A familiarity with Magic coach Steve Clifford and his staff made signing with Orlando an easy decision for Michael Carter-Williams, relays Roy Parry of The Orlando Sentinel. Carter-Williams, who played for Clifford last season with the Hornets, inked a 10-day deal with the Magic yesterday to provide point guard depth after the loss of Isaiah Briscoe.
“Knowing the coaches and having a relationship with them makes it definitely easy for me to fit in, just to come in right away and already know some of the plays and defensive schemes and be ready to go,” Carter-Williams said.
He had been out of the NBA since being waived by the Bulls on January 7, shortly after being acquired in a trade with the Rockets. He is thrilled to get another shot at the NBA after averaging just 9.1 minutes in 16 games with Houston.
“Orlando was one of my places that I actually wanted to go,” Carter-Williams added. “I felt like it was a good spot for me. I felt like I could come in right away and help. And then having Coach Cliff, I know the system already, so when they called it was kind of a no-brainer.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Hornets fan may have to wait another year before management can drastically remake the team, writes Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Bismack Biyombo ($17MM), Marvin Williams ($15MM) and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist ($13MM) all have player options they are expected to exercise this summer. Bonnell expects the team to keep all three for another year rather than trying to seek trades, which would involve giving up other assets.
- The Hornets will take another look at whether to use a $7,819,725 trade exception in early July, Bonnell adds in the same piece. The exception expires on July 6, and the team will likely know the fate of free agents Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb by then. If both decide to leave Charlotte, the trade exception could be an easy path for the team to acquire a veteran replacement.
- Wizards coach Scott Brooks told reporters before tonight’s game that Jordan McRae could be spending a lot of time with the team through the end of the season, tweets Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. McRae is on a two-way contract, but his 45-day NBA limit won’t matter once the G League season ends on March 23.
The trade exception could be used to *acquire* a replacement player, not sign. Semantics, I know.
The only way Kemba sticks around is if they miraculously make the playoffs and/or he makes an all-nba team and qualifies for the super max. I’m not sure what Lambs cap hold is but it would be wise to keep it on the books and resign him using bird rights. Not sure Monk is working out and Lamb can really light folks up. Charlotte could be a good team to find out what it would take to swap Biyombo or MKG for JR in CLE. If they’ll take Monk and a 2nd you do it in a heartbeat but I think they want future draft capital.
Makit Malik for JR? NOO00oo. Basically duplicates Sexton.
MKG & a r1 would be ideal. Saves them maybe ten mil, if they need it. But they haven’t seemed in a rush to decide… After all it’s Walker’s call, not theirs.
Yeah I’m thinking the same thing about Monk. Not sure if it’s a change of scenery he needs or a change of profession (fake audience laugh here). To save $10MM I doubt Charlotte would give up a 1st though it’s possible. BKN got DEN’s 1st for taking on Faried who was making $13.7MM. Although Denver knew they’d be a playoff team so giving up a pick in the 20’s is not terrible. Now CHA would save about that much if they sent Biyombo for JR but do they need the space? I would imagine if they do resign Kemba and he wanted more help it could happen.
And if not they will just play it out ugly & start fresh in 2020 with their high pick.
Caps are at 109 & 132 for 19/20 and CHA is at about 105. Lamb is a quality FA 2G to retain also. They could use that additional 10-14 if they want to retain both.
MCW, the player everyone dates but no one marries.