Orlando Magic Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Magic Notes: Fultz, Bamba, Augustin, Gordon

October 6th, 2019 at 10:23am CST by Arthur Hill

In his first game with the Magic, Markelle Fultz showed off some of the skills that made him the top pick in the 2017 draft, writes Roy Parry of The Orlando Sentinel. Playing for the first time since last November, Fultz had six points, four assists, two rebounds and an electrifying dunk in a win over the Spurs.

“It was really just a blessing,” Fultz said. “I give a lot of praise to the man up top, God. It’s all I can say. It was my first time out there in a long time and I’m just happy I was able to step out on the floor and compete.”

Orlando acquired Fultz from the Sixers in February after a frustrating season and a half in Philadelphia that was marked by physical issues and a jump shot that went haywire. His latest ailment, diagnosed as thoracic outlet syndrome, had kept him sidelined since last November 19. He received full medical clearance before camp opened and was determined to play in the preseason opener.

“It means the world to me just to see him out there,” teammate Mohamed Bamba said. “I asked him, ‘How you feeling?’ and he’s like, ‘I feel great. The game’s coming slower and it’s coming easier to me by the minute.’ It felt good to see him out there having fun.”

There’s more this morning from Orlando:

Bamba was also happy to be back on the court Saturday after missing the final 30 games of last season and the team’s playoff run with a foot injury, Parry notes in a separate story. After an 18-point, six-rebound and three-block performance, Bamba is optimistic about his sophomore campaign. “I had a lot of time to think about the upcoming season,” he said. “It’s just a preseason game and it doesn’t necessarily prove anything, but it felt good to get out there and just run with the guys.”
Coach Steve Clifford plans to use Fultz and D.J. Augustin together in the backcourt, Parry relays in another piece. Even though they’re both listed as point guards, Clifford believes Fultz’s ability to defend bigger players will make the combination work. “They’re both super-skilled,” he said. “They both play with a point guard mentality and then you’ve got two really good pick-and-roll players.”
Clifford also plans to play Aaron Gordon and Jonathan Isaac together at center and power forward, tweets Dave DuFour of The Athletic.

Five NBA Roster Battles To Watch

October 3rd, 2019 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

For certain NBA teams, the path to finalizing their regular season roster is obvious. The Mavericks, for instance, are currently carrying 15 players with guaranteed salaries and two on two-way contracts. Barring a major surprise in the next couple weeks, those 17 players will open the regular season under contract with the team, while the remaining three players on non-guaranteed camp deals may end up in the G League with the Texas Legends.

In other NBA cities though, the regular season roster isn’t quite so clear cut. A number of clubs haven’t filled their two-way contract slots and/or don’t have 15 players with guaranteed salaries, leaving the door open for camp invitees to compete for those final roster spots.

We don’t know exactly what all these teams are thinking — some may have already made their decisions, or at least could have a good idea which way they’re leaning. But here are five teams that appear to have roster spots up for grabs and are worth watching during training camp and the preseason:

Cleveland Cavaliers

Fully guaranteed salaries: 13
Two-way slots open: 1
It looks like at least two roster spots are up for grabs in Cleveland — one on the standard roster and one two-way slot. That number could increase to three if the Cavaliers decide to carry a 15th man to open the season, though their proximity to the tax line may discourage them from doing so. An intriguing mix of rookies and young veterans are in the running for those openings, and none have partial guarantees that would give them a leg up.
Contenders: Marques Bolden, Daniel Hamilton, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, J.P. Macura, Jarell Martin (ineligible for two-way), Sindarius Thornwell

Detroit Pistons

Fully guaranteed salaries: 14
Two-way slots open: 0
There’s only one spot available on the Pistons‘ roster, but the battle for it is an interesting one. In one corner is 17-year veteran Joe Johnson, who has appeared in nearly 1,400 total regular season and playoff games, and has a $220K partial guarantee. He’s going up against young forward Christian Wood, who just turned 24 and is already on his fifth NBA team. Wood flashed promise during his end-of-season stint with the Pelicans in the spring, averaging 16.9 PPG and 7.9 RPG in eight games (23.6 MPG), but beating out Johnson will be a tall order.
Contenders: Johnson, Wood

Orlando Magic

Fully guaranteed salaries: 13
Two-way slots open: 0
The Magic don’t have a ton of flexibility below the tax threshold, so they may not carry a 15th man to start the season, but they have to carry at least 14. The five non-guaranteed camp invitees that appear for now to be in the running for that 14th spot have appeared in a combined total of 12 regular season NBA games, so it will be interesting to see if Orlando looks to bring in a veteran or goes with a rookie.
Contenders: Hassani Gravett, Isaac Humphries, DaQuan Jeffries, B.J. Johnson, Vic Law

Toronto Raptors

Fully guaranteed salaries: 12
Two-way slots open: 2
Unlike last season, the Raptors don’t have any pressing luxury-tax concerns, so they could carry a full roster, which would leave five spots up for grabs in the preseason. Returning players Chris Boucher and Malcolm Miller each have partial guarantees and look like viable candidates for roster spots. But second-round pick Dewan Hernandez and free agent signees Cameron Payne and Isaiah Taylor also have partial guarantees and strong cases for a place on the 15-man squad. It will be interesting to see which way Toronto goes.
Contenders: Boucher (ineligible for two-way), Oshae Brissett, Dewan Hernandez (ineligible for two-way), Sagaba Konate, Miller (ineligible for two-way), Payne (ineligible for two-way), Devin Robinson, Taylor

Washington Wizards

Fully guaranteed salaries: 13
Two-way slots open: 1
The Wizards‘ injury woes may complicate their roster decisions and could make them more likely to carry 15 players on their standard roster instead of just 14. The partial guarantees for Jordan McRae, Justin Robinson, and Jemerrio Jones put them in the best position to claim those open roster spots. Meanwhile, only two of the team’s camp invitees are eligible for two-way deals, so that may be a one-on-one competition.
Contenders: Justin Anderson (ineligible for two-way), Phil Booth, Chris Chiozza, Jones (ineligible for two-way), McRae (ineligible for two-way), Robinson (ineligible for two-way)

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Weltman Talks Offseason, Rosters; Expectations Higher In Orlando

October 2nd, 2019 at 12:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman spoke to Josh Robbins of The Athletic about the club’s offseason moves and decisions, and the plans for the 14th and 15th spots on the regular season roster. Weltman was evasive when he discussed those final roster spots, but hinted that the team may not carry a 15th man to start the season.
In a separate story for The Athletic, Robbins notes that things feel a little different this year in training camp for the Magic. After a six-year playoff drought, the club made it back to the postseason last spring, and expectations have increased as a result.

Fultz Expected To Play In Preseason Opener

September 30th, 2019 at 9:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Magic guard Markelle Fultz plans to play in the team’s preseason opener on Saturday, Josh Robbins of The Athletic tweets. Fultz appeared in 19 games with the Sixers last season but has yet to make his Orlando debut. The No. 1 overall pick in 2017 was traded to the Magic in February.

Magic Have Rebuffed Trade Inquiries On Isaac

September 30th, 2019 at 10:08am CST by Luke Adams

Magic forward Jonathan Isaac gets lead billing this year in Zach Lowe’s annual ESPN.com column on his six most intriguing players of the upcoming season. As Lowe details, Isaac has put on about 15-20 pounds this offseason as he looks to bulk up his thin frame a little, and the team has high hopes for him going forward, particularly on the defensive end.

According to Lowe, it’s “hard to overstate” how much Orlando loves Isaac. In fact, sources tell Lowe that the Magic have “batted away” any and all trade inquiries on the former No. 6 overall pick. The front office views Isaac as a standard-bearer for the culture that the team is trying to create, Lowe adds.

Magic Sign B.J. Johnson To Exhibit 10 Deal

September 27th, 2019 at 2:18pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic have signed free agent guard B.J. Johnson, the team announced today in a press release. According to Roy Parry of The Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter), it’s an Exhibit 10 contract for Johnson, who inked a similar deal with the club last fall.

After going undrafted out of La Salle in 2018, Johnson was with the Magic for training camp and the preseason, then spent most of his first professional season playing for the Lakeland Magic, Orlando’s G League affiliate. He averaged 15.4 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 1.4 SPG with a shooting line of .476/.444/.841 in 39 NBAGL games.

Johnson also had brief NBA auditions in 2018/19 with the Hawks, who signed him to a pair of 10-day contracts in March, and the Kings, who signed him for the final week of the regular season. The 23-year-old appeared in seven total regular season games for the two clubs, with Sacramento waiving him in July.

The Magic now have a full 20-man offseason roster, including just 13 players on fully guaranteed contracts. Although the team probably won’t carry a 15th man due to tax concerns, the 14th roster spot is up for grabs. Johnson could be in the mix for that spot, but seems more likely to eventually return to Lakeland, where he’d earn an Exhibit 10 bonus worth up to $50K if he spends two months with the club.

Fultz Signs With Roc Nation

September 26th, 2019 at 9:32pm CST by clarkcrum

Magic guard and former No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz has joined Roc Nation Sports, the 21-year-old announced on his own Twitter account.

O'Connor Views Aaron Gordon As Breakout Candidate

September 26th, 2019 at 11:20am CST by Luke Adams

Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer identifies seven players on probable playoff teams who could take a leap during the 2019/20 season and help solidify their respective teams as legit contenders. Aaron Gordon (Magic), Josh Richardson (Sixers), and Anfernee Simons (Trail Blazers) are among the breakout candidates on O’Connor’s list.

Markelle Fultz Expected To Fully Participate In Camp

September 25th, 2019 at 2:29pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic will begin their training camp next Tuesday, and point guard Markelle Fultz is expected to be a full participant, president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said today, per Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Fultz, the first overall pick in the 2017 draft, last played in an NBA game in November 2018 and hasn’t suited up for a single game for the Magic since being acquired by the team at last season’s deadline. While Fultz is hesitant to say that his health issues – diagnosed as thoracic outlet syndrome – are completely healed, he has recovered to the point where he shouldn’t face any restrictions in camp, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.

While Fultz is healthy enough to participate in training camp, it’s not clear whether he’ll suit up for Orlando’s preseason games or if he’ll be able to play regular minutes to start the season. That may depend on how he looks in camp.

“We’re going to remain patient,” Weltman said, per Reynolds. “We’re not going to put expectations or timelines on his development. He hasn’t played basketball in a year. He’s played 33 games total in his career. So it’s going to unfold the way it unfolds.”

As Roy Parry of The Orlando Sentinel relays (via Twitter), Fultz couldn’t point to a specific point when he felt as if he was back to normal, but he kept seeing more shots go on with less pain as he shot them, which was a turning point. With his game coming back, the 21-year-old is confident that he can make an impact on the court for the Magic.

“I was the No. 1 pick for a reason,” Fultz said today, according to Reynolds. “I knew that I work hard and what I can do on the basketball court. That’s all that matters.”

Magic Sign Isaac Humphries To Exhibit 10 Deal

September 24th, 2019 at 8:06am CST by clarkcrum

SEPTEMBER 24: The Magic have officially signed Humphries, per RealGM’s NBA transactions log. The club now has 19 players under contract, leaving one opening on its 20-man offseason roster.

JULY 24: The Magic and big man Isaac Humphries have agreed upon an Exhibit 10 deal, reports Olgun Uluc of Fox Sports Australia. Humphries, an Australian native, became an unrestricted free agent this summer when the Hawks opted not to extend him a qualifying offer.

Humphries only played five games for Atlanta last season after being signed in April, but he averaged 11.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 1.1 BPG in 46 games (21.8 MPG) for the Hawks’ G League affiliate, the Erie BayHawks, before signing his rest-of-season deal with the Hawks.

Humphries appears to be the first player to receive an Exhibit 10 deal from the Magic so far this summer, but Orlando did recently come to terms with Josh Magette and Amile Jefferson for the club’s open two-way spots.

Accordingly, it’s unlikely that Humphries will make his way onto the Magic roster for the 2019/20 season. Instead, he’ll probably end up playing for the team’s G League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic.