Magic head coach Steve Clifford told reporters today that Jonathan Isaac, Al-Farouq Aminu, and Mohamed Bamba haven’t been cleared for contact work when training camp begins, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Isaac is recovering from a torn ACL and is expected to miss the entire 2020/21 season, so his absence is unsurprising. Aminu and Bamba were unavailable for the Magic at the end of last season due to knee surgery recovery and coronavirus complications, respectively. It’s not clear if those same issues are keeping them sidelined this fall, but Clifford said today that both players are still “a ways away” from being 100%, per Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports (Twitter links).
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- Hawks big man John Collins is still hoping to sign a rookie scale extension before the regular season begins, admitting today that his contract situation is at the forefront of his mind (Twitter links via Chris Kirschner of The Athletic and Sarah Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution).
- The Hawks issued a press release announcing injury updates on Kris Dunn (cartilage disruption in right knee), Onyeka Okongwu (inflammation of sesamoid bone in left foot), and Tony Snell (inflammation of cuboid bone in right foot). Dunn is participating in “modified” individual workouts, while Okongwu and Snell are currently limited to shooting and conditioning. Atlanta will provide another update on all three players on December 11.
- The Hornets will open the 2020/21 season without any fans in attendance at Spectrum Center, the team announced this week in a press release. The Hornets indicated they’ll continue to work with state and local health officials – and the NBA – to develop a plan to get fans back in the building, ideally before the end of the season.
- In the wake of the Hornets‘ acquisition of Gordon Hayward and release of Nicolas Batum, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer examines the salary cap impact of the two transactions. As Bonnell writes, despite the significant cap charges for Hayward and Batum, the club could still open up a sizeable chunk of cap room in 2021.
Magic are a mess. Resigned everyone to run it back last year even though they seem cemented into a low playoff seed and they did the same this year. The players they are developing are always injuried or just not good. The team has no direction as they are too good tank but not neary good enough to make it past the first rounf
Magic are growing. Isaac injured this season but they still got Vucevic, Gordon, Bamba, Fultz, Anthony, Fournier, Ross. Top 5 defensive team in NBA. They will get 8th seed and keep improving.
Atlanta Hawks have the worst D in the league that potentially could be worse this season. Bogdanovic is massively streaky hot and cold. Gallinari and Collins same position. So taking minutes off Collins who is a future all star. Young will be massively exposed this season. He is the worst defender in the NBA. I like Capela.
Hawks won’t make playoffs. Magic are better.
Orland defense is not top 5 D next year. They were number 10 last season in defensive efficiency (23 in OE), but their best defender Isaac is now out. While they have good team defense because of their coach, each individual player has low DBPM. Isaac was the highest at +2.9, Vucevic had +0.5, and Gordon’s surprisingly was a very average 0.1. Ross, Fultz, and Fournier all have negative DBPM. While the Hawks are much worse at defense, and magic are still considered above average on D, sometimes good offense/bad defense leads to more wins (See Portland Trailblazers, #5 in OE, 28 in DE) than below avg offense and above avg. defense (see Bulls, 27 in OE, 11 in DE). ***Yes i did research for those numbers because I was curious about your argument, and im bored and procrastinating from my other responsibilities.
I can’t argue with the numbers. I’m a bit biased towards the Magic
Either ways I’m excited for the season to start. I think this battle for the 8th seed in the East is going to be fascinating.
ORL was top 7 defense pre all-star…and in January without Isaac were a top 4 defense.
In February they changed their style of play with concerted effort to accelerate pace. That caused a decline in defensive numbers, but the offense jumped to top 5 post all-star break.
Gordon, MCW, Aminu and Bamba are all above avg defenders who missed significant time last season…plus they just added Okeke, another very good defender.
Why would you expect the Hawks defense to be worse this season after adding Capela,Snell,Okongwu and Dunn?
Outside of Capella, none of those players are playing big minutes or closing games. Capella is solid defender, but not an elite tier guy.
ATL will always have trouble on that end with Young on floor as he’s the worst defender in NBA and that’s very unlikely to change much.
As long as Melo is still in the league, Trae has no chance to get that distinction.
RPM and other metrics have Trae Young as the worst defender in the NBA
link to espn.com
Naa Young is worse
Magic are better at choking in the playoffs,that’s a fact jack.
Wrong. The Magic are developing their youth within a winning context…that’s THE best and most proven way to develop youth.
Markelle Fultz just finished what was essentially his rookie season AND he was a very solid starting PG who showed lots of flashes of why he was the consensus #1 pick.
They just added Cole Anthony who was top 2 player coming out of HS and at time projected top 5 draft pick. Injuries and context limited him at UNC but that talent didn’t just disappear. He addresses ORL’s scoring need.
Okeke is also a very solid young prospect who would have easily gone in high lottery this draft. He’s ready to go and will play a big role in his rookie season.
Bamba and Isaac have struggled with injuries, but both have very solid upside and are both at start of their career.
+ ORL has good young vets and solid trade assets to make a consolidation upgrade when the time is right and right opportunity presents itself.
What is going on with ATL?
That I would like to know!
I mean if they can’t take care of their own stars…
Where is the point in all the silly moves of this offseason?
Come on, you had a very easy situation here, just give the max extension to JC… otherwise you are getting the door open & ready for Ice Trae to go next!
He ain’t gonna stay on a team that ain’t trying to win, as simple as!
I miss the Horford, Millsap, Korver, Teague Hawks. They were fun.
Yeah well those days are over so deal with it…sorry
The magic FO can tell the magic fanbase that bamba has been suffering from covid-18 & i guarantee you they would believe them lol.
They decided they were going to be able to copy GS. So swapped Doncic for Young and spent years at he bottom with no D.
Then gave up and spent all their cap on above average players.
Poorly run franchise.
Sorry mate don’t know why I replied to this one
Are you saying Bamba is faking Covid? Because he’s the one who put it out there…not the Magic.
What’s lol is your totally clueless comment…smh
In a interview bamba said HIMSELF that he was ready to play & he gained 28 pounds of muscle(lol). All of a sudden towards the end of the bubble bamaba say, “hey guys I got covid couple months prior”. You mean to tell me that he is the only player in the whole entire league to have lingering issues? Like I said magic fans are naive. I even think you’re the I was arguing about aminu milking his injury and now look ahaha.
Wrong, that weight gain reveal (in May) was long before he caught Covid in late June.
Bamba is in the segment of Covid patients that continue to suffer from serious long term effects…it’s known as “long haulers.”
link to cbsnews.com
FYI, Magic tried to treat Aminu’s meniscus injury with non-surgical approach, this is common. He was at final stages of rehab right before covid shutdown when he suffered set back that required surgical repair. That reset his rehab timeline back to zero. That’s why he’s not available for camp.
Maybe you should educate yourself before spouting off moronic takes about things you clearly know nothing about.
OK so why did he say that he was ready? Explain that lol. I believe he had another setback with his leg and they’re using covid as the scapegoat because it’s easy to convince sheep like you for sympathy. Bamba never had a motor and was on track for bust status. He is literally the only guy in the NBA to still have lingering issues from covid.
Uh, there are other athletes + a ton of people with serious lingering issues from Covid…smh
Also, Bamba WAS ready in May when he said he was ready and excited to play in restart with his added muscle gain. Then in late June he contracted Covid. Once the bubble training camp started in July, his serious lingering symptoms forced the team to shut him down. It’s not rocket science.
You’re literally trying to push a LOL conspiracy theory that Bamba is faking Covid just to fool fans! LMAO take that ignorant crap back to your Q-Anon hole.
FYI, Bamba had made some very solid progress this season, especially on defensive end.
After the game against the LAKERS(in preseason) is when he said this. I guess I am more of a magic fan then you ahahah
…and that changes what? Its still same exact chronological order. He was diagnosed with Covid in June and he never fully recovered. You aren’t a fan of anything except of naive conspiracy theories.
Here’s a interview he took in july(link to youtu.be). Also are you sure they shut him down because of covid or because he was unplayable. I’m done arguing with you though. Magic fans are literally one of the most delusional fanbases. Bu..bu..Alex martins promised us a championship by 2030 lol.
Stop with your foolish delusional conspiracy garbage.
Bamba played excellent defense this season. That is why his was drafted…and he’s just starting to scratch the surface.
He had the best Defensive Rating on the Magic, a team that was a top 7 defense for majority of the season and the bench unit he anchored were major part of that.
His impact on opponents FG% are already impressive, Look at his elite differentials:
< 6' opponents FG% dropped by -10.5
15′ opponents FG% dropped by -0.2
link to go.nba.com
On the other end he improved his 3P% from 30.0 to 34.6 at higher volume.
His overall impact greatly improved, going from -14.5 Net Rating last season to a +0.5 Net Rating this year.
All that despite missing most of rookie year and entire 1st summer of development due to injury.
You’re done arguing because you got your delusional garbage takes destroyed by reality and facts.
I’m old school my brotha I dont look at those analytics bulls***. Look at the top 10 picks in his draft, all of them(besides knox) have been extremely profuctive if not more. You guys picked a bust its ok man it happens *shrugs*. Just take off the tin foil and accept the reality.
Old school has nothing to do with it. I’ve been watching NBA for decades and have continuously adapted to and absorbed new data and technologies as they evolve.
You just don’t have capacity for it. That’s why you deny the math + science and then invent conspiracy theories to justify your incompetence.
That’s reality.
And when the magic realize bamba is a bust and they don’t extend him we will see who REALLY understood the reality my friend.
The deadline to opt out of his 3d year option is December 29th so we’ll see soon. I’ll be right here.
That isn’t an extension lol. I wouldn’t be suprised if they picked up is OPTION tho. Weltman will hold onto bamba until the wheels fall off. All magics 2nd round picks are not even on the roster anymore & damn near all their first rounders are injury prone. If you give up on bamba it will just make it more obvious(then already it is, except for the delusional magic fans) that they can’t draft.
Uh no. As with all 1st round rookie scale contracts, the 3d and 4th year are team options. December 29th is deadline for the Magic to pick up his 4th yr.
link to twitter.com
…and LMAO look at you already back tracking trying to misdirect and move the goal posts…so pathetic.
FYI, +80% of 2nd Rd picks wash out or never play one minute in the NBA.
Plus, Weltman has traded most of his 2nd round picks. They were used to acquire Markelle Fultz and James Ennis…key players for ORL. Another was used as part of Weltman’s awesome procedural move that cleared Biyombo’s contract off the books.
The 2nd round picks Weltman used:
(1) Iwundu, Magic got 3 years of minimum salary rotation level play from Iwundu, which is solid value for a 2nd round pick.
(2) Justin Jackson is developing in the G-League
(3) Really the only miss was Melvyn Frazier.
FYI, injuries are part of the NBA for EVERY single team and EVERY player.
Ok, what part of EXTENSION dont you understand?? the one Isaac was supposed to get this offseason before he tore his knee(God bless him).
I literally just said in my last comment that he will not give up on bamba til the wheels fall off.
if you consider trading a 1st round pick and Jonathan Simmons for fultz(a absolute no brainer). a late 2nd round pick for ennis, and biyombi for mosgov swap “BIG MOVES” you seriously need to take off the tin foil hat my friend. Weltman is known for not making big moves and overvaluing his players(read article below).
Dude just say he can’t friggin draft lol more than half the league has drafted impactful players in the 2nd round. Btw Jackson is playing in canada you casual.
Ok, but I’m seriously done this time. Talking to a fan of a winless organization is like literally talking to a wall, ciao!
link to google.com
2227344/2020/11/29/orlando-magic-overvalue-own-players/%3famp
Uh, an option and an extension are NOT the same thing. Do you never research the subject before opening your mouth?
and FYI, JJ is in the CEBL – that is a summer league you moron.
link to en.wikipedia.org
Seriously, stop embarrassing yourself with these totally uninformed garbage takes.
It’s never too late to get an education.
Ahahaha well the man, the myth & the legend himself said that he wasn’t a “long-hauler” and is 100% ready lol. I hope you don’t feel like a doosh bag, its not 100% your fault.
link to google.com
If you actually read article you would have seen that he restated that he CONTRACTED COVID (not faking it like you’ve been saying)….AND that he had to reset his conditioning after contracting it and was still working his ass off to get it back.
Yet again you made another totally ignorant and un-researched comment. LMAO, you should definitely feel like a douche bag because it’s definitely 100% your fault…notch another big fat L on your forehead bruh, you’re starting to run out of room LOL
Collins is signed thru next yr. They can wait to sign him. Okongwu should help make Collins D better. Having Capela fro yr should improve team D. I actually like Collins and Capela combo. With Okongwu backing up. They will be much better defensively. Collins has developed nicely. It’s wise to see how he and Capela work. Eventually they will sign him. He’s earned it. Hawks are most improved team. With young guys growing another yr. Okongwu and FA signings they are deep. Easily a playoff team. Their team chemistry gets going, especially on D. They can make noise in playoffs. A talented young team growing. Is always dangerous in playoffs.
I think the Hornets are probably better than the Hawks next year (still) too. They got a bit of depth now Graham, Rozier, Monk, Ball, Bridges, Washington and Hayward. Plus they play a bit of D unlike Hawks. They should be quite fun too watch.
Graham, PJ & specially Lamelo really exciting… the rest bums inc.!
This is a laughable statement now, hindsight is 20/20.Comments coming from Orlando fans about the Hawks?!? Worry about Orlando, because you know the Hawks and the Heat are gonna rip your soul out this year.And I live in Florida. And I feel Orlando shaking in their boots!!!
All this hate just shows me themboys are moving in the right direction.Or else they wouldn’t be getting any attention. And as far as Trae,your stating the obvious when it comes to his defense,hell everyone knows that,so talk about his offense or the numbers compared up there with Labron.What? Thought so. Stop the hate or I will bring the whole city of ATL in this lil O.See ya soon.