Cohen 8-Ball: Magic Year in Review
OPTING IN: Aside from one difficult stretch in late January, the Magic were generally playing well and gradually the mood around Dwight Howard altered a bit. As some expected, Howard’s frustration and craving to be traded softened up. Around the deadline, Orlando won several straight, including a memorable triumph over rival Miami and instead of insisting he still be traded, D12 decided to opt in to the final year of his contract. It was assumed at that point that perhaps Howard changed his mind and wanted to stay in Orlando long term.
