Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic and Markelle Fultz have agreed to a three-year, $50 million extension, his agent, Raymond Brothers, confirmed to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. 

The 22-year-old was due to become a restricted free agent following the 2020-21 NBA season. He also had the option of signing a qualifying offer approaching $16 million, which would have allowed him to become an unrestricted free agent in 2022.

Rookie-scale extensions are typically straightforward when involving a player selected first overall. But Fultz's journey to this point hasn't been typical of a No. 1 pick.

The Washington product was widely viewed as the best player in the 2017 draft class. The Philadelphia 76ers traded up to get him, as he looked like the final piece for a young roster that included Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Dario Saric.

What happened after that has been analyzed ad nauseam. Fultz picked up a shoulder injury early in his rookie year. Upon returning later in the 2017-18 season, he looked like a shadow of the player who averaged 23.2 points and shot 41.3 percent on three-pointers as a freshman with the Huskies.

That led to a level of discourse that wasn't helpful for anybody, as speculation constantly focused on whether Fultz was injured or dealing with a mental block that wrecked his self-confidence.

His trade to the Magic in February 2019 represented a fresh start and an opportunity to escape the constant scrutiny that followed him in Philadelphia.

After sitting out the second half of 2018-19, Fultz made encouraging strides in his first full season in Orlando. He averaged 12.1 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 46.5 percent from the field. His free-throw percentage also climbed from 56.8 to 73.0.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-RQwYLXyUE

His 26.7 percent clip from beyond the arc showed his shooting problems remain, and his defensive metrics were a mixed bag. Fultz finished 20th in defensive real-plus minus among point guards (plus-0.63), per ESPN.com. However, he also allowed opponents to shoot 41.7 percent from beyond the arc, per NBA.com.

It was impossible not to read something into the Magic's decision to select Cole Anthony in the first round of the 2020 draft, but his and Fultz's skill sets differed enough that they could share the court together for stretches.

Head coach Steve Clifford explained the fit after the draft, per The Athletic's Josh Robbins and Sam Vecenie:

"It would give us two pick-and-roll players on the floor at one time. I could see that eventually as (Anthony) becomes more comfortable and they're comfortable together. Look at the great success Toronto has playing (Fred) VanVleet and (Kyle) Lowry together. So I think that we can definitely do it. They're big enough to do (it), and they're both physical enough to guard bigger players."

With this contract, Orlando is committing to Fultz as a long-term solution at point guard—or at the very least giving him time to continue growing into the role.

The NBA has granted the Orlando Magic a disabled player exception worth nearly $3.7 million as a result of the season-ending injury suffered by forward Jonathan Isaac, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Isaac suffered a torn ACL during the 2019-20 restart inside the NBA bubble in Orlando, Florida. It was later confirmed that Isaac would miss the entire 2020-21 campaign.

The Magic can now use the $3.7 million gained by the disabled player exception to sign a player to a one-year deal, trade for a player in the final year of their contract or claim a player in the final year of their contract off waivers.

Orlando selected Isaac with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft out of Florida State, and he has made progress with each passing season.

Last season was Isaac's best to date, as he averaged a career-high 11.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.4 assists in 34 games, while also shooting a personal-best 47.0 percent from the field.

With Isaac out for the season, Orlando's depth is somewhat lacking at power forward behind starter Aaron Gordon.

Chuma Okeke is listed as the primary backup, but the 2019 first-round pick has yet to appear in an NBA game. He is followed by veteran Al-Farouq Aminu, who shot just 29.1 percent from the field in 18 games last season.

If a quality power forward becomes available at some point this season, the Magic would be wise to pursue him, especially since an injury to Gordon would put their frontcourt in a precarious position aside from center Nikola Vucevic.

The Magic have no obligation to use the exception and may not end up doing so, but having the option is a positive, especially during a season that promises to be somewhat uncertain amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The Orlando Magic picked up the fourth-year option on Mo Bamba's rookie contract on Wednesday.

According to Spotrac, Bamba will make $7.6 million in 2021-22.

The sixth overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft, Bamba saw a limited role during his rookie campaign. He averaged 6.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 16.3 minutes per game in 2018-19. He was limited to just 47 games after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his left tibia.

Though he managed to appear in 62 games this past season, Bamba was unable to take on an increased role. He averaged just 14.2 minutes per game, logging 5.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks while coming off the bench.

Of note, the 7'0" Bamba spent time during the NBA hiatus bulking up. Within the span of four months, he went from 231 pounds all the way up to 258 before going steady at 252. He explained, per NBA.com's John Denton:

"It was something that I had to work at every single day, and I had to make myself uncomfortable. I had to wake up a few times at 3 and 4 o'clock in the morning just to get some extra calories and an extra fill. I had to wake up early to get that extra, big breakfast. It was definitely uncomfortable at first, but as I got used to it, it definitely got a lot easier."

Unfortunately for Bamba, he did not get much of a chance to show what he could do with his new frame. He totaled just 10 minutes in two appearances after the season restart.

Still just 22 years old, Bamba provides the Magic with an intriguing young talent. While he has plenty of room to improve on the offensive end of the court, Bamba can immediately make an impact near the rim on defense.

After a trip to the NBA bubble for the end of regular season play, the Orlando Magic found their way into the playoffs for the second consecutive year after a six-season drought. However, another first-round elimination—the fourth in their past four playoff runs—was to greet them.  

The team entered the playoffs with a worse record (33-40) than 2018-19, and an expanding injury list was no help, either.

Aaron Gordon left the bubble with a hamstring issue, and Mo Bamba departed for a "post-coronavirus evaluation" after making brief appearances. Michael Carter-Williams was out with a foot injury. Jonathan Isaac tore his ACL and meniscus, which president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said in September could keep Isaac out of action for the 2020-21 season.

But for all the adversity faced in the bubble, the Magic's season hints at consistency for the future. Yet again, the Magic were paced by Nikola Vucevic, who thankfully returns for Orlando to play out the second year of his four-year contract.

Nearly all of the rest Orlando's playoff starting five—Markelle Fultz, Evan Fournier, James Ennis III and Aaron Gordon—are back as well. Terrence Ross will also be available, while draft pick Cole Anthony could fall into a backup point guard role. 

The Magic have the potential to carry chemistry into the 2020-21 season and push beyond the norm, which has seemingly become first-round playoff exits.

Here's what lies ahead for Orlando this season following Friday's first-half schedule release. 

     

2020-21 Magic Schedule Details

Season Opener: Wednesday, Dec. 23 vs. Miami Heat

Championship Odds: +12000 (via FanDuel)

First-Half Schedule: NBA.com

     

Top Matchups

Philadelphia 76ers (First Game: Thursday, Dec. 31)

The Magic won two regular-season contests against the Sixers last season before dropping their game in the NBA bubble. The first win was more of a statement victory, with the Magic coming away with a 112-97 win while the 76ers were without Joel Embiid. They managed to hang on for a 98-97 win a month later, even as Embiid and Tobias Harris piled on 24 points each.

With new leadership headed to Philadelphia this season in the form of Doc Rivers after seven years of Brett Brown, it will take a bit for the roster to jell and reach the level it was at for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, which brought the team to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Philadelphia will be without Al Horford and Josh Richardson, who they dealt in the offseason, and in terms of who walks away with the victory in this matchup, it will be whoever takes advantage of their chemistry first—and the Magic have the advantage there. 

     

Miami Heat (First Game: Wednesday, Dec. 23)

Orlando is capable of defeating the Eastern Conference champions and doing so handily. On Jan. 3, they outscored the Heat 21-6 in the fourth quarter to seal a 105-85 victory as the Heat moved their way to the top of the conference standings. Jimmy Butler scored 23 points and Bam Adebayo added 14, but the eventual Finals runners-up were no match for Vucevic (20 points), Gordon (16 points) and a surprise from Terrence Ross, who posted 25 points off the bench.

Against Miami in March, Ross scored a season-high 35 points and eight three-pointers without posting a rebound, assist, block or steal.

The Magic can hang with the Heat. They've proved that.

When they meet, it will be a benchmark test for Orlando to see how far it has come as the team battles against a youthful roster that boasts Adebayo and playoff sensation Tyler Herro alongside league veteran Goran Dragic.

     

Season Forecast

The fact that the Magic have made it to the playoffs in two straight seasons is a testament to the progress they've made under the tutelage of Steve Clifford.

If Isaac really is sidelined for the season, the Magic will want to shape their game plan around Ennis, and he highlighted his reliability as a playmaker during the postseason once Isaac was ruled out by recording 7.0 points and 5.8 rebounds through their five games. With more pressure on from the start, he should ease into the lineup for Orlando. 

For the Magic, their power relies on their youth, with 22-year-old Fultz having stolen the spotlight from D.J. Augustin, alongside then-22-year-old Jonathan Isaac and 22-year-old Mo Bamba coming off the bench. With more time to develop, the already-legitimate playmakers will emerge as problems for opponents, and—coupled with the veteran leadership of Vucevic and four other players nearing 30—Orlando will continue to develop and complete its rebuild.

    

Record Prediction: 34-38

Veteran guard Michael Carter-Williams has reportedly agreed to a deal to return to the Orlando Magic, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Carter-Williams spent the last season-plus in Orlando after stints with the Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Hornets and Houston Rockets during his seven-year NBA career.

In 45 games last season, Carter-Williams averaged 7.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals, while shooting 42.7 percent from the field and 29.3 percent from long range.

Since bursting onto the scene as a rookie with the Sixers in 2013-14, Carter-Williams has experienced a precipitous fall in usage and production.

MCW seemed to have a bright future when he averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 assists, 6.2 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game during his debut season en route to being named NBA Rookie of the Year.

He was traded to Milwaukee the following season, however, and he has bounced around the league since.

Overall, Carter-Williams has appeared in 360 career regular-season games, making 192 starts. His averages sit at 10.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.3 steals. Offensive inefficiency has plagued Carter-Williams, as he has shot just 40.2 percent from the field and 25.6 percent from long range.

With MCW coming off the bench, another former 76ers first-round pick in Markelle Fultz was Orlando's primary starter at point guard last season. The 2017 No. 1 overall pick showed signs of life with 12.1 points, 5.1 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game in 72 contests, and he will likely receive plenty of playing time in a contract year before becoming a restricted free agent.

The Magic also selected former North Carolina star guard Cole Anthony with the No. 15 pick Wednesday.

Given the team's depth at point guard, Carter-Williams should see plenty of action at shooting guard in addition to point guard, making him a potentially valuable bench piece for a Magic team that has made the playoffs in each of the past two seasons.

James Ennis III has agreed to return to the Orlando Magic on a one-year deal, per Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic.

Ennis declined his $2.1 million player option for the 2020-21 season Tuesday, per Charania, but he will stay in Orlando for at least one more year.

The 6'7" wing averaged 6.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game last year for the Philadelphia 76ers and Magic. Philadelphia dealt him to Orlando on Feb. 6 for a second-round draft selection.

Ennis came off the bench in Philadelphia but entered the starting lineup for the Magic, who reached the NBA playoffs for the second straight season.

Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel reported Friday that Ennis "most likely will slot into the starting small forward spot" for the Magic as he did last year.

Ennis returns to a Magic team that has added UNC guard Cole Anthony via the NBA draft and picked up ex- Charlotte Hornets guard Dwayne Bacon on a two-year deal, per Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports.

It's largely been a quiet offseason for the Magic, who will return much of the personnel from their 2019-20 season barring trades.

Of note, Markelle Fultz, Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon, Nikola Vucevic, big man Mo Bamba and power forward Jonathan Isaac are all under contract for 2020-21.

Therefore, it looks like Orlando is more or less running it back from last year.

Although the Magic finished just 33-40, that may not be a bad thing. 

For starters, the Magic will hope to enjoy a full year of a healthy Markelle Fultz, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft. Injuries curtailed the start of his career, but he's showed promise after Philadelphia traded him to Orlando, averaging 12.1 points and 5.1 assists per game.

The Magic will welcome back Ennis, an All-Star big man in Vucevic and a 40 percent three-point shooter in Fournier, in addition to talented young big men in Bamba and Isaac (when the latter returns from a torn left ACL).

The wild card is Aaron Gordon, who regressed in 2019-20 during an injury-plagued year.

Gordon's field-goal, three-point and free-throw percentages all dipped, and his scoring average did as well.

At his best, Gordon can at least threaten to post 20 points and 10 rebounds in any given night. He's only 25 years old, so perhaps the best is yet to come for the ex-Arizona star.

Orlando will look to make the playoffs for the third straight season in 2020-21. Schedules have not yet been released, but the season will start Dec. 22.

Karim Mane, a combo guard out of Vanier College in Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada, is now a member of the Orlando Magic after the team signed him to a two-day deal on Friday, per Blake Murphy of The Athletic. 

The 6'5", 195-pound shooting guard joins a Magic team that added UNC guard Cole Anthony with the 15th overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft on Wednesday. Orlando did not select anyone in the second round, and Mane is its first reported undrafted free agent signing this year.

Mane posted 15.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 2.1 steals in the RSEQ (Reseau du sport etudiant du Quebec) league.

His scouting report from Carl Berman and David Sauriol of NetScouts Basketball (h/t NBA) read in part:

"Mane has a versatile offensive game that mixes up attacking the basket using a variety of shifty hesitation dribbles and changes of pace with shooting from deep. He is capable of creating three-point attempts off the bounce as a pull-up shooter and firing deep threes well behind the line. Although Mane can be streaky, he has nice looking shot mechanics and a quick release which bodes well for improved consistency in the future ."

The Magic may need some reinforcements at guard with D.J. Augustin and Michael Carter-Williams entering free agency. Evan Fournier and Markelle Fultz's contracts also run out in 2021.

Mane probably won't be that answer off the bat. Josh Robbins of The Athletic provided some insight into the move, noting that he's seen as a long-term developmental prospect.

The Magic's two-way deal with prospect Karim Mane from Quebec is an interesting decision because it appears to be using a two-way contract for long-term developmental purposes. Mane, a 6-foot-6 guard (in shoes), has a 6-foot-11 wingspan, so he fits the Magic profile to a 'T.'

— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) November 21, 2020

However, the Magic are clearly intrigued by his potential, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him get some playing time for Orlando by the season's end.

The Orlando Magic selected North Carolina guard Cole Anthony with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft.

Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report

Player: Cole Anthony

Position: PG

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 190

Pro Comparison: Collin Sexton

Scouting Report: Once thought of as a potential No. 1 overall pick, Cole Anthony could now be the draft's most undervalued prospect. Scoring point guards are in, and Anthony can create and shot-make with the best in the class. His stock took a hit due to questions about his efficiency and playmaking during a year in which he got hurt and had limited supporting talent at North Carolina. While he still has to improve as a decision-maker, Anthony has the the athleticism, pull-up game and confidence to light up defenses and scoreboards.

       

Here is a look at Anthony's fit in his new team's depth chart:

Magic Active Roster and Average Salary (Expiration Year)

Cole Anthony, PG: Rookie scale contract (2024)

Nikola Vucevic, C: $25M (2023)

Aaron Gordon, PF: $20M (2022)

Evan Fournier, SG: $17M (2021)

Terrence Ross, SG: $13.5M (2023)

Al-Farouq Aminu, PF: $9.7M (2022)

Markelle Fultz, PG: $9.4M (2021)

Jonathan Isaac, PF: $5.6M (2021)

Mohamed Bamba, C: $5.5M (2021)

Chuma Okeke, PF: $3.2M (2021)

Khem Birch, C: $3M (2021)

Melvin Frazier, SF: $1.2M (2021)

       

Free Agents

BJ Johnson, SF: RFA

DaQuan Jeffries, SF: RFA

D.J. Augustin, PG: UFA

Gary Clark, SF: RFA

James Ennis, SF: Player option

Melvin Frazier, SF: Team option

Michael Carter-Williams, PG: UFA

Wesley Iwundu, SF: RFA

         

To call Anthony's lone season with the Tar Heels a failure would be a stretch, but it fell well short of expectations.

The son of former NBA veteran Greg Anthony, the 20-year-old was the No. 4 player in 247Sports' composite rankings for 2019. Armando Bacot, a 5-star recruit and the No. 6 center, joined him on the way to Chapel Hill.

The departures of Kenny Williams, Cameron Johnson, Luke Maye, Nassir Little and Coby White proved too much for head coach Roy Williams, though. The team slumped to a 14-19 record.

Anthony missed nearly two months with a knee injury, which played a role in UNC's downturn. The injury added to a somewhat inconsistent season from the New York native.

He flashed his obvious scoring talent, averaging 18.5 points, yet he shot only 38.0 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from beyond the arc. His playmaking was a mixed bag, too, as he dished out just 4.0 assists to 3.5 turnovers.

Still, few were surprised when Anthony declared for the 2020 draft because he was widely viewed as a first-round lock in a class bereft of any true can't-miss superstars.

In his May 7 mock draft, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected him as the No. 10 overall selection to the Phoenix Suns:

"Scouts sound split on Cole Anthony, and depending how the draft order plays out, a mini slide to No. 10 seems possible. [...]

"Despite an inefficient freshman season, Anthony was given limited spacing on a poor shooting team that often played two bigs. He still managed 18.5 points, 4.0 assists and 2.2 threes while grading in the 92nd percentile out of isolation.

"While there are concerns about Anthony running an offense, there aren't many about his ability to create and score."

At 6'3" and 190 pounds, Anthony doesn't possess the ideal size to be a combo guard. His game should allow him to play on the ball as a lead playmaker, or move off the ball as a pure scorer to complement a more traditional point guard.

Based on how he performed with North Carolina, the Magic will have altered their outlook for what Anthony can deliver right out of the gate. The inability to evaluate him more attentively during predraft showcases didn't help matters.

It's easy to see why Orlando deemed him worthy of the investment, but Anthony won't come without risk.

Markelle Fultz had a promising first full season in Orlando, but his shooting remains an issue, as he hit only 26.7 percent of his three-pointers. D.J. Augustin is a free agent this offseason as well.

Anthony will be a good complement to Fultz and the eventual replacement for Augustin.

The absence of a true foundational star is the Magic's overarching problem. They've assembled a roster that appears to have a clear ceiling after back-to-back first-round playoff exits.

Perhaps Orlando will strike gold and watch Anthony blossom into an All-Star talent.

Cole Anthony is heading to Orlando. 

The Magic selected him with the No. 15 overall pick during the first round of Wednesday's NBA draft, adding a young guard for their future alongside Markelle Fultz.

But what does a contract look like for the No. 15 overall pick? 

Per RealGM, Anthony's contract will be $2.7 million in his first season due to the rookie scale. His second season will then come in at $2.8 million, his third-year team option will be $3 million and his fourth-year team option will be a 53.3 percent increase from his third-year number, or a little over $4.5 million. 

It should be noted that the Magic and Anthony could agree to a deal that could be up to 120 percent of those figures, or could go down to 80 percent of the numbers listed. But he'll settle somewhere in the ballpark of the figures above.

Anthony averaged 18.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in his one season at North Carolina, shooting 38 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from three in 22 games. He's a good athlete who will be able to create his own shot in the NBA and should develop into a solid scoring lead guard. 

He'll need to improve upon his playmaking and finishing at the rim and cut down on his turnovers, but there's little doubt he has starter's upside if he puts it all together. He also won't be intimidated by the NBA stage, as his father is former NBA player Greg Anthony. 

It's an exciting pick for the Magic, who will be hoping Anthony ends up becoming one of the steals of this draft. 

Evan Fournier is exercising his $17 million player option to remain with the Orlando Magic for 2020-21, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Fournier is coming off the best year of his career. He averaged 18.5 points and 3.2 assists while shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 39.9 percent from beyond the arc. His 4.6 win shares were second on the team behind Nikola Vucevic, per Basketball Reference.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBrQMzn9buE

An elbow injury took him out of the lineup for three games before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the NBA to suspend the regular season. He was back for the seeding games and helped the Magic secure the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Fournier and Orlando were both overmatched against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round and lost in five games.

Especially given the general lack of depth in this year's free-agent class, the 28-year-old opting out of his deal would have probably been the likelier outcome under normal circumstances. Even if Fournier didn't get an annual salary to match what he would have earned otherwise, he could have received a bigger long-term payout.

Harrison Barnes made the same tradeoff last offseason when he declined a $25.1 million player option and then signed a four-year, $85 million contract to stay with the Sacramento Kings.

That was before the pandemic wreaked havoc on the finances of the NBA and every other major sports league. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the salary cap will remain set at $109.1 million.

Players in Fournier's position had a strong incentive to take the sure thing and trigger their options rather than risk winding up with less money in free agency.

The downside is that the 2021 free-agent class could include LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Paul George, Bradley Beal, Rudy Gobert and Victor Oladipo.

The effects from the pandemic might last well beyond this offseason, especially if empty arenas remain in play for 2020-21. That would put the squeeze on veterans such as Fournier, who have obvious value but won't break into the max-level bracket.

But the Frenchman will cross that bridge when it comes.

His decision guarantees the Magic's core remains intact, so another playoff challenge should be in store for Orlando.