Orlando Magic Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Jalen Suggs Expected To Return Friday For Magic

January 13th, 2022 at 4:23pm CST by Rory Maher

Magic rookie Jalen Suggs, the No. 5 overall pick of the 2021 draft, is expected to return to action on Friday against Charlotte, writes Dan Savage of the team’s website. Suggs has been sidelined with a fractured right thumb since November 29, missing the team’s past 20 games.

Although he was unable to play in games, Suggs has traveled with the team and has been engaged on the sidelines, according to head coach Jamahl Mosley.

“He’s used the time, obviously, sitting with the coaches, studying film, understanding things on the sideline,” Mosley said. “You’ll see him sometimes get up and throw suggestions and things that he sees. I think that’s fantastic. Our guys are so engaged with one another that they understand what we’re asking them to do.”

We noted on Tuesday that Suggs and Markelle Fultz had resumed practicing with the team, so perhaps Fultz won’t be too far behind. Fultz has been recovering from a torn left ACL suffered at the beginning of last season and has yet to play in 2021/22.

Through 21 contests (27.8 MPG), all starts, Suggs is averaging 12.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.6 APG and 1.1 SPG. His counting stats are solid, but like many rookies, he’s struggled with efficiency, committing 3.2 turnovers per game with a poor shooting line of .339/.255/.763. He will look to improve upon those numbers when he returns for the rebuilding Magic, who currently have the worst record in the NBA at 7-35.

Southeast Notes: Morris, McMillan, Hunter, Magic

January 11th, 2022 at 8:32pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Heat power forward Markieff Morris, who has been sidelined since suffering a neck injury thanks to a hard foul from Nuggets center Nikola Jokic on November 8, will have to fight to gain back rotational time he has lost, opines writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Winderman notes that Miami opted to bring in Morris as the first backup power forward behind starter P.J. Tucker in the 10 games this season when Morris was healthy, but that the team may consider small-ball lineups with versatile reserve wings Caleb Martin or Max Strus playing nominal power forward minutes for the Heat.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

Hawks head coach Nate McMillan reflected on his time in the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols and away from his players, per Sarah K. Spencer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. McMillan recently cleared protocols and has returned to coaching the team. “I’ve never had to go through anything like that,” McMillan said. “To coach during this time with COVID, some of my guys, it’s been close to a month since I’ve seen them.” The Hawks, who had 13 players in the protocols at one point in late December, are currently 17-22, the No. 12 seed in the East.
Hawks small forward De’Andre Hunter is nearing his return to the team, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic (Twitter link), who reports that Hunter played in a full five-on-five team practice today. Trainers must green-light Hunter’s return to game action, which could happen as soon as tomorrow against the Heat, per head coach Nate McMillan. Hunter underwent surgery on his right wrist in mid-November. In 11 contests with Atlanta this season, he averaged 10.8 PPG on .450/.395/.400 shooting, along with 2.7 RPG and 0.6 SPG.
Young Magic point guards Jalen Suggs and Markelle Fultz have resumed practicing with the team, according to Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel. Power forward Jonathan Isaac, who has been absent since tearing his ACL in August 2020, is inching towards a return of his own, though Suggs and Fultz appear closer to rejoining their Orlando teammates on the hardwood. Fultz tore his left ACL early in the 2020/21 NBA season and has been absent ever since. Suggs continues to wear a splint for the fractured thumb on his right hand. Exact return timelines for Suggs and Fultz have not been determined.

Trade Rumors: Simmons, T. Harris, Magic, Wolves, Cavs

January 11th, 2022 at 8:50am CST by Luke Adams

After reporting last week that the Sixers‘ preferred outcome would be to have Ben Simmons play for the team this season and then revisit his trade market in the offseason, Marc Stein said in his latest Substack article that teams around the NBA are skeptical about that stance. As Stein notes, it could be a negotiating ploy to try to get potential trade partners to improve their offers, since the odds of Simmons acquiescing to Philadelphia’s wishes and reporting to the team this season still appear extremely slim.

Stein also reported last week that the Hawks are a team to watch in the Simmons sweepstakes, a subject that ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Marc J. Spears discussed in the latest episode of Windhorst’s Hoop Collective podcast.

As RealGM relays, Windhorst and Spears have both heard the Sixers are exploring the concept of attaching Tobias Harris to Simmons in any deal. Theoretically, those two players could produce a greater trade return than Simmons on his own, but Harris’ shooting numbers are down this year and his contract isn’t exactly team-friendly — he and Simmons are earning a combined $69MM this season, which would create salary-matching complications.

According to Spears, the Hawks were more interested in discussing just Simmons than trying to construct a deal that also included Harris.

Here are a few more trade rumors and notes from across the league:

Rival executives have said the Magic are shopping veteran wings Gary Harris and Terrence Ross, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. However, those execs remain unsure what Orlando’s plan is for Mohamed Bamba, who is playing well this season. Bamba will be eligible for restricted free agency in the summer and Orlando has already signed another young center – Wendell Carter Jr. – to a long-term extension.
HoopsHype relays a pair of Timberwolves tidbits, noting that Darren Wolfson said on his The Scoop w/Doogie podcast that Minnesota has talked to the Pacers about Myles Turner. Appearing on the same podcast with Wolfson, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst suggested that the Wolves have offered virtually whatever pieces they can besides Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards to the Sixers for Ben Simmons.
Identifying possible trade targets for the Cavaliers outside of Caris LeVert, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter link) named Celtics guard Dennis Schröder, Jazz forward Joe Ingles, and Raptors guard Goran Dragic as some players that will likely pique Cleveland’s interest. Fedor also mentioned Kyle Anderson, though he cautioned that he’s not sure whether the Grizzlies would move Anderson.

Magic Extend Execs Jeff Weltman, John Hammond Through 2026

January 10th, 2022 at 12:35pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic have signed president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman and general manager John Hammond to contract extensions that run through the 2025/26 season, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Weltman and Hammond took the reins in Orlando’s front office during the spring of 2017, after the club parted ways with former GM Rob Hennigan.

Since then, the Magic have a record of just 128-222 (.366), with a single winning season in 2018/19 (42-40). The team made the playoffs twice, but was eliminated in the first round by a 4-1 margin in both 2019 and 2020.

Although that résumé doesn’t look particularly impressive on paper, Wojnarowski says (via Twitter) that team ownership is pleased with the direction of the Magic’s rebuild following last season’s decision to blow up the roster by trading veterans Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon, and Evan Fournier.

Since then, Orlando has hired a new head coach (Jamahl Mosley) and drafted two promising young prospects in the 2021 lottery: Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner. Additionally, 2020 first-rounder Cole Anthony has taken a major step forward, averaging 19.9 PPG through his first 27 games this season, and the Magic are owed two first-round picks and five second-rounders by 2027, having hung onto all of their own draft picks.

The club also should get former lottery picks Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac back from ACL tears at some point this season, and is in a great position to land another top-five pick in 2022 — the Magic’s 7-34 record puts them atop this season’s “reverse standings.”

COVID-19 Updates: Powell, Kings, Pacers, Lopez, Springer, Pons

January 10th, 2022 at 8:51am CST by Luke Adams

Trail Blazers wing Norman Powell entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Sunday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

As our tracker shows, Powell is currently the only Portland player in the protocols. However, the Trail Blazers are also missing Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum due to injuries, so Powell’s absence means the team is without its three top scorers. Lillard, McCollum, and Powell are averaging a combined 63.2 points per game so far this season.

Here are more protocol-related updates from around the NBA:

The Kings added one big man – center Damian Jones – to the protocols on Sunday as another – forward/center Chimezie Metu – exited, per reports from James Ham of ESPN 1320 and Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter links).
Pacers swingman Torrey Craig and center Isaiah Jackson were back at practice on Sunday, signaling they’ve cleared the protocols, tweets James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star. Indiana still has four players in the protocols.
Robin Lopez remained sidelined for Sunday’s game vs. Washington, but the Magic center was no longer listed in the protocols, having progressed to return to competition reconditioning (Twitter link via Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel).
Sixers rookie Jaden Springer has exited the protocols, but has been ruled out for Monday’s game in Houston due to a non-COVID illness, as Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays (via Twitter).
Grizzlies two-way player Yves Pons was placed in the health and safety protocols on Saturday, but was no longer listed in the protocols for Sunday’s game, suggesting he registered a false positive or inconclusive test (Twitter links).

Southeast Notes: Schofield, Beal, Hachimura, Bryant, Collins

January 8th, 2022 at 5:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

Admiral Schofield spent several months trying to earn a spot with the Magic, so he was thrilled to sign a two-way contract this week, writes Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel. The 24-year-old forward signed with Orlando in September, but was waived after training camp. He spent time with the team’s G League affiliate in Lakeland and inked a pair of 10-day hardship contracts before earning a more permanent position on Thursday.

“In the summer I set out to be here in this organization,” Schofield said. “The opportunity didn’t present itself right away, but believing in the organization and what the organization believes in is a blessing. I love the direction this organization is going. Me being on this team, I can help add to that culture.”

Schofield was the 42nd pick in the 2019 draft and began his career in Washington. During the following offseason, he was traded to the Thunder, who released him before the season began. He continued his career in the G League and took advantage of the opportunity he got as a hardship replacement, averaging 4.8 points and 3.1 rebounds in his first nine games with Orlando.

“Lakeland Magic just gave me a lot of reps,” Schofield said. “A lot of opportunities to practice and see how I fit into the top team in the Orlando Magic. Being on a two-way contract, there’s a high possibility I’ll be back down there and I’ll be excited to step into that opportunity even more.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Bradley Beal‘s name isn’t being mentioned in trade rumors this year, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst states on his latest podcast (hat tip to RealGM). A popular trade target in past seasons, the Wizards guard is expected to opt out of his contract and test free agency this summer.
Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington looks at how the Wizards will incorporate Rui Hachimura and Thomas Bryant now that both players have cleared the health and safety protocols. Hachimura hasn’t played this season due to personal reasons, and Bryant is recovering from ACL surgery. Both will come off the bench initially as they compete for minutes in the team’s rotation.
John Collins is as frustrated as anyone by the Hawks‘ poor defensive efforts, tweets Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I’ve banged my head on the wall a couple times trying to figure it out myself,” Collins said after Atlanta gave up 134 points in Friday’s loss to the Lakers. “There’s really no excuse.”

COVID-19 Updates: Pacers, Kidd, Fultz, Tre Jones, Daigneault, A. Brooks

January 7th, 2022 at 5:07pm CST by Rory Maher

Justin Anderson and Torrey Craig have become the latest Pacers players to enter the league’s health and safety protocols, per James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star (via Twitter). The Pacers now have six players in protocols. Craig signed a two-year, $10MM deal with Indiana last summer, while Anderson just signed a 10-day hardship contract with the team last week.

On the bright side, Pacers assistant coach Lloyd Pierce has cleared the protocols and has returned to the team, tweets Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files.

Here are some more COVID-related updates:

Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has entered the protocols, with assistant coach Sean Sweeney set to take over his duties Friday night in Houston, sources tell Marc Stein of Substack (Twitter link). Kidd is the 13th head coach to enter the protocols.
Markelle Fultz isn’t ready to return from his torn ACL yet, but he has exited the protocols for the Magic, according to Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter).
The Spurs‘ outbreak continues, with Tre Jones being the sixth player currently in the protocols, tweets Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault has cleared the protocols and will resume his duties Friday vs. Minnesota, the team tweets.
Rockets guard Armoni Brooks has exited the protocols and is listed as available for Friday’s game against the Mavs, as Mark Berman of Fox 26 (KRIV) relays (Twitter link).

Magic Sign Admiral Schofield To Two-Way Deal, Waive Mychal Mulder

January 6th, 2022 at 3:46pm CST by Rory Maher

The Magic announced in a press release (via Twitter) that they’ve signed forward Admiral Schofield to a two-way contract, and in order to do so they’ve waived guard Mychal Mulder.

Schofield recently completed two 10-day contracts with Orlando via hardship exceptions, and the team decided to keep him around. In nine games with the Magic this season, he is averaging 4.8 PPG and 3.1 RPG in 16.9 MPG.

The Magic previously signed Schofield to an Exhibit 10 training camp deal, but he was waived ahead of the regular season. He’d been playing with Orlando’s G League affiliate in Lakeland prior to the call-up, averaging 14.4 PPG and 7.3 RPG in 12 games (33.0 MPG).

The combo forward out of Tennessee was originally drafted with the No. 42 pick in 2019 by the Sixers, before being sent to the Wizards in a draft-night trade. Across 33 NBA appearances during his 2019/20 rookie season with Washington, the 24-year-old Schofield averaged 3.0 PPG and 1.4 RPG in 11.2 MPG.

Mulder spent three seasons in the G League after going undrafted out of Kentucky in 2017. He signed a 10-day contract with Golden State in February of 2020 and played well enough to earn a multi-year deal. The 27-year-old played 60 games for Golden State last season, averaging 5.6 PPG and 1.0 RPG with a .397 3PT% in 12.8 MPG. He remained with the Warriors through the preseason, but was waived in the team’s final round of cuts.

Mulder inked a two-way deal with Orlando on October 26, but he struggled to make an impact during his stint with the Magic this season, averaging 3.7 PPG and 1.4 RPG on .299/.283/1.000 shooting in 15 games (13 MPG).

Southeast Notes: Hawks, Magic, Wagner, Bryant

January 5th, 2022 at 10:05pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After a remarkable 2021 postseason run that saw them reach the Eastern Conference Finals, the Hawks have staggered out of the gate in 2021/22. The team is off to a 16-20 start and currently occupies the conference’s No. 12 seed. Chris Kirschner and John Hollinger of The Athletic discuss several potential trades for Atlanta. Kirschner and Hollinger identify a defensive upgrade on the wing as the ideal priority for the club.

Hollinger pinpoints the expiring mid-sized deals of Lou Williams, Gorgui Dieng and Delon Wright, as well as intriguing young players such as Cam Reddish, Onyeka Okongwu and Jalen Johnson, as possible trade chips that team president Travis Schlenk could look to move. Kirschner considers the Pacers and Celtics to be amenable to making deals that could suit the Hawks’ needs.

The Hawks would be open to offloading some of their depth to add a high-impact player in a two-for-one deal, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic in another piece. Amick suggests that forwards Danilo Gallinari and Reddish may be the most likely players to be moved.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

Several Magic players signed to 10-day hardship exception deals will soon discover their fates with the club, writes Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel. Hassani Gravett, Admiral Schofield, Tim Frazier and Freddie Gillespie are the team’s four current hardship exception signings. The contracts of Gravett and Schofield, who signed their second 10-day deals with Orlando in late December, expire today. “The one thing is these guys understand what we’re asking them to do,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said. “Their ability to move the basketball, sit down and defend the right way — no matter who’s out there, they’re coming in and doing their jobs.”
Rookie Magic small forward Franz Wagner, selected with the eighth pick out of Michigan, has emerged as one of the prime bright spots for the 7-32 team this season, writes Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.
Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. has revealed that center Thomas Bryant, still recuperating from ACL surgery, could rejoin Washington within the next two weeks, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link).

Joel Embiid, Donovan Mitchell Named Players Of The Month

January 4th, 2022 at 2:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Sixers big man Joel Embiid has been named December’s Player of the Month for the Eastern Conference, while Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell has earned the honor for the Western Conference, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).

It was a healthy month for Embiid, who appeared in all but one of Philadelphia’s 14 games in December and led the team to an 8-5 record in those contests — the 76ers were blown out by 35 points in the only game he missed. The star center averaged 29.2 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.5 SPG, and 1.3 BPG on .496/.391/.845 shooting in 34.5 minutes per game for the month.

Mitchell, meanwhile, appeared in 12 of Utah’s 14 December games, putting up 30.2 PPG, 5.0 APG, 3.2 RPG, and 1.2 SPG with a shooting line of .502/.377/.870 in 34.2 minutes per night. The Jazz had a 12-2 month, including 10-2 in games with Mitchell available.

Embiid beat out fellow nominees Giannis Antetokounmpo, DeMar DeRozan, Kevin Durant, Darius Garland, Kyle Lowry, and Fred VanVleet in the East. The other Western nominees were Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Twitter link).

The NBA also announced the Rookies of the Month for December today, with Magic forward Franz Wagner and Thunder guard Josh Giddey earning the honors in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference, respectively.

Wagner’s Magic went just 3-11 in December, but he solidified his position as a legitimate Rookie of the Year candidate, averaging 19.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 3.1 APG on .476/.404/.889 shooting in 34.0 MPG. Giddey, who won his second straight Rookie of the Month award, missed five games, including the Thunder’s 73-point loss to Memphis. In the 10 games he played, Oklahoma City went 6-4 and he averaged 11.8 PPG, 7.1 RPG, and 6.7 APG.