Orlando Magic Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southeast Notes: Magic, Wizards, Hornets

June 27th, 2018 at 10:45am CST by Luke Adams

Unlike a handful of other rebuilding clubs, the Magic won’t have cap room available this summer. However, president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman tells Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel that the club will have its full mid-level exception available. As Weltman observes, even without any cap space, that full MLE puts the Magic in a better position than many teams round the NBA.

“I think there are dozen or so teams that are facing the tax this year,” Weltman said. “The league is very compressed financially this summer. We’re certainly not in an elite flexibility position, but I don’t think we’re at the other end of the spectrum, either. We’re probably somewhere in the middle.”

While Weltman didn’t offer any real specifics on the Magic’s free agent targets, he said that the team is “hopeful” it can reach an agreement with Aaron Gordon, and added that the front office will talk to Mario Hezonja‘s representatives to see if a deal can be made on that front.

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

In a conversation of his own with Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel, new Magic head coach Steve Clifford discusses his thoughts on Mohamed Bamba, the team’s center logjam, and his face-to-face visit with Aaron Gordon.
Following the trade that sent Marcin Gortat to Los Angeles, the Wizards are in desperate need of more frontcourt bodies. Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington explores some of the club’s options for acquiring more big men.
Although the Wizards traded Gortat, president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld sounds positive about most of the rest of the team’s core. As Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington details, Grunfeld’s comments suggest that the club will make it a priority to maintain continuity heading into 2018/19.
Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer takes a closer look at the Hornets‘ decision to trade Dwight Howard will impact Nicolas Batum, Cody Zeller, and new head coach James Borrego.

Free Agent Rumors: Gordon, Cousins, George, Favors

June 27th, 2018 at 9:42am CST by Luke Adams

Having stated in the past that he hopes to land a maximum-salary contract as a free agent, Aaron Gordon reiterated that stance this week, according to ESPN’s Ian Begley. However, Gordon also said that he’d prefer to simply negotiate a deal with the Magic rather than having to procure an offer sheet from another team.

“Hopefully we just get it wrapped up with Orlando,” Gordon said. “That would be fantastic.”

For what it’s worth, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders hears from league sources that the odds of Gordon landing a max deal this summer seem remote. As Kyler observes, two potential suitors for Gordon – the Suns and Kings – addressed their frontcourt with the top two picks in the draft and may be less inclined to be aggressive in pursuing the Magic power forward.

Here are a few more free agent notes and rumors, with the new NBA league year right around the corner…

Kyler’s latest article also includes some items on DeMarcus Cousins, Chris Paul, and Paul George, along with a couple other top free agents. According to Kyler, there’s a sense that Cousins may get a contract like Joel Embiid did last year — Embiid’s extension included guarantee triggers and exit language in the event that he has recurring injury issues. Meanwhile, Kyler also confirms that the Lakers and Thunder are the strong frontrunners in the George sweepstakes.
In conversations with Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune and Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, Derrick Favors said that he’d like to remain with the Jazz, but admitted that he’s looking forward to testing his value on the open market. Per Spears, Favors is also into the idea of visiting teams in free agency. “I don’t think you get a really good feel over the phone,” Favors said. “I’d rather be face-to-face in a meeting, ask questions and kind of figure stuff out.”
Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com explores whether the Sixers might be an ideal on-court fit for LeBron James, while Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer outlines how Philadelphia could plausibly sign James as a free agent and acquire Kawhi Leonard in a trade.
Free agent shooting guard Chris Babb, who spent last season with Russia’s Lokomotiv Kuban, has received a workout invite from the Clippers, per international basketball reporter David Pick (Twitter link).

Magic Fill Out Coaching Staff

June 26th, 2018 at 9:56am CST by Arthur Hill

The Magic have officially hired the coaching staff that will work under Steve Clifford, the team announced this morning in a pair of tweets. As expected, the assistant coaches are Mike Batiste, Pat Delany, Steve Hetzel and Bruce Kreutzer, who all worked with Clifford in Charlotte, along with Tyrone Corbin, who spent the past two seasons in Phoenix.

Magic Waive Shelvin Mack

June 25th, 2018 at 2:49pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic are waiving veteran point guard Shelvin Mack before his salary becomes fully guaranteed for 2018/19, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). The team has confirmed the move in a press release.

Mack, who inked a two-year, $12MM with Orlando during the 2017 offseason, appeared in 69 games for the Magic, averaging 6.9 PPG, 3.9 APG, and 2.4 RPG as a backup to Elfrid Payton and D.J. Augustin.

Mack’s modest production and his non-guaranteed contract made him a candidate to be cut this offseason. His $6MM salary for 2018/19 is reportedly partially guaranteed for just $1MM, so the Magic will have the option of keeping that full $1MM charge on their cap for next season or stretching it across three years.

According to Basketball Insiders’ data, Mack’s contract called for his 2018/19 salary to become guaranteed if he remained under contract for more than four days after the 2018 NBA draft, which is why Orlando is making its decision now. Assuming Mack clears waivers, as expected, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent and will be able to sign anywhere.

Aaron Gordon Receives Qualifying Offer From Magic

June 25th, 2018 at 2:15pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic have tendered a qualifying offer to power forward Aaron Gordon, officially putting him on track for restricted free agency, per RealGM’s NBA transactions log.

Players eligible for restricted free agency don’t become RFAs by default. A team must extend a qualifying offer to the player in order to make him restricted. That offer essentially functions as a one-year contract offer that the player can accept at any time. If the player signs his qualifying offer rather than inking an offer sheet with another team or a longer-term deal with his own club, he’d put himself in line for unrestricted free agency in a year.

In Gordon’s case, his qualifying offer is worth $7,260,330. However, he’s considered one of the top restricted free agents on the market and will likely attract a sizable offer sheet if Orlando doesn’t negotiate a new deal with him directly, so I wouldn’t expect him to sign his QO.

Gordon, 22, posted new career highs in PPG (17.6), RPG (7.9), APG (2.3), and 3PG (2.0) in 2017/18, with a shooting line of .434/.336/.698 in 58 games.

Magic Targeting Players With Long Wingspans?

June 24th, 2018 at 10:04pm CST by Luke Adams

After putting together a roster full of athletic players with long wingspans in Milwaukee, Magic GM John Hammond appears to be doing the same thing in Orlando, says Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype.

Tyrone Corbin To Join Magic’s Coaching Staff

June 23rd, 2018 at 6:18pm CST by Arthur Hill

Tyrone Corbin will be the next addition to Steve Clifford’s coaching staff in Orlando, according to Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel.

Corbin had been with the Suns for the past two years and was promoted to lead assistant under Jay Triano when Earl Watson was fired in October. Corbin began his coaching career with the Jazz in 2004 and later became head coach in Utah, compiling a 112-146 record in a little more than three seasons. He also had a brief stint as head coach of the Kings, posting a 7-21 mark in 2014/15.

Before turning to coaching, the 55-year-old had a 16-year playing career that included time with nine NBA franchises.

Corbin will be the fifth assistant named by Clifford since he was hired as Magic head coach in late May. The others — Mike Batiste, Pat Delany, Steve Hetzel and Bruce Kreutzer — all worked with him in Charlotte.

Details On Draft-Night Trade With Nuggets

June 23rd, 2018 at 2:48pm CST by Luke Adams

RealGM’s log of traded draft picks provides specific details on a couple more draft-night trades, indicating that the Sixers received 2021 and 2023 second-round picks in their deal with the Pistons, while the Magic will receive the less favorable of the Nuggets’ and Wizards’ 2019 second-round picks as a result of their swap with the Nuggets.

Nuggets Acquire No. 41 Pick, Draft Jarred Vanderbilt

June 21st, 2018 at 10:20pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic are sending the 41st overall pick in the draft to the Nuggets, who will use it to select Kentucky forward Jarred Vanderbilt, reports Jeremy Woo of SI.com (Twitter link). Orlando will move down two spots in the deal and use the No. 43 pick to draft Maryland forward Justin Jackson, Woo adds (via Twitter).

Heading to Orlando in the deal will be a future second-round pick, Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel tweets. According to the Magic’s official announcement, it’s a 2019 second-rounder.

The Nuggets will add the intriguing Kentucky reserve to a draft haul that already includes Michael Porter Jr. In 14 games off the bench for the Wildcats, Vanderbilt averaged just 5.9 points per game but has upside as a gritty rebounder and defender.

Jackson had been regarded as a possible first-round pick last season but returned for his sophomore season at Maryland and ended up missing the second half of the season with a shoulder injury. He’ll join the Magic having averaged 10.3 points per game in 44 contests for the Terrapins.

Adding Bamba Doesn't Mean Losing Vucevic

June 21st, 2018 at 8:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Magic’s selection of Mohamed Bamba at No. 6 doesn’t mean Nikola Vucevic is headed out of town, tweets Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. Vucevic is heading into a contract year, making $12.75MM next season. Orlando has a potential logjam at center with Bismack Biyombo signed for $17MM next year with a $17MM player option for 2019/20. “He’s a good pick,” Vucevic said of Biyombo. “He’s talented and he’ll be a big presence.”