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Fournier's Future With Franchise Looks Dim

December 22nd, 2020 at 9:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The rookie scale extensions handed to Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac could impact the futures of Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon with the Magic, Josh Robbins of The Athletic opines. Fournier is entering his walk year and with the money expended on Fultz and Isaac, it would be tough for the club to re-sign Fournier and remain under the luxury tax, Robbins notes. Gordon and Isaac are best suited as power forwards, so when Isaac returns from his knee injury after this season, Gordon is likely to be dealt, Robbins adds.

  • In a separate piece, Robbins examines how various players on the Magic saw their stock drop or fall during training camp. Notably, rookies Cole Anthony and Chuma Okeke saw their stock rise as members of the second unit in preseason games.
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James Ennis Out For Magic's Opener

December 22nd, 2020 at 12:20pm CST by Luke Adams
  • Magic swingman James Ennis will miss the first game of the season due to hamstring and calf injuries and his status beyond that game is questionable, head coach Steve Clifford said today (Twitter link via Roy Parry of The Orlando Sentinel).
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Magic Sign Jonathan Isaac To Four-Year Extension

December 21st, 2020 at 5:02pm CST by Luke Adams

5:02pm: The Magic have officially signed Isaac to his extension, the team announced in a press release.

4:31pm: Shortly after reaching an agreement on an extension for Markelle Fultz, the Magic have done the same for Jonathan Isaac. Agent Jeff Wechsler tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link) that Isaac and the Magic have agreed to a four-year, $80MM deal, which will begin in 2021/22.

Isaac was on his way to a breakout year in 2019/20, having averaged career highs in PPG (11.9), RPG (6.8), BPG (2.3), SPG (1.6), and a handful of other categories in the 34 games (28.8 MPG) he played.

However, a severe left knee sprain and bone bruise sidelined him on January 1, and his comeback effort during the Orlando summer restart was abruptly halted in early August by a torn left ACL.

Despite the fact that Isaac will miss the entire 2020/21 season while rehabilitating that knee injury, the Magic were willing to lock in a new deal for him early, preventing him from reaching restricted free agency in 2021. That signals not only that Orlando views the 23-year-old as an important part of its future, but also that the team feels good about where he’s at in his recovery and rehab process.

While it remains to be seen how Isaac’s offensive game will develop, he’s already one of the NBA’s most talented and versatile defenders when he’s healthy. If he returns to full health and improves on offense, the contract could actually end up being a bargain for the Magic, but it’s still a significant roll of the dice for the club.

Isaac will earn $7.36MM in the final year of his rookie scale contract in 2020/21 before his new deal begins. He’s the eighth player to agree to a rookie scale extension this offseason, narrowly beating Monday’s deadline (5:00pm central time).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Magic Sign Markelle Fultz To Three-Year Extension

December 21st, 2020 at 5:01pm CST by Luke Adams

5:01pm: Fultz’s extension is now official, according to the Magic.

4:18pm: The Magic have agreed to sign former No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz to a three-year rookie scale extension worth $50MM, agent Raymond Brothers tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The deal, which will begin in 2021/22 after Fultz earns $12.3MM this season, includes a third-year team option, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Philadelphia traded up in the 2017 draft to select Fultz, but he was limited to 33 games in a season-and-a-half with the Sixers, as he dealt with a troublesome shoulder injury and struggled to regain the form that made him the top prospect in his class.

After being dealt to the Magic at the 2019 trade deadline, Fultz stayed healthy for the team last season, averaging 12.1 PPG, 5.1 APG, and 3.3 RPG on .465/.267/.730 shooting in 72 games (27.7 MPG). Orlando has been “thrilled” with his progress and views him as a key part of the team’s future, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Fultz’s new deal is an interesting one for him and the Magic, and is comparable to a few other rookie scale extensions signed in the last couple years by players who have dealt with injuries. Luke Kennard‘s new four-year, $56MM contract (which includes $8MM in additional incentives) is in the same range, as is Dejounte Murray‘s deal from a year ago (four years, $64MM, plus $6MM in incentives).

The closest comparable may be the three-year, $52.5MM extension Caris LeVert signed with the Nets a year ago. Like LeVert, Fultz only signed for three years, putting him in position to potentially reach unrestricted free agency in his prime — he’ll be just 26 years old when his new contract expires.

Fultz is one of two Magic players to reach an agreement today on a rookie scale extension, joining fellow franchise cornerstone Jonathan Isaac.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Magic Place Three Players On Waivers

December 19th, 2020 at 9:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Magic have waived their three Exhibit 10 players, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Gone are guard Devin Cannady, forward Robert Franks and center Jon Teske.

The Magic also signed and waived undrafted guard Jeff Dowtin, who averaged 13.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 3.2 APG on .429/.360/.757 as a senior at Rhode Island last season. His very brief stint on the roster was for G League rights purposes.

Orlando is now down to the league limit of 15 players, all with guaranteed contracts, plus two-way players Jordan Bone and Karim Mane.

Cannady was in camp with the Nets last season and played for their G League affiliate in Long Island. Franks divided last year between the Hornets’ and Kings’ teams in the G League. Teske signed with the Magic after going undrafted out of Michigan last month.

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Okeke, Anthony Add Punch To Second Unit

December 19th, 2020 at 3:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder
  • Rookies Cole Anthony and Chuma Okeke provide the Magic with a potent offensive duo off the bench, Dan Savage of the team’s website writes. They combined for five 3-pointers in Orlando’s preseason game on Thursday. “We obviously need to have balance with the starting five and the bench,” Magic shooting guard Evan Fournier said. “They’re going to have a huge role to play, so hopefully the (young) guys can figure it out and help us win.” Okeke missed all of last season with a knee injury, while Anthony was chosen with the 15th pick in this year’s draft.
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Magic Granted Disabled Player Exception For Isaac Injury

December 19th, 2020 at 10:49am CST by Luke Adams

The Magic have been granted a disabled player exception by the NBA as a result of Jonathan Isaac‘s season-ending knee injury, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Isaac suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during the NBA’s restart at Disney World and underwent surgery in August.

The disabled player exception is a salary cap exception designed to allow teams to add a replacement for a player who suffers a major injury. It’s worth either half the injured player’s salary or the value of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, whichever is lesser.

Since Isaac’s salary in 2020/21 is $7,362,566, Orlando’s new trade exception will be worth half that amount: $3,681,283.

[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Disabled Player Exception]

The disabled player exception doesn’t give a team an extra roster spot, but it allows the club to add a player without using cap space to do so. It can be used to sign a free agent, to claim a player off waivers, or to acquire a player in a trade. However, it can only be used on one player and can only accommodate a player on a one-year deal. A free agent signee can’t get a multiyear contract, and any trade or waiver target must be in the final year of his contract.

The Magic probably won’t be in a rush to use their DPE — using it in full would bump their team salary over the tax line. Still, it could be a useful tool at some point this season. They’re the second team to be granted a disabled player exception this season, joining the Warriors (Klay Thompson).

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2020/21 NBA Over/Unders: Southeast Division

December 18th, 2020 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2020/21 NBA regular season will get underway on December 22, so it’s time to get serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign.

With the help of the lines from a handful of sports betting sites, including Bovada and BetOnline, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.

Of course, there are plenty of wild cards to take into account this season. For one, teams are scheduled to play 72 games instead of 82, so if you’re picking a team to win 41 games, you’re not just expecting them to be a .500 club — you’re projecting them to finish 10 games above .500. For each team’s over/under below, we’ve noted the record they’d have to achieve to finish “over” their projection, as a reminder.

It’s also worth noting that the coronavirus pandemic could cause some games to be canceled in 2020/21. We don’t want you to have to take possible cancellations into account when making your picks though, so don’t let that stop you from taking the “over.” If a team has a couple games canceled, we’ll adjust their over/under figure downward, so you’re essentially just projecting that team’s winning percentage.

We’ll turn today to the Southeast…

Miami Heat

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Heat poll.

Atlanta Hawks

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Hawks poll.

Washington Wizards

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Wizards poll.

Orlando Magic

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Magic poll.

Charlotte Hornets

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Hornets poll.

Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

  • Boston Celtics (45.5 wins): Over (66.3%)
  • Brooklyn Nets (45.5 wins): Over (58.6%)
  • Philadelphia 76ers (44.5 wins): Over (57.4%)
  • Toronto Raptors (42.5 wins): Over (54.7%)
  • New York Knicks (22.5 wins): Under (59.5%)

Northwest:

  • Denver Nuggets (44.5 wins): Over (69.7%)
  • Utah Jazz (42.5 wins): Over (59.9%)
  • Portland Trail Blazers (41.5 wins): Over (70.1%)
  • Minnesota Timberwolves (29.5 wins): Under (50.3%)
  • Oklahoma City Thunder (22.5 wins): Under (64.4%)

Central:

  • Milwaukee Bucks (51.5 wins): Over (73.7%)
  • Indiana Pacers (39.5 wins): Over (57.9%)
  • Chicago Bulls (29.5 wins): Under (61.6%)
  • Cleveland Cavaliers (23.5 wins): Under (68.5%)
  • Detroit Pistons (22.5 wins): Over (53.9%)

Pacific:

  • Los Angeles Lakers (48.5 wins): Over (79.1%)
  • Los Angeles Clippers (47.5 wins): Under (50.4%)
  • Phoenix Suns (40.5 wins): Over (51.0%)
  • Golden State Warriors (38.5 wins): Over (60.3%)
  • Sacramento Kings (29.5 wins): Under (60.7%)
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Ross On Verge Of Returning; Hollinger Reviews Magic's Offseason

December 17th, 2020 at 10:23am CST by Luke Adams
  • Terrence Ross has missed the Magic‘s first two preseason games due to a hairline fracture in his left big toe, but he sounds just about ready to return. Ross participated in all the contact drills during Wednesday’s practices and head coach Steve Clifford thinks there’s a good chance he’ll play on Thursday, per Roy Parry of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter links).
  • Evaluating the Magic‘s November roster changes, John Hollinger of The Athletic writes that the club’s “defining move this offseason was its lack of moves.” With Jonathan Isaac out for the season, Hollinger wonders if the time is right for Orlando to “soft tank” rather than vying for a back-end playoff berth that would lead to another quick postseason exit.
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Magic Exercise 2021/22 Option On Mohamed Bamba

December 16th, 2020 at 2:54pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic have exercised their fourth-year team option on center Mohamed Bamba‘s rookie scale contract, the team announced today in a press release.

Bamba’s $5.97MM salary for the coming season had already been fully guaranteed. Today’s move will ensure that his $7.57MM salary for the 2021/22 campaign is guaranteed as well. He’s now on track to become eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2021 offseason — if he doesn’t sign a new deal then, he’d head to restricted free agency in ’22.

Bamba, 22, missed time in each of his two NBA seasons due to health issues. Most recently, he was sidelined for the summer restart after contracting COVID-19.

Although he says he’s no longer dealing with any coronavirus symptoms or after-effects, he’s still working on getting his conditioning back to 100%. He was cleared today to participate in full-contact work, tweets Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel.

In his 109 NBA regular season games so far, Bamba has averaged 5.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 1.4 BPG in 15.1 minutes per contest.

Our tracker for 2021/22 rookie scale option decisions can be found right here.

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