Category: Orlando Magic Blog

The Orlando Magic are in advanced talks with the New Orleans Hornets about a sign-and-trade deal that would send restricted free agent Ryan Anderson to New Orleans for 27-year-old center Gustavo Ayon, the Orlando Sentinel has learned from league sources.

Anderson, a 24-year-old power forward, was on the verge of signing a lucrative offer sheet for four years and, according to Yahoo! Sports, about $36 million with the Hornets. Magic general manager Rob Hennigan decided it was not prudent to match an offer sheet because of the long-term salary-cap implications.

So, instead of seeing Anderson sign with the Hornets and the Magic receiving no assets in return, Orlando decided to discuss a sign-and-trade deal with New Orleans.

— Reported by Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel

The Orlando Magic have signed rookie forward Andrew Nicholson, General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today.

All players drafted in the first round are guaranteed to receive a contract. This signing is standard.

Nicholson was selected in the first round (19th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft.  He will participate in the upcoming 2012 AirTran Airways Orlando Pro Summer League, taking place at Amway Center from July 9-13.

Nicholson (#44, 6’9”, 250, 12/8/89) appeared in 123 career games at St. Bonaventure University, averaging 17.1 ppg., 7.2 rpg. and 1.98 blkpg. in 29.9 minpg. and shot .575 (809-1,407) from the field during his collegiate career.  He earned All-Atlantic 10 Conference honors all four seasons and was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year as a senior in 2011-12.  Nicholson also earned All-American honors by The Associated Press in 2011-12.  Nicholson led the Bonnies in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots for three straight seasons (2009-12).

Nicholson ranks second all-time in school history in scoring (2,103 points), second in blocked shots (244), second in field goal percentage and fourth in rebounds (887).

As a senior (2011-12), Nicholson played in 32 games, averaging 18.5 ppg., 8.4 rpg., 1.0 apg. and 2.0 blkpg. in 30.1 minpg.  He scored in double figures 29 times.  Nicholson grabbed a career-best 23 rebounds (along with 21 points) against Duquesne, and led the Bonnies to the NCAA Tournament.

During his junior year (2010-11), Nicholson appeared in 31 games, averaging 20.8 ppg., 7.3 rpg. and 1.5 blkpg.  in 33.8 minpg.  He scored in double figures 30 times, including a career-high 44 points against Ohio University.

As a sophomore (2009-10), Nicholson appeared in 30 games, averaging 16.4 ppg., 7.1 rpg. and 1.8 blkpg. in 30.2 minpg.  During his freshman season (2008-09), he averaged 12.5 ppg., 6.0 rpg. and a team-high 2.7 blkpg. in 25.1 minpg.

Nicholson, son of Fabian and Colmaleen, graduated with a degree in physics from St. Bonaventure.

The Orlando Magic have named Scott Perry vice president/assistant general manager and Matt Lloyd assistant general manager, General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today.

Perry has served as vice president of basketball operations of the Detroit Pistons for the last four years.  Lloyd spent 13 seasons with the Chicago Bulls, the last five as the team’s director of college scouting.

“We are ecstatic to add Scott (Perry) and Matt (Lloyd) to our Orlando Magic family,” Hennigan said.  “Scott and Matt bring multi-dimensional skillsets to our front office, and they both will have tremendous input in how we shape this organization going forward.”

With Detroit, Perry was responsible for directing day-to-day operations of the basketball operations department, handling player personnel issues and assisting in roster development.

Perry’s professional career began during the summer of 2000, joining the Pistons as a college scout.  He was then promoted to director of player personnel in June of 2002, a position he held for five years.  Detroit captured the NBA World Championship in 2004.  In 2007-08, Perry served as assistant general manager for the Seattle Supersonics.

Prior to joining the Pistons, Perry spent three seasons as head coach at Eastern Kentucky University from 1997-2000.  He also spent nine seasons as an assistant coach with the University of Michigan, University of California and Detroit Mercy.

Perry graduated from Wayne State in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing.  He was a captain and all-conference basketball player his senior year. Recruited to play at the University of Oregon by former NBA coach Jim O’Brien and NBA executive Stu Jackson, Perry spent his freshman year with the Ducks prior to transferring.

Perry’s father, Lowell, was the first black assistant coach in the NFL, hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1957.

As director of college scouting for Chicago, Lloyd oversaw the scouting and information compilation of prospects for the NBA Draft, along with statistical analysis of pro and amateur players.  He implemented and maintained a database which organized scouting information.

Lloyd began with the Bulls in 1994 as a game-day and special projects employee in the video room.  He joined the team full-time in 1999 and was the team’s media services coordinator for four seasons.  Lloyd then joined the basketball operations department in 2003, and served as senior manager of basketball operations/scout for four seasons.

In addition, Lloyd also worked as a game-day employee with the Chicago White Sox in their video department for five years.

Prior to joining the Bulls full-time, Lloyd spent one year (1998-99) as the assistant director of information services for Conference USA, and a year-and-a-half (1997-98) as director of media services for the Arena Football League.  He also completed an internship at ESPN during his senior year of college.

Lloyd graduated from the University of Illinois-Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in communications in 1996, where he worked for three years in the athletic department.

The Orlando Magic selected forward Andrew Nicholson in the first round (19th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft.

Nicholson (6’9”, 250, 12/8/89) appeared in 123 career games at St. Bonaventure University, averaging 17.1 ppg., 7.2 rpg. and 1.98 blkpg. in 29.9 minpg. and shot .575 (809-1,407) from the field during his collegiate career.  He earned All-Atlantic 10 Conference honors all four seasons and was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year as a senior in 2011-12.  Nicholson also earned All-American honors by The Associated Press in 2011-12.  Nicholson led the Bonnies in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots for three straight seasons (2009-12).

“We are excited to have Andrew (Nicholson) join our Orlando Magic family,” said General Manager Rob Hennigan.  “We feel he embodies the types of values that will put him in a position to achieve success here.  He’s a humble, high character player, who’s committed to working hard and playing within a team concept.  We are intrigued by his cerebral, instinctual approach to the game.”

Nicholson ranks second all-time in school history in scoring (2,103 points), second in blocked shots (244), second in field goal percentage and fourth in rebounds (887).

As a senior (2011-12), Nicholson played in 32 games, averaging 18.5 ppg., 8.4 rpg., 1.0 apg. and 2.0 blkpg. in 30.1 minpg.  He scored in double figures 29 times.  Nicholson grabbed a career-best 23 rebounds (along with 21 points) against Duquesne, and led the Bonnies to the NCAA Tournament.

During his junior year (2010-11), Nicholson appeared in 31 games, averaging 20.8 ppg., 7.3 rpg. and 1.5 blkpg.  in 33.8 minpg.  He scored in double figures 30 times, including a career-high 44 points against Ohio University.

As a sophomore (2009-10), Nicholson appeared in 30 games, averaging 16.4 ppg., 7.1 rpg. and 1.8 blkpg. in 30.2 minpg.  During his freshman season (2008-09), he averaged 12.5 ppg., 6.0 rpg. and a team-high 2.7 blkpg. in 25.1 minpg.

Nicholson, son of Fabian and Colmaleen, graduated with a degree in physics from St. Bonaventure.

The Orlando Magic selected forward-center Kyle O’Quinn in the second round (49th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft.

O’Quinn (6’10”, 240, 3/26/90) appeared in 129 career games at Norfolk State University, averaging 12.5 ppg., 8.5 rpg. and 2.2 blkpg. in 27.3 minpg. and shot .553 (610-1,104) from the field during his collegiate career.  He was the 2012 Lou Henson recipient as the nation’s top mid-major player.  O’Quinn was the 2011-12 MEAC Player of the Year and a two-time MEAC Defensive Player of the Year (2010-11, 2011-12).  He was also named MVP of the 2012 Portsmouth Invitational, averaging 11.7 ppg., 11.7 rpg. and 3.7 blkpg. in three games.

As a senior (2011-12), O’Quinn played in 36 games, averaging 15.9 ppg., 10.3 rpg., 1.4 apg. and 2.7 blkpg. in 31.3 minpg.  He helped the #15-seed Spartans to a historic upset of #2-seed Missouri in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament with 26 points and 14 rebounds.  O’Quinn, an All-MEAC First Team selection and MVP of the 2012 MEAC Tournament, led the conference and tied for fifth in the nation with 20 double-doubles.  He also ranked 14th in the country in field goal percentage (.573, 205-358), 15th in blocked shots and 16th in rebounding.

The Orlando Magic have extended a qualifying offer to forward Ryan Anderson, General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today.

By extending a qualifying offer to Anderson prior to the June 30 deadline, Orlando owns the right to match any offer sheet he may sign with another team.  Anderson will become a restricted free agent on July 1.

Anderson (6’10”, 240, 5/6/88) played and started in 61 games last season with the Magic, averaging career-highs of 16.1 ppg. and 7.7 rpg. in 32.2 minpg.  He shot .393 (166-422) from three-point range and .877 (150-171) from the free throw line.  Anderson led the NBA in both three point field goals made and attempted, and captured the 2011-12 NBA Most Improved Player award.

The Orlando Magic continued their front-office housecleaning Monday, firing Adonal Foyle after two seasons as the team’s director of player development.

“Today was my last day with the Orlando Magic as I was let go,” Foyle wrote on his Facebook page. “Thank you to the people of Orlando for your incredible support. I’m looking forward to my next adventure.”

Foyle, 37, played two seasons for the Magic and also was injured for the entire 2009-10 season.

— Reported by Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel

New Orlando Magic General Manager Rob Hennigan has started to reconfigure the franchise’s basketball operations department.

On Sunday, Hennigan fired Assistant General Manager Dave Twardzik and six scouts.

In addition to Twardzik, regional scout Tom Conrad, international scout Rudy D’Amico, international scouting coordinator Sam Foggin, pro scout Bob Staak, regional scout Greg Stratton and NBA advance scout Al Walker were let go, team spokesman Joel Glass confirmed.

Scouting coordinator Brian Wright will remain on the staff, Glass said.

Hennigan declined to comment.

Glass said Twardzik has been given the option to remain with the team through Thursday’s NBA draft, but it’s unclear whether Twardzik will do so.

— Reported by Josh Robbins and Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel

Rob Hennigan, who spent the past eight years with two of the NBA’s most successful franchises, has been named General Manager, Orlando Magic Chief Executive Officer Alex Martins announced today.

“It is with great enthusiasm and optimism that we announce Rob Hennigan as our new General Manager,” said Martins. “Rob is an astute strategist and evaluator of talent who comes to the Magic family from two championship-level organizations. We feel he is an outstanding fit and the right choice to lead our Basketball Operations team in achieving our championship goals.”

Hennigan spent the past four seasons with Oklahoma City, including the last two seasons as the Thunder’s assistant general manager/player personnel.  Hennigan spent his first two seasons with the Thunder as the team’s director of college/international player personnel.

Hennigan’s responsibilities included overseeing the Thunder’s professional, college and international scouting departments, as well as assisting with all player personnel matters and day-to-day management of basketball operations.

During Hennigan’s tenure, Oklahoma City compiled a 175-137 (.561) regular season record.  The Thunder won 50-or-more games twice, reached the Western Conference Finals twice and advanced to the 2012 NBA Finals.

Prior to joining the Thunder, Hennigan spent four seasons with the San Antonio Spurs.  He was named director of basketball operations in September of 2007.  Hennigan began as an intern during the 2004-05 season and was later named the team’s basketball operations assistant during the summer of 2005.  The Spurs won the NBA World Championship in 2004-05 and 2006-07.

A native of Worcester, Massachusetts, Hennigan graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism from Emerson College in 2004.  He was named a Division III All-American and an Academic All-American as a senior and was the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Player of the Year for three consecutive seasons.  Hennigan finished his career as the school’s all-time leading scorer.