Hedo Turkoglu

Another day has passed, so of course that just means Dwight Howard remains in limbo. It also means the Lakers continue weighing the financial ramifications as they negotiate with the Orlando Magic to acquire the disgruntled center. Even with more punitive tax measures stemming from the NBA's new labor deal, the Lakers stays intent on winning a championship. They showed that by signing veteran elite point guard Steve Nash to a three-year, $27-million deal. But to what degree do the Lakers share the mind-set with Howard?

In what amounted to one of the most awkward interviews in sports, Stan Van Gundy appeared before a large gathering of reporters in April and confirmed reports that Dwight Howard asked the Orlando Magic front office to fire him as coach. Moments later, Howard stepped into the fray, believing Van Gundy had downplayed the reports. Instead, Van Gundy left Howard twisting in the wind. The Magic fired Van Gundy once the season ended. Yet the Magic's front office has publicly maintained Howard never made such a request.

The Phoenix Suns have acquired forward Hedo Turkoglu in a trade that sends guard Leandro Barbosa and forward Dwayne Jones to Toronto. The deal gives the Suns a third forward in their attempt to replace free agent Amare Stoudemire . Phoenix signed swingman Josh Childress in a sign-and-trade deal with Atlanta earlier Wednesday and picked up Hakim Warrick in a similar swap with Chicago. Turkoglu spent one disappointing season with the Raptors, averaging 11.3 points after being named the NBA's most improved player with Orlando the year before as the Magic reached the NBA Finals.

Another day has passed, so of course that just means Dwight Howard remains in limbo. It also means the Lakers continue weighing the financial ramifications as they negotiate with the Orlando Magic to acquire the disgruntled center. Even with more punitive tax measures stemming from the NBA's new labor deal, the Lakers stays intent on winning a championship. They showed that by signing veteran elite point guard Steve Nash to a three-year, $27-million deal. But to what degree do the Lakers share the mind-set with Howard?

Hedo Turkoglu will delve into the free-agent market on July 1, quickly testing whether the Orlando Magic can keep a core of key players together who led the club to an appearance in the NBA Finals. A day after losing the title series to the Lakers, the agent for Turkoglu told the Orlando Sentinel on Monday that the Magic small forward would opt out of his contract and become a free agent in two weeks. "It would make sense for him to opt out," Lon Babby, Turkoglu's agent, said by phone.

Toronto 109, at Washington 107 (OT): Hedo Turkoglu made a jumper with 8.1 seconds left in overtime to give the Raptors a victory over the Wizards, ending Toronto's losing streak at five games. New York 114, at Atlanta 107: Al Harrington scored 27 points, Chris Duhon had 25 points and 10 assists and the Knicks used an effective combination of three-point baskets and drives to beat the Hawks. at New Orleans 98, Minnesota 89: Chris Paul came close to a triple-double in his return after missing eight games because of a sprained ankle.

Free-agent forward Hedo Turkoglu and the Portland Trail Blazers have ended contract talks, a person close to the team confirmed Friday. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations. Turkoglu's agent, Lon Babby, didn't immediately return calls or e-mails. The Oregonian newspaper reported that Toronto was Turkoglu's likely destination.

"All over Turkey this summer, people were saying, 'You beat the Lakers. You guys were the champions. The referees didn't want you to win.' It makes me happy when people say that." Hedo Turkoglu, a native of Turkey and Sacramento King reserve, on last season's Western Conference finals.

Vince Carter had 27 points and nine assists, and the New Jersey Nets ended Orlando's bid for the No. 2 seeding in the Eastern Conference by beating the Magic, 103-93, Saturday night. Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu injured his left ankle with 6 minutes 51 seconds to play and he had to be helped to the locker room. There was no immediate word on his condition. Turkoglu, who was going to get limited minutes in the last two games according to Coach Stan Van Gundy, had 16 points.

Times staff writer Barry Stavro breaks down the keys to Orlando bouncing back in Game 3 of the NBA Finals: The Magic's point guards are the first group in the playoffs who haven't burned the Lakers' often erratic perimeter defense. Rafer Alston and Jameer Nelson have to do a better job of driving into the lane, finishing and generating (they only have 11 combined assists in two games). It was a sign of their problems that forward Hedo Turkoglu was handling the offense late in the game.

New conditioning program Dwight Howard , on Hedo Turkoglu , starring in Orlando after leaving for pratfalls in Toronto and Phoenix: "The one thing that's better with Turk was he was out of shape for all the years he was here and now he's like 8% body fat, which is the lowest since he's been alive. " Good tip, wherever they go Denver Coach George Karl , on his team's turnovers: " Sam Cassell always had a good quote: 'If you shoot it, you can't turn it over.

Lakers tonight AT PHOENIX Time: 7:30 PST On the air: TV: Channel 9, ESPN; Radio: 710; 1330. Where: US Airways Center. Records: Lakers 24-11; Suns 14-18. Record vs. Suns: 1-1. Update: The Suns have struggled since shaking up their roster by trading Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu to Orlando for Vince Carter and Marcin Gortat. The Suns have lost five of their last six games, including a 94-89 setback Sunday at Sacramento.

The Orlando Magic had every excuse in the world to fall flat. Pick any one of them ? they all fit fine for the Philadelphia 76ers. Lou Williams scored 24 points, Andre Iguodala had 21 and the 76ers beat the undermanned Magic 97-89 on Saturday night on a day Orlando made a pair of blockbuster trades that left the team severely short-handed for a night. Elton Brand finished with 20 points to help Philadelphia to a relatively easy victory over an Orlando team with only eight players available after two major trades.

Time to repeal the rule? NBA Commissioner David Stern instructed referees to crack down on animated player behavior, but the Lakers certainly weren't thrilled about it after Lamar Odom was hit with a technical foul in the final minute of the Lakers' 121-116 loss Sunday to Phoenix. "It's a bad, bad rule," Kobe Bryant said. "It's a bad one. It's subject to so much interpretation. I've been toeing the line here, so I don't want to [get fined]. It's something you have to be conscious of as a player, which kind of throws you off your game a little bit because basketball's such an emotional sport.

The Phoenix Suns have acquired forward Hedo Turkoglu in a trade that sends guard Leandro Barbosa and forward Dwayne Jones to Toronto. The deal gives the Suns a third forward in their attempt to replace free agent Amare Stoudemire . Phoenix signed swingman Josh Childress in a sign-and-trade deal with Atlanta earlier Wednesday and picked up Hakim Warrick in a similar swap with Chicago. Turkoglu spent one disappointing season with the Raptors, averaging 11.3 points after being named the NBA's most improved player with Orlando the year before as the Magic reached the NBA Finals.

To get right to what everyone wants to know, where LeBron James is going ... no one knows. You might think someone does, or you do, but no matter what anyone says, how often they say it, or how much the veins bulge in the neck of some whose initials are S.B. (Skip Bayless, an old friend), they don't. With James, who's nothing if not unwavering, insisting he'll decide after the season, one and only one thing counts: The Last Thing That Happens. That's the very last thing, the final game of the Finals, which provides a single image that stands as the snapshot of the season ... Kevin Garnett throwing back his head and crowing, Kobe Bryant captured in mid-leap ... after which, everyone knocks off for the summer.

at Orlando 96, Boston 94: Rashard Lewis made the go-ahead layup with 1.3 seconds remaining and the Magic overcame a 16-point deficit to beat the Celtics. Lewis took the ball after a broken play and sprinted down the baseline past Kevin Garnett for an uncontested layup. Rasheed Wallace missed a three-point shot at the buzzer, giving the Magic its second victory in three games against the Celtics this season. Lewis led the Magic with 23 points, and Dwight Howard overcame early foul trouble to finish with 19 points and 10 rebounds, including 11 points in the fourth quarter.