After spending his first five seasons in the NBA as a reserve player, Bismack Biyombo is excited to have an integral role with the Magic this season, John Denton of NBA.com writes. “I’m just really, really thankful now because I know how much this team wants me, how much respect and credit that they give me,’’ Biyombo told Denton. “I don’t talk about [the contract] until someone brings it up because I try to live in the moment and play the game. I’m really excited about being here, I look forward to all the challenges and I think it’s going to be great.’’ The big man signed a four-year, $73MM deal with Orlando in July.
“Maybe my first two years in the league, I was trying to be somebody different and change my personality. But being myself is what helped me play on the level that I did [in the 2016 playoffs],’’ Biyombo added. “For me, I was just having fun and I’m going to enjoy a lot of the games this season. This is just the beginning of something good here in Orlando. This is a new challenge – for me and a lot of us – but we all have one goal and that’s to get to the playoffs.’’
Here’s the latest from the Eastern Conference:
- Undrafted rookie Sheldon McClellan has impressed the Wizards‘ coaching staff and the guard has a good shot to make the team’s regular season roster, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel relays (via Twitter). When asked about the 23-year-old’s chances to stick with the team, coach Scott Brooks said, “He has a great chance. . . . He has a pro game.” McClellan’s minimum salary deal includes a modest partial guarantee of $50K, which isn’t likely to factor into Washington’s decision-making process regarding the player.
- Roger Montgomery, one of the representatives for Nets point guard Jeremy Lin, has joined Roc Nation Sports as an agent, Liz Mullen of The Sports Business Journal reports. It’s not immediately clear how, or if, the move will affect Lin, who signed a three-year, $36MM pact with Brooklyn over the summer.
- Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic is looking for more consistency in his game than he showed last season adding that he isn’t concerned whether he starts or comes off the bench in 2016/17, K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune relays. “I’m not worried about [starting],” Mirotic said. “I’m only worried how I can help my team and where I can improve. Everybody would like to start. That’s obvious. But this is the Chicago Bulls. There are a lot of great players. We are here to help the team to put Chicago in the playoffs.“