Magic Notes: Summer League, Nelson, Sweeney, Front Office
The Magic‘s Summer League has gotten off to a strong start, with the team posting a 3-1 record following Wednesday’s victory over the Sixers. They’ve been able to find success, in part, due to the chemistry between a group of players who have experience playing alongside each other in the G League with the Osceola Magic, Jason Beede writes for the Orlando Sentinel.
Colin Castleton, Alex Morales, Lester Quinones, and Phillip Wheeler, who played together in Osceola last season, have all had important moments this summer, and Will Baker, Ace Baldwin Jr., and Johnell Davis are also on the roster in Las Vegas.
“It’s huge,” Castleton said about playing alongside his Osceola teammates. “We’ve already been in a couple Summer Leagues, but playing a full season together is huge. Just being able to have that connection … I like setting screens for all of my teammates. So, A-Mo, Lester, Phil, a bunch of guys who have played together, I feel like it helps us down the stretch.”
One player who has less familiarity with the club is guard TyTy Washington Jr., who is a part of the Magic’s Summer League team after spending last season with the Clippers. The former 29th overall pick in 2022 is grateful for the opportunity to showcase his skills in Vegas, Beede writes.
“I just want to come out here and show that I know how to play basketball the right way, knock down open shots, (and) be able to space the floor,” Washington said. “Basketball’s becoming positionless so (if) you can shoot the three-ball above 40%, you can help any NBA team. That’s really my biggest goal. I’ve worked on my body a ton this past offseason so (I’m) really here just showcasing my physical side of that and just coming out and playing hard.”
We have more from the Magic:
- On the heels of an announcement that second-round pick Izaiyah Nelson would undergo surgery to repair a fractured left ankle, he confirmed on Tuesday that the procedure went smoothly, per Beede (via Twitter). “Surgery was a success,” he captioned his Instagram story. “All Glory to God time to start pounding that stone!” The Magic signed Nelson to a two-year, two-way contract in early July after making a trade to select him with the 51st pick in the 2026 draft.
- It has been a long path for Sean Sweeney to become the Magic’s newest head coach, from his time as a 5’11” point guard at the University of St. Thomas to a run to the NBA Finals as the Spurs’ top assistant last season, Beede writes. Underlying it all is a true, unfiltered love for basketball. “It’s the culmination of just literally two decades of non-stop pouring his heart and soul into basketball,” his college assistant head coach Johnny Tauer said. “And there are no shortcuts.” Former teammates praised Sweeney’s leadership, maturity, and work ethic, and spoke about how much he clearly wanted to be the greatest version of himself from day one.
- The Magic announced several front office promotions on the business operations side in a recent press release. Jay Riola was promoted to chief strategy and business officer, while Shelly Wilkes was bumped up to chief marketing officer, among others.
Magic Rookie Izaiyah Nelson To Have Surgery For Left Ankle Fracture
Second-round pick Izaiyah Nelson suffered a fracture in his left ankle during Sunday’s Las Vegas Summer League game, the Magic announced (via Twitter). He will undergo surgery and is expected to resume basketball activities in three to four months.
The 6’10” center signed a two-way contract after being selected out of South Florida with the 51st pick, which Orlando acquired in a draft night trade. It’s a two-year deal, so Nelson will have some job security while he recovers, even though the timeline indicates he’s likely to miss training camp and the start of the regular season.
The injury occurred midway through the second quarter when Nelson tried to block a shot, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). Nelson landed on teammate TyTy Washington Jr., who was trying to take a charge on Portland’s Quincy Olivari.
Nelson made his Las Vegas debut on Thursday, finishing with two points and six rebounds in 15 minutes off the bench in a loss to Charlotte. He followed that with six points and two rebounds in 17 minutes on Saturday in a win over Miami.
Nelson was making a strong early impression on the team, Beede adds in a separate story.
“First of all, his competitiveness and his motor are off the charts,” Summer League coach DJ Bakker said. “(He’s) always talking, always asking questions (and has) great eye contact. (He’s a) great screener (and) loves physicality. When a player has that type of a makeup and that type of a DNA, you feel comfortable going into battle with them. Like all rookies, we’re learning terminology, we’re learning style of play and what that looks like. But (I’m) really impressed with who he is as a human being and his DNA and makeup as a player.”
Nelson transferred to South Florida last season after three years at Arkansas State and helped the Bulls reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012. He was selected as the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, the AAC Defensive Player of the Year and the AAC Newcomer of the Year.
Magic Notes: Banchero, Vucevic, Penda, Nelson
Speaking to Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports, Magic forward Paolo Banchero says he’s enjoyed his early conversations with new head coach Sean Sweeney.
“They’ve been great. They’ve been great. Me and him have really hit it off so far,” Banchero told Iko. “He came out to Seattle last week, worked out with me for a couple days. And obviously we’ve been working out here in Vegas with the rest of the coaching staff.
“I’m just really excited about what he can do for me and the team. Like you said, he’s a great mind on both sides of the ball. Extremely detail-oriented and he’s an intense guy too. And I feel like that’s what I need, that’s what the team needs. So it’s really exciting.”
Banchero added that he’s looking to “improve in all areas” ahead of his fifth NBA season, with offensive efficiency being one aspect of his game he wants to augment.
Here’s more on the Magic:
- Veteran center Nikola Vucevic discussed his return to the Magic in a session with reporters earlier this week, writes Matt Murschel of The Orlando Sentinel. Vucevic spent eight-plus seasons in Orlando, making a pair of All-Star appearances, prior to being traded to Chicago in 2021. The 35-year-old sees the team on an upward trajectory and wants to help the Magic advance past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2009/10, Murschel notes. “It’s one of the reasons I came back,” Vucevic said. “This team has a chance to take the next step and go deep into the playoffs. The East (conference) has gotten better and who knows what else might happen before the start of the season, but I like our chances. I’ve never had a chance to go past the first round with the Magic and if we were able to do that together, it would be amazing and obviously a great story for me.”
- Vucevic, who will turn 36 in October, also suggested that he hopes his retirement as a player is still a little ways off, according to Murschel. “I haven’t thought about it much,” he said. “Hopefully, if things work out well and the team plays well and I play well, I can stay in Orlando for a few years. It would be a great way for me to end it, but it’s something that’s not too much on my mind yet.”
- Second-year forward Noah Penda recorded a team-high 23 points and shot 5-of-10 on three-pointers in the Magic’s Summer League opener on Thursday, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. The 21-year-old said he’s been diligently working on his outside shot after converting 32.3% of his threes as a rookie last season. “I really wanted to improve this part because I know this is what is going to keep me on the floor next year — my ability to space the floor for Franz (Wagner) and Paolo,” Penda said. “So, it’s going to be an important way of progression and (I’m) just going to keep working.”
- Former USF big man Izaiyah Nelson called it a “dream come true” to be drafted 51st overall last month, according to Beede. Nelson visited Orlando regularly as a child because his great grandmother lived in the city. Known for his motor and work ethic, the 6’10” forward/center said he’s hoping to eventually earn a promotion from the two-year, two-way contract he signed at the start of July. “It definitely does make me a lot more hungry,” Nelson said of his two-way contract. “It’s nothing new to me. I’ve always been (overlooked) so it’s just like, ‘Why let this two-way stop me now?’ Once it’s my opportunity, I know what I can do. … When I have the opportunity, I’m going to show everybody why I should be in the NBA.“
Magic Sign Izaiyah Nelson To Two-Way Deal
The Magic have signed Izaiyah Nelson to a two-way contract, the team announced (via Twitter). It’s a two-year deal, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).
The 6’10” center out of the University of South Florida was drafted last week with the 51st overall pick, which the Magic traded to acquire on draft night.
Nelson averaged 15.9 points, 1.4 blocks, and 9.6 rebounds, including 4.0 offensive rebounds, per game in 34 contests last season. He led the American Conference in rebounds and field goal percentage and was named to the All-American Conference first team, in addition to earning Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors for the conference.
Nelson boasts a 7’2.5″ wingspan and is mobile enough to play in different defensive schemes while also being a monster on the glass. On the offensive side of the floor, he’s limited, but he experimented with expanding his range this year, shooting 49 threes after only attempting 36 in his first three seasons combined.
Nelson marks the third and final two-way spot for the Magic, who previously announced that they were re-signing center Colin Castleton to a two-way deal in addition to Alex Morales, whose deal carried over from 2025/26.
Wizards, Magic, Bucks Officially Finalize Three-Team Trade
The Wizards, Magic, and Bucks have finalized a pair of draft-night deals initially reported separately, officially completing them as a single three-team transaction. All three teams announced the trade in press releases.
The terms of the deal are as follows:
- Wizards acquire the draft rights to Felix Okpara (No. 46 pick; from Magic)
- Magic acquire the draft rights to Izaiyah Nelson (No. 51 pick; from Wizards) and cash (from Bucks).
- Bucks acquire the draft rights to Malique Lewis (No. 60 pick; from Wizards).
The Magic initially agreed to trade down from No. 46 to No. 51 while acquiring the 60th overall pick in the process, then almost immediately flipped the No. 60 pick to Milwaukee for cash.
Our full story on that initial Wizards/Magic swap can be found here, while our story on the Bucks acquiring the No. 60 pick and using it on Lewis is here.
Okpara emerged as a high-level rim protector and lob threat for Tennessee this year, averaging 1.5 blocks in 26.9 minutes per game and making the SEC All-Defense team. He measured in at 6’10” barefoot with a 7’2″ wingspan and a 9’4″ standing reach, giving him great size for a big man. According to Jake Weingarten of StockRisers.com (Twitter link), the Wizards intend to sign Okpara to a two-way contract.
Nelson was the American Conference’s Player of the Year last season for South Florida as a senior after spending the first three years of his college career at Arkansas State. Speaking after the draft to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel about the pick, Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman referred to Nelson as an “”outstanding athlete” and a hard worker.
“He’s tough. He’s a hit-first guy. He’s about self-improvement. He’s about winning above everything else,” Weltman said. “Monster competitor, monster athlete. Just the kind of guy you want to bring into an organization.”
Lewis, a 6’8″ forward from Trinidad and Tobago, spent the last two seasons in Australia playing for the South East Melbourne Phoenix. The 21-year-old appeared in 25 games during the 2025/26 NBL season, averaging 7.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals in 21.3 minutes per contest. He was medically cleared earlier this month by the NBA’s fitness-to-play panel after a heart condition prevented him from participating in the G League combine.
Raptors Notes: Barrett, Trade/FA Targets, Draft Workouts
RJ Barrett will be eligible for an extension this summer, but the Raptors may not be in a hurry to get a new deal in place, Eric Koreen of The Athletic states in his latest mailbag column. Barrett, who’s entering the final year of his current contract at $29.6MM, will remain extension-eligible through the start of next offseason, and Koreen expects general manager Bobby Webster to take a patient approach.
Koreen points out that Toronto is in a unique position with Immanuel Quickley, Jakob Poeltl and Brandon Ingram all earning large salaries, which potentially makes Barrett the team’s most attractive trade piece. That doesn’t mean the Raptors will be shopping Barrett, but he gives them some flexibility that would be wiped out by an extension.
Koreen also addresses the possibility that Barrett, who was born in Toronto, might be willing to take a discount to remain with his hometown team, which has been beneficial for his off-court income. Koreen suggests an offer of $130MM over four years, which is about $25MM below what Barrett is eligible to receive.
There’s more on the Raptors:
- A combination of Barrett and draft picks is probably the best trade offer Toronto can make for a roster upgrade this summer, Koreen states in the same piece. He notes that several of the big-name players considered to be available, such as Ja Morant, Zion Williamson and Domantas Sabonis, come with red flags that make them risky investments. Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III is Koreen’s favorite potential addition for the Raptors, but he would be much more expensive than other options. Koreen doesn’t believe the team should consider parting with Collin Murray-Boyles unless it’s to get a major star.
- In response to another question, Koreen identifies several players the Raptors could pursue to fill their need for shooting. In addition to Murphy, he lists Sam Hauser, Sam Merrill, Kel’el Ware, Bobby Portis, Isaiah Joe, Vit Krejci, Moses Moody, Max Christie and Malik Monk as trade targets. In free agency, Koreen points to Khris Middleton, Collin Sexton, Kevin Huerter, Luke Kennard, Simone Fontecchio, Gary Trent Jr., Tim Hardaway Jr., Landry Shamet and Keon Ellis. Koreen’s most likely scenario is that the team re-signs Sandro Mamukelashvili and tries to find more shooting through the draft and veteran’s minimum contracts.
- With picks No. 19 and 50, the Raptors’ pre-draft workouts so far have included Meleek Thomas, Bennett Stirtz, Zuby Ejiofor, Keyshawn Hall, Izaiyah Nelson, Peter Suder, Tyler Bilodeau, Michael Ajayi and Bruce Thornton, sources tell Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports (Twitter link).
Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Have Worked Out For Thunder
Michigan big men Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. are among the prospects who have had individual pre-draft workouts with the Thunder, according to Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (subscription required).
Lendeborg ranks 12th on ESPN’s big board, while Johnson comes two spots behind at 14th. The Thunder currently control two first-round picks (Nos. 12 and 17) and one second-rounder (No. 37) in this month’s draft, which will take place on June 23 and June 24.
Projected lottery pick Nate Ament, who previously confirmed he worked out for Oklahoma City, is also on Martinez’s list, as are Santa Clara forward Allen Graves and Kentucky center Jayden Quaintance. Graves and Quaintance are considered likely first-round picks, ranking 17th and 22nd on ESPN’s board, respectively.
The Thunder have also hosted several other players during the pre-draft process, per Martinez, including Alex Karaban (No. 30 on ESPN’s board), Emanuel Sharp (No. 45), Izaiyah Nelson (No. 47), Tamin Lipsey (No. 69) and Rafael Castro (No. 73).
Pacific Notes: Kings, Sabonis, Warriors, Suns
The Kings are hosting a pre-draft workout on Friday featuring Boopie Miller (SMU), Nick Boyd (Wisconsin), Lamar Wilkerson (Indiana), Anthony Roy (Oklahoma State), Izaiyah Nelson (South Florida) and Ugonna Onyenso (Virginia), tweets James Ham of The Kings Beat.
Sacramento controls three picks (Nos. 7, 34 and 45) in the upcoming draft. Big men Onyenso (No. 43) and Nelson (No. 47) are the top-ranked prospects in that group on ESPN’s big board.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- After Evan Sidery claimed (via Twitter) that the Hornets and Kings discussed a possible trade involving Domantas Sabonis during the 2025/26 season, Ham shot down that rumor (Twitter link). “Not accurate,” a league source told Ham. Sabonis, a three-time All-Star center, is owed $94.1MM over the next two seasons.
- Nick Avila of NBC Sports Bay Area rounds up seven mock drafts for the lottery picks controlled by the Kings (No. 7) and Warriors (No. 11). Four outlets have Sacramento selecting former Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings, while only one name appears multiple times (twice) for Golden State: Mexican forward Karim Lopez, who spent the last two seasons with the New Zealand Breakers in the National Basketball League.
- Although the Suns currently only control the 47th overall pick in this month’s draft, they have a recent history of moving both up and down, notes Gerald Bourguet of Sports360AZ.com. He acknowledges the odds of Phoenix being able to land a first-round pick seem fairly low given the limited assets at the team’s disposal, but Bourguet lists five prospects the Suns should consider if they’re able to move into the first round, including Stanford’s Ebuka Okorie and Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson.
Knicks Notes: Team Building, Brunson, Brown, Hart, Workouts
The Knicks are patiently awaiting the NBA Finals after sweeping Cleveland. How did they finally turn into a Finals team? The Athletic’s Fred Katz takes an in-depth look at that topic.
Some of the key moments included trading Kristaps Porzingis, which gave them future flexibility, deciding not to trade away assets for Jalen Brunson before they signed him as a free agent, and the subsequent deals for Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart.
The New York Daily News’ Peter Sblendorio, meanwhile, details how the Knicks’ 2022 bet on Brunson has paid major dividends.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Brunson could join a very exclusive club if the Knicks go on to win the NBA championship, Vincent Goodwill of ESPN notes. Only two players 6’2” or under have been the undisputed headliners of their teams and led them to a championship. Isiah Thomas and Stephen Curry have done it and Brunson is now four wins away from becoming a member of that group.
- Mike Brown wasn’t the Knicks’ top choice to replace Tom Thibodeau but his strategies and adjustments have proven his skeptics wrong, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post writes, Brown has been fired four times since 2010 but now sits four wins away from joining Red Holzman as the only other Knicks head coach with an NBA championship. “Our business is funny. In my previous job [with the Kings], I supposedly took them to a point that was higher and it didn’t work out,” Brown said. “I truly felt these Knicks were an NBA Finals team. I felt we had a true opportunity. Some jobs you take, you say, ‘OK, we’ll get better and we have to make the playoffs right now.’ But this one, I felt we legitimately had a chance if we could help them figure it out and the players can stay together during the process. Especially when we hit adversity. Because we hit adversity at different parts in this season. Not just us as a whole group, but even guys individually and myself as well. I did have that belief from day one.”
- Hart was acquired from the Trail Blazers for Cam Reddish, Svi Mykhailiuk and guard Ryan Arcidiacono along with a first-round pick. That trade turned out to be a huge reason why the Knicks are now the Eastern Conference champions, Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post opines.
- The Knicks hosted six draft prospects on Tuesday — Arkansas’ Meleek Thomas, Baylor’s Tounde Yessoufou, USF’s Izaiyah Nelson, BYU’s Keba Keita, Missouri’s Mark Mitchell and Akron’s Amani Lyles, according to SNY’s Ian Begley (Twitter links). Thomas and Yessoufou are the most intriguing names in that group, as Thomas is ranked No. 25 overall by ESPN and Yessoufou is ranked No. 34. Ugonna Onyenso, a seven-foot center who played last season at Virginia, has a workout scheduled with the Knicks this weekend, Bondy tweets. He is ranked No. 43 overall by ESPN. The Knicks have the 24th, 31st and 55th picks in the upcoming draft.
NBA Announces 73 Invitees For 2026 Draft Combine
The NBA announced today (via Twitter) that 73 prospects have been invited to attend this year’s draft combine, which will take place in Chicago from May 10-17.
In addition to those 73 players, a handful of standout players from the G League combine, which is also held in Chicago just before the combine begins, are expected to receive invites to stick around for the main event.
Not all of the prospects invited to the combine will end up remaining in the 2026 draft pool, since many are early entrants who are testing the waters while retaining their NCAA eligibility.
College players must withdraw from the draft by the end of the day on May 27 if they wish to preserve that eligibility, while non-college players face a decision deadline of June 13. The feedback they receive from NBA teams at the combine may be a deciding factor for players who are on the fence.
Here’s the list of players who have been invited to the 2026 draft combine:
(Note: For players in international leagues, the country listed is where they had been playing, not necessarily where they’re from.)
- Matt Able, G, North Carolina State (freshman)
- Darius Acuff, G, Arkansas (freshman)
- Amari Allen, F, Alabama (freshman)
- Nate Ament, F, Tennessee (freshman)
- Christian Anderson, G, Texas Tech (sophomore)
- Tobe Awaka, F, Arizona (senior)
- Flory Bidunga, F/C, Kansas (sophomore)
- Tyler Bilodeau, F, UCLA (senior)
- John Blackwell, G, Wisconsin (junior)
- Cameron Boozer, F, Duke (freshman)
- Kylan Boswell, G, Illinois (senior)
- Nick Boyd, G, Wisconsin (senior)
- Jaden Bradley, G, Arizona (senior)
- Trevon Brazile, F, Arkansas (senior)
- Maliq Brown, F, Duke (senior)
- Mikel Brown Jr., G, Louisville (freshman)
- Brayden Burries, G, Arizona (freshman)
- Cameron Carr, G, Baylor (junior)
- Chris Cenac, F/C, Houston (freshman)
- Rueben Chinyelu, C, Florida (junior)
- Ryan Conwell, G, Louisville (senior)
- Sergio De Larrea, G, Spain (born 2005)
- AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU (freshman)
- Zuby Ejiofor, F, St. John’s (senior)
- Isaiah Evans, G/F, Duke (sophomore)
- Jeremy Fears, G, Michigan State (junior)
- Kingston Flemings, G, Houston (freshman)
- Ja’Kobi Gillespie, G, Tennessee (senior)
- Allen Graves, F, Santa Clara (freshman)
- Keyshawn Hall, G/F, Auburn (senior)
- Juke Harris, G, Wake Forest (sophomore)
- Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State (senior)
- Morez Johnson, F/C, Michigan (sophomore)
- Alex Karaban, F, UConn (senior)
- Jack Kayil, G, Germany (born 2006)
- Toibu Lawal, F, Virginia Tech (senior)
- Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan (senior)
- Karim Lopez, F, Australia (born 2007)
- Aday Mara, C, Michigan (junior)
- Nick Martinelli, F, Northwestern (senior)
- Baba Miller, F/C, Cincinnati (senior)
- Dillon Mitchell, F, St. John’s (senior)
- Milan Momcilovic, F, Iowa State (junior)
- Malachi Moreno, C, Kentucky (freshman)
- Izaiyah Nelson, F, South Florida (senior)
- Tyler Nickel, F, Vanderbilt (senior)
- Ebuka Okorie, G, Stanford (freshman)
- Felix Okpara, C, Tennessee (senior)
- Ugonna Onyenso, C, Virginia (senior)
- Otega Oweh, G, Kentucky (senior)
- Koa Peat, F, Arizona (freshman)
- Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas (freshman)
- Labaron Philon, G, Alabama (sophomore)
- Jayden Quaintance, F/C, Kentucky (sophomore)
- Tarris Reed, C, UConn (senior)
- Billy Richmond, G/F, Arkansas (sophomore)
- Richie Saunders, G, BYU (senior)
- Emanuel Sharp, G, Houston (senior)
- Braden Smith, G, Purdue (senior)
- Hannes Steinbach, F, Washington (freshman)
- Bennett Stirtz, G, Iowa (senior)
- Andrej Stojakovic, G/F, Illinois (junior)
- Peter Suder, G, Miami (OH) (senior)
- Luigi Suigo, C, Serbia (born 2007)
- Dailyn Swain, G/F, Texas (junior)
- Tyler Tanner, G, Vanderbilt (sophomore)
- Meleek Thomas, G, Arkansas (freshman)
- Bruce Thornton, G, Ohio State (senior)
- Milos Uzan, G, Houston (senior)
- Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina (junior)
- Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois (freshman)
- Caleb Wilson, F, North Carolina (freshman)
- Tounde Yessoufou, G/F, Baylor (freshman)
It’s worth noting that the NBA and the NBPA agreed to several combine-related changes in their latest Collective Bargaining Agreement. Here are a few of those changes:
- A player who is invited to the draft combine and declines to attend without an excused absence will be ineligible to be drafted. He would become eligible the following year by attending the combine. There will be exceptions made for a player whose FIBA season is ongoing, who is injured, or who is dealing with a family matter (such as a tragedy or the birth of a child). That player would be required to complete combine activities at a later date.
- Players who attend the draft combine will be required to undergo physical exams, share medical history, participate in strength, agility, and performance testing, take part in shooting drills, receive anthropometric measurements, and conduct interviews with teams and the media. Scrimmages won’t be mandatory.
- Medical results from the combine will be distributed to select teams based on where the player is projected to be drafted. Only teams drafting in the top 10 would get access to medical info for the projected No. 1 pick; teams in the top 15 would receive medical info for players in the 2-6 range, while teams in the top 25 would get access to info for the players in the 7-10 range.