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Orlando Magic waive Solomon Jones

The Orlando Magic have waived forward-center Solomon Jones, General Manager Rob Hennigan announced tonight. Orlando’s roster now stands at 13 players.

Jones has appeared in 11 games this season with Orlando, averaging 1.3 ppg. and 1.5 rpg. in 7.7 minpg. He was signed by the Magic as a free agent prior to training camp on Sep. 27.

Originally selected in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft by Atlanta, Jones has played in 281 regular season games with Atlanta, Indiana, New Orleans, the L.A. Clippers, New York and Orlando, averaging 3.0 ppg. and 2.3 rpg. in 11.0 minpg.

Victor Oladipo received advice from Kevin Durant before the season

Here’s the Orlando Sentinel with a cool item about Magic rookie Victor Oladipo getting some useful career tips from someone who knows things:

Victor Oladipo admired Kevin Durant from afar for a long time, and now Oladipo is happy and honored to call Durant a friend.

They grew up in the Washington, D.C., area, so Oladipo always was attuned to Durant’s accomplishments. But since Oladipo is four years younger than Durant, they hadn’t met face-to-face until this past summer when Oladipo visited a basketball camp that Durant was running in Washington.

“For him to be able to talk to me and for him to give me advice was kind of crazy,” Oladipo said. “But at the same time, it definitely was humbling and definitely nice for him to do — a credit to him for doing that. He didn’t have to, but he did it anyway.”

Both Oladipo and Durant were selected second overall in the NBA Draft — Durant in 2007 and Oladipo in 2013.

To improve, Arron Afflalo studied video of Jordan and Kobe

The Orlando Magic are rebuilding, and a losing team, and in such a situation it tends to be easier for a player with talent to stand out more than he normally might on a better team. With that disclaimer out of the way, Magic guard Arron Afflalo is having a terrific season. Here’s OrlandoMagic.com with more:

Afflalo wanted to learn ways to create more space against one-on-one defenders, so he started studying two of the best pure scorers in NBA history in Jordan and Bryant.

“I watched a lot of film on (Bryant), and I always have since I was growing up in L.A.,’’ Afflalo said. “And everybody wants to be Michael Jordan when they are little, so I’ve watched a lot of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. They’re the two best in my era. So this summer I watched a lot of their isolation moves and footwork to see how to frame myself up better for shots.’’

The offseason work has paid enormous benefits for Afflalo and the Magic this season. He’s averaging career bests in scoring (22.6 ppg.), rebounds (4.6 rpg.), assists (4.2 apg.) and 3-point shooting (46.3 percent). He’s scored 30 points in a game four times this season, including a career-best 43 points on Tuesday in a double-overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Afflalo said the studying of Bryant and Jordan has taught him that sometimes it’s better to take comfortable mid-range jumps rather than driving into the teeth of the defense where shots can be much more difficult to launch.

Magic fine Glen Davis for incident in motel

The Orlando Magic have fined forward Glen Davis an undisclosed amount following his actions on Saturday, Nov. 9, General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today.

“We will not tolerate or condone this type of behavior,” said Hennigan. “As we have stated repeatedly, when a player puts on an Orlando Magic uniform, he is representing something much greater than himself. We expect our players to uphold a certain standard of conduct and character at all times.”

According to the Orlando Sentinel, the team fined Davis “for his role in an incident early Saturday morning at a downtown Orlando motel lobby in which he threw a keyboard belonging to the motel against a wall.”

Who will start at PF for Orlando Magic?

The NBA regular season starts tomorrow, with Orlando and Indiana squaring off to get things started. But the Magic coaching staff still have some decision-making to make. Here’s the Orlando Sentinel:

The Magic are settled at every position except for power forward, where Vaughn will choose between 23-year-olds Kyle O’Quinn and Andrew Nicholson and 30-year-old Jason Maxiell, who was the team’s top free-agent acquisition over the summer.

Vaughn won’t disclose who he’ll start at power forward against the Pacers, but Maxiell would provide toughness and experience against the Pacers’ rugged power forward, David West.

“Part of the reason that Max is here is to bring a physicality and an aggressiveness to our team, and I think he enjoys that,” Vaughn said. “He embraces that role.”

The Magic will need to harness all of their toughness in the days ahead.

Orlando Magic exercise contract options on Maurice Harkless, Andrew Nicholson, Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic

The Orlando Magic have exercised their third-year team option on the contracts of forward Maurice Harkless and Andrew Nicholson, while also exercising their fourth-year team option on the contracts of Tobias Harris and Nikola Vučević, General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today.

All four players are now under contract through the 2014-15 season.

Harkless (6-9, 220, 5/11/93) played in 76 games (59 starts) during his rookie campaign (2012-13) with Orlando, averaging 8.2 ppg., 4.4 rpg. and 1.16 stlpg. in 26.0 minpg. He ranked sixth in the NBA in steals-to-turnover ratio (1.28, 88/69) and 40th in steals. Harkless also ranked among all NBA rookies in scoring (11th), rebounding (9th), field goal percentage (8th, .461), steals (2nd) and blocked shots (8th, 0.82 blkpg.). He was acquired by Orlando as part of a four-team, 12-player trade on Aug. 10, 2012, along with Vučević. Harkless was originally selected in the first round (15th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft by Philadelphia.

Harris (6-9, 235, 7/15/92) was acquired by Orlando in a six-player trade with Milwaukee on Feb. 21, 2013. He appeared in 55 games (34 starts) with both the Magic and the Bucks in 2012-13, averaging 11.0 ppg., 5.2 rpg. and 1.3 apg. in 23.6 minpg. In 27 games with Orlando, Harris averaged 17.3 ppg., 8.5 rpg., 2.1 apg. and 1.37 blkpg. in 36.1 minpg. On Mar. 29 @ Charlotte, he poured in a career-high 30 points, becoming the second-youngest player in Magic history to score 30+ points in a game (20 years, 257 days old). Harris was originally selected in the first round (19th overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft by Charlotte.

Nicholson (6-9, 250, 12/8/89) played in 75 games (28 starts) during his rookie season (2012-13) with Orlando, averaging 7.8 ppg. and 3.4 rpg. in 16.7 minpg., while shooting .527 (256-486) from the field. He ranked among all NBA rookies in scoring (14th), rebounding (16th), field goal percentage (4th) and free throw percentage (5th, .798). Nicholson participated in the 2013 BBVA Rising Stars Challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend, tallying six points and three rebounds in 10 minutes.

Vučević (7-0, 250, 10/24/90) appeared and started in 77 games in 2012-13 for Orlando, averaging 13.1 ppg., a team-high 11.9 rpg., 1.9 apg. and a team-best 1.03 blkpg. in 33.2 minpg., while shooting .519 (461-889) from the floor. He ranked second in the NBA in rebounding, third in double-doubles (team-high 46), tied for 21st in field goal percentage and tied for 33rd in blocked shots. Vučević finished fourth in voting for the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award. On Dec. 31 vs. Miami, he broke the franchise record for most rebounds in a single game, pulling down 29 boards and breaking the mark previously held by Shaquille O’Neal (28, Nov. 20, 1993 @ New Jersey).

Orlando Magic: Glen Davis making progress with foot rehab

Glen Davis and Orlando Magic officials are reluctant to estimate when Davis will return to practice or play a regular-season game. But Davis says he’s making progress in his return from a July surgery on his left foot.

Davis hasn’t participated in contact drills, practices or scrimmages yet.

But he’s running up and down the court and is taking jumpers.

“They’re watching me as much as possible, making sure that I don’t skip any steps in this process,” Davis said Monday, before his teammates began practice at Amway Center.

Reported by Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel

Chris Duhon injured during hit-and-run

Former Bulls guard Chris Duhon was injured during a hit-and-run incident Saturday at a downtown Orlando parking garage, according to an Orlando police report.

Duhon and his brother-in-law, Julio Hernandez, were walking through the Plaza parking garage when an unidentified man driving a black Lexus honked at them to get out of the way of his vehicle. Hernandez told police Duhon and the driver shouted at each other, then the driver pointed his Lexus toward the men. Hernandez told officers he jumped out of the way, but Duhon was hit and slammed his head against the windshield. The driver of the Lexus left the scene.

Duhon was taken to an Orlando hospital for treatment and told officers he could not recall the incident.

Reported by Iliana Limon Romero of the Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Magic sign rookie Romero Osby, four others

The Orlando Magic have signed rookie forward Romero Osby, General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today.

In addition to Osby, the Magic have signed free agents Mickell Gladness (#40, 6-11, 220, 7/26/86, Alabama A&M), Manny Harris (#3, 6-5, 185, 9/21/89, Michigan), Solomon Jones (#22, 6-10, 245, 7/16/84, South Florida) and Kris Joseph (#32, 6-7, 210, 12/17/88, Syracuse). The roster currently stands at 19 players.

Osby (AHZ-bee, 6’8”, 230, 5/7/90) was selected by Orlando in the second round (51st overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft. He appeared and started in 63 career games during two seasons at the University of Oklahoma, averaging 14.4 ppg., 7.2 rpg. and 1.1 apg. in 29.4 minpg., while shooting .509 (321-631) from the field. Osby also played in 71 games (three starts) in two seasons at Mississippi State University, averaging 4.2 ppg. and 2.6 rpg. in 12.8 minpg.

Four free agents coming to Orlando Magic training camp

The Magic will bring second-round pick Romero Osby to training camp along with free agents Solomon Jones, Michael Eric, Manny Harris and Kris Joseph, according to a source close to the team.

The Magic are working on coming to terms with Osby, the former Oklahoma forward whom the club selected 51st in the second round.

Jones, a 6-foot-10 center-forward, who grew up in Eustis and attended South Florida, is a seven-year NBA veteran.

He played just two games with the New York Knicks last season, and only 23 over the last couple seasons with the Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans.

Reported by Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel (Blog)