The Magic like what they’ve seen thus far from Wendell Carter Jr., one of the pieces acquired in the Nikola Vucevic trade with the Bulls, Josh Cohen of the team’s website writes. The retooled Magic are a surprising 2-1 on their current West Coast swing with Carter averaging 13.3 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.7 APG and 1.3 BPG in 23.0 MPG.
“He’s smart. He’s got good instincts,” Magic coach Steve Clifford said. “He can really move his feet. His lateral quickness I would say is exceptional. His instincts (are good) of when to attack the ball, when to drop, get back to his man and obviously he’s got a basket protection component. It’s three games but I couldn’t be more pleased with what he’s doing already.”
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- Russell Westbrook has posted some big numbers with the Wizards but he admits he’s been too turnover-prone, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes. Westbrook committed nine turnovers in a lopsided loss to Detroit on Thursday. “This one is on my hands and my shoulders,” said Westbrook, who is averaging 5.1 giveaways per game. “I’ve got to do a better job leading us into nights like this, regardless of who’s playing. I’m responsible for our energy and our effort and I take the blame on this one.”
- The Heat are excited to add another play-maker in Victor Oladipo, who was acquired from Houston last week, Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press writes. “He’s a veteran guy, he’s played in good programs on good teams, so he knows how to fit in,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “I think defensively, it’s extremely natural, the fit. And offensively, he gives us that downhill attack, another guy that can make plays, another guy that can put pressure on opposing defenses in the paint.” Oladipo, who will be a free agent after the season, had six points and five assists in 23 minutes while making his Heat debut on Thursday.
- The Magic received a total of three first-round picks from Chicago and Denver in the Vucevic and Aaron Gordon deals. Josh Robbins of The Athletic breaks down the protections on each of those picks, including the Bulls’ 2021 first-rounder, which will be conveyed to Orlando this year unless it’s in the top four.
Magic get
Bulls 2021
1-4 protected
Bulls 2023
1-4 protected
Nuggets 2025
1-5 protected or
Nuggets 2026
1-5 protected or
Nuggets 1-5 protected
So this is a Southeast update but no mention of the Hawks?
Maybe the Hawks will actually be relevant in 2022, or maybe not.
Maybe the Rockets will actually be relevant in 2022, or maybe not.
NOT
Our divisional notes posts include all items related to that division, but not necessarily items related to all teams in that division. No Wizards notes here either!
Luke, you discussed Westbrook lol
Haha, whoops, I meant Hornets.
Wendell looks great until he doesn’t. Magic will find out just after his second injury DL stretch.
What’s Mo Bamba gotta do to get some love?
Change his name to “Westbrook”
The GM should’ve waived or traded Birch so the magic coach couldn’t play him anymore. That way he would’ve had no option but to play Mo more.
Birch is fun bc he has to work at it.
Stay out of the training room
I can’t read the Athletic article, but the reported protection on the 1st round picks going from Chicago to the Magic is either wrong or the protection on the picks is strange. Magic might not get any picks out of it, if Bulls are 1-4 in both years. Although I could read it as just losing the 2021 1st if the Bulls are 1-4 this year, and 2023 becoming unprotected in that case. Didn’t read anything about a rollover of either 1st to the next year, or even a conversion to 2nd round picks. If they can actually end up not getting any picks for Vucevic (I don’t care how remote the possibility), then it’s a reckless structure by the Magic FO.
The two first-round picks the Bulls are going to trade to the Magic include their first-round selection for the upcoming 2021 draft (top-4 protected), and their first-round pick for the 2023 draft. Remember, per the Stepien rule, teams cannot trade back-to-back first-round selections, so they had to skip a year in drafts
Issue is the rollover Al not the skip.
The 2021 pick is top-4 protected this year. If not conveyed, it becomes top-3 protected in 2022. If still not conveyed, it becomes two second-rounders (2024 and 2025).
The 2023 pick has basically identical protections (top-four first year, top-three second year; if not conveyed, becomes 2026 and 2027 second-rounders). But if the first one conveys in 2022, the second one obviously would be pushed back a year as well.
Want to see how Oladipo plays in Miami. Doesn’t seem 100% to me. Heat being in playoffs he will have to step up his gm. He’s a FA so I’m really going to scout him. Knicks have looked hard at him. Personally I like Fournier gm for us. Also a FA next yr.
Looked great defensively and fine as a playmaker 1st night out, which is all they really need him to do
If he plays well to the point that Spo and Riley want him to return, you really think the Knicks can convince him to leave the Heat?
Good luck with that.
This is the same dude arguing with a Heat fan about Hassan Whiteside lmao