After having a successful 2020 NBA Draft with selecting Cole Anthony 15th overall and signing 2019 1st round pick Chuma Okeke to his Rookie Deal, Orlando will now look to attack it’s next piece of business in the Offseason: The Free Agency Period. With Orlando having Markelle Fultz, Aaron Gordon, Nikola Vucevic, and Jonathan Isaac all being under contract for 2020-21, Orlando seems like they’ll run it back with the same team. The Magic finished at 33-40 in the 2019-2020 season, but this isn’t that bad. For starters, Orlando should enjoy a full year of Fultz, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Fultz and company should embody one of the brightest cores in the league. Orlando will still have to make smart, worthwhile signing in Free Agency to assure themselves a spot in the Playoffs, however.
*This article will update with new signings. All of Orlando’s 2020 Transactions will be found in this article.
November 20th, 2020: SG/SF Dwayne Bacon inks 2-year deal with the Magic
The news of Bacon signing with the Magic broke on Friday, as Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports reported. In Bacon’s two-year deal, the second year will include a Team Option. Bacon did struggle last season with the dismal Hornets, averaging 5.7 PPG and shooting an abysmal 34.8% from the field, 28.4% from three, and 66.0% from the free-throw line. His shooting and scoring was much worse than the year prior, where he averaged 7.3 PPG, shot 47.5% from the field, 43.7% from three, and 73.9% from the free-throw line. Bacon will look to get back on track with the Magic, and may even have a significant role on the team if Anthony or Fultz struggles. Orlando will need to put as much faith as they can in Bacon, especially with him coming off two lackluster seasons at just age 24.
November 20th, 2020: James Ennis III agrees to return to the Magic on a one-year deal
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 but will stay with Orlando for at least one more year. Ennis’ 2019-2020 season was split between the Philadephia 76ers and the Magic, as he was traded to Orlando for a second-round draft pick. The 6’7″ Small Forward averaged 6.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG, and shot 44.6% from the field and 32.6% from downtown last year for the 76ers and Magic. Ennis came off the bench in Philadelphia but entered the starting lineup for the Magic. Just like for Bacon, Ennis’ impact on the Magic may be minimal, but he can provide critical depth for Orlando if an injury happens in the shortened season.
November 20, 2020: Former Michigan Center Jon Teske signs deal with the Magic
Jon Teske’s NBA journey has officially begun. The former Michigan Alumni has signed a deal with the Orlando Magic and “will be heading to NBA preseason camp,” according to the Wolverines’ official Twitter account. Teske is coming off a career year as a senior, as he averaged a career-high 11.6 points, and 6.7 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. Teske has started all 68 of Michigan’s games over the past two seasons. He was the anchor of the Wolverines’ defense and was reliable on offense as a screener who could finish at the rim. Teske was used more often on post-ups as a senior, with varying levels of success, and has shown he can occasionally step out and hit a 3. If he does catch on with the Magic, it’ll likely be due to his rim protection.
November 21, 2020: Gary Clark inks two-year, $4.1 million deal with the Magic
Free-Agent power forward Gary Clark has agreed to a two-year, $4.1 million deal to stay with the Orlando Magic, a source told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Saturday. The Magic acquired Clark from the Houston Rockets last season. He started all five of their playoff games, averaging 7.4 PPG and 5.6 RPG in the playoffs. As for the regular season, Clark did struggle more playing off the bench, averaging a measly 3.7 PPG and 2.1 RPG. Clark did earn his stripes as a shooter, however, knocking down 40.6% of his Field Goals and 35.1% from downtown. Clark shouldn’t have too much of an impact on the starting lineup, but he will be a worthwhile shooter to have off the bench.
November 21, 2020: Michael Carter-Williams is coming back home to Orlando with a two-year deal
The Magic reportedly have reached an agreement with Free-Agent guard Michael Carter-Williams, who spent last season as a key rotational piece with the Magic. Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic was the first to report the news. Carter-William’s contract a two-year deal with no signs of a Player or Team Option. With the Magic drafting Anthony and resigning Carter-Williams, this shows how prepared Orlando was for veteran Point Guard D.J. Augustin to leave in Free Agency (Augustin signed with the Milwaukee Bucks).
November 21, 2020: Undrafted Free Agent Karim Mane signs two-way contract with Orlando
Mane has officially signed a two-way contract with the Magic on Friday, Blake Murphy of The Athletic reports. Scouts began to monitor Mane more closely following his play at the Under-19 FIBA World Championships, where he averaged 11.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals across 24 minutes per game for Canada. As of April of this year, Mane was the No. 2 prospect on ESPN’s international rankings for 2,000-born players. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony notes that Mane is in great shape, has impressive athleticism, and stands at 6-foot-6. with a 6-foot-10 wingspan. Many international products have turned out to be great NBA players, such as Dirk Nowitzki, Yao Ming, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Luka Doncic. Mane could turn out to be the next International Star for Orlando.
November 23, 2020: Former Pistons Shooting Guard Jordan Bone joins the Magic on a two-way contract
Bone has officially joined the Magic with a two-way contract, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports. Bone made his NBA debut last season for the Pistons, but did fail to make much of an impression. He played a total of 53 minutes across 10 games, scoring 12 points and registering eight assists. The former Tennesse Alumni may become another repair project that Head Coach Steve Clifford will undergo. Bone will probably undergo his NBA Career in the G-Leauge, and may even blossom into a star after being overlooked in the NBA Draft. Bone’s leap is very likely, also considering the leaps Eric Paschall and Kendrick Nunn both took after a brief stint in the G-Leauge.