Orlando Magic
The Value of Evan Fournier
Published
11 years agoon
By
FNN SPORTS
The 2016 Free Agency should be a time when the Orlando Magic are assembling the final pieces to become playoff perennials and championship contenders for the foreseeable future. There are five players on the roster who will be free agents if further deals are not made: Jason Smith and Melvin Ejim will be the only unrestricted free agents and Evan Fournier, Andrew Nicholson, and Dewayne Dedmon will all be restricted.
Jason Smith is just a one-year flier. He noted how the opportunity to start at power forward is a main reason he joined the team. If that is the case, I do not see him returning after this year, as he will be coming off the bench by season’s end. We do not know much about how Melvin Ejim’s game will translate in the NBA, his contract is also a one-year flier and his future with the team will depend on his performance.
Unfortunately, Andrew Nicholson has struggled to find playing time in the Magic’s rotation. Unless that changes with Coach Skiles at the helm, I do not see the Magic extending his contract. The remaining two players are ones I would want the Magic to retain: Dedmon via restricted free agency and Fournier by way of a contract extension.
Between Fournier, Nicholson, and Dedmon, Fournier has gelled the most with the team. Sure, Dedmon brings a LOT of energy off the bench and adds much needed rim protection to the roster, but Fournier has made it clear how well he has mingled with the rest of the players. For example, he and Vucevic have both noted how close they have become: “We just kind of connected right away…I think it’s not only because he speaks French and I speak French that we connected. I think it’s because we’re interested in the same stuff,” Vucevic said of his relationship with Fournier. Fournier’s value to the team cannot be bought through free agency the same way getting a rim protecting big man can be. This past offseason, General Manager Rob Hennigan made it clear that the team was aggressively looking for rim protection in free agency.
With all the defensive talent the Magic roster has, Fournier is a much-needed offensive presence. While there is a logjam at the wing, with Fournier, Oladipo, Harris, Gordon, Hezonja all vying for at least twenty minutes a game, it will be difficult, but with the advent of the small ball form of basketball, Coach Skiles can make it work. Fournier was injured during a lot of the losing streaks the Magic had, including the span of losses that culminated in the firing of Jacque Vaughn. While much of the season’s struggles were a result of inexperience compounded with the coaching staff’s decision making, it is not insignificant that Fournier was absent during many of the team’s losing streaks. That notion makes Evan somewhat of an unnoticed X-Factor to the team’s success. In the beginning of the season, when Fournier started/played starter minutes, the Magic were in the top eight of the East despite having a difficult schedule in the beginning of the year.
Fournier’s value should not be undermined. His agent and the Magic should negotiate an extension. A fair contract would be something similar to what they pay Frye, a front-loaded $32 million/4 year deal that will become a bargain towards the end of the contract, combined with the huge cap increase over the next few years. It would make his contract tradable if he becomes unhappy with his bench role, but it would also keep his contract very friendly with the cap space if he wants to stay with the Magic. The Magic need a sense of coherency if they want to become a successful team, and keeping our core players is needed to make that leap.
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NBA
Magic Beat Raptors for Second Win in a Row
Published
3 years agoon
December 9, 2022By
Mike Brodsky
ORLANDO, Fla. (Florida National News) – The Orlando Magic (7-20) continued their winning ways against the Toronto Raptors (13-13), defeating them 113-109 , just two days after a come-from-behind overtime victory against the Los Angeles Clippers. This two game winning streak puts an end to the Magic’s previous nine game losing streak.
The Magic started strong, taking a 37-25 lead into the second quarter, led by 10 first quarter points from Franz Wagner. But the Raptors caught up to the Magic midway through the second quarter led by Pascal Siakam and Gary Trent Jr. But at halftime, the Magic held a slight lead, 67-63.
The Magic extended their lead to 94-87 with remarkably impressive scoring from Franz Wagner who added 14 points in the third quarter alone. In the fourth quarter, the Raptors tied it up 108-108 with about two minutes remaining after two free throws by OG Anunoby. Paolo Banchero made one of two subsequent free throws, and Moe Wagner drew the charge from Gary Trent Jr. to negate his two point basket. Fred Van Vleet later added a free throw to tie the game at 109-109. A Franz Wagner tip layup put the Magic up 111-109. A missed shot by Fred Van Vleet sealed the Raptors loss. Banchero’s two free throws put the Magic ahead 113-109 at the end of the game.
Franz Wagner led the scoring for the Magic with 34 points, while Paolo Banchero scored 23. Mo Bamba finished with 13 rebounds. Cole Anthony and Markelle Fultz ended with 5 assists.
Several Magic players remain injured and were unable to play, including Wendell Carter Jr. (plantar fascia strain), Gary Harris (strained right hamstring), Chuma Okeke (left knee soreness), Jalen Suggs (right ankle soreness) and Jonathan Isaac (left knee recovery). Isaac has started his rehab program, playing in full contact 5 on 5 practice games with the Lakeland G League affiliate, and hopes to return to the court soon for Orlando.
The Magic face the Raptors at Amway once again on Sunday, 12/11 at 6:00 p.m. Be sure to follow www.FloridaSportsChannel.com and www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.
NBA
Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic Beat Memphis Grizzlies 109-105 in Preseason Home Opener
Published
4 years agoon
October 11, 2022
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) – The Orlando Magic returned home to Amway Center to host the Memphis Grizzlies Tuesday night; the teams’ second match with each other this preseason. Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley made a point to rotate many his key players through in just the first quarter. Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins also mentioned he would take a similar route in a pregame interview, saying he planned to run 11 players in Tuesday night’s game.
First Half
As anticipated, Orlando Magic first round draft pick Paolo Banchero got busy putting up points, leading in the first quarter with nine. Banchero continued to lead the Magic in scoring in the first half with 13 points while Franz Wagner led in rebounds with eight and Wendell Carter Jr. carried the weight in assists with six. Banchero also led in free throws at 100 percent, nailing all five.
Though the Magic led in the points, the truth is the Grizzlies actually made great shot opportunities for themselves, but many of the shots just didn’t land. Not for lack of trying: Ja Morant was 2 for 11 on field goals and clocked seven points, Dillon Brooks went 2 for 6 and clocked six points, and Desmond Bane, who led the Grizzlies with 17 points in the first half, went 6 for 9 on field goals.
The Magic led in points in the paint with 20 compared to the Grizzlies’ 18 and in second chance points with five to the Grizzlies’ two. Memphis did lead in fast break points, though, with 13 to Orlando’s eight.
For the Magic, Terrence Ross was second in scoring with eight points in the first half. Orlando’s other draft pick rookie, Caleb Houstan, contributed five points in the first half. Bol Bol humbly contributed two. Cole Anthony, Wendell Carter Jr. and Franz Wagner each contributed seven points.
By halftime, the Magic had a seven-point lead, 54-47.
Second Half
Either the Grizzlies came alive in the second half or the Magic slowed down, but the Grizzlies were much more successful in scoring. Desmond Bane put up six more points in the third quarter as did Santi Aldama. Banchero and (Franz) Wagner maxed out at three additional points in the third. The Grizzlies closed the scoring gap and went into the fourth with only a six-point deficit, 77-71.
The Grizzlies clawed through the fourth quarter, narrowing Orlando’s lead to just one point with only four minutes left in the game. However, the Magic managed get more points on the board and widen the gap again by five points in the final two minutes. The rest of the game was a bit of a nail biter for Magic fans, seeing the lead shrink and grow between two and five points with fouls and free throws for Terrence Ross for the Magic and Ja Morant for the Grizzlies.
For the Magic, Wendell Carter Jr. topped in scoring with 18 points and 8 assists, with Paolo Banchero and Terrence Ross backing him up each with 17 points.
All in all, the Magic won 109-105. They have one more home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers Friday, October 14 at 7pm ET, before getting back on the road.
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Mellissa Thomas is Editor for Florida National News.
Orlando
Orlando Magic Sign Kevon Harris to Two-Way Contract
Published
4 years agoon
July 25, 2022By
Willie David
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Magic have signed free agent guard Kevon Harris (KEE-von) to a two-way contract, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed.
Harris (6’6”, 216, 6/24/97) played in 24 games (23 starts) last season with Raptors 905 of the NBA G League, averaging 15.1 ppg., 5.7 rpg., 3.6 apg. and 1.17 stlpg. in 30.2 minpg. Most recently, he played and started in all five games with Minnesota during the NBA 2K23 Summer League 2022, averaging 15.8 ppg., 2.8 rpg., 2.0 apg. and 1.00 stlpg. in 27.1 minpg.
Not drafted by an NBA franchise, Harris has played in 31 career NBA G League regular season games (23 starts), all with Raptors 905, averaging 12.4 ppg., 4.7 rpg. and 2.9 apg. in 25.5 minpg.
Harris played in 127 career games (104 starts) during four seasons at Stephen F. Austin (2016-20), averaging 14.4 ppg., 5.3 rpg., 1.6 apg. and 1.05 stlpg. in 28.0 minpg., while shooting .397 (188-474) from three-point range. As a senior (2019-20), he played and started in 31 games, averaging 17.5 ppg., 5.7 rpg., 2.1 apg. and 1.52 stlpg. in 29.3 minpg., while shooting .413 (59-143) from three-point range. Harris was named First Team All-Southland Conference and the 2019-20 Southland Conference Player of the Year. He also earned Second Team All-Southland Conference twice (2017-18, 2018-19).
Harris will wear #7 with the Orlando Magic.
Per NBA rules, teams are permitted to have a maximum of two players under two-way contracts in addition to the players under standard NBA contracts. A two-way player is also eligible to provide services to Orlando’s G League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic.
