Orlando Magic Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nikola Vucevic Breaks Bone In Hand, Out 6 To 8 Weeks

December 23rd, 2017 at 6:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Magic center Nikola Vucevic fractured the first metacarpal on his left hand in tonight’s game, tweets Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. The injury occurred midway through the first quarter of the contest at Washington, and Vucevic was taken to the locker room for X-rays that revealed the fracture.

Vucevic is expected to have surgery on the hand and miss six to eight weeks, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link).

Vucevic has started all 33 of Orlando’s games heading into tonight and was averaging 17.8 points and 9.6 rebounds. He joins Aaron Gordon, Terrence Ross and Evan Fournier as members of the Magic’s opening-night lineup who are out with injuries, Robbins notes (Twitter link).

Vucevic’s absence should result in more playing time for backup center Bismack Biyombo, who is seeing just 15 minutes per game this season, down from from 22 a year ago. Averaging 4.0 points and 4.4 rebounds, Biyombo still has two years and $34MM left on the contract his signed in the summer of 2016.

Evan Fournier Nearing Return?

December 19th, 2017 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Magic guard Evan Fournier, who has missed nearly two weeks with an ankle sprain, participated in the non-contact portion of Orlando’s practice today, per Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter links). Fournier is nearing a return, but it probably won’t happen on Wednesday.

Kyler: Vucevic A Potential Trade Candidate

December 19th, 2017 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

The Magic and Kings are also worth keeping an eye on, according to Kyler, who identifies Nikola Vucevic and George Hill as a pair of potential trade candidates. Orlando isn’t looking to shake things up for the sake of it, but Vucevic figures to draw interest. As for Hill, his significant cap hit limits his trade value, but he’d probably “welcome a move,” says Kyler.

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Hezonja Tries To Capitalize On Opportunity

December 17th, 2017 at 10:12am CST by Arthur Hill

Injuries are also creating an opportunity for Magic small forward Mario Hezonja, notes Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. With Jonathan Isaac, Aaron Gordon and Arron Afflalo all sidelined, Hezonja has started the past three games with uneven results, Robbins notes. The fifth player taken in the 2015 draft, Hezonja may be looking at his last chance to prove himself before unrestricted free agency next summer. Orlando declined to pick up his fourth-year option in October. “You’ve just got to find your own rhythm but still be in the system,” Hezonja said. “If I go out [and try to excel] individually, I’m going to look good, but we’re going to lose. We’re not going to win a lot of games like that. Everybody has to step up like that, has to have that mindset.”
The Magic are enjoying the benefits of having a G League affiliate close to home, relays John Denton of NBA.com. The organization moved its affiliate from Erie, Pa., to Lakeland, Fla., over the summer, which is paying off with the recent rash of injuries. Jamel Artis and Adreian Payne were able to attend practice with the Magic Tuesday morning, even though they had a G League game that night, then were available for Wednesday’s NBA contest.

Magic Assign Khem Birch To Affiliate

December 15th, 2017 at 10:49pm CST by Austin Kent

The Magic have assigned Khem Birch to their affiliate in Lakeland, the team’s public relations department tweets. Birch has seen big league action in just 11 minutes this season but is averaging 14.0 points and 9.8 rebounds in the G League.

Jonathan Isaac To Return In 'Near Future'

December 15th, 2017 at 8:40pm CST by Austin Kent

The Magic could soon welcome rookie Jonathan Isaac back to the lineup, John Denton of Orlando’s official site writes. The forward has been out of action for over a month with a sprained ankle. Head coach Frank Vogel said that a return could be coming in the “near future.”

And-Ones: Doncic, Gee, Mexico City, NBPA

December 15th, 2017 at 2:19pm CST by Luke Adams

A highlight of Real Madrid star Luka Doncic crossing over former Trail Blazers forward Victor Claver went viral on Thursday, and representatives from a number of NBA teams were on hand to see it in person. According to international basketball reporter David Pick (Twitter link), the Sixers, Suns, Clippers, Magic, Mavericks, Pelicans, Wizards, and others all had officials in attendance.

Of course, given how highly regarded Doncic is, most of these teams are unlikely to have a shot at him in the 2018 NBA draft. In singling out some of the risers and fallers in the latest update to their 2018 big board, Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz of ESPN (Insider link) explain why Doncic is at the top of their rankings.

According to Givony and Schmitz, who refer to Doncic as “the most productive European prospect of all time,” the 6’8″ guard could have a legit chance to win the EuroLeague’s MVP award this season. Some scouts worry about his athleticism, his defense, or his ability to create shots, so it’s not a lock that he’ll go No. 1 in June. But Doncic, at age 18, is already one of the best scorers and facilitators in Europe, in the eyes of Givony and Schmitz.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Veteran NBA swingman Alonzo Gee is headed to the G League, according to Adam Johnson of 2 Ways & 10 Days, who tweets that the Heat‘s affiliate (the Sioux Falls Skyforce) has claimed Gee off waivers. The 30-year-old, who has appeared in regular season games for six NBA clubs, last played for the Nuggets in 2016/17.
After reporting last week that the NBA intends to establish a G League franchise in Mexico City, Marc Stein of The New York Times takes a deep dive into the issue and outlines why the league is more seriously considering the viability of eventually expanding to Mexico — not just with a G League team, but with an NBA club. The fact that Mexico City shares a time zone with so many current NBA clubs is a major plus, as commissioner Adam Silver observes.
The players’ union and former NBPA executive director Billy Hunter have reached a settlement in their legal battle, according to Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (Twitter links). After the NBPA fired Hunter in 2013, the longtime executive director sued the union for $10MM+, and the union counter-sued. Terms of the settlement weren’t disclosed, but Hunter said in a statement that he’s happy about “moving forward after years of hard-fought litigation on both sides.”

Magic Recall Khem Birch From G League

December 13th, 2017 at 2:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic have recalled rookie big man Khem Birch from the G League, according to the club (Twitter link). In his most recent game with the Lakeland Magic on Tuesday, Birch filled the scoresheet with 17 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and five blocks.

Deveney: Vogel's Seat Heating Up?

December 13th, 2017 at 12:37pm CST by Luke Adams

Sean Deveney of The Sporting News examines the job security for head coaches around the NBA, concluding that Frank Vogel (Magic), Mike Budenholzer (Hawks), Dave Joerger (Kings), and Fred Hoiberg (Bulls) are among those whose seats are hottest.

MRI Reveals Fournier Ankle Sprain; Magic Approaching No-Man's Land

December 10th, 2017 at 9:04pm CST by Austin Kent

The Magic are creeping toward a playoff spot but George Diaz of the Orlando Sentinel says that’s not exactly a good thing. The scribe notes that the team has shown signs of relative competence but also mediocrity, the latter a one-way ticket to the dreaded middle-ground between success and actually landing a top lottery pick.
An MRI has revealed that Evan Fournier‘s ankle is sprained. The Magic guard hasn’t played since Wednesday, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel writes, but he considers himself to be day-to-day.