The Orlando Magic began play in the NBA for the 1989-90 season and have two NBA Finals appearances under their belt. So who are their 25 best players?
The Orlando Magic came into being in 1985, when a group led by Orlando businessman Jim Hewitt and former Philadelphia 76ers general manager Pat Williams put together a bid to pitch the city to the NBA as a prospective expansion club.
In 1987, Orlando was one of four cities awarded a franchise, along with Charlotte, Miami and Minneapolis, with the Orlando Magic set to begin play in the 1989-90 season.
It wasn’t until the franchise’s sixth season, 1993-94, that the Magic made the playoffs for the first time, but in 1994-95, Orlando reached its first NBA Finals, where the Magic were swept by the Houston Rockets.
Orlando returned to the Finals a second time in 2008-09, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games.
More hoops habit: 25 Greatest Individual Seasons in NBA History
In 27 seasons, the Magic have made 14 playoff appearances, including a franchise-record six straight seasons from 2006-07 through 2011-12, also the last time the team made the playoffs.
The franchise has a record of 1,062-1,104 overall. Its winningest season was 1995-96, when the Magic were 60-22 but lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Chicago Bulls.
Its expansion season of 1989-90 remains the worst record for the club, with Orlando finishing 18-64 in its inaugural go around.
Williams was the longest serving personnel decision-maker, assuming the role when the franchise was awarded in 1987 and continuing until April 1996.
His successor, John Gabriel, was on the job from April 1996 through March 2004 and Otis Smith also had a lengthy tenure, from March 2005 through May 2012.
Current general manager Rob Hennigan took his post in June 2012.
Orlando Magic Daily
Brian Hill is the team’s winningest coach, with a record of 267-192 in two stints, the first from 1993-94 through the first 49 games of the 1996-97 season and a second tour of duty in 2005-06 and 2006-07. Stan Van Gundy posted a record of 259-135 from 2007-08 through 2011-12.
Orlando will have its 12th coach this season after hiring former Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel on May 19, 2016.
Original Magic member Scott Skiles served one season as hjead coach, resigning May 12, 2016, after leading Orlando to a 35-47 mark that led to the Magic missing the postseason for the fourth straight year.
The team played at the Orlando Arena from 1989 through 1999, when the building was renamed the TD Waterhouse Centre.
In 2006, the naming rights were again sold and the facility became known as Amway Arena until the Magic left after the 2009-10 season. The arena was demolished in March 2012.
Since then, the team has played in the Amway Center, which opened Oct. 1, 2010.
So who are the 25 best players ever to wear the blue, silver, black and white of the Magic? Only time spent with the Magic is considered and players had to play a minimum of 150 games and average at least 20 minutes per game to be on the list.
Here are the Magic’s 25 best players of all-time:
Next: Mid-Major Guard Acquired In Draft Night Deal
Elfrid Payton‘s size, ball-handling and defensive aptitude made him a top-level point guard prospect and led to his decision to leave Louisiana-Lafayette after a junior season in which he averaged 19.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game while leading the Ragin’ Cajuns to the NCAA tournament.
The Philadelphia 76ers liked what they saw in Payton and took him with the 10th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft before trading his rights to the Orlando Magic for the rights to 12th overall pick Dario Saric and a first-round pick in 2017.
It didn’t take long for Payton to find his way into the starting lineup as a rookie. Appearing in all 82 games, Payton was a first-team All-Rookie selection.
He made some incremental improvements in 2015-16, starting 69 of 73 games and averaging 10.7 points, 6.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 29.4 minutes per game, while his shooting improved to .436/.326/.589.
Payton dealt with some nagging injuries in his second season, missing four games in December with an ankle injury and five more in March with a sprained elbow.
In two seasons with Orlando, Payton is averaging 9.7 points, 6.5 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 29.9 minutes per game on .430/.306/.569 shooting.
His team option for 2016-17 was picked up Oct. 25, 2015, and he has a team option remaining for 2017-18 that must be exercised by the Magic before Nov. 1 to prevent Payton from becoming a restricted free agent in July 2018.
Next: A Member Of The Original Magic
The Orlando Magic acquired swingman Otis Smith in the June 1989 expansion draft, selecting him from the Golden State Warriors.
Smith was a part-time starter for two seasons and a reserve in his final year with the club, averaging 11.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists and one steal in 22.6 minutes per game while shooting .452/.252/.749.
The Magic renounced Smith’s rights in June 1992 and he entered a three-year retirement before making a brief comeback in Sweden in 1996-97.
Smith was a second-round pick of the Denver Nuggets out of Jacksonville in the 1986 NBA Draft and played parts of two seasons with the Nuggets before he was sold to Golden State in December 1987.
He played parts of two seasons with the Warriors before coming to Orlando in the expansion draft.
He worked in the Magic front office from 1996-98 and returned to the NBA in the Warriors front office from 1999-03.
Returning to Orlando, he was director of player development for two years before becoming co-general manager with Dave Twardzik in March 2005, assuming the duties solely in May 2006. Smith remained on the job until he agreed to resign in May 2012.
Smith was head coach of the D-League’s Grand Rapids Drive for two seasons through 2015-16 before being promoted to director of player development and assistant coach by the Drive’s parent club, the Detroit Pistons, in June 2016.
Next: D. Rock Backed Up The Wing
The Orlando Magic brought in forward Donald Royal as a free agent in August 1992 and for four seasons, he settled in as the primary backup at small forward, even starting for most of the 1994-95 season.
Royal also started six games during the Magic’s run to the NBA Finals in 1995, where they were swept by the Houston Rockets.
and a second-round pick in 1999.
In December 1997, the Magic brought Royal back on a 10-day contract. He left Orlando for the final time when he was waived in January 1998.
In parts of six seasons for Orlando, Royal averaged 7.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 20.3 minutes per game, shooting .488/0-for-11/.772.
A third-round pick out of Notre Dame by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1987 NBA Draft, Royal played two seasons in the Continental Basketball Association after he was waived by Cleveland in training camp.
He got his first NBA experience with the Minnesota Timberwolves after signing in September 1989, but in 1990 he opted to play in Israel.
Royal signed with the Magic in September 1991, after his rights were renounced by Minnesota, but didn’t make the team out of training camp. He signed with the San Antonio Spurs in December 1991 after playing briefly in the CBA and played the remainder of the season there before he was waived in June 1992.
After going to the Warriors in 1996, Royal was traded again in February 1997, sent to the Charlotte Hornets for Scott Burrell.
After he was waived by the Magic in 1998, Royal signed a 10-day contract with Charlotte before signing on for the remainder of the 1997-98 season.
Following the lockout in 1999, Royal signed with the Milwaukee Bucks, but was waived before the truncated season started and opted to retire.
Next: Cat Man Brought Early Muscle To Magic
When the Orlando Magic approached their first expansion draft in June 1989, the opportunity to draft a guy who started 77 games the previous season was too good to pass up.
The Magic selected Washington Bullets power forward Terry Catledge, who immediately became Orlando’s go-to guy down low as he led the expansion club in scoring in its inaugural season.
In four seasons with the Magic, Catledge averaged 15.3 points and 6.8 rebounds in 29.5 minutes per game, shooting .479/2-for-17/.684.
Catledge was a double-double man at South Alabama before declaring for the NBA Draft after his junior season and being taken 21st overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1985.
In June 1986, he was part of a blockbuster swap that sent him to the Bullets along with future Hall of Famer Moses Malone.
Catledge persisted with basketball for a few years after being let go by Orlando, but never returned to the NBA, playing in the Continental Basketball Association and U.S. Basketball League, as well as making stops abroad in France, Greece and Argentina before retiring in 1997.
Next: Strong Man On The Glass
The Orlando Magic brought in forward Derek Strong as a free agent in August 1996, about a month after he was released by the Los Angeles Lakers, and he spent four years with the club as a valuable reserve.
Strong’s best season was in 1997-98, when he averaged 12.7 points and 7.4 rebounds a game, but was limited to 58 games because of injuries.
In four years with the Magic, Strong averaged 8.4 points and 5.6 rebounds in 22 minutes a game, shooting .432/.043/.779. He does not appear on any of the club’s all-time lists.
On draft night in 2000, Strong was traded along with forward Corey Maggette and the rights to 10th overall pick Keyon Dooling to the Los Angeles Clippers for a first-round pick in 2006.
Strong, who played three years at Xavier, was taken in the second round of the 1990 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, who waived him in March 1992 without him ever playing for them.
He spent the 1990-91 season in Spain and signed a 10-day contract with the Washington Bullets in March 1992.
He returned to Washington as a free agent in October 1992, but was waived during training camp.
He joined the Milwaukee Bucks in February 1993 on a pair of 10-day contracts before being signed for the season and on draft night in June 1994 was dealt with Blue Edwards to the Boston Celtics for Ed Pinckney and the draft rights to second-round pick Andrei Fetisov.
In October 1995, Strong signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Lakers.
After leaving Orlando, Strong played one season with the Clippers before he was waived prior to the start of the 2001-02 season.
He returned in 2002-03 with the Columbus Riverdragons in the D-League before retiring. He owned Strong Racing, which ran a car on ASA and NASCAR circuits.
Next: College Player Of The Year A Late Bloomer In NBA
J.J. Redick was a winner of multiple national player of the year honors at Duke before the Orlando Magic selected him with the 11th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft.
A reserve for the Magic squad that reached the 2009 NBA Finals, Redick played in four of the five games, averaging 5.5 points and 2.0 assists in 16.3 minutes per game in the loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, shooting .400/5-for5-11/1-for-1.
Redick finished second in the NBA in free-throw shooting with a .911 mark in 2011-12, but with free agency looming, he was dealt in February 2013 along with big man Gustavo Ayon and guard Ish Smith to the Milwaukee Bucks for forward Tobias Harris, guards Doron Lamb and Beno Udrih and cash.
In parts of seven seasons with the Magic, Redick averaged 9.2 points, 1.9 assists and 1.8 rebounds in 21.9 minutes per game, shooting .432/.398/.878.
In July 2013, Redick was sent to the Los Angeles Clippers as part of a sign-and-trade deal that also included the Phoenix Suns.
In 2015-16, Redick led the NBA in three-point shooting.
He is entering the final season of his four-year, $26.9 million deal in 2016-17.
Redick’s .412 3-point percentage is 15th in NBA history and his .888 free throw percentage is 10th.
Next: No. 2 Overall Pick Gave The Point A Try
Victor Oladipo was an All-American as a junior at Indiana, averaging 13.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game before declaring himself eligible for the NBA Draft.
The Orlando Magic wound up with the second overall pick and grabbed the talented combo guard from Hyattsville, Md., and set about trying to convert him to the point guard spot.
It was a mixed bag as a rookie for Oladipo, who played well enough to earn first team All-Rookie honors in 2013-14, and he was moved back to his more natural shooting guard spot the next season.
It was his strongest showing as a pro, as he averaged 17.9 points per game for the Magic, who endured a midseason coaching change in 2014-15.
Oladipo was eighth in the NBA in 2014-15, averaging 35.7 minutes per game.
Under new coach Scott Skiles last season, Oladipo was temporarily moved to a sixth man role and his numbers slid a bit with the reduced playing time. In 2015-16, he averaged 16.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.6 steals in 33.0 minutes per game on .438/.348/.830 shooting.
In three seasons with the Magic, Oladipo averaged 15.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.6 steals in 33.2 minutes per game, while shooting .431/.339/.808.
But in a draft night stunner on June 23, 2016, Oladipo was dealt with Ersan Ilyasova and the rights to 11th overall pick Domantas Sabonis to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Serge Ibaka.
Next: 3-D Could Flat Out Shoot It
The Orlando Magic selected Georgia Tech swingman Dennis Scott with the fourth overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft following their inaugural season and he wound up a key member during the team’s initial rise to prominence.
Scott was an All-Rookie selection in 1990-91 and led the NBA with 267 3-pointers in 1995-96, finishing second in that category in 1993-94 and fourth as a rookie in 1990-91.
Scott was also a part of Orlando’s NBA Finals club in 1995 that was swept by the
. In the series, Scott started all four games, averaging 10.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals in 37.5 minutes per game and shooting .310/.241/9-for-9.
In seven seasons with Orlando, Scott averaged 14.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and one steal in 30.7 minutes per game, shooting .422/.403/.789.
The Magic traded Scott along with cash to the Dallas Mavericks in September 1997 in exchange for guard Derek Harper and forward Ed O’Bannon.
Over the final three seasons of his NBA career, Scott also played with the Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Vancouver Grizzlies.
He was traded to the Washington Wizards in August 2000 but was waived before the start of the season and another attempt to remain in the league with the Los Angeles Lakers the following year ended when he was waived during training camp.
His 1,214 career 3-pointers rank 50th in NBA history and his .397 3-point percentage is 46th.
Next: Free Agent Signing Did The Dirty Work
The Orlando Magic picked up a guy to do the dirty work when they signed forward Bo Outlaw as a free agent in September 1997.
Outlaw was a sometimes-starter at power forward in his first stint with the Magic, when he was second in the NBA in field-goal shooting in 1997-98 (.554).
to the Magic from Phoenix.
Outlaw returned to Orlando in September 2005 as a free agent and spent parts of three injury-plagued campaigns with the Magic before he was waived in November 2007 and retired.
In parts of eight seasons in Orlando, Outlaw averaged 6.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals in 26.8 minutes per game, shooting .585/2-for-12/.545.
Undrafted out of Houston in 1993, Outlaw signed with the Grand Rapids Hoops of the Continental Basketball Association before he was picked up on two 10-day contracts, and later for the remainder of the season, by the Los Angeles Clippers in February 1994.
Outlaw was traded in September 2003 to the Memphis Grizzlies and was released by Memphis in November 2004.
He signed with the Suns a week later and played the 2004-05 season in Phoenix.
His .567 career field-goal percentage is 11th-best in NBA history.
Next: 10 Years In The Magic Kingdom
The consensus player of the year as a senior at Saint Joseph’s, Jameer Nelson came to the Orlando Magic in a draft night trade in June 2004, with Orlando acquiring the rights to the 20th overall pick from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for a first-round pick in 2005.
Nelson was an All-Rookie selection while playing mostly as a backup his first two years with the Magic, emerging as a starter in 2006-07.
He was an All-Star in 2009, the same year Orlando returned to the NBA Finals, losing to the
. He was second in the NBA in 3-point shooting that season, hitting 45.3 percent of his long-distance tries.
Nelson came off the bench in the Finals after missing 40 regular-season games and the first three rounds of the playoffs with a shoulder injury.
He averaged 3.8 points, 2.8 assists and 1.4 rebounds in 18.0 minutes per game, shooting .348/1-for-6/2-for-4 in the five-game loss to the Lakers.
An era ended in June 2014 when the Magic waived the 10-year veteran.
In 10 seasons with Orlando, Nelson averaged 12.6 points, 5.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.0 steal in 29.2 minutes per game, shooting .442/.374/.817.
Nelson signed a free-agent deal with the Dallas Mavericks in July 2014, but was traded to the Boston Celtics in December 2014.
His stay in Boston was short—in January, he was dealt to Denver.
Nelson has two years remaining on the three-year, $13.8 million deal he signed with the Nuggets in August 2015.
Next: Expansion Selection An NBA Record-Holder
The fledgling Orlando Magic took Indiana Pacers point guard Scott Skiles in their expansion draft in June 1989 and he emerged as the franchise’s first floor leader.
His time with Orlando was highlighted by Skiles setting the NBA single-game record with 30 assists in a win over the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 30, 1990, the high point in a 1990-91 season during which Skiles was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player.
He was second in the NBA in assists and third in assists and minutes per game in 1992-93, twice finished in fifth in 3-point shooting (1990-91 and 1993-94) and was fifth in the NBA in free-throw shooting in 1992-93.
In July 1994, Skiles was traded with first-round picks in 1996 and 1998 to the Washington Bullets for a first-rounder in 1998 and a 1996 second-round selection.
In five seasons with the Magic, Skiles averaged 12.9 points, 7.2 assists and 2.9 rebounds in 31.1 minutes per game, shooting .436/.380/.892.
The Big Ten Player of the Year in 1985-86, Skiles was taken 22nd overall by the Milwaukee Bucks out of Michigan State in the 1986 NBA Draft. He was traded to the Pacers in June 1987 before coming to Orlando in the expansion draft.
Released by Washington in July 1995, Skiles signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers in December 1995, but retired in January 1996 after appearing in only 10 games.
He did make a comeback in Greece in 1996-97 as a player-coach before ending his playing career.
Skiles spent parts of three seasons as head coach of the Phoenix Suns (1999-2002), going 116-79. Later, he coached the Chicago Bulls for parts of five seasons (2003-08) with a 165-172 record and was coach of the Bucks from 2008-12, with a mark of 162-182.
In May 2015, Skiles was head coach of the Magic, but resigned May 12, 2016, after one season and a 35-47 record.
His .889 free-throw percentage ranks ninth in NBA history and his average of 6.5 assists per game is 39th.
Next: Nice Payoff For A Rental Player
The Orlando Magic landed promising forward Tobias Harris in a February 2013 trade with the Milwaukee Bucks along with guards Doron Lamb and Beno Udrih and cash in exchange for free-agent-to-be J.J. Redick, big man Gustavo Ayon and guard Ish Smith.
Harris emerged as one of the most exciting prospects for the Magic afterward, getting the first regular playing time of his career after the deal and putting up 17.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 blocks in 36.1 minutes per game over the final 27 games of the season.
He battled injuries the next two seasons, but averaged a career-high 17.1 points per game in 2014-15.
Harris signed a four-year, $64 million contract in July 2015to remain with Orlando as a restricted free agent.
However, he was dealt to the Detroit Pistons on Feb. 16, 2016, in exchange for Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova.
In parts of four seasons with the Magic, Harris averaged 15.6 points and 7.0 rebounds in 33.2 minutes per game, shooting .463/.320/.784.
Harris was selected 19th overall in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Bobcats out of Tennessee and was traded to the Bucks on draft night as part of a three-team deal that included the Sacramento Kings.
Next: Swingman From Florida An Outside Threat
Fresh off a Final Four run, Florida swingman Mike Miller opted into the NBA Draft after his sophomore season and was taken fifth overall by the Orlando Magic.
Miller was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2000-01, averaging 11.9 points, four rebounds and 1.7 assists in 82 games, starting 62 of them.
Miller’s numbers went up during his stay in Orlando until February 2003, when he was traded with forward Ryan Humphrey, a first-round pick in 2003 and a 2004 second-rounder to the Memphis Grizzlies for big man Drew Gooden and swingman Gordan Giricek.
In parts of three seasons with the Magic, Miller averaged 14.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 32.7 minutes per game, shooting .421/.380/.776. He does not appear on any of Orlando’s all-time lists.
On draft night in June 2008, Miller was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Miller signed with the Miami Heat as a free agent in July 2010 and was part of two NBA championship teams on South Beach before he was waived in July 2013.
Two weeks later, he returned to the Grizzlies as a free agent and played a season there before signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers in August 2014.
On July 27, 2015, Miller was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, who waived him on Sept. 28. He signed with the Denver Nuggets on Sept. 30 and appeared in 47 games, averaging 1.3 points and 1.1 rebounds in 7.9 minutes per game on .355/.365/— shooting.
He re-signed with Denver July 21, 2016, on a partially guaranteed two-year, $7 million deal.
Miller is 20th in NBA history with 1,582 3-pointers and 21st with a .407 3-point percentage.
Next: The 1st Draft Pick In Franchise History
The NBA didn’t do the expansion Orlando Magic any favors prior to their inaugural season, assigning the final two picks after the nine non-playoff teams from the previous season to the new entries in Minnesota and Orlando.
The Orlando Magic made the most of the 11th overall pick, selecting Illinois swingman Nick Anderson, who became a franchise fixture for a decade.
Anderson was fifth in the NBA in 3-pointers with 96 in 1998-99 and was with the Magic’s first NBA Finals club in 1995, which ended with a four-game sweep at the hands of the
, a sweep set into motion in part by Anderson clanking four straight free throws late in regulation of Game 1.
Anderson’s NBA Finals experience was nightmarish–he averaged 12.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals in 40.3 minutes per game, but shot just .360/.323/3-for-10 in the four games.
His free-throw shooting never really came back and his role diminished. In August 1999, he was dealt to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for guard Tariq Abdul-Wahad and a 2003 first-round pick.
In 10 seasons with the Magic, Anderson averaged 15.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals in 32.4 minutes per game, shooting .454/.363/.673.
He was later traded to the Vancouver Grizzlies on draft night in 2001 and to the Cleveland Cavaliers on draft night in 2002.
Waived by the Cavaliers prior to the start of the 2002-03 season, Anderson opted for retirement.
Next: Free Agent Signing Part Of Finals Squad
The Orlando Magic signed former San Antonio Spurs forward Hedo Turkoglu to a six-year contract as a free agent in July 2004 and never regretted the deal.
Turkoglu became the Magic’s starter at small forward but also played a hybrid point-forward role while helping Orlando to the NBA Finals in 2009.
That came a season after he was named Most Improved Player in the NBA in 2007-08.
Turkoglu led the Magic in scoring in the Finals, averaging 18.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 41.1 minutes per game, while shooting .492/7-for-16/.742 in a five-game loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Turkoglu opted out of his contract after the NBA Finals in 2009 and was sent to the Toronto Raptors as part of a sign-and-trade deal that included four teams, with Orlando acquiring cash from both the Dallas Mavericks and the Raptors, while the Memphis Grizzlies also facilitated the deal.
Traded to the Phoenix Suns in July 2010, he returned to the Magic in December 2010 along with forward Earl Clark and swingman Jason Richardson from Phoenix in exchange for swingmen Vince Carter and Mickael Pietrus, big man Marcin Gortat and a first-round pick in 2011.
His second stint with Orlando wasn’t as successful as the first. Plagued by injuries and suspended for 20 games for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance in 2013, the Magic waived Turkoglu in January 2014 after he didn’t appear in a game for them that season.
In parts of eight seasons with the Magic, Turkoglu averaged 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 32.7 minutes per game, shooting .432/.379/.805.
He signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in January 2014 and remained there through the 2014-15 season. Unsigned as a free agent in the offseason, Turkoglu announced his retirement on Nov. 13, 2015.
Selected out of Turkey with the 16th overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, Turkoglu became the first Turkish national to play in the NBA before being dealt to San Antonio in July 2003 as part of a three-team deal that included the Indiana Pacers.
Turkoglu’s 1,246 3-pointers are 43rd-most in NBA history.
Next: Vooch Stepped Into Big Shoes
It’s never easy to be the guy who follows the guy. That’s the position center Nikola Vucevic found himself in after he was traded to the Orlando Magic in August 2012 as part of the four-team deal that sent franchise center Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Magic also got forward Maurice Harkless and a 2014 first-round pick from the Philadelphia 76ers.
and a first-round pick in 2017 from the Lakers.
They sent Howard, forward Earl Clark and guard Chris Duhon to L.A. and swingman Jason Richardson to Philly.
Vucevic has been a double-double machine in his four years with the Magic and was fifth in the NBA with 810 rebounds in 2014-15 and second in rebounds per game at 11.9 in 2012-13.
In 2015-16, Vucevic missed time with a groin strain and was limited to 65 games, the second time in four years he’s been out of the lineup for at least 17 games. He averaged 18.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 blocks in 31.3 minutes per game while shooting .510/2-for-9/.753.
In four seasons for Orlando, Vucevic is averaging 16.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 32.7 minutes per game on .516/4-for-18/.742 shooting.
He was the 16th overall pick by the 76ers out of USC in the 2011 NBA Draft and briefly played in his native Montenegro during the 2011 lockout.
Vucevic signed a four-year, $53 million extension with Orlando in October 2014 and is under contract through 2018-19.
Next: An All-Star After Controversial Max Deal
The Orlando Magic made waves in July 2007 when they agreed to a maximum six-year, $118 million contract with free agent Rashard Lewis, acquiring him in a sign-and-trade deal with the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for a second-round pick in 2009 and a trade exception.
An All-Star in Seattle in 2005, Lewis made a return to the All-Star Game with the Magic in 2009 in the midst of a season during which the power forward led the NBA with 220 3-pointers and helped Orlando to the NBA Finals.
In those Finals, Lewis averaged 17.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 42.5 minutes per game while shooting .405/.400/11-for-13 as the Magic lost to the
in five games.
In December 2010, Lewis was traded to the Washington Wizards for guard Gilbert Arenas.
In parts of four seasons with the Magic, Lewis averaged 16.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals in 35.5 minutes per game, shooting .442/.399/.825.
Lewis came into the NBA as a second-round pick by the SuperSonics out of Alief Elsik High School in Houston in the 1998 NBA Draft.
In June 2012, Lewis was traded to the New Orleans Hornets and was waived 10 days later.
He signed a free-agent deal with the Miami Heat in July 2012 and won his lone NBA championship with the Heat in 2013.
He agreed to a free-agent deal with the Dallas Mavericks in July 2014, but the deal was voided after he failed his physical.
Lewis has not played since 2013-14, but has not yet announced his retirement from the NBA.
He is 12th in NBA history with 1,787 3-pointers.
Next: The Nearly 5-Year Wait Paid Off
Undersized and undrafted out of Division II Fayetteville State in 1991, Darrell Armstrong bounced around on the periphery of pro basketball for almost five years before getting his first shot in the NBA.
He made it count.
Armstrong played four summers with the Atlanta franchise in the U.S. Basketball League, spent part of a season with the Capitol Region Pontiacs in the Continental Basketball Association, a season with the South Georgia Blues of the Global Basketball Association and two years abroad in Cyprus and Spain before the
signed him to a free-agent deal in April 1995.
Armstrong seldom played during his first full season in 1995-96 and was an edge-of-the-rotation player in 1996-97 before the real minutes came during an injury-shortened 1997-98 season.
After the lockout in 1999, a star was born.
Armstrong was named both the NBA’s Most Improved Player and Sixth Man of the Year in 1998-99 and was third in the league with a .904 free-throw percentage.
In 1999-2000, Armstrong was second in the NBA with 169 steals and third with a .911 free-throw percentage and with an average of 2.1 steals per game.
He was third in free-throw shooting again in 2001-02, hitting at an .888 clip. But in July 2003, Armstrong left the only NBA team he ever knew to sign a free-agent deal with the New Orleans Hornets.
In nine seasons with Orlando, Armstrong averaged 11.7 points, 5.1 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 28.4 minutes per game, shooting .419/.346/.888.
He was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in December 2004 and in July 2006, he was sent to the Indiana Pacers.
Waived by the Pacers in October 2007, Armstrong signed up with the New Jersey Nets five days later and played a final season before retiring.
He has been an assistant coach with the Mavericks since 2009.
Armstrong’s career .871 free-throw shooting is 21st-best in NBA history.
Next: G-Money Still Great When He Could Play
When the Orlando Magic agreed to a seven-year, $93 million deal with five-time All-Star Grant Hill and acquired him from the Detroit Pistons in a sign-and-trade in exchange for guard Chucky Atkins and big man Ben Wallace, it was supposed to signal a new era in the Magic Kingdom.
It did … just not in the way that had been hoped.
Hill came to Orlando with an ankle injury sustained in the 2000 playoffs and was limited to just four games in his first season with the Magic (he was elected to the All-Star Game anyway), and played 14 and 29 games, respectively, the next two years before sitting out the entire 2003-04 season.
Hill returned to play 67 games and make the All-Star Game in 2004-05 before he was sidelined for all but 21 games in 2005-06. His final year with the Magic, 2006-07, saw Hill appear in 65 games.
In six seasons with the Magic, Hill averaged 16.4 points, five rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals in 32.2 minutes per game, shooting .500/.225/.795.
He left in July 2007 to sign with the Phoenix Suns.
Hill signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in July 2012, playing one more season before retiring in June 2013.
Hill was part of a group that took ownership of the Atlanta Hawks in April 2015.
Next: The General Brought Championship Experience
Horace Grant brought three championship rings, two All-Defensive selections and an All-Star Game appearance with him from the Chicago Bulls when he signed with the Orlando Magic as an unrestricted free agent in September 1994.
His leadership helped vault the Magic to the 1995 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Houston Rockets.
In those Finals, Grant averaged 13.5 points and 12.0 rebounds per game, shooting .532/—/4-for-5 in the four-game sweep.
Grant was a two-time All-Defensive selection while with Orlando and was third in the NBA with a .567 field-goal percentage in 1994-95.
On draft night in June 1999, Grant was dealt with second-round picks in 2000 and 2001 to the Seattle SuperSonics for swingman Dale Ellis and Billy Owens, forward Don MacLean and the rights to 13th overall pick Corey Maggette.
He spent a season in Seattle before he was part of a four-team deal in September 2000 that sent Grant to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Grant earned another championship ring with the Lakers before returning to Orlando as a free agent in July 2001.
His second stint was shorter—Grant was waived in December 2002.
In seven seasons with Orlando, Grant averaged 11.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, one steal and 1.0 block in 34.6 minutes per game, shooting .502/.069/.704.
He remained idle until returning to L.A. as a free agent in July 2003, retiring after becoming a free agent again in the summer of 2004.
He was the 10th overall pick by the Bulls out of Clemson in the 1987 NBA Draft.
He is 44th in NBA history with 1,165 games, 38th with 38,621 minutes played and 44th with 9,443 rebounds.
Next: A Prototype Stretch 4
Ryan Anderson was not the big name that came to the Orlando Magic in a June 2009 deal with the New Jersey Nets.
Acquired with swingman Vince Carter in exchange for guards Rafer Alston and Courtney Lee and big man Tony Battie, it was Anderson who had the biggest impact in Orlando.
A power forward who could stretch the floor, Anderson earned Most Improved Player honors in 2011-12, when he led the NBA with 166 3-pointers.
In July 2012, Anderson was sent to the New Orleans Hornets in a sign-and-trade deal in exchange for big man Gustavo Ayon.
In three seasons with the Magic, Anderson averaged 11.4 points and 5.5 rebounds in 22.9 minutes per game, shooting .435/.388/.854.
He was the 21st overall pick out of California by the Nets in the 2008 NBA Draft. With New Orleans in 2015-16, Anderson averaged 17.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in 30.4 minutes per game primarily off the bench, shooting .427/.366/.873.
On Jult 9, 2016, he signed a four-year, $80 million free-agent deal with the Houston Rockets.
Next: Penny Sparkled Early
The Orlando Magic got their point guard when they acquired the rights to No. 3 overall pick Anfernee Hardaway out of Memphis State on draft night in June 1993, along with first-round picks in 1996, 1998 and 2000, from the Golden State Warriors for the rights to top overall selection Chris Webber.
Hardaway was an All-Rookie performer in 1993-94 and became an All-Star shortly thereafter, earning four straight bids (1995-98) as well as three All-NBA nods. Additionally, Penny was third in the MVP voting in 1995-96.
He was fifth in the NBA in steals in 1995-96 (166) and 1998-99 (111) and helped lead the Magic to the 1995 NBA Finals.
In the four-game loss to the Houston Rockets in the Finals, Hardaway averaged 25.5 points, 8.0 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.0 steal in 43.0 minutes per game on .500/.458/.913 shooting.
A devastating knee injury early in the 1997-98 season changed the course of Hardaway’s career, however, as he lost much of his trademark explosiveness in the wake of the injury.
In August 1999, Hardaway was traded to the Phoenix Suns for forwards Pat Garrity and Danny Manning and first-round picks in 2001 and 2002.
In six seasons in Orlando, Hardaway averaged 19 points, 6.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 37.2 minutes per game, shooting .472/.311/.766.
Hardaway continued to have knee problems and in January 2004 was dealt to the New York Knicks.
He was traded back to the Magic in February 2006 with forward Trevor Ariza for guard Steve Francis, but Orlando waived him two days later.
After sitting out a season in retirement, Hardaway attempted a comeback in 2007 when he signed with the Miami Heat, but after playing in just 16 games, he was waived in December 2007 and retired for good.
Next: T-Mac Erupted Upon Arrival In The Magic Kingdom
The Orlando Magic agreed to a max free-agent deal with Tracy McGrady in August 2000, acquiring the youngster in a sign-and-trade from the Toronto Raptors in exchange for a 2005 first-round pick.
Boy, did T-Mac burst onto the scene. The Most Improved Player in the NBA in 2000-01, McGrady was a four-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA selection for the Magic, finishing fourth in the MVP voting in both 2001-02 and 2002-03.
He led the NBA in scoring in 2002-03 (32.1 points per game) and 2003-04 (28 points per game); was fifth and fourth in 3-pointers in 2002-03 and 2003-04, respectively; was fourth in points in 2001-02 (2,065), second in 2002-03 (2,407) and third in 2003-04 (1,878); and was fourth in scoring in 2001-02 (25.6 points per game).
In June 2004, the Magic sent McGrady along with big man Juwan Howard and guards Reece Gaines and Tyronn Lue to the Houston Rockets in a blockbuster deal, acquiring guard Steve Francis, swingman Cuttino Mobley and big man Kelvin Cato.
In four seasons with Orlando, McGrady averaged 28.1 points, seven rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.5 steals and one block in 39.4 minutes per game, shooting .446/.361/.768.
A ninth-round pick in the 1997 NBA Draft by the Raptors out of Mount Zion Christian Academy in Durham, N.C., McGrady was dealt to the New York Knicks as part of a three-team deal in February 2010.
McGrady signed as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons in August 2010, joined the Atlanta Hawks in December 2011 and, after playing most of the 2012-13 season in China, signed with the San Antonio Spurs in April 2013 and was on their bench during their run to the NBA Finals.
He retired in August 2013 and was briefly a professional baseball pitcher with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League in 2014.
Next: Shaq Started Orlando On Road To Relevance
The Orlando Magic’s road to relevance got a jump start when they selected LSU center Shaquille O’Neal with the first overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft.
Shaq was a phenomenon, taking the NBA by storm while winning Rookie of the Year honors and being named an All-Star in 1992-93.
O’Neal went on to be named an All-Star four times with the Magic and was a three-time All-NBA selection, finishing fourth in the MVP voting in 1993-94 and second in 1994-95, when he led Orlando to its first NBA Finals.
He led the NBA with 307 turnovers as a rookie and went on to lead the league with a .599 field-goal percentage in 1993-94 and in points and scoring with 2,315 and 29.3 points per game, respectively, in 1994-95.
O’Neal was fifth in minutes played (3,224) in 1993-94, second in rebounds three times (1992-93, 1993-94 and 1994-95) and placed third and fourth in blocks in 1992-93 and 1993-94, respectively. He was second with 2,377 points in 1993-94, finished fourth, second and third in field-goal shooting in 1992-93, 1994-95 and 1995-96, respectively; was second and third in scoring in 1993-94 and 1995-96, respectively, and was second in rebounding in both 1992-93 and 1993-94 and third in 1994-95; and placed second in blocks per game in 1992-93 (3.5).
But after just four short seasons, the Shaq era in Orlando closed, as he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent in July 1996.
In those four years, O’Neal averaged 27.2 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.8 blocks and 2.4 assists in 37.8 minutes per game, shooting .581/1-for-11/.546.
He won three championships with the Lakers as well as his lone MVP award, but in July 2004 was traded to the Miami Heat.
After winning a fourth ring in Miami, O’Neal was on the move in February 2008, traded to the Phoenix Suns.
In June 2009, O’Neal was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He signed with the Boston Celtics in August 2010 and retired after the 2010-11 season.
Shaq is 35th in NBA history with 1,207 games, 22nd with 41,918 minutes played, 14th with 13,099 rebounds, eighth with 2,732 blocked shots, seventh with 28,596 points, fourth with a .582 field-goal percentage, 19th with 23.7 points per game, 27th with 10.9 rebounds per game and 15th with 2.3 blocks per game.
Next: Superman Locked It Down
The Orlando Magic launched a new era with a new big man when they selected Dwight Howard from Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy with the first overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft.
Howard earned All-Rookie honors fresh out of high school and wound up being a six-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection, five-time All-Defensive pick and a three-time Defensive Player of the year while in Orlando.
He was also fourth in the MVP voting in 2008-09, when the Magic reached the NBA Finals, and again in 2009-10, and was runner-up for the honor in 2010-11.
Howard led the NBA in rebounds six times and rebounds per game four times with Orlando, led the league in blocked shots and blocks per game twice, topped the NBA in field-goal percentage in 2009-10.
His 2011-12 season truncated by back surgery, Howard was traded along with forward Earl Clark and guard Chris Duhon in August 2012 to the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a four-team extravaganza that brought the Magic swingman Arron Afflalo, big man Al Harrington, a second-round pick in 2013 and a 2014 first-round pick from the Denver Nuggets; forward Christian Eyenga, big man Josh McRoberts and a 2017 first-rounder from the Lakers; and forward Maurice Harkless, center Nikola Vucevic and a future first-round pick from the Philadelphia 76ers.
In eight seasons with Orlando, Howard averaged 18.4 points, 13 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 1.0 steal in 36.2 minutes per game, shooting .577/.030/.588.
After just one year with the Lakers, Howard signed a free-agent contract with the Houston Rockets in July 2013.
In 2015-16, Howard averaged 13.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.0 steal in 32.1 minutes on .620/0-for-6/.489 shooting before opting out of the final year of his contract.
On July 12, 2016, Howard signed a three-year, $70.5 million free-agent deal with the Atlanta Hawks that runs through 2018-19.
Next: The Greatest Player In Every Franchise's History
Howard is 27th in NBA history with 11,149 rebounds, 21st with 1,824 blocked shots, fifth with a .582field-goal percentage, 13th with 12.7 rebounds per game and 20th with 2.1 blocks per game.