Orlando Magic hire John Hammond as General Manager
19 HRS AGO - After locking in Jeff Weltman as its president of basketball operations, Orlando moved quickly to Expand
19 HRS AGO - After locking in Jeff Weltman as its president of basketball operations, Orlando moved quickly to add a general manager. The Orlando Magic announced Tuesday they have hired John Hammond, formerly of the Milwaukee Bucks, as their general manager. According to Adrian Wojnorowski of The Vertical, Hammond’s contract with the Magic will run for five seasons.
Orlando moved quickly to install Hammond, as his hiring comes one day after it signed Jeff Weltman as its President of Basketball Operations.
"John brings tremendous experience and is a great talent evaluator," Weltman said in a statement. "He has experience in everything from day-to-day operations to player development. He built a great team in Milwaukee, and won a championship while in Detroit. We are very fortunate to have him as part of the Magic family."
Hammond owns a wealth of NBA experience, having joined the NBA in the 1989/90 season with the Minnesota Timberwolves as an assistant coach and scout. He’s also worked with the Collapse
NBA Draft Lottery 2017: Orlando Magic hold steady with sixth pick
7 DAYS AGO - Orlando didn’t make lottery Magic on Tuesday. The Orlando Magic learned Tuesday that they will own Expand
7 DAYS AGO - Orlando didn’t make lottery Magic on Tuesday. The Orlando Magic learned Tuesday that they will own the sixth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft as a result of the Draft Lottery. That result was the most likely outcome based on the odds; Orlando entered Tuesday with a 35.95 percent chance of picking sixth, with the next most-likely outcome being fifth at 26.15.
As a result of a 2013 trade with the Brooklyn Nets, the Boston Celtics—who earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference in 2017—won the lottery and will select first. The Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers round out the top three picks.
The Lakers news comes as a blow to the Magic and their fans, who were surely hoping L.A. would drop out of the top three. Had that outcome transpired, Orlando would own the Lakers’ first-round pick in 2019 with no protections, due to the Dwight Howard trade in 2012. Instead, the Magic will receive the Lakers’ second-round choice in 2017—the 33rd overall pick—as well as their Collapse
NBA Draft Lottery notebook: Odds and Ends
5/5/2017 - Aaron talks NBA Draft Lottery odds and breaks down possible outcomes in advance of April 16th. Expand
5/5/2017 - Aaron talks NBA Draft Lottery odds and breaks down possible outcomes in advance of April 16th. The NBA Draft lottery, which will be held Tuesday, May 16th, is quickly approaching. As I watch other organizations take part in the NBA playoffs, I can’t help myself from thinking (and hoping) that this year’s lottery results could be the break Magic fans have been waiting for. This year could be the year that the organization garners up some of that lottery “Magic” they once had in the days of Pat Williams and company.I’m sure I’m not the only one hoping and wishing. Magic fans, the odds are not insurmountable. But the odds are not exactly in our favor either. Let me explain...
1) Most likely lottery scenario: 6th pick (35.9% chance)According to Tankathon.com, Orlando currently holds a 35.9% chance to come away with the 6th pick in this year’s lottery. These odds are the most likely outcome of any of Orlando’s possible outcomes in the lottery.Does that sound strange? Why would a Collapse
It’s ok to win basketball games
4/13/2017 - The Magic lost ground in the draft race when they won their final game. That’s not the end of the Expand
4/13/2017 - The Magic lost ground in the draft race when they won their final game. That’s not the end of the world. Today, Zach Oliver wrote about the implications of the Magic’s win versus the Pistons on Wednesday night. What could have been a feel-good story about Orlando taking a clutch win in front of a record crowd was marred by the loss of draft positioning. With their win and the Sixers’ loss, Philly secured the 4th best lottery odds entering the draft, while the Magic will be 5th. Philadelphia will have about a 38% chance of moving into the top-3, while the Magic sit at a hair over 29%.
I encourage you to check out his perspective, and then to join me on a journey through Unpopular Opinion Land as I try to explain why it’s ok that the Magic didn’t lose that game.
First, let me start of by saying that I’m firmly not a believer in things like “building momentum going into the offseason,” nor do I think this result positively affects the team’s “culture.” This game won’t make the Collapse
Magic suffer largest defeat in franchise history, 122-75
4/11/2017 - That was bad. The Orlando Magic are bad. They played a bad basketball game, badly. So bad, in Expand
4/11/2017 - That was bad. The Orlando Magic are bad. They played a bad basketball game, badly. So bad, in fact, that it was the worst defeat they’ve suffered in their existence, a crushing 122-75 score that probably leaves all involved, fans, players, coaches, and management alike, looking forward to the end of a bad season. All five starters scored in double digits for the Bulls, who were decidedly not bad.
The first quarter was especially bad, led by bad offense and bad defense. Newcomer Terrence Ross was 0-3 in the first, which was bad, but that merely foreshadowed the overall level of bad which he would play with, on a night he would score just 3 points in 18 minutes. It would be unfair to single out his badness, however, when there is so much to share among the team.
Orlando bounced back from their very bad first quarter to be merely normal levels of bad throughout the second and third. Their version of stepping up on defense was to allow merely 28 points in the third quarter instead of the Collapse
Magic get smoked in the third quarter, falling to Cleveland
4/5/2017 - Things looked good for a half, but then the Cavs got serious. The tank rolls on. While the bench Expand
4/5/2017 - Things looked good for a half, but then the Cavs got serious. The tank rolls on. While the bench is usually an easy scapegoat, it’s hard to lay the blame on them for Wednesday’s blowout loss to the Cavaliers, given that the majority of the damage was done in the third quarter with the starters on the court. In the first half, it looked like the Magic were going to stay competitive, but against a Cleveland team trying to avoid more embarrassing losses before the playoffs, they stood little chance once the defending champs got serious. Evan Fournier led Orlando with 21 points, while Kevin Love led all scorers with 28.
Things looked like they were going to get out of hand early, with the Cavaliers going up 9-2 after just a couple minutes, but Orlando roared right back with a 13-0 run, including 3-pointers from Fournier and Gordon. Fournier in particular was hot right from the beginning, scoring 10 of their first 17 points. On the other end, Kevin Love had a bizarre start, missing 3 very Collapse
Orlando Magic 111 Brooklyn Nets 121: Lopez, Booker lead Nets past Magic in Brooklyn
4/2/2017 - Brooklyn pounded the Magic in the painted area, and out hustled them all night. Less than 24 Expand
4/2/2017 - Brooklyn pounded the Magic in the painted area, and out hustled them all night. Less than 24 hours after another heartbreaking late loss, the Orlando Magic looked to bounce back in Brooklyn against the Nets. Despite a fast start, Brooklyn proved to be to much for the Magic, dominating the paint en route to a
Behind hot shooting from Nikola Vucevic, and Aaron Gordon, the Magic got off to a fast start, jumping out to an early 10 point lead. After a Nets timeout, however, the hosts began settling in, knocking down three-pointers left and right to cut into the Magic lead, and take the lead late in the quarter. Brooklyn attacked the Magic left and right, scoring 18 of their 31 first quarter points in the painted area, an issues the Magic have continued to face all season. Thanks to 24 combined points from Vucevic and Gordon, the Magic found themselves tied with the Nets at 31 after one.
Into the second quarter, the Magic continued to struggle with the high energy level the Nets were Collapse
Oklahoma City Thunder 114 Orlando Magic 106: Westbrook, Thunder storm back late, knock off Magic in overtime
3/30/2017 - The Magic were poised for another win, then Russell Westbrook took over the fourth quarter. Expand
3/30/2017 - The Magic were poised for another win, then Russell Westbrook took over the fourth quarter. Returning home after an abysmal performance in Toronto, the Orlando Magic welcomed a familiar face in Victor Oladipo and the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Amway Center. Despite leading by as many as 21 in the second half, the Magic crumbled in the fourth quarter, falling to the Thunder 114-106.
Early on, both teams were a bit sloppy, missing shots, turning the ball over and getting shots blocked left and right on both ends. As has been a struggle throughout the season, the Magic offense bogged down, with little movement off the ball causing forced and poor shot attempts. On the other end, Russell Westbrook used his freakish speed and athleticism to wreck havoc on the Magic, scoring nine points to go along with four rebounds —two offensive — and two assists in the quarter. Despite scoring just four points in the first half of the quarter, the Magic found themselves trailing by only two, 20-18, Collapse
NBA Draft notebook: Sixteen prospects to watch in the Sweet Sixteen
3/23/2017 - In the second of two editions, Aaron provides his insights about a group of prospects who will be Expand
3/23/2017 - In the second of two editions, Aaron provides his insights about a group of prospects who will be playing in NCAA tournament games this upcoming weekend.
Two years ago, I had an idea to post a "Sweet Sixteen" primer, and it seemed to be something readers enjoyed. Therefore, I've decided to continue the breakdown of College Basketball/NBA prospects this year. Also, please feel free to check out the primers from 2015 and/or 2016, they are nice visits down memory lane which include numerous players who are now thriving in the NBA.
I've always considered Draft night as a personal favorite holiday of mine where the two basketball worlds that I love, college and the NBA, come together. I've had a passion for College Basketball since I was eight years old. I was raised in a baseball household, but I fell in love with the game watching guys like Laettner, Hurley, Hill, and the Fab Five.
The NCAA tournament has turned into one of the great sports spectacles in the country. With the Collapse
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Magic hire Raptors GM Jeff Weltman as President of Basketball Operations
1 DAY AGO - Weltman has been in line for a head role for some time now, and will have the power to pick the GM Expand
1 DAY AGO - Weltman has been in line for a head role for some time now, and will have the power to pick the GM that will work under him. Multiple outlets, including Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, reported that the Orlando Magic have finalized a 5-year deal with Toronto Raptors GM Jeff Weltman to make him the Magic’s President of Basketball Operations.
Weltman joined the Raptors in 2013, and was promoted to GM under Masai Ujiri last year. Before that, he had stretches with the Clippers, whom he started his NBA executive career with, as well as the Bucks and Nuggets.
The move signals a shift in the leadership structure of the Magic to a President-GM relationship, an increasingly popular arrangement throughout the NBA. Weltman will have the authority to select his GM, though if the structure mirrors his experience in Toronto under Ujiri, Weltman will still have final say on personnel decisions.
Early indications are that interim and former assistant GM Matt Lloyd will be retained in some role, Collapse
The best and worst-case scenarios for the Magic’s draft lottery
7 DAYS AGO - Complications at the top of the draft make things a little more interesting this year than most A Expand
7 DAYS AGO - Complications at the top of the draft make things a little more interesting this year than most A couple weeks ago, Aaron put together an excellent preview of what’s at stake for the Magic entering tonight’s lottery. I strongly encourage you to read up on that to get an idea of the odds that the ping pong balls bounce in the Magic’s favor. I figured I’d put together a few other scenarios, too, including some more...exotic possibilities.
Before we get to those, though, let’s start with the obvious:
Best-case scenario: Magic pick 1st, Lakers pick 6th
Not too much to say here. The Magic could sorely use the top pick to start building some momentum back in the right direction. The interesting twist, as with many of these scenarios, is that the ideal outcome involves not just the Magic’s positioning, but the Lakers’ as well.
The Lakers conveying a first to the Magic doesn’t actually depend on them being 6th specifically, of course. They only have to fall out of the top-3, and if you Collapse
NBA Draft 2017: Orlando Magic will select 25th
4/19/2017 - The NBA finalized the non-lottery First Round draft order Tuesday afternoon by settling some Expand
4/19/2017 - The NBA finalized the non-lottery First Round draft order Tuesday afternoon by settling some tiebreakers. At 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, the NBA settled a few tiebreak situations amongst teams around the league to square away the non-lottery first-round draft order for this June’s NBA Draft. The format for these proceedings involved ping-pong balls and a lottery machine; it was quite dramatic. Only the NBA, am I right?.The NBA held five separate tiebreakers, and one of the tiebreak-lotteries directly involved the Orlando Magic. Four franchises—the Toronto Raptors, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Utah Jazz, and the Cleveland Cavaliers—all finished the regular season with identical 51-31 records. The NBA needed to resolve who would be selecting 23rd-26th in the first round of this year’s draft. All four teams received three balls placed in the lottery machine, and the team whose ball at random was selected would be awarded the 23rd pick, and so on.Of course, the Magic received a 2017 Collapse
Magic finish season with big win, but hurt lottery odds
4/13/2017 - The Magic’s win was big, and they got some experience that was needed, but it came at a price. Expand
4/13/2017 - The Magic’s win was big, and they got some experience that was needed, but it came at a price. With hopes of making the playoffs for the first time since Dwight Howard’s last season in pinstripes, the Orlando Magic had high hopes going into the 2016/17 season.
With a roster chalked full of new players, many of whom held high praise in NBA circles for their play on the defensive end, the Magic figured to be stout defensively. Add in coach Frank Vogel, who had built the Indiana Pacers into one of the best in the league on that end year after year, and it seemed likely the Magic would have some success.
That, ultimately, was not the case, with the roster proving to be a jumbled mess, and Vogel failing to get the most out of his guys on that end consistently.
As March approached, the Magic, fresh with a new look from a trade just before the leagues trading deadline, were in an all too familiar position of seeing their playoff chances dwindle with every passing game.
Then, the losses Collapse
Orlando’s defense falters again, Pacers blow them out 127-112
4/9/2017 - The offense was pretty good by Orlando’s standards, but it meant nothing when there was no defense Expand
4/9/2017 - The offense was pretty good by Orlando’s standards, but it meant nothing when there was no defense to be had. The first quarter was one of those bizarre shootouts the Magic seem to get wrapped up in at the start of a game every now and then. For the Magic’s part, they shot 6-7 from deep, including three consecutive triples from Terrence Ross to give the Magic an early 9-4 lead. Aaron Gordon also added 9 points of his own for the Magic, who assisted on 10 of their 14 baskets in the quarter. The Pacers came back at them with equal force, using 7-7 free throw shooting and 2-3 makes from distance to fuel their own offensive outburst. It was clear right from the get-go that the Magic were going to have a hard time containing George early, and he led all scorers with 10 in the first, and the Pacers took a 39-38 lead.
Like many of these early shootouts, however, the Magic were unable to maintain the scoring momentum on their end, while simultaneously failing to find any defense to contain Collapse
What to make of the Orlando Magic’s Whiteboardgate
4/4/2017 - How could this happen? Just when it seemed like the painfully underwhelming 2017 NBA season was Expand
4/4/2017 - How could this happen? Just when it seemed like the painfully underwhelming 2017 NBA season was going to uneventfully come to completion for the Orlando Magic, the organization was able to accomplish what can only be described as inconceivable at this point. The Magic organization somehow found a way to again puzzle, confuse, and honestly amuse the rest of the NBA universe. No mas, enough already.In case you hadn’t heard, the Orlando Magic signed Patricio Garino and Marcus Georges-Hunt to contracts on Monday for the remainder of the season. Garino, an Argentinian who has spent his 2016-17 season in the D-League playing for the Austin Spurs, played for the Magic this past summer on their White team. That’s not the controversy. “Whiteboardgate” arose innocently via Twitter from someone close to Garino who posted a picture of the swingman signing what looked to be a contract. Unfortunately, in the background of the photo, a whiteboard with some very interesting names of players Collapse
Celtics beat Magic 117-116, sweep season series as Payton’s layup falls short
4/1/2017 - The Celtics have dominated the Magic this season with two 30-point wins, but this one was arguably Expand
4/1/2017 - The Celtics have dominated the Magic this season with two 30-point wins, but this one was arguably the most deflating. After the Orlando Magic suffered an epic collapse in their last outing, giving up a 21-point lead to Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder, they were given a chance at redemption against the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden on Friday night.
Like Deja Vu, the Magic would give up a 17-point lead in Boston, falling to the Celtics by a final score of 117-116.
After the two teams traded blows in the game’s final minutes, the Magic grabbed an Isaiah Thomas miss with just over 10 seconds left in the game. Frank Vogel elected not to call a timeout, and Magic point guard Elfrid Payton’s layup rattled off of the rim as time expired. There was a bit of contact on the last play, but at the end of the day, Payton called his own number and came up short.
“[forgoing the timeout] was our plan that we had from morning shootaround on,” said Vogel, “we all knew that was Collapse
Defense is a no-show, Magic lose 131-112
3/28/2017 - Defense was optional Monday night, especially for the Magic The encouraging part of the Magic’s Expand
3/28/2017 - Defense was optional Monday night, especially for the Magic The encouraging part of the Magic’s small ball experiment is the small uptick in the offense, which has eluded them all season. Scoring would not be an issue for the Magic on Monday, but the defense was as poor as it’s been all season, leading to the 131-112 blowout in Toronto. Elfrid Payton led the Magic with 22 points and 9 assists, while Nikola Vucevic had a 12-15 double-double. DeMar DeRozan dropped a massive 36 points on Orlando, while Terrence Ross and Serge Ibaka scored 17 and 16 points respectively against their former teams.
The first quarter was exciting, but also dangerous. Both teams scored at will, both shooting over 60%, and both hitting 2-3 from deep. The big difference was that the Magic spread out their points among several players, but the Raptors leaned on DeRozan’s 18 points. Terrence Ross was feeling it early, hitting his first three shots, finishing with 9 in the quarter. The game was nearly deadlocked Collapse
Magic play three good quarters, but fall apart in the fourth, falling 109-102
3/23/2017 - The Magic used defense and shooting to get out in front, and those were what did them in at the Expand
3/23/2017 - The Magic used defense and shooting to get out in front, and those were what did them in at the end. For a while, the Magic played Wednesday’s game hitting most of the goals they probably set for themselves, goals which they’ve generally not met this season: play some defense, make some jumpers. Unfortunately, that all came crashing down in the fourth, when the Hornets turned the game on its head, winning 109-102. Terrence Ross led Magic scorers with 19, and Nikola Vucevic had a near triple-double with 14, 12, and 8 assists. Kemba Walker had 22 for the Hornets, most of that coming in the second half, and Marco Belinelli lit up the Magic in the second quarter, finishing with 20 on
The starters, as usual, held up their end of the bargain to start the game, though tonight they did it with a few elements that have been missing: defense, and 3-point shooting. While the long range percentage was nothing to write home about (3-9 in the first, 6-18 at the half), it was an improvement for a Collapse
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Three more takeaways from the NBA draft lottery
7 DAYS AGO - Orlando falls back to 6th, and the Lakers’ top-3 position means the Magic won’t be getting the Expand
7 DAYS AGO - Orlando falls back to 6th, and the Lakers’ top-3 position means the Magic won’t be getting the 2019 pick The NBA conducted its 2017 draft lottery on Tuesday night, revealing that the Magic will have the 6th overall pick in the NBA draft. Magic fans were also following the position of the Los Angeles Lakers pick closesly, and their top-3 positioning means they will convey two 2017 second rounders. Check out our main recap here.
Three more takeaways from the draft lottery:
Tonight was nearly a worst-case scenario
Orlando had the potential to jump into the top 3 if the ping pong balls bounced their way, as well as the potential to get a 2019 first round pick from the Lakers if they fell out of the top 4. Instead, the Magic got neither.
The only way it could have shaken out worse would have been if two teams jumped the Magic instead of one, pushing them all the way down to 7th. Fortunately they averted that disaster, but Orlando fans probably won’t be happy with the final result.
The Collapse
Magic seek permission to interview David Griffin, according to report
7 DAYS AGO - Orlando is one of two teams seeking a general manager. The Orlando Magic have contacted the Expand
7 DAYS AGO - Orlando is one of two teams seeking a general manager. The Orlando Magic have contacted the Cleveland Cavaliers in hopes of receive permission to interview David Griffin for their vacant general manager position, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, who says Cleveland has yet to respond to the request.
The Magic are one of two teams, joining the Atlanta Hawks, with a vacancy at the top of their basketball operations department. Landing Griffin, who helped build the Cavaliers into a championship organization, would be a boon to a club in the midst of a five-year postseason drought, the longest in franchise history.
According to Wojnarowski, Griffin is expected to “aggressively pursue” Orlando’s GM job in hopes of securing a “market-level” contract, something Cleveland has yet to offer him. Griffin’s pact with the Cavaliers expires at the end of June.
Matt Lloyd has served as the Magic’s interim GM since the club fired Rob Hennigan and his top deputy, Scott Perry, following a Collapse
Orlando Magic fire General Manager Rob Hennigan
4/13/2017 - Less than 12 hours after the season concluded, the Magic moved on from their head man. Less than Expand
4/13/2017 - Less than 12 hours after the season concluded, the Magic moved on from their head man. Less than 12 hours after finishing off another disappointing season, the Orlando Magic began making moves, firing General Manager Rob Hennigan, and assistant general manager Scott Perry. Fellow assistant general manager Matt Llyod, who previously worked for the Chicago Bulls for 13 years, was named the team’s interim General Manager.
Across five seasons leading the Magic, Hennigan’s teams finished with the second worst record in the NBA, 132-278.
Tasked with rebuilding the team following the Dwight Howard saga, Hennigan was given poor luck in the NBA’s draft lottery, only securing a top-3 selection once in 2013, a draft that happened to be one of the worst in the last 10-years. Hennigan also struggled with poor asset management, turning young players like Ryan Anderson, Tobias Harris, Maurice Harkless and Kyle O’Quinn into seemingly nothing.
As the pressure began to build, Hennigan was unable Collapse
Magic cap off miserable season with win over Pistons
4/13/2017 - The Magic and the Pistons finished lost seasons in Orlando and didn’t disappoint! Wrapping up Expand
4/13/2017 - The Magic and the Pistons finished lost seasons in Orlando and didn’t disappoint! Wrapping up another abysmal season, the Orlando Magic capped it off with a victory over the Detroit Pistons, 113-109.
The Magic came out of the gates look like the Houston Rockets, shooting three-pointer after three-pointer early on. After Evan Fournier sunk one to extend the teams streak of consecutive games made with a three-pointer to 820, the Magic made five of their next eight in the quarter. Aaron Gordon electrified the crowd late in the quarter with a monster dunk on former teammate Tobias Harris, and almost sunk a half court shot to end the quarter.
The Magic are 5/7 from three in the first eight minutes tonight. So, apparently they were taken over by the Rockets.— Zach Oliver (@ZachOliverNBA) April 13, 2017
Unlike Monday night’s drubbing at the hands of the Chicago Bulls, the Magic starters were good. Very good, in fact, holding Detroit to a mere 17 first quarter points. However, in a Collapse
Magic build big lead in the third, hold on in the fourth to beat the Nets, 115-107
4/7/2017 - Big third quarter contributions Jodie Meeks got the Magic ahead, but they had to hold off Jeremy Expand
4/7/2017 - Big third quarter contributions Jodie Meeks got the Magic ahead, but they had to hold off Jeremy Lin in the fourth to get the win. Orlando’s recent losing streak is either depressing or encouraging, depending on your perspective on the team’s lottery chances. Given that the Magic lost to them last week, the Magic stood a decent chance at losing Thursday’s contest as well. That ould not be the case, as Orlando used a big third quarter to take the win over Brooklyn 115-107. Still, even if the win hurts the Magic’s draft standings incrementally, the highlights made it a fun game to watch, including 18 third-quarter points from Jodie Meeks and several highlight-reel jams from Aaron Gordon. The team was led throughout the night by Elfrid Payton, who scored 22 and dished out 11 assists. Jeremy Lin did his best Linsanity throwback in the fourth, scoring a season-high 32 on the night.
Evan Fournier sat with a sore wrist, and Vogel promised to play Terrence Ross minimally in the second half, Collapse
Orlando Magic sign Patricio Garino and Marcus Georges-Hunt
4/4/2017 - The Magic will take low-risk looks at two prospects down the stretch. The Orlando Magic on Monday Expand
4/4/2017 - The Magic will take low-risk looks at two prospects down the stretch. The Orlando Magic on Monday signed two NBA D-League players to contracts for the rest of the season, the team announced. Patricio Garino and Marcus Georges-Hunt will join the club for its final five games. To make room for those two swingmen on the roster, Orlando waived C.J. Wilcox.
Garino owns per-game averages of 11.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and two assists per game in 49 appearances with the Austin Spurs. Prior to joining them, he participated in the 2016 Orlando Pro Summer League as part of the Magic’s White team.
Georges-Hunt appeared in 45 games for the Maine Red Claws, averaging 15.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists while shooting 39.2 percent on three-pointers. That performance earned him a trip to the NBA D-League All-Star Game in February.
As a result of these signings, the Magic will maintain some level of control over these two prospects’ immediate NBA futures. There’s not really a downside here, Collapse
Jimmy Hewitt is inducted into the Magic Hall of Fame
3/30/2017 - The man responsible for bringing NBA basketball to Orlando was honored by the team on Wednesday Expand
3/30/2017 - The man responsible for bringing NBA basketball to Orlando was honored by the team on Wednesday Orlando made their second addition to the Magic Hall of Fame this season by inducting Jimmy Hewitt, the man largely responsible for landing an NBA team in Central Florida. He joins Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway, who was inducted earlier this year. Other members include Magic legend Nick Anderson, all-time center Shaquille O’Neal, executive Pat Williams, and owner Rich DeVos.
Hewitt was honored during a small ceremony before Wednesday’s game versus the Oklahoma City Thunder, as well as during the game. At the ceremony, he and Williams shared their stories about how the NBA came to Orlando, describing a few chance meetings that eventually led to Hewitt meeting with then-commissioner David Stern, and eventually going on to assemble a group of friends and businessmen to put together the $32.5 million expansion fees.
An early but important part of the tale was Hewitt’s insistence that Orlando was Collapse
Magic’s passing attack crushes Detroit 115-87
3/25/2017 - The Magic arguably played their best game of the season on Friday...or their worst opponent. Expand
3/25/2017 - The Magic arguably played their best game of the season on Friday...or their worst opponent. Despite the loss, there were signs of something interesting brewing from Wednesday’s game versus the Hornets, when the Magic passed the ball around with fervor rarely seen this season. Even when the shots weren’t falling, it seemed like they were doing the right stuff. Tonight, they turned up the passing attack to 11, at one point assisting on 28 of their 33 made baskets, in a raucous blowout over the Detroit Pistons, 115-87. Elfrid Payton notched his fourth triple-double of the month with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in just three quarters, as all five starters scored at least 14 points.
(Also, Detroit is not in a good place right now. Not. At. All.)
The first quarter started deceptively slow for both teams, with the Magic shooting only 40%, and Detroit an even more miserable 29%, leading to a 22-18 Orlando lead. It all broke open in the second, however, when the Magic’s passing Collapse
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