From the first day of training camp, the Orlando Magic have made their goal for this season pretty clear.
"We're here to win a championship," center Dwight Howard announced. "Anything less won't be good enough." The Magic may be coming off their best season in 12 years -- 52 victories and a second-round playoff appearance -- but they want more this time around, believing all the pieces are in place.
Howard, 22, may be the face of the franchise, but the Magic no longer are viewed as a team with considerable potential for the future. They believe their future is now. There are eight players on the roster with five or more years of NBA experience.
Although they didn't make any dramatic changes this offseason, they made some subtle changes in hopes of building upon what they already had.
Veteran Tony Battie will be back after missing all of last season following rotator cuff surgery, firming up the frontcourt that surrounds Howard. And veteran guard Mickael Pietrus was the free agent they signed from Golden State to give them more defense in the backcourt.
The plan still is to start Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkogu at the forwards, but Battie will be used off the bench as a power forward, allowing Lewis to slide to small forward and Turkoglu to play at guard.
It should give the Magic more flexibility. Pietrus is expected to replace Maurice Evans at shooting guard. Evans was not re-signed and landed in Atlanta.
