Category: Orlando Magic Blog

The Orlando Magic have signed free agent forward Aleem Ford, free agent guard Hassani Gravett (GRAV-it), free agent guard/forward B.J. Johnson and free agent forward Admiral Schofield to 10-day contracts, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today.

The four players were signed via hardship exceptions by the NBA. Orlando has five players (Mo Bamba, Ignas Brazdeikis, R.J. Hampton, Terrence Ross and Moritz Wagner) ruled out tonight vs. Miami due to league Health and Safety Protocols.

Ford (6’8”, 220, 12/22/97) has played in 12 games (seven starts) this season with Lakeland of the NBA G League, averaging 9.6 ppg., 4.4 rpg. and 1.3 apg. in 28.1 minpg. Undrafted by an NBA franchise, he played in 126 career games (82 starts) during four seasons at the University of Wisconsin (2017-21), averaging 6.5 ppg. and 3.3 rpg. in 22.5 minpg.

Ford will wear #11 with the Orlando Magic.

Gravett (6’2”, 190, 7/16/96) has played and started all 12 games this season with Lakeland of the NBA G League, averaging 13.6 ppg., 5.2 rpg., 2.8 apg. and 1.83 stlpg. in 34.5 minpg.

Gravett signed as a free agent with Orlando on Sep. 8, 2021 and played in three preseason games with the Magic, averaging 5.0 ppg. and 1.3 rpg. in 10.2 minpg., before being waived on Oct. 16. He appeared in 12 games during the 2020-21 campaign with MZT Skopje of the Macedonian League, averaging 12.4 ppg., 4.0 rpg., 3.1 apg. and 1.17 stlpg. in 25.4 minpg. Gravett helped MZT Skopje win the 2020-21 Macedonian League championship and the 2021 North Macedonian Basketball Cup.

Gravett has appeared in 54 career NBA G League regular season games (40 starts), all with Lakeland, averaging 12.1 ppg., 4.4 rpg., 3.7 apg. and 1.20 stlpg. in 31.6 minpg., while shooting .364 (95-261) from three-point range.

Gravett played in 97 career games (30 starts) during three seasons (2016-19) at the University of South Carolina, averaging 7.2 ppg., 3.0 rpg. and 2.4 apg. in 23.8 minpg. During the 2018-19 season, he played in 32 games (five starts), averaging 11.4 ppg., 3.8 rpg. and 2.4 apg. in 29.6 minpg., while shooting .399 (65-163) from three-point range and was named SEC Sixth Man of the Year by the conference’s coaches.

Gravett will wear #12 with the Orlando Magic.

Johnson (6’7”, 200, 12/21/95) has played and started in 10 games this season with Lakeland of the NBA G League, averaging 24.7 ppg., 7.5 rpg., 1.3 apg. and 1.00 stlpg. in 34.5 minpg. He currently leads Lakeland in both scoring and rebounding.

Johnson signed as a free agent with Orlando on Sep. 8, 2021, but did not appear in any preseason action with the Magic, before being waived on Oct. 16. He played and started in 14 games in 2020-21 with Long Island of the NBA G League, averaging 18.4 ppg., 5.6 rpg., 1.6 apg. and 1.00 stlpg. in 31.1 minpg. Johnson also appeared in 11 games last season with Brisbane of the National Basketball League in Australia, averaging 10.0 ppg. and 3.7 rpg. in 21.5 minpg.

Johnson has played in 17 career NBA games with Atlanta, Sacramento and Orlando, averaging 3.1 ppg. and 1.4 rpg. in 7.8 minpg. He played in 10 games with the Magic during the 2019-20 campaign, averaging 3.0 ppg., and 1.5 rpg. in 8.3 minpg. Johnson has also appeared in 91 career NBA G League regular season games (84 starts) with Lakeland and Long Island, averaging 19.2 ppg., 5.7 rpg., 1.5 apg. and 1.49 stlpg. in 32.4 minpg., while shooting .402 (187-465) from three-point range and .821 (247-301) from the free throw line.

Johnson appeared in 56 career games (55 starts) in two seasons (2016-18) with La Salle University, averaging 19.1 ppg., 7.3 rpg. and 1.21 stlpg. in 33.8 minpg. During his senior campaign with the Explorers (2017-18), he played and started in 27 games, averaging 20.8 ppg., 8.3 rpg. and 1.30 stlpg. in 35.2 minpg., while shooting .869 (126-145) from the free throw line. Johnson was named Second Team All-Atlantic 10 Conference in 2017-18. He also played in 35 career games during two seasons (2013-15) at Syracuse University, averaging 3.4 ppg. and 2.5 rpg. in 12.0 minpg.

Johnson will wear #24 with the Orlando Magic.

Schofield (6’5”, 240, 3/30/97) has played in all 12 games (10 starts) this season with Lakeland of the NBA G League, averaging 14.4 ppg., 7.2 rpg. and 1.8 apg. in 33.0 minpg.

Schofield signed as a free agent with Orlando on Sep. 21, 2021. He played in two preseason games with the Magic, averaging 1.5 ppg. in 5.8 minpg., before being waived on Oct. 16. Schofield played in 14 games (11 starts) during the 2020-21 campaign with Greensboro of the NBA G League, averaging 10.1 ppg., 5.7 rpg. and 2.1 apg. in 26.2 minpg.

Originally selected in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2019 NBA Draft by Philadelphia, Schofield has played in 33 career NBA regular season games (two starts) with Washington, averaging 3.0 ppg. and 1.4 rpg. in 11.2 minpg. He has also appeared in 59 career NBA G League regular season games (54 starts) with Capital City, Greensboro and Lakeland, averaging 14.3 ppg., 5.9 rpg. and 2.0 apg. in 30.2 minpg.

Schofield played in 132 career games (94 starts) during four seasons at the University of Tennessee (2015-19), averaging 11.9 ppg., 5.3 rpg. and 1.3 apg. in 24.9 minpg., while shooting .387 (184-476) from three-point range. As a senior (2018-19), he played and started in 37 games, averaging 16.5 ppg., 6.1 rpg. and 2.0 apg. in 31.7 minpg., while shooting .418 (74-177) from three-point range. He was named to the All-SEC First Team by the conference coaches, earned All-SEC Tournament Team honors and was also an honorable mention All-American by Associated Press. As a junior (2017-18), Schofield was named to the All-SEC Second Team by the conference coaches and earned All-SEC Tournament Team honors.

Schofield will wear #25 with the Orlando Magic.

As with all fully rebuilding teams, the Orlando Magic are a team for the future. Here’s the Via the Orlando Sentinel on their latest:

The Orlando Magic found themselves in a familiar position during their 118-116 loss to the Houston Rockets on Friday night.

After trailing by as many as 13 late in the fourth quarter, the Magic (5-19) used a second-half surge similar to their recent loss to the Philadelphia 76ers and win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday to get back into the game.

The Magic went on a 13-0 run to tie the score at 114 with 47 seconds left, but unlike their game against the Nuggets and more in line with their matchup against the 76ers, they didn’t complete the comeback attempt despite holding the Rockets (6-16) to 4 points over the final 4 1/2 minutes.

“If we would’ve played the whole game like we played the last two minutes, we would’ve won the game by 30,” said Cole Anthony, who had game-highs of 26 points and 7 assists. “That’s personally what I think.”

The Magic are 5-10 this season, which is the second worst record in the Eastern conference, just ahead of the 4-18 Detroit Pistons.

The leading Magic scorers so far in 2021-22 are Anthony at 20.2 points per game, then Franz Wagner at 13.6 ppg and Wendell Carter Jr. at 13.1 ppg.

The Orlando Magic have signed free agent guard Mychal Mulder to a two-way contract.

Mulder (6’3”, 185, 6/12/94) appeared in 60 games (six starts) last season with Golden State, averaging 5.6 ppg. and 1.0 rpg. in 12.8 minpg., while shooting .397 (85-214) from three-point range. He scored in double figures 13 times and 20+ points three times, including a career-high 28 points on May 14 vs. New Orleans. Mulder was named to the 2021 NBA Rising Starts World Team.

Undrafted by an NBA franchise, Mulder has played in 67 career NBA regular season games (nine starts), all with Golden State, averaging 5.6 ppg. and 1.2 rpg. in 14.5 minpg., while shooting .380 (101-266) from three-point range. He has also played in 134 career NBA G League games (112 starts) with Windy City and Sioux Falls, averaging 13.1 ppg., 4.3 rpg. and 1.6 apg. in 32.3 minpg., while shooting .386 (365-946) from three-point range.

Mulder played in 56 career games (two starts) during two seasons at the University of Kentucky (2015-17), averaging 2.9 ppg. and 1.3 rpg. in 7.6 minpg.

Mulder will wear #2 with the Orlando Magic.

Orlando’s roster now stands at 17 players, including two two-way contracts.

All of you who were thinking of buying Shaq’s house are too late and must seek out a different property. Via the Orlando Sentinel:

After more than three years on the market, Shaquille O’Neal’s Isleworth mansion has finally sold for $11 million, one of the highest prices ever paid for a home in Central Florida.

The basketball legend, who bought the estate for $3.95 million in 1993, didn’t get anywhere near what he initially hoped for, however.

The house at 9927 Giffin Court near Windermere was put on the market in 2018, priced at $28 million. Over the years, that was slashed repeatedly. Most recently, it was listed for $16.5 million.

The Orlando Magic have signed free agent guard Devin Cannady, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today.

Also today, the team waived center Jeremiah Tilmon. He was signed as a free agent by Orlando on October 7 and did not play in any preseason action.

Cannady (6’1”, 190, 5/21/96) played in three games last season with Orlando, averaging 4.7 ppg. in 4.5 minpg. He originally was signed to a 10-day contract by Orlando on Apr. 6, then released on Apr. 13, before signing a two-way contract on Apr. 16. Cannady suffered an open fracture of his right ankle during the first quarter on Apr. 25 vs. Indiana. He was later waived on May 4.

Prior to his time in Orlando last season, Cannady played in 13 games (nine starts) with Lakeland of the NBA G League, averaging 11.7 ppg., 2.8 rpg. and 2.7 apg. in 25.8 minpg., while shooting .400 (28-70) from three-point range. He played and started in all three playoff outings, averaging 15.7 ppg., 4.7 rpg. and 3.3 apg. in 29.7 minpg., while shooting .450 (9-20) from three-point range. During the 2021 NBA G League Final on Mar. 11 vs. Delaware, Cannady tallied 22 points, six rebounds and four assists and was named G League Final MVP, helping Lakeland capture the 2020-21 NBA G League championship.

Cannady has played in 52 career NBA G League games (38 starts) with Long Island and Lakeland, averaging 13.8 ppg., 3.7 rpg., 2.7 apg. and 1.04 stlpg. in 29.7 minpg., while shooting .365 (141-386) from three-point range and .939 (62-66) from the free throw line.

Cannady played in 104 career games (67 starts) during four seasons at Princeton University (2015-19), averaging 14.6 ppg., 4.1 rpg., 1.6 apg. and 1.09 stlpg. in 31.1 minpg., while shooting .403 (268-665) from three-point range and a school-record .896 (285-318) from the free throw line. He was named Second Team All-Ivy League as a junior in 2017-18 and Honorable Mention All-Ivy League as a sophomore in 2016-17.

Cannady will wear #30 with the Orlando Magic.

The Orlando Magic have promoted Matt Lloyd to vice president of basketball operations and Anthony Parker to assistant general manager, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today.

In addition, Adetunji Adedipe has been promoted to general manager of the Lakeland Magic/scout for the Orlando Magic.

Lloyd begins his tenth season with the Orlando Magic. He has served as assistant general manager since being hired on June 29, 2012.

Lloyd is responsible for overseeing the Magic’s professional, college and international scouting departments, as well as assisting with roster management and development. He also served as interim general manager during the 2017 offseason.

Prior to joining the Magic, Lloyd spent 13 seasons with the Chicago Bulls, his last five as the team’s director of college scouting. As director of college scouting for Chicago, he oversaw the scouting and information compilation of prospects for the NBA Draft, along with statistical analysis of pro and amateur players. Lloyd 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.

Parker rejoins Orlando after spending the last four seasons (2017-21) as general manager of the Lakeland Magic of the NBA G League. Under his leadership, Lakeland recorded 94 regular season victories since beginning play, tied for the most in the NBA G League during that span. They capped off the 2020-21 campaign by winning the NBA G League championship.

Prior to joining Lakeland, Parker spent five seasons (2012-17) as a scout with the Orlando Magic.

Originally selected in the first round (21st overall) of the 1997 NBA Draft by New Jersey, Parker played in 494 career NBA regular season games (423 starts) during nine seasons (1997-2000, 2006-12) with Philadelphia, Orlando, Toronto and Cleveland, averaging 9.1 ppg., 3.2 rpg. and 2.3 apg. in 27.8 minpg., while shooting .404 (596-1,474) from three-point range. He also appeared and started in 22 career NBA playoff contests, averaging 10.9 ppg., 4.0 rpg., 1.4 apg. and 1.00 stlpg. in 34.9 minpg., while shooting .407 (33-81) from three-point range.

Parker also spent six seasons (2000-06) playing professionally in Europe – five seasons in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv and one in Italy with Lottomatica Roma. While with Maccabi, he helped them capture five Israeli Super League national championships, five Israeli National Cups and three European titles (two EuroLeague championships and one FIBA SuproLeague championship). Parker was named EuroLeague MVP in both 2003-04 and 2004-05.

Parker played at Bradley University for four seasons from 1993-97. He completed his collegiate career as one of only two players in school history (joining Hersey Hawkins) to finish in the school’s top 10 all-time lists in scoring (1,683 points, eighth), assists (355, ninth), steals (159, seventh) and blocked shots (78, fifth). Parker was named Most Valuable Player of the Missouri Valley Conference following his junior season (1995-96) and was honored as one of 15 players named to Bradley’s All-Century basketball team in 2003.

Parker also excelled academically while at Bradley. As a chemistry major, Parker was a two-time recipient of the Major Robert H. Lawrence Jr. Scholarship, given annually to an African-American student who does outstanding work in the field of chemistry. He switched his major during his senior year to liberal arts and science.

Adedipe began his career as a basketball operations assistant for the Erie BayHawks of the NBA G League during the 2014-15 season. He later joined IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., then served as an intern with the Philadelphia 76ers in the basketball operations department. Adedipe joined the Orlando Magic organization in September of 2015 as a basketball operations associate and was hired as basketball operations coordinator with the Erie BayHawks in 2016-17.

On August 21, 2017, Adedipe was named assistant general manager of the Lakeland Magic. During his tenure with Lakeland, he helped construct teams that have recorded 94 regular season victories since beginning play, tied for the most in the NBA G League during that span, and culminated with the 2021 NBA G League championship.

A native of Cleveland, Oh., Adedipe graduated from Ohio University in 2010 and also received a master’s degree in comparative politics in 2012. He was a three-year letterman and former captain of the Ohio University men’s basketball team. The Bobcats advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament in 2010 with a win over Georgetown.

The Orlando Magic have signed free agent center Jeremiah Tilmon.

Also today, the Magic have also waived center Jon Teske.

Tilmon (6’10”, 260, 11/25/98) played in 24 games (23 starts) last season as a senior at the University of Missouri, averaging 12.4 ppg., 7.3 rpg. and 1.42 blkpg. in 27.6 minpg., while shooting .614 (113-184) from the field. He was named to the 2020-21 All-SEC Second Team. Most recently, Tilmon played in one game with Orlando during the 2021 MGM Resorts NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, recording three points, three rebounds and one assist in 5:48 of action.

Tilmon appeared in 105 career games (97 starts) during four seasons (2017-21) at the University of Missouri, averaging 9.7 ppg., 5.4 rpg. and 1.08 blkpg. in 22.8 minpg., while shooting .574 (407-709) from the floor.

Tilmon will wear #23 with the Orlando Magic.

Teske was signed as a free agent by Orlando on September 8 and played in two preseason games, averaging 2.5 ppg. and 2.0 rpg in 5.8 minpg.

The Orlando Magic have signed free agent forward Admiral Schofield.

The contract is likely a non-guaranteed deal that merely brings Schofield to Magic training camp, which begins on Tuesday, September 28 at Amway Center.

Schofield (6’5”, 240, 3/30/97) played in 14 games last season (11 starts) with Greensboro of the NBA G League, averaging 10.1 ppg., 5.7 rpg. and 2.1 apg. in 26.2 minpg.

Originally selected in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2019 NBA Draft by Philadelphia, Schofield has played in 33 career NBA regular season games (two starts) with Washington, averaging 3.0 ppg. and 1.4 rpg. in 11.2 minpg. He has also appeared in 47 career NBA G League regular season games (44 starts) with both Capital City and Greensboro, averaging 14.2 ppg., 5.5 rpg. and 2.1 apg. in 29.5 minpg.

Schofield played in 132 career games (94 starts) during four seasons at the University of Tennessee (2015-19), averaging 11.9 ppg., 5.3 rpg. and 1.3 apg. in 24.9 minpg., while shooting .387 (184-476) from three-point range. As a senior (2018-19), he played and started in 37 games, averaging 16.5 ppg., 6.1 rpg. and 2.0 apg. in 31.7 minpg., while shooting .418 (74-177) from three-point range. He was named to the All-SEC First Team by the conference coaches, earned All-SEC Tournament Team honors and was also an honorable mention All-American by Associated Press. As a junior (2017-18), Schofield was named to the All-SEC Second Team by the conference coaches and earned All-SEC Tournament Team honors.

Schofield will wear #25 with the Orlando Magic.

Orlando’s roster now stands at 20 players.

The Orlando Magic have signed free agent guard E’Twaun Moore, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today.

Orlando’s roster now stands at 19 players (listed below). Training camp begins on Tuesday, September 28 at Amway Center.

Moore (6’3”, 190, 2/25/89) played in 27 games (one start) last season with Phoenix, averaging 4.9 ppg., 1.7 rpg. and 1.5 apg. in 14.4 minpg. He scored in double figures four times, including a season-high 22 points on May 16 @ San Antonio, including the game-winning three-pointer with 2.2 seconds remaining. Moore also played in seven playoff outings, averaging 2.4 ppg., 1.4 rpg. and 1.3 apg. in 6.6 minpg., as the Suns advanced to the 2021 NBA Finals.

Originally selected in the second round (55th overall) by Boston in the 2011 NBA Draft, Moore has played in 598 career NBA regular season games (191 starts) with Boston, Orlando, Chicago, New Orleans and Phoenix, averaging 7.9 ppg., 2.0 rpg. and 1.8 apg. in 21.0 minpg., while shooting .388 (556-1,432) from three-point range. He has also appeared in 28 career postseason contests (nine starts), averaging 4.6 ppg., 1.4 rpg. and 1.0 apg. in 12.8 minpg.

Moore spent two seasons with Orlando from 2012-14. He played in 154 regular season games (24 starts) with the Magic during that span, averaging 7.1 ppg., 2.1 apg. and 2.0 rpg. in 20.7 minpg.

Moore appeared in 140 games (136 starts) during his four-year collegiate career at Purdue University (2007-11), averaging 15.3 ppg., 4.4 rpg., 2.9 rpg. and 1.17 stlpg in 32.3 minpg. He led the Boilermakers in scoring for three straight seasons (2007-10), was named First Team All-Big Ten twice (2009-10, 2010-11) and Second Team All-Big Ten twice (2007-08, 2008-09).

Moore will wear #55 with the Orlando Magic.