The Magic have officially signed 2019 first-round pick Chuma Okeke to his rookie contract, the team announced today in a press release.
Orlando drafted Okeke with the 16th overall selection last year, having reached an agreement to essentially redshirt him for his first professional season as he recovered from the ACL injury he suffered during the NCAA tournament while playing for Auburn.
The 22-year-old forward signed a G League contract and spent the year rehabbing with the Lakeland Magic, Orlando’s NBAGL affiliate.
Because the NBA’s salary cap didn’t move at all for the 2020/21 season, Okeke will sign the same rookie contract this year that he would’ve received a year ago. Assuming he gets 120% of the standard rookie scale amount, his deal will be worth about $3.12MM in year one and $15.1MM over four years.
Have to worry about the motor on a guy who opts to take a year off…troubling for the Magic, if you ask me
He was injured and the Magic wanted to have him in the G-League. Okeke is a nice young player.
He was recovering from ACL surgery, it was a great move for the magic to push his deal down the road and a great move for him to get healthy.
Yeah, it sucks when players choose to get injured so they can stay home.
What worries me is that you can read those paragraphs and somehow come away with that opinion. Not only was he hurt, but he spent the year with the Magic’s G League team rehabbing, not sitting at home.
I’m sure this guy commenting would’ve been back from a torn ACL in 5 months. Lol. They basically get an extra year worth of rookie contract for him. He would’ve missed most of the season anyways. Why pay him full scale to sit?
Yeah well I will be more than happy to be proven wrong. Until then…that is my opinion and you can take it or leave it…your choice
Worrying, really worrying! But I will leave, right?
We can only hope…time will be the cruel judge that it is…and so it goes as usual, as always.
You’ve already been proven wrong.
Okeke’s high motor at Auburn was key part of his allure + he was not sitting around, he was literally rehabbing an ACL tear.
Today Magic GM, Jeff Weltman, literally described him as a “machine” in describing Okeke working on his rehab and preparation for this season.
If you want to double down on a ridiculously uninformed hot take, that’s your choice.
Well what are they supposed to say, hes a bum? The guy they picked at 16? Stop being a homer and think about it logically
Well they literally used a 1st round pick on him so they obviously think he’s good…stop being a moron and educate yourself.
Moron? Wow. When it resorts to name calling then I KNOW I’m arguing with someone intelligent….idiot. And for the record if you actually read my comments, I said I’d be HAPPY to be wrong about this kid. I hope I am. I have no reason not to want Orlando to succeed. But the reality is I’m not holding my breath. You shouldn’t either.
You don’t get the sport of basketball and are a bad fan in general
Get a new hobby because basketball fandom ain’t it kid
Lol you know who you’re talking to right? I’m one of the most respected commenters on this board. Case in point: my posts are about basketball, yours are about me.
A healthy Okeke from the last draft would have shed some light on the evaluation of Okoro this draft. He could go 4 thru 15. Which, is not unusual this draft!
Define unusual?