Lewis, Arenas reflect on new circumstances

ORLANDO - His image still covers banners hanging on light posts surrounding Amway Center, and his former coach credits him with helping the $480 million hoops cathedral the Orlando Magic calls home get built, so it was impossible for Rashard Lewis to return, less than two months after he was traded, without getting a little sentimental.

"It definitely brings back a lot of memories - of trying to win a championship," Lewis said as he gazed at the giant high-definition scoreboard hanging above the arena floor.

Lewis won't be able to face his former team when the Washington Wizards play their final game before the all-star break, with right knee tendinitis forcing him to miss his third consecutive game. And as the Wizards came close to concluding practice on a court near the Magic practice facility, Lewis snuck away, hoping to visit some of his former teammates in the locker room.

When he arrived, Lewis saw that Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy was still conducting practice, so he decided to come back later because "you know how Stan is when they're practicing. I didn't want Stan screaming at me."

Lewis and the Wizards (15-38) will end the first half of the season with a reminder of where they have been, while trying to focus on the future.

Meanwhile, Gilbert Arenas, once the face of the Wizards franchise, will try to beat the team he represented for more than seven years for the second time in two weeks.

Still grappling with a diminished reserve role in Orlando, Arenas said that he isn't as pumped for this contest as he was when the Wizards used to play his first team, the Golden State Warriors. "It's not like the old days," Arenas said, cracking a smile. "If I was calling my own plays, it'd be exciting."

After the Magic defeated the Wizards, 110-91, at Verizon Center on Feb. 4, Lewis sauntered over to the visitor's locker room, where Arenas apologized to a player whose championship aspirations were squashed the moment he was swapped in exchange for Arenas on Dec. 18.

And while Arenas gets to end the season chasing what Lewis started the season believing was within his grasp, Lewis said he doesn't hold any grudges toward the Magic.

"No, not all," Lewis said. "I got the utmost respect for [Magic General Manager] Otis [Smith]. I think it's a first-class organization, most definitely one of the best in the NBA. It wasn't no hard feelings, wasn't no fussing and cussing. It was 'Thank you, I appreciate the opportunity you gave me.' . . . "If we can't win the NBA championship, the next team I want to win is Orlando."

Lewis still closely follows his former team, but Arenas said he usually just checks the box score to see how his close friend Nick Young fared, so that he could call or text him to talk trash or offer advice. Arenas said he hung out with Young when the Wizards arrived from Cleveland on Monday, joking, "He was my Valentine."

The Magic has gone 19-12 since making two huge trades two months ago, while the Wizards have continued to struggle, going 9-20 since adding Lewis.

Van Gundy said he expected Magic fans to show their appreciation for Lewis on Wednesday. "He was a key guy, if not the key guy, instrumental in really getting this franchise going to a much higher level and on top of that was a great pro, was a great teammate, a model citizen, involved in the community. I can't imagine anybody has anything but real positive feelings for him, so I would think his reception would be great."

Arenas hasn't shot or scored well since joining the Magic, averaging 8.1 points and shooting 34.9 percent, which he said is the result of adjusting to fewer minutes and a different system. He also said it isn't fair to compare him with a 6-foot-10 forward who starts for Washington because he and Lewis play different positions and serve different roles. "Even though we got traded for each other, I didn't take his spot coming in," Arenas said.

Magic point guard Jameer Nelson smiled as he walked by Arenas and joked, "Yeah, you did."

Lewis eventually made it to the Magic locker room on Tuesday. "He's a great guy to be around," Magic all-star center Dwight Howard said.

"We miss him in the locker room, but we also understand the business of the game. He's not upset with any of us and we miss him."