The Magic have reached a three-year agreement with one of their own free agents, center Goga Bitadze, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. The contract will be worth $25MM.
Orlando signed Bitadze midway through the 2022/23 season after the Pacers waived the former first-round selection. The Magic then exercised their $2.07MM team option on him last summer.
Bitadze started 33 games last season, appearing in 62, and averaged 5.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.2 blocks per contest.
Bitadze has a minimum cap hold that will put the Magic in position to go over the cap to re-sign him with his Early Bird rights, cap expert Yossi Gozlan tweets. That would allow the Magic to preserve their remaining $27MM in cap space and still have the $8MM room exception at their disposal.
The Knicks were viewed as a possible suitor for Bitadze, but reporting earlier today indicated that the Magic were prepared to offer more for him that New York could realistically put on the table.
Bitadze figures to once again back up Wendell Carter Jr. Orlando declined its team option on Moritz Wagner but could still work out another contract with the 27-year-old big man.
Nice backup, wish the Pacers would let Isaiah Jackson go so he can also finally develop instead of riding the bench
People complaining about Derick White making 3oM a year when Goga makes 8M a year is what’s wrong with America.
To be fair a good good swath of y’all have zero idea what your talking about, yourself included
To be fair, you have absolutely no idea what I think about anything. I’m completely insincere.
True how could I , you sure don’t
There goes another possible Knicks addition. Rolling with Mitch/Sims, maybe.
There’s a bunch of floor spacing bigs available, plus Randle finally plays more 5 this year…
Yup last big standing imo
Plumlee fir the min was nice too but he’s gone as well
Gotta wonder what lakers Knicks have up thier sleeve, they both can’t sit idle as currently stands at the 5
I like Jackson too but he’s not a starter. He’s alright for now backing up Turner.
man the nba is wild these days
5 points and 4 reb gets you $25 million
+21 net rating per 100 possessions, shoots 60%, offensive rebounds, defends around their switchable defenders, makes plays from certain areas of the floor…
Yep. If he had more minutes he’d would easily average a double/double. Perfectly fine as a backup C.
averaged 2 buckets/game last year.
so he’s earning $12 mil for every shot that goes in
you could bring up any alternative statistics and #s your heart desires. that is just plain crazy
Counting stats and winning aren’t always the same thing
and he enforces security in the tunnels.
on days when he doesnt make it into the game, he also works as an usher and helps people find their seats. the magic expect to get every penny’s worth from this deal, make no mistake
This guy showed some good things this. He’s going to get better and has positional size. Wonder if Wagner stays ????
I read rumors Magic might move Carter.
Mother F , this was my laker target all along
They can’t go into next year counting on Hayes/wood
Oh, you’re a Lakers fan. No wonder you’re so salty.