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Orlando Magic's 2009 Pro Summer League Proves Fruitless, as Top Performers Sign Elsewhere

Ben Q Rock — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 18:00:12 -0000

More photos » by Winslow Townson - AP

Point guard Levance Fields is among the Orlando Magic's summer-league players who have signed elsewhere, leaving the Magic empty-handed.

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It's high time we take a quick look around the world to see where the Orlando Magic's summer-leaguers have wound up. If you recall, Ryan Anderson was the only player on the team with an NBA contract, and the Magic's bevy of open roster spots meant that their summer-league invitees stood a great chance of receiving an invite to training camp. Here's how I assessed each individual performance.

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear as though any of the standouts will return to Orlando, as they've received jobs elsewhere.

Small forward Kasib Powell, who earned second-team all-league honors that week, reached an agreement with a Greek team, per this Greek link.
Big man Richard Hendrix signed with a Spanish team.
Russell Robinson spurned the Magic, who offered him a spot in their training camp, for the opportunity to play with Shaquille O'Neal, LeBron James, and former Kansas teammate Darnell Jackson in the Cleveland Cavaliers' camp instead.

Jeremy Richardson, the only other NBA-caliber player from the Magic's team, said he expects to sign with the Magic. That was a month ago. Still no word on his chances of reprising his 15th-man role once again, as Orlando is more concerned with filling its third-string point guard vacancy.

And in much less surprising news, Levance Fields, who did not have an exceptional week, signed with Spartak St. Petersburg after not receiving an offer from the Magic.

Indeed, based on these recent signings, it appears as the Magic accomplished two things in summer-league: they provided assistant coach Patrick Ewing with some head-coaching experience, and they served as a showcase for Anderson, who was arguably the best player in the entire camp. Unfortunately for him, the Magic signed power forward Brandon Bass on the last day of camp, a move which appears to have squeezed the 21-year-old Anderson out of the immediate rotation.

Reviewing Orlando Magic Players' Performance in the 2009 Orlando Pro Summer League

Ben Q Rock — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:00:18 -0000

Another Orlando Pro Summer League is in the books, and the host Orlando Magic finished the week with a 2-3 record. The Magic have several roster spots to fill on the big-league team, and must fill those spots with a limited budget. Undrafted rookies, free-agents, and veterans of international ball--in other words, players who fit the Magic's said limited budget--made their cases for inclusion on the opening-night roster.

After the jump, 3QC breaks down the chances each player has of earning an invitation to training camp.

First, a look at each player's per-game statistics. They're sorted in descending order by total minutes played, in order to show which players got the longest looks from the team.

Pos.	Name	Mins	Pts	Rebs	Asts	Stls	Blks	FG%	3FG%	FT%
PF	Ryan Anderson	31	21.4	9.4	2.0	1.0	1.0	49.3%	41.4%	92.0%
SF	Kasib Powell	34	14.8	5.8	2.0	1.0	0.8	46.0%	52.9%	44.4%
PG	Russell Robinson	22	6.6	1.4	3.6	1.0	0.2	38.5%	28.6%	91.7%
SG	Maurice Ager	19	8.0	1.4	1.4	0.6	0.2	37.5%	28.6%	60.9%
PF/C	Richard Hendrix	23	9.8	7.3	0.8	0.3	1.8	56.0%	100.0%	66.7%
PG	Brian Chase	26	12.7	4.0	2.7	0.3	0.0	55.6%	75.0%	66.7%
SF	Jeremy Richardson	26	12.0	5.7	0.3	1.0	0.0	35.1%	15.4%	88.9%
PF/C	Darian Townes	15	3.6	3.6	0.0	0.0	0.2	34.8%		40.0%
SG	Courtney Fells	18	2.7	2.7	0.7	1.0	0.3	14.3%	22.2%
C	Lance Allred	10	1.4	2.8	0.8	0.0	0.0	27.3%		50.0%
PG	Jeremy Pargo	18	4.0	1.5	1.5	1.5	0.0	33.3%	0.0%
PG	Levance Fields	13	4.5	1.0	2.5	0.5	0.0	36.5%	25.0%	0.0%
C	Stevan Milosevic	8	2.0	1.0	0.0	0.5	0.0	66.7%
PF	C.J. Giles	5	2.0	3.0	0.0	2.0	0.0	50.0%

It's pretty easy to stratify the players from there.

The Sure Thing

Ryan Anderson will make the final roster, and would have regardless of how well he played in camp, because he's the only player here with a guaranteed contract. Orlando wouldn't surrender Courtney Lee to the New Jersey Nets as part of the deal for Vince Carter were Anderson not included. But even if all that weren't the case--if he were scrapping just like everyone else--he would have assured a roster spot with his play this week. He was the best player on the floor most of the time, and displayed some admirable versatility. Catch-and-shoot, pick-and-pop? Sure, that's what he did in New Jersey. But he added some strong drives to the basket, and did some work on the offensive glass. In the regular season, he'll revert to catch-and-shoot/pick-and-pop action, but he's developing an all-around game for the long haul. At 21, he could be in Orlando for quite some time.

The Likely Camp Invitees

Kasib Powell, too, looked like an all-around player. He struggles to finish near the basket, but he's a solid jump-shooter, with a better handle than at least one small forward on Orlando's roster. At 28, he has limited upside, but he's a smart player who works hard. There might be a spot at the end of Orlando's bench for him. Given his play this week, and given his familiarity with the organization--he went to training camp with the Magic in 2006--there's a darn good chance he'll go camping with them again this year.
Russell Robinson's shooting and scoring stats won't impress you, but his ability to run a team might. He turned the ball over 6 times in 109 minutes, coordinated the offense, and made smart plays. Defensively, he pressures the ball well. Coach Stan Van Gundy went out of the way to compliment Robinson after camp, and it appears as though the Magic will use their remaining free-agency dollars to address needs at small forward and at center. Maybe they'll take a flier on Robinson, hoping the 23-year-old can fill-in as their third point guard this year, and maybe develop into a backup down the line.
Richard Hendrix is neither tall nor athletic. That did not stop him from fairly quietly posting impressive numbers at both power positions or Orlando this week. He's not much of a shot creator or jump-shooter--regardless of the made three-pointer, at the end of a quarter, off a designed play-- but as a garbageman, he's efficient. Defensively, he holds his own, and has good-but-not-great instincts as a shot-blocker. The Magic could do worse than to fill their 6th big-man spot with Hendrix.
Jeremy Richardson's week ended due to a sore right foot, so his minutes played and per-game stats skew unfavorably. I thought he played better than his 35.1% shooting would suggest. Don't get hung up on his poor three-point shooting; if there's one thing he's proven in his brief NBA career, it's that he can hit the three-ball, with a career 38.5% mark from beyond the arc. His woeful percentage inside it has held him back, so to see him make almost half of his two-pointers? It's progress. He expects to sign soon, and I'm inclined to take his word for it.

The Possible Camp Invitees

Maurice Ager might have been the most vocal Magic player, in terms of yelling in either exuberance or frustration. He plays hard, and we can't fault him for that. But in 78 NBA games over 3 seasons, he's been just awful. He's a scoring specialist who doesn't score efficiently. So why might he make the Magic's camp roster? It's only someone else's hunch: one media member at RDV this week said Ager and his agent wouldn't have chosen to join Orlando's summer-league team without some sort of "wink/nod" agreement with GM Otis Smith.
Brian Chase elevated himself from "Everyone Else" to "Possible Camp Invitee" status with his play on Friday. On the court for the final 31 minutes after Robinson started, he put on a clinic against the Pacers. 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting, with 1-of-1 from downtown. He's quick, he can finish, and he has a nice handle. What he isn't, however, is a playmaker. But sure, he can make a professional career out of being a scoring guard. Professionally in Europe, in all likelihood.

The Wildcard

Milovan Rakovic didn't play a single minute this week, apparently due to a paperwork/clearance issue. The Magic might want to see how their 2006 second-rounder performs in their own camp, if that paperwork is resolved. The more likely result is that Rakovic will spend another year with Spartak Saint Petersburg, and Orlando will take another look at him next summer.

Everyone Else

Lance Allred was a step slower than his contemporaries all week, didn't rebound or defend especially well, and didn't do much besides hit some elbow jumpers. On the plus side, he's the only published author on the Magic's summer roster.
Courtney Fells did not meet a shot attempt he didn't like. 3-of-21 shooting, 2-of-9 from three-point range, no free throw attempts, and as many turnovers as points (8). He sure can jump, though.
Levance Fields played reasonably well in limited minutes--if we're honest, he's a cut above the other players in this section--but Robinson and Chase outperformed him. He'll catch on somewhere overseas and might get another opportunity in the NBA next season.
C.J. Giles appeared in one game, for 5 minutes. Not to be too glib, but that's about all you need to know about his chances of making the team.
Stevan Milosevic is a big guy, and that might be the extent of his positives, in terms of NBA potential. He was involved in arguably the two most embarrassing plays of camp: the Celtics' J.R. Giddens threw down a vicious tomahawk dunk on him on Wednesday. Later in the week, he made an impressive spin around Pacers center Scott Vander Meer, had a wide-open look to the basket... and airballed the layup. He threw the ball straight up in the air. One of the more spectacular misses in summer-league history. I hate to rip the guy, because he tried his best, but his best isn't going to get it done in the NBA.
Jeremy Pargo hardly played this week, and in limited minutes, did not do much to distinguish himself as a better shoot-first point guard prospect than Chase did.
Darian Townes started at center in 3 of the 5 games, but usually gave way to Hendrix in crunch-time situations. Defenders block his shot all too easily, even at the rim, which helps to explain his 34.8% shooting despite hardly taking any jumpers, that I can recall. There's room for a few offensive zeroes in the NBA--think Chuck Hayes--but they have to be able to do something else extremely well. Hayes, for instance, is one of the league's best post defenders despite standing only 6'06". Townes didn't distinguish himself as a rebounder, defender, or shot-blocker.

Okay, that's out of the way.

So, 3QCers, who would you like to see invited to Orlando's training camp in the fall?

Orlando Pro Summer League: Indiana Pacers 68, Orlando Magic 54

Ben Q Rock — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 11:00:17 -0000

In a game that perhaps epitomized the very definition of "summer league," the Orlando Magic fell to the Indiana Pacers, 68-54, to close out the 2009 Orlando Pro Summer League. The teams combined to shoot 34% from the field, with many players dragging after logging so many minutes. Orlando's Ryan Anderson, for instance, breezed through the first 4 days of the week, but came up short on every jumper he took today and finished a woeful 2-of-11 from the field. Reserve point guard Brian Chase (16 points, 7-of-11 from the field) and reserve forward/center Richard Hendrix (10 points on 4-of-7 shooting) were the only two Magic players to tally more points than field goal attempts. Just horrid to watch, and there isn't a heckuva lot to take away from this one.

The day wasn't a total waste, though. Anderson and Kasib Powell contributed despite their poor shooting performances, with 10 and 8 rebounds, respectively. Pacers center Roy Hibbert put together another fine game, with 16 points, 11 boards, and 3 blocked shots. Lance Allred pulled down 7 rebounds in just over 8 minutes, an impressive rate.

More on Anderson, about whose performance most Magic fans are interested, as he's the only player on the team with a guaranteed deal for this season: not everything he tossed at the basket today was garbage. He didn't get lazy and crank jumpers, if that's what his stat line might have led you to believe. Twice, he showed what may be his pet move: catching the ball on the right wing, sizing up the defender in a triple-threat position, driving left (with his left hand) into the paint, spinning right toward the baseline, then finally putting up a baby hook off the glass. Decent move, and he managed to shake Tyler Hansbrough twice with it, if memory serves.

The best Magic player on the floor was Brian Chase, who had played sparingly (just under 37 minutes in two games) before today. He might be the quickest player on the summer-league squad, and had no trouble getting by his defender and into the lane. Once there, he was able to get his floater off over the Pacers' defense--not an easy task, given the size of Hibbert (7'02") and backup Scott Vander Meer (7'00"). He executed a filthy spin-move around his defender on one transition possession, drawing oohs and ahhs from the crowd which, I should note, is composed only of team officials and media members.

Hendrix, too, played well. 4 blocked shots from the undersized (6'09") big man, whose chances of making the final team might be jeopardized by today's signing of free-agent power forward Brandon Bass to a 4-year deal. I had Hendrix pegged all wrong. Coming into camp, I assumed he was of the athletic/undersized type, like Bass or Jason Maxiell. Turns out he's not terribly athletic. But he does have good instincts for the ball, either coming off the rim for a board or out of an opponent's hand for the shot-block. He showcased a bit of his offensive repertoire today with a follow dunk, a lefty hook, and even a three-pointer coming out of a timeout.

Russell Robinson, who finished third on the team in total minutes played, didn't close out camp with a strong case for his inclusion on the final roster. He continued to look for his shot, as he did yesterday, which is a change-of-pace from what he did in the first 3 days. He's still looking for that shot, having missed all 4 of his attempts in the first 8 minutes before giving way to Chase for the rest of the game. I'm willing to chalk it up as an off-day... but with 4 missed field goals and 2 turnovers in that brief time-span? Not encouraging.

Finally, we'll look at Kasib Powell, who led the Magic in minutes per game this week. I discussed Powell with Zach McCann of Orlando Magic Daily, and we concluded that although he's a good player, he's not great at any one thing; in other words, he's not a specialist, and specialists are what teams usually round out their benches with. Still, Powell looked like an NBA rotation player, with per-game averages of 14.8 points, 5.8 boards, 2 assists, and 1 steal. He also shot fairly well, going 46% from the field and 52.9% from three-point range. It was good enough for him to make the All-Summer League Second Team.

We'll go more in-depth on every Magic summer-leaguer's performance sometime later this weekend. For now, the main takeaway is this: Ryan Anderson is not a scrub, and the Magic probably have some legitimate training-camp invitees on their summer roster, despite the team's 2-3 record.

Orlando Pro Summer League: Utah Jazz 92, Orlando Magic 84 (OT)

Ben Q Rock — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:39:09 -0000

A day after mounting a fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the Boston Celtics, it was the Orlando Magic's turn to be on the business end of an opponent's rally, falling to the Utah Jazz, 92-84, in overtime. Orlando increased its lead in each of the first three periods, entering the fourth with a decisive 72-51 lead. Then Utah, led by Charlotte Bobcats draft pick Derrick Brown, closed the fourth quarter on a 33-12 run to force overtime. Orlando had no chance in the final period, as Utah scored the extra frame's only 8 points. It was, frankly, astonishing to watch a Magic team that had looked so crisp in the last two days of play suddenly fall apart, especially to the Jazz, who have struggled.

There were some bright spots, however. Ryan Anderson led everyone with 26 points while throwing in 9 boards for good measure. Kasib Powell continued to make his case for inclusion on the Magic's roster with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Waterbug point guard Russell Robinson scored 17 points, handed out 4 assists, and committed only 1 turnover. Other than that, it was a rough day for the host team.

After the jump, some quick highlights of the players in whom most 3QC readers have shown interest.

Ryan Anderson's productive day (26 points, 9-of-18 from the field, 5-of-11 from long range, 9 boards, 4 blocks) belies the ways in which he harmed the Magic. Not to dis' the guy or anything, but his 8 personal fouls helped the Jazz with some free points. In summer league, there is no fouling out. However, for every foul after his 6th a player commits, the other team receives 2 free throws and the ball. Anderson's 7th and 8th fouls came late in the fourth quarter and in overtime, boosting the Jazz's improbable rally.

With that said, he showed a few new things yesterday. Banging down low? Blocking shots? We knew he wasn't "soft," but to see him so aggressive in defending the paint? Wow. He also displayed an ability to create shots for others: On the left wing, he works a dribble-handoff with Robinson... only he fakes the handoff to him, instead spinning toward the baseline and driving past two defenders (his and Robinson's). His drive forces the Jazz's next two closest defenders to collapse into the lane, and Anderson reads their movement and fires the ball out to Kasib Powell in the right corner for a wide-open three. It misses, but the play itself was impressive. Ryan Anderson: Playmaker? It could happen, however infrequently, as the dribble-handoff is one of the features of the Magic's offense.

Lethal on the pick-and-pop he is, too. Defenses need to account for this guy.
Levance Fields had his best day of camp. He hadn't done much to distinguish himself until today, when it appeared as though Jameer Nelson might have been running the show while wearing a Fields costume. The way he patiently reads defenses, the way he aggressively drives around screens, the way he can absorb contact to finish at the rim... it's Nelson-like. And although there's virtually no chance he'll make the final roster, he might be a guy the Magic keep on their radar as he heads overseas. With more seasoning, he could be a legit 13th man in the NBA.
Richard Hendrix continues to be my personal favorite of the Magic's big-man invitees, playing 26 minutes off the bench yesterday. But it was really a day to forget. Against the Jazz's bigger, stronger centers and power forwards, Hendrix struggled offensively. He was, in effect, only a way for Magic players who picked up their dribble to regain it, simply by throwing the ball in to him and waiting for the immediate kickout. On the day: 2 points (0-of-4 from the field), 8 rebounds, 7 fouls, 4 turnovers, and a block. Maybe I'm reading too deeply into this, but he--and not starting center Darian Townes--was on the floor when the Magic tried (unsuccessfully) to stave off Utah's rally. Is playing him in crunch-time a signal that the Magic are very interested? And is one bad day enough to cross him off the Magic's list of potential training-camp invitees? I hope the answers to those questions are "yes" and "no," respectively, but he certainly did not make a very strong case for himself yesterday.
Kasib Powell kept on the charm today, showcasing his array of skills with 13 points, 10 boards, 5 assists, and 1 steal. Now he shot only 4-of-12, and missed 5 of his 7 two-point attempts, so it wasn't all sunshine and happiness. But the guy is heady, a veteran, and could fill a spot near the end of Orlando's bench this season. Then again, you can look at his age (28), his limited NBA experience (12 games two seasons ago), and how he sometimes struggles to stay in front of quicker players in this camp, and conclude that his NBA window has shut.
Russell Robinson came to life offensively. The energetic point guard scored a personal best 17 points yesterday, with 5-of-9 from the field overall, 1-of-2 from long range, and 6-of-6 from the foul line. Two days ago, ESPN analyst and IMG Academy coach David Thorpe told my colleague, Eddy, that Robinson's inability to get his own shot might hurt his chances as an NBA point guard. If today is any indication, there's little to worry about on that front. He also ran the team's offense capably, pushed the ball up the floor in transition, and pressured the ball aggressively on defense. I'm going to keep beating this drum until someone gives me a good reason to stop: Russell Robinson has earned an invitation to the Orlando Magic's training camp. This is a young guy who knows what he's doing out there, and for the odd 3-to-5 minute stretch in some games next season, he could be effective.

The Magic will close out the summer league today when they take on the undefeated Indiana Pacers. Tip's at 3.

Orlando Pro Summer League: Orlando Magic 108, New Jersey Nets/Philadelphia 76ers Split Squad 86

Ben Q Rock — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:00:19 -0000

Led by blistering hot shooting from the outside, the Orlando Magic defeated the New Jersey Nets/Philadelphia 76ers split squad, 108-86, in the third day of play at the Orlando Pro Summer League. Ryan Anderson and Maurice Ager, two former Nets, tied for game-high scoring honors, with 21 apiece. Kasib Powell added 19 and made 4 of his 5 three-point attempts, while little-used point guard Brian Chase splashed 5 three-balls of his own.

Unfortunately, 3QC's coverage of this game is a bit thin. Eddy attended today's first two games, but had to leave before the Magic's contest due to a prior commitment. I was out of commission all day because of ~~FIBA regulations~~ a bout with stomach flu. But we're doing our best here.

The first thing that jumps out at me from the Magic's side of the box score: 14 three-pointers in 25 attempts. In turn, the 25 threes accounted for one-third of the Magic's overall attempts. Let's take more time to appreciate this: Summer league games last 40 minutes, so this is really like the Magic teeing off 30 times from deep in a regulation game. That is... prolific.

They converted at a high percentage, which is good to see. But they also got it done inside. A day after sitting out entirely, Richard Hendrix started, played 24 minutes, and contributed 17 points and 12 rebounds. That's a man making the most of his opportunity. After the game, this blurb about Hendrix appeared on the Magic's official website:

With Orlando's frontcourt in need of a big man or two, you can be sure this team is taking a good look at Richard Hendrix. Magic Basketball Operations compared him to Jason Maxiell prior to the commencement of the summer season and he's started to live up to the billing.

That certainly bodes well for his chances of making the team. As for 3QC darling Russell Robinson? Not quite as impressive, at least on paper, as he was on Tuesday. 7 points, 1 rebound, 5 assists, and no turnovers in 14 minutes. Through three games, he's dished only 13 assists in 73 minutes, which isn't great. Conversely, he's only committed 3 turnovers in that stretch, which corroborates our assertion that he mostly plays within himself. I know it's early, but it's also probably safe to say that the Magic can do a heckuva lot worse than Robinson as their third-string point guard.

I do want to stress that this win isn't necessarily impressive. The Nets/Sixers split squad has looked sloppy all week, and it's the only team without a victory so far. Maybe the Nets/Sixers would have won if Chris Douglas-Roberts, arguably the best shooting guard through the first two days of camp, decided to assert himself more offensively. 1 shot attempt for CDR, in 28 minutes. I can't say for sure, having not been there, but it seems like that's probably a coaching decision.

Orlando Pro Summer League: Orlando Magic 85, Boston Celtics 82

Ben Q Rock — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 03:52:14 -0000

In a surprisingly well-played game on both sides, the Orlando Magic defeated the Boston Celtics, 85-82, thanks in large part to Ryan Anderson's 33 points and 14 boards. The Magic trailed by 6 at the end of three periods but rallied to win in the fourth. It wasn't easy, as Boston's J.R. Giddens had a chance to send the game to overtime at the buzzer, after the Celtics stole an Orlando inbounds pass, but his trey rattled around and out. In what may have been a mock show of frustration, he screamed and fell to the floor as the other players exited the floor.

Clearly, Orlando played much better today than it did yesterday, albeit against less impressive competition. Better ball movement, better focus, better shooting... really, the Magic didn't do anything worse than they did yesterday. They're building some momentum, which is encouraging. Also encouraging? Anderson. There's some concern--perhaps not in the Magic organization, but among the fans--that he's little more than a standstill shooter. I'd like to go ahead and refute that right now. Anderson aggressively took the ball to the basket today, and finished strong inside once he got to the rim. 9-of-13 on two-pointers for Anderson, who sank both of his three-point attempts.

Rebounds? Split evenly, 7 on either side of the ball. His tip-in after Darian Townes missed two free throws gave the Magic a 78-72 lead late in the game. That play seemed to energize the team, to some extent.

After the jump, an assessment of every other Magic player.

Maurice Ager continued his active, aggressive play on both ends of the court. The difference? Today, he was simply more effective. In 17 minutes off the bench, he contributed 10 points and 4 assists, and showed a willingness to keep the ball moving. Now this is a guy who made a name for himself as a scorer in college, but who hasn't earned a consistent job in the NBA precisely because he can't score. So it was interesting to see him work as a facilitator of sorts.
Lance Allred again played sparingly--just 4:37--so his chances of making the team don't look great at this point. With that said, he made his only shot of the day, an 18-footer from near the top of the key, Tony Battie-style.
Courtney Fells, who did not play in the first game, saw 16 minutes of action today. Unfortunately, he didn't do much with it. The 6'06" shooting guard looked for his offense early and often. He might still be looking for it. No points on 0-of-8 shooting, with 4 boards, for Fells. That's a summer-league linescore if I've ever seen one.
Levance Fields, who also did not play yesterday, saw 9 minutes of the court today. 2 points, 1 assist, and 1-of-4 shooting. Not much to see here.
Stevan Milosevic started at center after being ruled out of yesterday's contest due to a FIBA paperwork problem. Unfortunately, he didn't look too great today. He fits the stereotype of most European stiffs: big, not especially quick, and robotic on both ends of the court. 5 fouls and 5 turnovers for the 7-footer, who also contributed 4 points and 2 boards.
Kasib Powell looked like end-of-an-NBA-bench material today, and I mean that as a compliment. He probably belongs in the league. No minutes yesterday. Today? Starting at the 3, and playing nearly the entire game. He's the prototypical small forward, in my mind: he can shoot, he can create off the dribble, he can defend, and he's unselfish. 15 points, 2 boards, 2 assists. Not bad.
Jeremy Richardson managed only 9:07 on the court today, and was apparently injured early in the game, visibly limping when he left in the second period. He returned to the bench sometime during the third period wearing street clothes. He managed to take 5 shots in those 9 minutes though. A trooper, he is.
Russell Robinson impressed most people in attendance with his ability to run the team. The 23-year-old point guard takes what the defense gives him, makes good passes, and generally knows what the heck he's doing. It's not hard to imagine him as the Magic's third-string point guard this year. His defense is good, too. Applies pressure to the ball without gambling, pesters people, and draws offensive fouls. He's well-schooled in the Allen Iverson Method of Drawing Moving Screens, by running into the screener and taking a bit of a dive. Twice today, he did that, and he also flopped a bit on a Magic inbounds pass near the end of the game which drew an away-from-the-ball foul on Celtics rookie Lester Hudson. If you're watching the rest of this week's games at home, keep an eye on this man. You may be impressed.
Darian Townes had another quietly effective game, with 10 points and 7 rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench.
DNP - CDs: Brian Chase, C.J. Giles, Richard Hendrix, Jeremy Pargo, and Milovan Rakovic

That last name may surprise some people, and to be honest, I have no idea why Rakovic was once again in street clothes today. If Milosevic's paperwork got sorted out, why didn't Rakovic's? That's something I'll try to look into tomorrow. After the game, Rakovic had changed into his workout gear and could be seen in the Magic's weight room overlooking the floor.

Overall, a solid day for the Magic. They'll try to build on it tomorrow against the New Jersey/Philadelphia split squad at 7 PM.

Orlando Pro Summer League: Oklahoma City Thunder 88, Orlando Magic 77

Ben Q Rock — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 06:30:15 -0000

In what turned out to be a mostly lopsided contest, the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Orlando Magic, 88-77, in the teams' debuts at the Orlando Pro Summer League. Thunder second-year point guard Russell Westbrook led all scorers with 22 points, punishing the Magic's slap-happy big men by connecting on 16 of his 18 free throw attempts. Ryan Anderson led Orlando with 21 points--17 after halftime, on 6-of-8 shooting--but it wasn't enough to compensate for the Thunder's large edge in talent.

The Magic started Russell Robinson and Maurice Ager in the backcourt, with Anderson and Jeremy Richardson at the forwards, flanking the 6'09" Darian Townes at center. And honestly, they played well for the most part. The thing with summer league is that winning isn't really the ultimate goal, but rather to see which players have which skills, and how that player can integrate into the system the team has in place. This isn't an issue for the Oklahoma City squad, which is loaded with guys who will make the big-league team. But for Orlando, with Anderson as the only man with a guaranteed deal? A little bit rougher go of it, yeah.

The Thunder led by as many as 15, with the Magic snagging the lead only twice, and never by more than a single point. Once Westbrook made up his mind to drive the ball, and once third overall selection James Harden heated up, the Thunder really didn't look back. They coasted, in fact, not that I can blame them. The Magic looked like a group that hadn't played together before--how about Ryan Anderson spinning right into Darian Townes as Anderson made his move to score in the low post?--while the Thunder have some familiarity with one another.

Disappointing? Well, maybe. You'd like to score more than 9 points in the first quarter of a summer-league game. But the Magic shook off that early slow start, made a bit of a run, and gave solid effort from top-to-bottom. Their roster hopefuls lost to the mid-to-back end of the Thunder's regular season rotation, which is to be expected. Nothing of which to be ashamed.

After the jump, a look at how the Magic's individual players did.

Ager was arguably the most active player for either team on the floor. You can't fault his passion, that's for sure. Skills? That's fair game. John Hollinger's assessment of him on ESPN.com is hysterically funny, but also accurate. Ager made a name for himself at Michigan State as a scorer, but that hasn't translated in the NBA. Today, he shot 3-of-8 for 9 points, with 3 fouls and 5 turnovers. Just a bit too aggressive. His athleticism is a plus, though, as he was able to convert some difficult finishes in traffic on the fast break. Still, based on his horrid NBA career so far, it's hard to lobby for his inclusion on the Magic's final roster. Can't fault the effort, though, as I said.
Lance Allred only played 7 minutes tonight, the lowest total of any Magic player. He missed all 3 of his shots and grabbed just 1 rebound. Wholly unproductive. He doesn't appear to have much upside. Of the Orlando big men who saw the court today, he was probably the least impressive.
Anderson needed some time to work into a rhythm. He scored only 4 points in the first half, missing all 6 of his shot attempts, including a three-pointer he airballed short and to the right. After that shot, he winced, looked skyward, clapped his hands together, and said, "Wow," in an exasperated tone. Maybe a bit jittery. In the second half, he kicked whatever might have bothered him in the first. 17 second-half points for Anderson, who showed his shooting stroke as well as his passing ability. He's not Kevin McHale or anything in the high post, but he makes pretty good reads and delivers crisp feeds to cutters. I like that much.
Brian Chase, the 5'10" point guard, played 21 minutes off Orlando's bench. A competent finisher in transition, especially at his size, and the team's best playmaker with 4 assists, but he didn't bring much else to the table. As someone who'll turn 28 in training camp, his upside is limited. A good effort today, but he's not a guy I can envision the Magic keeping around for the long haul.
Richard Hendrix, whom I favored before camp began, looked like someone worth retaining as a potential replacement for Marcin Gortat (who was in attendance today, incidentally). An active, athletic, big man, Hendrix made the most of his 15 minutes: 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting, 4 rebounds, and 1 blocked shot. If we're honest, the center/power forward positions are Orlando's weakest right now. Sure, the Magic are fishing for players of that ilk in free agency, and they might land one. Either way, Hendrix is a guy worth keeping around, in my estimation. Very active, very smart. Big, too, and he's only 22. This is a guy to watch in the coming days.
Jeremy Pargo went undrafted out of Gonzaga this year, perhaps because he's more of a two guard trapped in a point guard's body (6'02", 220 pounds), like his brother Jannero. Interestingly, the Magic often elected to play Pargo at the two next to either Chase or Robinson. 2 points, 1 board, 1 assist, 2 turnovers in 11 minutes for Pargo, who hardly registered out there, but who is nonetheless worth a few more looks as camp continues.
Richardson? I actually like him, inefficient offense and all. 19 shot attempts, with 0 assists and 5 turnovers, and 18 points, for Richardson. Not a surprising line, given how often we joke about his tendency to shoot. Thing is, he's in the NBA to shoot. That's supposedly his specialty, so we shouldn't really bust on him for it. He gave an impressive effort today, with 11 rebounds. If he could connect more frequently on his two-pointers, he could crack an NBA rotation. He probably makes the most sense for the Magic to sign out of camp, as he's familiar with the team and fills a role as the "break glass in case of emergency" wing player.
Robinson played 27 minutes, but you wouldn't know it by looking at the rest of his line. 1 shot attempt, 2 assists, 2 steals, 5 fouls, and a turnover. It took him 27 minutes for that? It's not as though he was some sort of disaster--he looked like an energetic, capable defender--but one would certainly expect more from a starting point guard in summer league.
Finally, Darian Townes, a pleasant surprise in his starting center role. He played just 20 minutes, but scored 8 points and grabbed 6 boards (5 offensive) while generally throwing his weight around and being a nuisance in the low post defensively. He's listed at 250 pounds, but could very well be more than that. Based on one game, I wouldn't elevate him above Hendrix on the big-man pecking order yet, but it's something to consider as the week goes by. The fact that he starts, and not Hendrix, might tell us something of the Magic's thoughts about both players.

Were it not for the rough start, the Magic might have given the Thunder a bit of a scare today. They have an even more daunting task in front of them tomorrow as they take on the Boston Celtics, who laid an 87-56 hurtin' on the Utah Jazz today, at 3 PM. Eddy and I will be there.

Orlando Magic Announce Summer-League Roster; Ryan Anderson, Jeremy Richardson, and Milovan Rakovic Among Team Invitees

Ben Q Rock — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:12:19 -0000

The Orlando Magic just passed along the roster for their summer-league team. Newly acquired power forward Ryan Anderson headlines the group, as does former 60th overall draft selection Milovan Rakovic. Jeremy Richardson, who saw limited action as the Magic's 15th man last year, will also appear for them in summer league.

The complete roster follows the jump:

UPDATE: Spoiler alert - Kasib Powell, is on the Magic's summer team, and wrote a post for 3QC sister-site Ridiculous Upside about his preparing to join the Magic. Scott, who runs the site, told me via Twitter that he believes Powell will make the Magic's final roster.

No.	Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Last Team/College
6	Maurice Ager	G	6-2	220	New Jersey Nets/Michigan State
41	Lance Allred	C	6-11	260	NBDL Idaho Stampede/Weber State
33	Ryan Anderson	F	6-10	240	New Jersey Nets/California
3	Brian Chase	G	5-10	170	Dynamo Moscow/Virginia Tech
21	Ronald Dupree	F	6-7	209	NBDL Utah Flash/Louisiana State
10	Courtney Fells	G	6-6	210	North Carolina State
2	Levance Fields	G	5-10	190	Pittsburgh
23	C.J. Giles	F	6-11	240	Smart Gilas Pilipinas (Philippines)/Oregon State
35	Richard Hendrix	F	6-9	255	NBDL Dakota Wizards/Alabama
16	Stevan Milosevic	C	7-0	260	Koeln 99ers (Germany)
1	Jeremy Pargo	G	6-2	220	Gonzaga
22	Kasib Powell	F	6-7	215	NBDL Sioux Falls Skyforce/Texas Tech
19	Milovan Rakovic	F	6-10	280	Spartak Saint Petersburg (Russia)
32	Jeremy Richardson	F	6-7	195	Orlando Magic/Delta State
24	Russell Robinson	G	6-1	190	NBDL Reno Bighorns/Kansas
5	Darian Townes	F	6-10	250	NBDL Erie BayHawks/Arkansas

At a glance, the roster is heavy with big-man prospects. The most appealing to me is Richard Hendrix, a rebounding machine whom the Warriors selected in the 2nd round of the 2008 draft, only to cut him when Monta Ellis returned from his suspension for injuring himself on a mo-ped. He has yet to play in the NBA, but tore up the D-League. In my estimation, he has mid-rotation potential for the Magic, who are light on rebounders behind Dwight Howard.

Jeremy Pargo, an undrafted point guard, also interests me, for reasons I specified last week.

Curious to see that Rakovic will indeed make the trip to Orlando. The Magic acquired his draft rights from Dallas in exchange for Reyshawn Terry's rights in 2007. Not sure if he stands a chance of making the final cut, especially when the Magic will probably try to address their big-man needs via free agency. Still, Rakovic made it here quicker than did 2005 lottery selection Fran Vazquez. No idea what his status is, by the way.

As far as I know, Spanish point guard Carlos Cabezas is the only player to turn the Magic down for a camp invite. This post from TalkBasket.net, dated June 16th, said the Magic invited Cabezas, who said, "they've been interested in me for a couple of years," but he would consider proposals from other teams in Europe.

All-in-all, this year's summer league team holds more promise than those of years past. Add that to the fact that the Magic have at least 5 spots to fill on the big-league team, and a fairly limited budget with which to do it, and we have an even more intriguing week ahead of us.

Indeed, summer league starts next Monday, July 6th. The Orlando Magic emphasized in the roster announcement that games are not open to the public. Luckily, 3QC has it covered. Eddy and I will be there all week. Good times.

The D-League Draft in Review

DakotaWiz — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 05:21:04 -0000

So, we're about 18 days, 22 hours, 34 minutes, and 47 seconds until the D-League season starts (Thanks, D-League.com!) Anyway, let's look at each teams roster post-draft to better evaluate how each team drafted. I should really wait to do this tomorrow in case some trades went down that we didn't catch, but I'll update this to reflect that if they happen. Also, quick note, every center able to be drafted, was drafted. Dear Mr. Alpert, I think we need to sign more 5's for next year!

This might be something you print out and read when you have about two hours to kill... Went a little longer than planned, but all good stuff, I guarantee it. If you don't think so, E-Mail me (Check my profile) and I will promptly get you a refund.

Tulsa, with the number one overall pick, picked Chris Richard. Like many teams, it looks like they aren't too concerned with having a center, preferring to go with two big forwards in Richard and Ryan Humphrey, a first round pick of the Jazz in 2002. From there, it looks like returning guard Russell Carter will play at the point, Jeremy Kelly at the 2, and Terrell Everett at the 3. I expect Chris Ellis (returning) and Mikheil Berishvili to also be guaranteed spots, with the rest up in the air. With whoever comes back in the trade of Keith Closs, that player could leave just one spot open for the rest of the players, depending on what the 66ers are getting in return.

Colorado, where is Elton Brown? Where is Eddie Gill? I assume at least Eddie will join them soon. If not, it looks like they'll be led by the tandem of James Mays (Great pick considering he was one of the last cuts of neighboring Denver!) and Josh Davis at the 3 and 4, with random fillers in between. If both Elton and Eddie come back, WATCH OUT! The 14ers drafted two of the better point guards in the draft in Marlon Parmer and John Gilchrist, along with rookie Trey Gilder, a skinny 6'9 post, these are my picks to most likely make the team. It looks like Joe Dabbert, who I'm fairly sure his middle name is Barry, as it rings so well, will play the center for them. I'm not sure why he was allocated to them, as he didn't go to school in Colorado, nor has he ever played for them, but being allocated a decent 5 is always good! I'm also fairly certain Eric Osmundson makes the team, as he's my favorite player ever out of UPenn and has played with them the past two seasons. Jamar Brown, a local guy out of Colorado State also will more than likely make it, being a big in this league not so full of bigs.

Idaho looks strong, as they have been since entering the D-League. Coach Gates always seems to put together a good team, and this year shouldn't be any different. They brought Randy Livingston off the court and onto the coaching staff, though his replacement is the very capable, and more than likely redshirt-rookie, Jamaal Tatum, their first round pick last year. They also return Air Georgia Brent Petway and were allocated former BSU Broncos Coby Karl and Reggie Larry. With first round pick and former Bobcat Jermareo Davidson, this team has a chance of repeating. Add in Ernest Scott, who played 40 games with the Stampede last season, big-man Anthony Coleman, and rookie guard Lanny Smith, and this is one of the top teams in the D-League.

Sioux Falls is VERY VERY VERY strong. Wow. Veteran leadership? Check. Point guard Frank Williams played parts of 3 seasons in the NBA and averaged 16 points with the Skyforce two seasons ago. NBA talent? Check! Bobby Jones has played for approximately 47 teams over the last two seasons. Size? You betcha! 7-1 Frankenstein-like Chris Alexander was the last cut of the Thunder in October and averaged 12 and 12 last season for the Skyforce. Good wings? Two of them! First round pick Gary Forbes and returning Carl Elliott are both all around players that will fill in and do everything that the aforementioned players don't. Add in draft picks Michael Adams (who isn't good, but is big!), Keith Brumbaugh (averaged 35 points, 8 boards, 6 assists last season in college), Ty Morrison, a 6'8 rookie combo forward, and either rookie Gary Ervin (Arkansas) or the vet Brock Gillespie, and this will be a team to reckon with.

Bakersfield, do I think even you guys have a strong team? Yes, I sure do! Wait, even when your top 3 players are returning from a season where you finished 11-39?!? Scary, but yes, and not just because Gates Roth and Deane Martin are running the show. Mateen "I'm Not Cryin" Cleaves at the point, Jeff Trepagnier at the 2, Derrick Byars at the 3, Richard Hendrix at the 4, and Nick Lewis at the 5, and this team is scary. Factor in Justin Reed returning in about a month and Trey Lewis coming off the bench, and this team will be 7-deep solid! Terrance Thomas, who played with Fort Worth a couple seasons ago, and David Berghoefer, a soft big man who averaged 11 and 11 over in Germany last year should also make the rotation.

Fort Wayne, I really hope you do well. Bringing back Ron Howard, fresh off a preseason campaign with the Bucks, along with Walker Russell, a strong backcourt is imminent. The front court, however, is suspect. If first round pick Coleman Collins is as careless on the court as he is when driving, you're in trouble (Just kidding Mad Ants! Hopefully we're still friends!). If I learned I was going to be a Mad Ant, I'd be excited too. I like Torree Morris too, mostly because he's 6-10 in a division that includes Courtney Sims, Chris Alexander, and hopefully, for Erie's sake, a big man from the Cavs. Anthony Kyle is fun to watch and should make the team as the backup point guard he's destined to be. Shawn Hawkins should also be a good player for the Ants. Eric Smith, who I believe was referred to exclusively as "Spider" on all of your radio broadcasts last season (New radio guy for the Mad Ants this year for anyone that wasn't a fan of them last year!), should also be consistent off the bench.

Erie, I'm sorry, but I'm just not a fan of your drafts. First, you inexplicably drafted Idaho assistant coach Randy Livingston in the expansion draft, among about 7 other guys that had no plans to play in the D-League this season and Jeff Hagen. Then, in this draft, you take the enigmatic Erik Daniels a combo forward, when it was fairly clear that a big man was in your NEEDS column after the only guy you picked up in the expansion draft, Jackie Manuel, plays the same position. In the second round, you took Taj McCullough, a Winthrop grad and combo forward. You also bring in Manuel. By my count, that's three guys who are best suited to play the 3, and are also your three top players. You never did draft anyone taller than 6'8. Hopefully Cleveland really likes your pick up of Vernon Hamilton, who was in Cavs camp this preseason, and sends JJ Hickson or Darnell Jackson down to help. Jawad Williams is also a possibility, but I'd assume they'd rather cut him then assign him to the D-League, as he's nothing special to develop. They did draft two of the greater names in the draft though in Cliff Clinkscales and Xavier Whipple, so hats off to you, Erie Bayhawks.

Anaheim, I like your team. Good first three picks in NBA vet Tierre Brown, Flight White, and rookie Roy Bright (Another Delaware State guy, just former D-League stud Jeremy Richardson). Good returnees in Mario Boggan and Mike Efevberha. Good allocated guys in Cedric Bozeman, Noel Felix, and T.J. Cummings, son of Terry (Be careful googling him.. NSFW!). Also, good job drafting four bigs! I hope that was due in part to the genius of new assistant Paul Mokeski, as pictured here in his younger days (Courtesy of The Sports Hernia Blog):

Utah had a decent draft. Bringing in Dontell Jefferson, bring back Brian Jackson, and drafting a couple legit rookies in Gavin Grant and Bennet Davis will help. If Kevin Kruger decides to come back to the D-League, this team is solid. If not, hopefully Utah and Boston help out, as your bench looks weak. Marcus Malone, how did you drop to the tenth round? Please prove me wrong in camp, as I thought you looked good down in Vegas.

Reno, big ups. Like what you did in the expansion draft. Damone Brown, Tony Gipson, Andre Patterson, Jesse Smith, and Jamaal Smith are all solid players that can contribute. In the regular draft, not so much. Antonio Meeking, who, as Matt pointed out, apparently added an inch and dropped 30 pounds, though I highly doubt this. Russell Robinson will be able to run your offense, but don't expect points out of him, as I would assume another Kansas alum, Dakota Wizards GM Tom Wagganer, could beat him at a game of PIG. Sung-Yoon BANG! should be solid, but unspectacular, as seasoning in Korea couldn't have helped him much since averaging 12 points with the Roanoke DAZZLE a few years ago.

Dakota Wizards, you're good, but guard heavy. With Mo Baker and Blake Ahearn, they've got to have one of the best backcourts in the league, if not the best. Renaldo Major will be returning from heart surgery and if he can return to his Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All D-League, he'll more than likely earn another call-up. The trade for Denham Brown will be excellent insurance if Renaldo isn't completely ready, and if he is ready, Brown will be one of the top guys coming off the bench in the league. That's four guys with NBA experience. Add Will Frisby, who was a beast last year when he got the minutes, and if he can stay out of foul trouble, he'll get the minutes, and Quemont Greer, who was with the Wizards two years ago when he averaged 17 points and 6 boards during the championship season, and the returnees are good. Then we get to Marcus Hubbard, the last cut of the Hawks this season (Peachtree Hoops wasn't big on him), will more than likely be one of the top athletes in the league and hopefully improves his basketball IQ. The Wizards are lacking on a center, but between Aaron Spears or Brad Stricker and possible NBA assignee Hamed Haddadi, they'll have the size to compete. Don't rule out a return of Too Much Rod Benson, either, who is averaging just 10 minutes and 2 points per game overseas while I assume he is getting paid a bit more than his production warrants.

RGV, not so sure about you guys. First, I really wish you would have dropped the E in Grande, or decided to pronounce it GronDay. Your best returner is Trent Strickland, and though he averaged 13 points last season, they weren't memorable. Allocated guys Kendall Dartez, who has averaged 6 points and 4 boards in 40 D-League games, and Alton Ford, a guy with forgettable NBA experiences who is a lot like Antonio Meeking, are nothing special. Your draftees are better, and include Smush Parker, who fell to the twelfth pick, and Delonte Holland, who I think should be a good D-League player. I'm also looking forward to seeing what Alpha Bangura (Two guys were drafted with bang in their last name) can do in the D-League, as he's been stateside in the minors for awhile.

LA, you surprised me with your first round pick of Jasper Johnson. I can't give a review of him, because I know NOTHING about him, though hear he was a good pick. Keith Butler is really big, which goes a long way in this draft, and therefore a solid 2nd round pick. The rest of your draft, not too much stands out. Your returning player, Darren Cooper, not exciting. Your allocated guys, however, are quite good. Joe Crawford, Lakers last cut, stud. Brandon Heath, another Lakers cut, should be good. Patrick Sanders, the rookie, should play well. Your local tryout guys are all D-League caliber, which is amazing, as I would have thought they would be in the player pool, rather than needing to go the way of the local tryout, especially since two have been drafted before -- Rashid Byrd, AKA Rashid Hartwick, AKA Seven and Sum Change and Ryan Forehan-Kelly.

Albuquerque, led by Coach Coffino, got the steal of the draft when David Noel dropped to the 12 spot. They're also in contention for best backcourt in the draft, returning Will Conroy and Cheyne Gadson, as they both have NBA talent. Cory Underwood, a former street baller, also returns after joining the Sixers preseason roster for a bit. They drafted quite solid as well, bringing in David Monds, Waki Williams (Never seen him play, but with a name like Waki...), another long 4, and Kris Clack, who played with Austin a couple seasons ago. They also brought in Eddie Robinson, who made 10 million dollars for NOT playing with the Bulls, as they bought out his contract, presumably because he was more focused on his acting career, being the lead in Juwanna Mann.

Iowa should be solid. They return Dwayne Mitchell, who left to go overseas mid-season last year and was with the Lakers this preseason, and Courtney Sims, one of the top big men in the league. Aristide "The Ostrich Riding Dawg" Sawadago was also apparently a big returner for them, as one team (I'll leave them anonymous) tried to draft him. Curtis Stinson, a journeyman D-Leaguer who has played 50 games for five teams over the past two years, also returns. In the first round, they drafted Cartier Martin, who sounds more like an alcoholic beverage than a D-League player, and followed that up with Larry AKA "Elias" or "Old Man" Ayuso, and then Othyus Jeffers, who will turn heads in the D-League. They also drafted Oregon State rookie Marcel Jones, who is also apparently pretty good, as another team tried drafting him later.

Austin, I'm glad you got the last pick, otherwise, you'd be a lot scarier than you already are. Returning Marcus Williams (Legitimate NBA player, not computer-steling-already-NBA-player-with-Golde-State-Marcus-Williams), and bringing in Charles Gaines and Malik Hairston, this teams 2,3,4 spots are probably the best in the D-League. Add Squeaky Johnson and first round pick and this team is solid everywhere but the 5 spot, which is probably why they grabbed 6'10 Mohammed Abukar in the 2nd round. They also got "Better Than" Ezra Williams and Michael Sturns, who were both good pickups in the 3rd and 5th rounds. Add in the possible allocation of Ian Mahinmi, and wow.

I'll let Matt rebuttal, as I'm sure we differ, but I'm ranking the great 8 heading into camp:

1. Dakota -- Six returners, 4 guys with NBA experience, going to be great.

2. Austin -- If they get Mahinmi again, pencil them in for the championship.

3. Albuquerque -- Great backcourt, great front court, great team.

4. Idaho -- Won't fall off much from championship season.

5. Sioux Falls -- Scary back court, scary (and scary looking) front court.

6. Anaheim -- LOTS of NBA talent here.

7. Bakersfield -- Legit starting 5.

8. LA/Reno -- LA built from nothing getting lucky with allocations, Reno built from nothing using the expansion draft.