basketball the whole summer. I didn't really get much of a chance to sit down and relax and enjoy my time off."
Do you think that lack of time off might affect you at some point during the season?
"No, I don't think so. I think all of the hard work I put in during the off-season will hopefully pay off this season and the Magic will get to the playoffs. I've worked extremely hard on my game and just can't wait to show it."
What was your experience like playing with Team USA?
"I had a great experience. Being the youngest player, I was able to see how some of the veterans control their teams. And me being one of the leaders for the Magic, what I need to do to be a leader for our team. I had a great experience playing with those guys and being coached by a college coach. Just going back to the fundamentals of basketball and really try to develop my game."
Was there any one player that left more of an impression on you than anybody else?
"Being over there for a while, me and Chris Bosh got really close. I learned a lot of stuff from him - how his plays the game and how he got ready for games. And others guys like Elton Brand. By those two being big men, I got a chance to see how they get ready for a game and how they workout. The time they put in after practice and after games."
Who is Sergeant Snappy Fingers?
"That's me. They gave me that nickname when I was overseas. We used to go to a lot of the Army bases and I use to dance for the soldiers. So, they started calling me Sergeant Snap, so that's my new nickname."
Is just getting into the playoffs the goal for this team?
"No, I think our team has a chance to go all the way. We got all the tools right now. We got the inside game, we got the outside game. We got the new players that will come in and give us a boost. J.J. Redick, I don't think has missed a jumpshot since I've seen him. Jameer's a lot better, Grant Hill is healthy. I think this year we can go all the way, it just depends on how we take training camp and prepare for the season."
James Augustine
What have you been up to since we last saw you at Summer League?
"Just moving down to Orlando, getting settled in and just getting in shape for training camp."
Did you have a chance to take a vacation this summer?
"I was able to go home for a couple of weeks and then came back here for a couple of weeks and then back and forth. I've been pretty much just trying to get things done here and see everybody back home before I came here for good."
How has it been getting to know all your new teammates?
"It's been good. It was good to have everybody back. This week was the first week we've had everybody back so it's been great to see everybody and get to play as a team and workout."
Are you looking forward to training camp?
"Yeah, a little bit. It's going to be tough, but I'm looking forward to getting the season started and seeing how everything is going to be."
Bo Outlaw
What have you been up to this summer?
Pretty much the same thing I do every summer… do appearances for the Magic, go bowling and spend time with my son. We like to play video games.
Did you go on any vacations?
I don’t do the vacation thing. I guess on the weekends I would consider it a vacation with my son – we go to New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, we just hang out.
What all did you do in the community this summer!
I kind of lost track! We refurbished the Boys and Girls Club Learning Centers for the kids. I don’t like taking credit – the Magic office should get more credit than me since everyone volunteered a lot of their time. I keep saying over and over, without all the help I got I would probably still be doing things there. I couldn’t do it by myself!
Are you looking forward to training camp?
Of course. That’s a great time with everyone coming back into town and everybody ready for an exciting year. You always want to be better the next year and that is what the plan is!
What are your expectations for the season?
You expect to win. The purpose of playing is to win a championship, so that is what you want. We are just taking it one year at a time and coming out and playing hard and competing every night.
Hedo Turkoglu
When did you get back in Orlando?
"Last Wednesday morning at 1:00 a.m."
What have you been up to in the last few weeks?
"Not much really. Just resting, working out a little bit, lifting a little bit. It was a good summer for me. I was here in July and had a good workout with the coaches and the guys. And the rest was just relaxing a bit. Spending some time with my family and friends. I got back on Wednesday and now I'm trying to get back into shape and trying to get back into this time zone. It always seems to affect me that first week, so that's why I got back early this year, so that I don't have that problem during training camp."
How has it been, being back on the court working out with the team?
"It's been good so far, playing a little bit. Hopefully (the season) will go a little better than last year."
Did you have any vacation time?
"I had a lot of good times in Turkey. We have a lot of really great places to go to visit. I went lots of places with family and friends. I had a pretty good summer, especially the last couple of months. Now I can hopefully get back into shape and get ready for training camp."
Are you looking forward to training camp?
"It's just the start of everything for the whole year. A lot of people come in early to get some work in and get that soreness before, so that it doesn't happen during the training camp. It's really part of the job that you don't worry about too much."
What are your thoughts on this year's squad?
"We just need to pick up where we left off. We had a really good run at the end, especially the last 25-30 games. We just need to bring the same energy and the same desire to the court and just play together and have fun. We really had a lot of fun last year, especially at the end."
J.J. Redick
Did you have a chance to take any vacations this summer?
"No, I really didn't get a chance to doing any vacation time. I was really busy with rehab and trying to get back in shape. I've been working out now for about a month or so. And moving down to Orlando was another big transition for me. So I had a lot going on this summer and wasn't a lot of time to get to the beach or something."
How long have you been living in Orlando now?
"I moved down in the middle of August, so a little over a month now."
Has it set in yet that you are now an NBA player?
"I don't know that it's really set in yet, because I haven't played my first game yet and haven't gone through my first training camp. Right now, it's just been fun. I come in, do my rehab and just play basketball everyday. It hasn't been that big of a deal for me yet, because that's what I do everyday. I think it will set in that first day of training camp when I look around and think, 'What the heck have I gotten myself into'."
What's your impression of your teammates and coaching staff?
"The coaching staff has been great. I've loved working with them so far. Really, it's been great for me because the people here have been top notch. You don't always get that at this level and I've been really pleased and feel blessed about that."
Are you looking forward to training camp next week?
"I am. A lot of the guys say it's the toughest part of the season when you have to go through that week with lots of two-a-days, but I'm looking forward to it. And I'm looking forward to having an official practice as an NBA player."
How is your back right now?
"I've been playing five-on-five for a while and I feel great. It's not bothering me. It's just something that over the course of my career I'm going to have to maintain and work on stabilization. But so far I've been doing a good job at it."
Carlos Arroyo
So what have you been up to this summer?
“Playing, working out with my national team. We just recently were in Japan to play in the World games so that was a new experience and it’s always a great experience to be a part of whatever the Puerto Rican National team is doing.”
What was your favorite part of playing in the FIBA World Championships?
“Being in another country, that’s always interesting. You get to learn about other cultures and meet other people and it’s always fun. But, playing for my national team is a great honor for me, I’m very proud to be Puerto Rican, and I always look forward to representing my country.”
You were also in Puerto Rico for Basketball Without Borders, how was that?
“It was another great experience. It was amazing for the NBA to bring that type of event, a positive event for the community, to Puerto Rico. The people really appreciate it there. I was part of that and Bo (Outlaw) was part of that. The NBA is always taking the players that it can to communities in the summers. It was fun.”
Did you have any breaks? Any vacations at all?
“I did take a vacation when we were done last year here. My family and I, and I took my parents, we went to the Dominican Republic. We stayed for a couple of days over there and just rested, because I had to get back to Puerto Rico and start training camp with the team, so it wasn’t much.”
Travis Diener
How long have you been back in town?
“I’ve been back since September 5th. It’s been good. I’ve been at summer league and I’ve just been home a lot in Milwaukee (Fond du Lac). I was in St. Louis for a little bit visiting my sister, but other than that, I’ve just been relaxing and getting ready for the season.”
Have you been playing and conditioning in the offseason?
“I have been playing a lot, but not really conditioning. I knew coming back here for three or four weeks we would be doing that, so I have been just working myself back into shape and relaxing a little bit before I came back. But right now it is back to work!”
You hosted a youth basketball camp recently – how did that go?
“I had one in Milwaukee in August. It went really well – I think the kids had an enjoyable time and hopefully we will continue to do it every year.”
Have you taken any vacations?
“Not really, I just went to Las Vegas and like I said I went to St. Louis. Nothing exotic, nothing to the Bahamas, not overseas. I’m sure I’ll be able to travel a lot (in the future).”
How are you going to spend the next month before training camp?
“I’ve been just working out during the week and on the weekends I just relax and enjoy the weather here.”
What are your expectations for the upcoming year?
“Just to have an enjoyable year, and hopefully we win a lot and I will be able to contribute to that.”
Grant Hill
What have you been up to lately?
"I was up in Canada for most of the summer, working on my rehab. I feel like I was up there so much that if I stayed up there any longer I would have to pay Canadian taxes."
Did you have a chance to take any vacations?
"I went to Martha's Vineyard, but that was pretty much it. I was there for about a week, but I spent about 10 weeks of the summer in Vancouver."
How did the rehabbing in Vancouver go?
"It was great. Vancouver was a great city, a real beautiful city. And Alex McKechnie was unbelievable. It was worth all the trips back and forth and hopefully I think it will show on the court this year."
Can you talk about the improved range of motion in your ankle because of the rehab?
"Yeah, there's been so much work on my ankle in terms of operations, but the mobility and the range of motion in my ankle has improved tremendously and I've noticed it. I believe that had something to do with the stomach problems. I think it was trying to compensate in other areas."
Keith Bogans
How long have you been back in town?
“Since last week.”
What have you been up to this summer?
“Home, working out, traveling, seeing family and that’s about it.”
Did you get to go on any vacations?
“No major vacations this summer. I traveled around a lot, but no major vacations.”
What are you going to do before training camp?
“In my last month (before camp) I am just going to keep working out and continue to play and get better.”
What are your expectations for the season?
“We would like to pick up and carry where we left off last year because we made a run towards the end of the season last year and we are going to try to keep building on that.”
Are you excited about coming in and having the opportunity to battle for a starting spot this year?
“I am very excited – I can’t wait. I expect great things from us this year.”
Pat Garrity
What have you been up to this summer?
“I have been here for the most part, and I also did some traveling. I went to China with Basketball Without Borders and I took a little vacation with my dad and went fishing. But mostly I have been here working out and out playing golf and enjoying my family.”
What are your expectations for the season?
“My expectations are that we are going to pick up where we left off. I think it is good that we haven’t really had any change at all with the exception of Keith coming in. I think we have a great group of guys and we already have good chemistry and we need to put it together in preseason, but I am expecting good things.”
Can you talk about your charity event that you partnered with this season, the PAL Tournament?
“It was my second year participating, and we had a three-on-three tournament benefiting the Central Florida Police Athletic League. For the amount of advertising that we did, which was very little, we were very happy with the participation and the amount of money we raised, and it was a lot of fun.”
What are you going to do for the rest of the month before training camp?
“I am going to continue to get in shape and get ready and maybe catch another Notre Dame football game – I went to one last weekend. And I just want to enjoy my wife and son before we start up the season.”
Keyon Dooling
How long have you been back?
“This is like my second week back here.”
What did you do this summer?
“Fishing, spending some quality time with the family, working out a little bit. I have been down in South Florida (for the summer).”
Did you catch any of the playoffs down in Miami?
“I went to a couple games against Detroit. It is great for the city of Miami. I have some friends over there and winning a championship, you go down in history, so I was very proud of those guys, especially guys like Udonis and Zo. I am very happy for them.”
Did you get to do any traveling this summer?
“Yeah, I did some traveling! I went to New York, the Dominican Republic, went to Vegas. My family went with me to New York and my wife went with me to Vegas, but I did a couple of trips with my friends too. I hung out… I had a good summer.”
How are you going to spend your last month before camp begins?
“Training, going home (to South Florida) on the weekends and spending some time with the family… but mostly just training.”
Any thoughts on the season?
“I am looking forward to it. The future is bright in Orlando.”
Tony Battie
What have you been up to lately? Nothing much. Getting back into shape. Getting ready to hopefully start up a great season the way we ended last year. All the guys are starting to filter back in, so we're starting to get some nice workouts in. Just looking forward to getting the season off to a good start.
Did you take any vacations this summer? Yeah, I spent a lot of time with the family - my mom, my grandmother - things like that. I did vacation a little bit - Miami, Vegas, Atlantic City - that type of thing. I got the chance to hang out with some old buddies I used to run with back in the day. It went fast, but it was time well spent.
How was the workout Jameer held in Philly? It was good. We got to workout together and kind of shows the leadership role that Jameer is trying to take right now. He's kind of the quarterback of the team. Other than the guys that were participating in the World games, mostly everyone was able to show up. We had some good workouts and some good off the court time to bond with each other and it worked out well.
Does it help this team by bringing back so many pieces from last year's squad? That's pretty typical for good NBA teams. You keep your core guys and then you just change certain components or complimentary pieces. Usually when you change or core guys it's when you have a massive overhaul, but we've already had the overhaul and we just need some fine tuning. We got a majority of the guys back and look forward to starting the season up the way we ended it.
Are you anxious to get to training camp and back on the court? Actually, you want to get training camp on and over with. You are ready to get on to the pre-season games, but we need the repititon and the workouts and I'm sure everyone is looking forward to the two-a-days and the soreness. But it's good because it builds character for the season.
Trevor Ariza
What have you been up to lately?
Working out pretty much. Just been spending lots of time with my family.
Did you take any vacations this summer?
Yeah, I went to the Turks and Caicos islands with my friends and had a good time. That's pretty much it as far as going places.
Have you been in Orlando much since the end of the season?
Yeah, I was here for about a month or two.
Did you enjoy the off-season workout Jameer put together for the team up in Pennsylvania?
It was fun. We had a good time. We got a lot accomplished and had time to spend together. But we had a lot of fun.
After the great run the Magic had at the end of last season, what do you think the expectations are going to be for this team?
I think we just need to pick up where we left off. Just move forward from there and keep getting better as a team and as individuals.
With so many faces returning from last year's squad, do you think that will make chemistry better for the team?
Definitely because we're going to be picking up the team chemistry we had from last year and we teach the guys that are new what we were doing last year and just keep moving forward.
Jameer NelsonHow did you spend your summer?
Working out, enjoying my family. I have been in Philadelphia pretty much the entire summer. I went to Jamaica with my family and I was back and forth to Orlando a few times.
What gave you the idea to bring all of the team up to Philly for a week in the summer?
I feel as though good teams are those that trust one another and that really go out and battle for one another every night. I think me gathering all the guys, it helps us out to bond on the court.
How did you organize it all?
I sat down with the folks that handle my business and we discussed it and I told them what I wanted to do. We picked out restaurants and things to do – different attractions and different activities and nightlife, such as bowling, paintball, things of that nature.
What are your expectations for the season?
I think we will be fine. We still have some learning and adjustments to make. We have a couple new guys, but for the most part I think the core of the team has stayed together and we are going to be just fine!
Darko MilicicHow long have you been back in Orlando?
"Just this week."
After playing in the World Championships, were you able to take a vacation?
"Yes, just hanging out with my friends and relaxing a bit, but I stayed in Serbia all summer long."
How was your experience playing for your country this summer?
"Very good. I had a lot of fun playing in the World Championships and now I'm happy to be back here and ready to play."
How do you feel this training camp is going to be different from the previous ones you had in Detroit?
"It's going to much, much different, because I'm going in knowing that I'm going to play and it's going to be a lot more fun."
What do you think about having so many players return from last year's team?
"It's great. I'm happy that everybody is back. I had a lot of fun playing with everyone here last year and I think it's going to be a lot of fun this year."
What do you think the expectations are going to be for this team?
"Much higher than last year. We are all expecting much more than what we did last year and that's what we are going to try to do."
Dwight HowardThere wasn't much "off" in your off-season was there?
"Not really. I was playing basketball the whole summer. I didn't really get much of a chance to sit down and relax and enjoy my time off."
Do you think that lack of time off might affect you at some point during the season?
"No, I don't think so. I think all of the hard work I put in during the off-season will hopefully pay off this season and the Magic will get to the playoffs. I've worked extremely hard on my game and just can't wait to show it."
What was your experience like playing with Team USA?
"I had a great experience. Being the youngest player, I was able to see how some of the veterans control their teams. And me being one of the leaders for the Magic, what I need to do to be a leader for our team. I had a great experience playing with those guys and being coached by a college coach. Just going back to the fundamentals of basketball and really try to develop my game."
Was there any one player that left more of an impression on you than anybody else?
"Being over there for a while, me and Chris Bosh got really close. I learned a lot of stuff from him - how his plays the game and how he got ready for games. And others guys like Elton Brand. By those two being big men, I got a chance to see how they get ready for a game and how they workout. The time they put in after practice and after games."
Who is Sergeant Snappy Fingers?
"That's me. They gave me that nickname when I was overseas. We used to go to a lot of the Army bases and I use to dance for the soldiers. So, they started calling me Sergeant Snap, so that's my new nickname."
Is just getting into the playoffs the goal for this team?
"No, I think our team has a chance to go all the way. We got all the tools right now. We got the inside game, we got the outside game. We got the new players that will come in and give us a boost. J.J. Redick, I don't think has missed a jumpshot since I've seen him. Jameer's a lot better, Grant Hill is healthy. I think this year we can go all the way, it just depends on how we take training camp and prepare for the season."
James AugustineWhat have you been up to since we last saw you at Summer League?
"Just moving down to Orlando, getting settled in and just getting in shape for training camp."
Did you have a chance to take a vacation this summer?
"I was able to go home for a couple of weeks and then came back here for a couple of weeks and then back and forth. I've been pretty much just trying to get things done here and see everybody back home before I came here for good."
How has it been getting to know all your new teammates?
"It's been good. It was good to have everybody back. This week was the first week we've had everybody back so it's been great to see everybody and get to play as a team and workout."
Are you looking forward to training camp?
"Yeah, a little bit. It's going to be tough, but I'm looking forward to getting the season started and seeing how everything is going to be."
Bo OutlawWhat have you been up to this summer?
Pretty much the same thing I do every summer… do appearances for the Magic, go bowling and spend time with my son. We like to play video games.
Did you go on any vacations?
I don’t do the vacation thing. I guess on the weekends I would consider it a vacation with my son – we go to New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, we just hang out.
What all did you do in the community this summer!
I kind of lost track! We refurbished the Boys and Girls Club Learning Centers for the kids. I don’t like taking credit – the Magic office should get more credit than me since everyone volunteered a lot of their time. I keep saying over and over, without all the help I got I would probably still be doing things there. I couldn’t do it by myself!
Are you looking forward to training camp?
Of course. That’s a great time with everyone coming back into town and everybody ready for an exciting year. You always want to be better the next year and that is what the plan is!
What are your expectations for the season?
You expect to win. The purpose of playing is to win a championship, so that is what you want. We are just taking it one year at a time and coming out and playing hard and competing every night.
Hedo TurkogluWhen did you get back in Orlando?
"Last Wednesday morning at 1:00 a.m."
What have you been up to in the last few weeks?
"Not much really. Just resting, working out a little bit, lifting a little bit. It was a good summer for me. I was here in July and had a good workout with the coaches and the guys. And the rest was just relaxing a bit. Spending some time with my family and friends. I got back on Wednesday and now I'm trying to get back into shape and trying to get back into this time zone. It always seems to affect me that first week, so that's why I got back early this year, so that I don't have that problem during training camp."
How has it been, being back on the court working out with the team?
"It's been good so far, playing a little bit. Hopefully (the season) will go a little better than last year."
Did you have any vacation time?
"I had a lot of good times in Turkey. We have a lot of really great places to go to visit. I went lots of places with family and friends. I had a pretty good summer, especially the last couple of months. Now I can hopefully get back into shape and get ready for training camp."
Are you looking forward to training camp?
"It's just the start of everything for the whole year. A lot of people come in early to get some work in and get that soreness before, so that it doesn't happen during the training camp. It's really part of the job that you don't worry about too much."
What are your thoughts on this year's squad?
"We just need to pick up where we left off. We had a really good run at the end, especially the last 25-30 games. We just need to bring the same energy and the same desire to the court and just play together and have fun. We really had a lot of fun last year, especially at the end."
J.J. RedickDid you have a chance to take any vacations this summer?
"No, I really didn't get a chance to doing any vacation time. I was really busy with rehab and trying to get back in shape. I've been working out now for about a month or so. And moving down to Orlando was another big transition for me. So I had a lot going on this summer and wasn't a lot of time to get to the beach or something."
How long have you been living in Orlando now?
"I moved down in the middle of August, so a little over a month now."
Has it set in yet that you are now an NBA player?
"I don't know that it's really set in yet, because I haven't played my first game yet and haven't gone through my first training camp. Right now, it's just been fun. I come in, do my rehab and just play basketball everyday. It hasn't been that big of a deal for me yet, because that's what I do everyday. I think it will set in that first day of training camp when I look around and think, 'What the heck have I gotten myself into'."
What's your impression of your teammates and coaching staff?
"The coaching staff has been great. I've loved working with them so far. Really, it's been great for me because the people here have been top notch. You don't always get that at this level and I've been really pleased and feel blessed about that."
Are you looking forward to training camp next week?
"I am. A lot of the guys say it's the toughest part of the season when you have to go through that week with lots of two-a-days, but I'm looking forward to it. And I'm looking forward to having an official practice as an NBA player."
How is your back right now?
"I've been playing five-on-five for a while and I feel great. It's not bothering me. It's just something that over the course of my career I'm going to have to maintain and work on stabilization. But so far I've been doing a good job at it."
Carlos ArroyoSo what have you been up to this summer?
“Playing, working out with my national team. We just recently were in Japan to play in the World games so that was a new experience and it’s always a great experience to be a part of whatever the Puerto Rican National team is doing.”
What was your favorite part of playing in the FIBA World Championships?
“Being in another country, that’s always interesting. You get to learn about other cultures and meet other people and it’s always fun. But, playing for my national team is a great honor for me, I’m very proud to be Puerto Rican, and I always look forward to representing my country.”
You were also in Puerto Rico for Basketball Without Borders, how was that?
“It was another great experience. It was amazing for the NBA to bring that type of event, a positive event for the community, to Puerto Rico. The people really appreciate it there. I was part of that and Bo (Outlaw) was part of that. The NBA is always taking the players that it can to communities in the summers. It was fun.”
Did you have any breaks? Any vacations at all?
“I did take a vacation when we were done last year here. My family and I, and I took my parents, we went to the Dominican Republic. We stayed for a couple of days over there and just rested, because I had to get back to Puerto Rico and start training camp with the team, so it wasn’t much.”
Travis DienerHow long have you been back in town?
“I’ve been back since September 5th. It’s been good. I’ve been at summer league and I’ve just been home a lot in Milwaukee (Fond du Lac). I was in St. Louis for a little bit visiting my sister, but other than that, I’ve just been relaxing and getting ready for the season.”
Have you been playing and conditioning in the offseason?
“I have been playing a lot, but not really conditioning. I knew coming back here for three or four weeks we would be doing that, so I have been just working myself back into shape and relaxing a little bit before I came back. But right now it is back to work!”
You hosted a youth basketball camp recently – how did that go?
“I had one in Milwaukee in August. It went really well – I think the kids had an enjoyable time and hopefully we will continue to do it every year.”
Have you taken any vacations?
“Not really, I just went to Las Vegas and like I said I went to St. Louis. Nothing exotic, nothing to the Bahamas, not overseas. I’m sure I’ll be able to travel a lot (in the future).”
How are you going to spend the next month before training camp?
“I’ve been just working out during the week and on the weekends I just relax and enjoy the weather here.”
What are your expectations for the upcoming year?
“Just to have an enjoyable year, and hopefully we win a lot and I will be able to contribute to that.”
Grant HillWhat have you been up to lately?
"I was up in Canada for most of the summer, working on my rehab. I feel like I was up there so much that if I stayed up there any longer I would have to pay Canadian taxes."
Did you have a chance to take any vacations?
"I went to Martha's Vineyard, but that was pretty much it. I was there for about a week, but I spent about 10 weeks of the summer in Vancouver."
How did the rehabbing in Vancouver go?
"It was great. Vancouver was a great city, a real beautiful city. And Alex McKechnie was unbelievable. It was worth all the trips back and forth and hopefully I think it will show on the court this year."
Can you talk about the improved range of motion in your ankle because of the rehab?
"Yeah, there's been so much work on my ankle in terms of operations, but the mobility and the range of motion in my ankle has improved tremendously and I've noticed it. I believe that had something to do with the stomach problems. I think it was trying to compensate in other areas."
Keith Bogans
How long have you been back in town?
“Since last week.”
What have you been up to this summer?
“Home, working out, traveling, seeing family and that’s about it.”
Did you get to go on any vacations?
“No major vacations this summer. I traveled around a lot, but no major vacations.”
What are you going to do before training camp?
“In my last month (before camp) I am just going to keep working out and continue to play and get better.”
What are your expectations for the season?
“We would like to pick up and carry where we left off last year because we made a run towards the end of the season last year and we are going to try to keep building on that.”
Are you excited about coming in and having the opportunity to battle for a starting spot this year?
“I am very excited – I can’t wait. I expect great things from us this year.”
Pat GarrityWhat have you been up to this summer?
“I have been here for the most part, and I also did some traveling. I went to China with Basketball Without Borders and I took a little vacation with my dad and went fishing. But mostly I have been here working out and out playing golf and enjoying my family.”
What are your expectations for the season?
“My expectations are that we are going to pick up where we left off. I think it is good that we haven’t really had any change at all with the exception of Keith coming in. I think we have a great group of guys and we already have good chemistry and we need to put it together in preseason, but I am expecting good things.”
Can you talk about your charity event that you partnered with this season, the PAL Tournament?
“It was my second year participating, and we had a three-on-three tournament benefiting the Central Florida Police Athletic League. For the amount of advertising that we did, which was very little, we were very happy with the participation and the amount of money we raised, and it was a lot of fun.”
What are you going to do for the rest of the month before training camp?
“I am going to continue to get in shape and get ready and maybe catch another Notre Dame football game – I went to one last weekend. And I just want to enjoy my wife and son before we start up the season.”
Keyon DoolingHow long have you been back?
“This is like my second week back here.”
What did you do this summer?
“Fishing, spending some quality time with the family, working out a little bit. I have been down in South Florida (for the summer).”
Did you catch any of the playoffs down in Miami?
“I went to a couple games against Detroit. It is great for the city of Miami. I have some friends over there and winning a championship, you go down in history, so I was very proud of those guys, especially guys like Udonis and Zo. I am very happy for them.”
Did you get to do any traveling this summer?
“Yeah, I did some traveling! I went to New York, the Dominican Republic, went to Vegas. My family went with me to New York and my wife went with me to Vegas, but I did a couple of trips with my friends too. I hung out… I had a good summer.”
How are you going to spend your last month before camp begins?
“Training, going home (to South Florida) on the weekends and spending some time with the family… but mostly just training.”
Any thoughts on the season?
“I am looking forward to it. The future is bright in Orlando.”
Tony Battie
What have you been up to lately? Nothing much. Getting back into shape. Getting ready to hopefully start up a great season the way we ended last year. All the guys are starting to filter back in, so we're starting to get some nice workouts in. Just looking forward to getting the season off to a good start.
Did you take any vacations this summer? Yeah, I spent a lot of time with the family - my mom, my grandmother - things like that. I did vacation a little bit - Miami, Vegas, Atlantic City - that type of thing. I got the chance to hang out with some old buddies I used to run with back in the day. It went fast, but it was time well spent.
How was the workout Jameer held in Philly? It was good. We got to workout together and kind of shows the leadership role that Jameer is trying to take right now. He's kind of the quarterback of the team. Other than the guys that were participating in the World games, mostly everyone was able to show up. We had some good workouts and some good off the court time to bond with each other and it worked out well.
Does it help this team by bringing back so many pieces from last year's squad? That's pretty typical for good NBA teams. You keep your core guys and then you just change certain components or complimentary pieces. Usually when you change or core guys it's when you have a massive overhaul, but we've already had the overhaul and we just need some fine tuning. We got a majority of the guys back and look forward to starting the season up the way we ended it.
Are you anxious to get to training camp and back on the court? Actually, you want to get training camp on and over with. You are ready to get on to the pre-season games, but we need the repititon and the workouts and I'm sure everyone is looking forward to the two-a-days and the soreness. But it's good because it builds character for the season.
Trevor Ariza
What have you been up to lately?
Working out pretty much. Just been spending lots of time with my family.
Did you take any vacations this summer?
Yeah, I went to the Turks and Caicos islands with my friends and had a good time. That's pretty much it as far as going places.
Have you been in Orlando much since the end of the season?
Yeah, I was here for about a month or two.
Did you enjoy the off-season workout Jameer put together for the team up in Pennsylvania?
It was fun. We had a good time. We got a lot accomplished and had time to spend together. But we had a lot of fun.
After the great run the Magic had at the end of last season, what do you think the expectations are going to be for this team?
I think we just need to pick up where we left off. Just move forward from there and keep getting better as a team and as individuals.
With so many faces returning from last year's squad, do you think that will make chemistry better for the team?
Definitely because we're going to be picking up the team chemistry we had from last year and we teach the guys that are new what we were doing last year and just keep moving forward.
