Orlando Magic Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southeast Notes: Carter-Williams, Hornets, McRae

March 16th, 2019 at 6:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

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.

Magic Sign Michael Carter-Williams To 10-Day Deal

March 15th, 2019 at 1:28pm CST by Luke Adams

1:28pm: The Magic have officially signed Carter-Williams to a 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release.

1:16pm: The Magic will add some depth at the point guard position by signing free agent Michael Carter-Williams to a 10-day contract, reports Josh Robbins of The Athletic (via Twitter). Orlando has a full 15-man roster, but won’t need to waive anyone to make room for Carter-Williams, as the team has been granted a hardship exception, per Robbins.

An NBA team can apply for an extra roster spot via the hardship provision when it has four players who have missed at least three games each and are expected to remain sidelined for the next two weeks. For Orlando, Markelle Fultz, Mohamed Bamba, and Timofey Mozgov remain on the shelf with long-term injuries. With Isaiah Briscoe out as well due to knee surgery, the Magic meet the requirements for that 16th roster spot.

Carter-Williams, a former Rookie of the Year, signed with the Rockets during the 2018 offseason, but wasn’t a great fit in Houston, appearing in just 16 games (9.1 MPG) for Mike D’Antoni‘s club before he was traded to the Bulls and subsequently waived in January. He has been a free agent since then.

Since breaking into the league in 2013/14, Carter-Williams’ career has trended in the wrong direction — he has seen his playing time and his scoring numbers decline in each of his five seasons since winning that Rookie of the Year award. Still, the Magic could be a good short-term fit for the 27-year-old.

Carter-Williams will reunite with Steve Clifford, his head coach last season in Charlotte. And with Briscoe unavailable, there could be point guard minutes available in Orlando behind starter D.J. Augustin. Jerian Grant has handled those minutes in Briscoe’s absence and held the backup job earlier in the season, but his play has been up and down and the Magic have struggled with him on the floor. The club has a -7.8 net rating when Grant plays, compared to a +1.9 rating when he sits.

The Magic remain in the hunt for a playoff spot in the East, just 1.5 games behind Miami for the No. 8 seed. If they so desire, they’ll be able to sign MCW to a second 10-day contract without waiving anyone once this deal ends, assuming none of those injured players are ready to return.

Carter-Williams will earn $99,290 on his 10-day deal, which will carry a cap hit of $85,458.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Isaiah Briscoe Undergoing Surgery To Repair Torn Meniscus

March 11th, 2019 at 12:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Magic backup point guard Isaiah Briscoe will undergo arthroscopic surgery this Wednesday to repair the torn meniscus in his right knee, the team announced today (via Twitter). According to the club, there’s no set timeline for Briscoe’s recovery — his return to basketball activities will hinge on how he responds to rehab after the surgery.

While it’s good news that the Magic aren’t ruling out Briscoe for the rest of the season, his chances of playing again in 2018/19 may not be great, especially if Orlando doesn’t clinch a playoff spot. The regular season ends in less than a month, and players who have undergone similar procedures in recent years typically miss more time than that.

This past fall, for example, Russell Westbrook had arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus on September 12 and returned to game action on October 21. Last season, Jimmy Butler underwent a similar procedure on his torn meniscus on February 25 and played his next game on April 6, returning just in time to help Minnesota clinch a playoff spot.

Every player’s injuries and recoveries are a little different, but it seems safe to assume that the Magic will be preparing for life without Briscoe for at least the next few weeks. In his absence, Jerian Grant will be first in line to assume backup point guard duties behind D.J. Augustin.

Grant, who held that primary backup role earlier in the season before Briscoe surpassed him on the depth chart, has averaged 4.2 PPG and 2.8 APG in 53 games (16.6 MPG) in 2018/19, with a shooting line of .414/.357/.684. The Magic have a -8.1 net rating with Grant on the court this season, compared to a +1.5 rating when he sits.

The Magic currently rank ninth in the Eastern Conference, a game behind Miami for the No. 8 seed.

Briscoe Suffers Small Meniscus Tear; Weltman Q&A

March 8th, 2019 at 5:03pm CST by Luke Adams

An MRI on Isaiah Briscoe‘s injured right knee revealed a small meniscus tear, the Magic announced today (via Twitter). According to the club, Briscoe has been ruled out for tonight’s game against Dallas and treatment options are being evaluated.

It’s a tough break for the Magic, as Briscoe had recently taken the reins from Jerian Grant as the club’s backup point guard behind D.J. Augustin. Depending on how the Magic and Briscoe decide to treat his meniscus tear, he could miss significant time, which would put pressure on Grant to re-assume a key role during Orlando’s playoff push.

If the Magic decide to look outside of the organization for veteran help at the point guard position, there are plenty of options available, including Tim Frazier and Jarrett Jack. For now though, Grant appears set to become Augustin’s primary backup once more.

In an extensive Q&A with Roy Parry of The Orlando Sentinel, Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman discusses Markelle Fultz‘s rehab process, what it would mean to the franchise to make the playoffs, and 2019’s free agent period, particularly as it relates to Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross. Weltman was extremely noncommittal when asked about a recovery timetable for Fultz, whom head coach Steve Clifford is not expecting back this season.

NBA Execs Predict Market For D’Angelo Russell

March 7th, 2019 at 11:16am CST by Luke Adams

As I noted on Wednesday when I singled out a few restricted free agents poised to land lucrative multiyear deals this summer, few RFAs-to-be are better positioned than D’Angelo Russell.

The Nets‘ point guard has enjoyed a breakout season in 2018/19, establishing new career highs in PPG (20.5), APG (6.8), FG% (.436), 3PT% (.368), and a number of other categories. He has been a driving force behind Brooklyn’s push for a playoff spot, and is expected to cash in in a big way during the 2019 offseason.

With that in mind, Michael Scotto of The Athletic spoke to a handful of executives around the NBA to get a sense of what Russell’s market might look like this July. The consensus? He should be among 2019’s highest-paid free agents.

“He has had a great year,” an Eastern Conference general manager said of Russell. “There’s no reason to believe he will not stay at this level.”

“He’s going to be in high demand and will get close to max with his overall improvement,” a Western Conference executive told Scotto.

As our early maximum salary projections for 2019/20 show, based on a $109MM salary cap, Russell could earn a contract worth up to $158.05MM over five years with the Nets. If he signs with another team, his projected max would be $117.18MM over four years. That raises another question: Will the 23-year-old re-sign with Brooklyn or ink an offer sheet with another team, forcing the Nets to make a tough decision?

While Scotto doesn’t explicitly identify any teams that will pursue Russell this offseason, he notes that the Pacers, Suns, and Magic are among the clubs expected to be in the market for a point guard. Indiana has the most cap flexibility of the three, but Phoenix and Orlando could both create the space necessary to pursue Russell, depending on their roster moves.

The Nets also have a history, under GM Sean Marks, of making aggressive offers to rival RFAs, having forced the Heat, Trail Blazers, and Wizards to match big-money deals for Tyler Johnson, Allen Crabbe, and Otto Porter, respectively. At least one of the executives who spoke to Scotto wondered if another club will turn the tables on Brooklyn this time around.

“I think D’Angelo is worth around $20MM (annually),” the longtime Eastern exec said. “Is this payback time for the Nets? Will teams offer him the way they (Nets) did for Crabbe, Porter, and Johnson? I think he turned the corner. I think he has a chip on his shoulder.”

Briscoe Brings Toughness To Orlando; Vucevic Undecided On World Cup

March 6th, 2019 at 7:47pm CST by Arthur Hill

Isaiah Briscoe‘s journey to the NBA took a detour through Estonia, but that experience has given him a toughness that benefits the Magic, writes John Denton of NBA.com. Briscoe was passed over in the 2017 draft and had to spend a year in Europe before receiving an NBA opportunity. “Isaiah is a tough-minded kid, undrafted and went overseas to get to the league, so he has a chip on his shoulder, and he has that mindset,’’ said teammate D.J. Augustin. “He’s a big, physical body for a point guard and he uses it out there well.’’
Magic center Nikola Vucevic hasn’t decided if World Cup basketball will be part of his summer plans, he said in an interview with TrendBasket (translated by Sportando). Vucevic indicated that Orlando’s postseason fate could determine whether he suits up for Montenegro. “I have not decided yet,” he said. “First we have to finish the season where we are trying to make the playoffs. We are focused on making the playoffs now. I will be free agent when the season ends. I am going to be busy for a while. I hope my situation will be clearer in July.”

Clifford: Magic Don’t Expect Fultz To Play This Season

March 5th, 2019 at 11:38am CST by Luke Adams

When the Magic acquired Markelle Fultz from the Sixers at the trade deadline last month, reports indicated that the team would be patient with the former No. 1 pick, who was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome and ruled out indefinitely in December.

Head coach Steve Clifford confirmed as much during an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio on Monday, indicating that the team doesn’t expect Fultz to play this season (audio link).

“I don’t think so,” Clifford said, when asked if we’d see Fultz again in 2018/19. “He’s still actually rehabbing his shoulder, and he’s not even able to really do much on the floor yet. It’s a pretty significant shoulder injury, and I would say he’s starting to do a little bit, but it would be very difficult for him to get back this year.”

After being limited to just 14 games in his rookie season in Philadelphia, Fultz appeared in 19 contests for the Sixers in 2018/19, averaging 8.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 3.1 APG. He continued to struggle with his shot, posting a line of .419/.286/.568 and displaying unusual form on free throws, leading to the new diagnosis of his shoulder issue.

Despite Fultz’s struggles in his first two seasons, the Magic remain high on 2017’s top pick, who is still just 20 years old. Orlando surrendered Jonathon Simmons and a pair of future draft picks for Fultz in February, even though the team recognized he was unlikely to contribute this season.

D.J. Augustin has been a fairly steady presence at the point for Orlando this season, posting 11.5 PPG and 4.9 APG on .473/.436/.858 shooting. However, the backup production from Isaiah Briscoe and Jerian Grant has been inconsistent. Nonetheless, with Fultz not expected to be ready to return until next season, the Magic will have to continue to rely on Briscoe and/or Grant or turn to the free agent market for help as they attempt to secure a playoff spot.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 3/1/19

March 1st, 2019 at 8:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Friday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

The Lakers recalled rookie wing Isaac Bonga from the G League in advance of Friday’s game against Milwaukee, the team announced (via Twitter). Bonga was held to just three points on 1-of-6 shooting in South Bay’s loss on Thursday.
The Kings have recalled forward Caleb Swanigan from their G League affiliate, according to a press release. Swanigan, acquired in a deadline deal last month, has yet to appear in a game for Sacramento, having instead earned playing time for the Stockton Kings.
After posting a double-double (23 points, 10 rebounds) in a triple-overtime win for the Greensboro Swarm on Thursday, Dwayne Bacon was recalled from the G League today by the Hornets, the team announced in a press release.
The Spurs have recalled rookie Chimezie Metu from the G League, per an announcement from the club. Metu played for the Austin Spurs on Thursday, recording 15 points and 10 boards off the bench.
Rookie shooting guard Melvin Frazier was recalled from the G League by the Magic, the team announced (via Twitter). Frazier has appeared in 16 games for Orlando’s affiliate, the Lakeland Magic, this season, most recently posting 14 points, eight rebounds, and four steals for the squad on Tuesday.
The Jazz recalled little-used second-year center Tony Bradley from the Salt Lake City Stars today, according to the team. The 2017 first-round pick has appeared in just one game for Utah this season.

Players Credit Steve Clifford For Increasing Toughness

March 1st, 2019 at 10:17am CST by Arthur Hill

The Magic have learned how to handle adversity and the players are crediting new coach Steve Clifford for bringing toughness to the team, relays Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Orlando overcame a late deficit to surprise the Warriors last night, moving into the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference. “I think it starts at the top, with the toughness of Coach Cliff,” Jonathan Isaac said. “It definitely has trickled down. We definitely feel ourselves as a more resilient, more mentally tough team, because we work for it. We work hard. We come in every day, and we work towards being mentally tough, and it shows out there.”

Clifford Draws From His Van Gundy Experiences

February 25th, 2019 at 9:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Magic coach Steve Clifford follows the coaching philosophy of former Pistons coach and executive Stan Van Gundy, according to John Denton of the team’s website. Clifford was an assistant when Van Gundy was head coach in Orlando. “Stan used to say, and we do this all the time, ‘We prepare for every game like it’s a playoff game.’ We go over 10 plays every game, while a lot of teams wait until the playoffs,” Clifford said. “Sometimes people want to say, ‘It’s a big game,’ but you prepare to play important games in September. … That’s the approach we’ve had all the way through.”