Orlando Magic Agree To 4-Year Deal With Bismack Biyombo
Former Toronto Raptors center Bismack Biyombo is headed to the Orlando Magic on a 4-year deal. Here’s what the addition of Biyombo means for the Magic.
After being an under-the-radar team for the past few years, the Orlando Magic have emerged as one of the more active teams in the 2016 offseason.
The activity started on draft night when the Magic made the deal of the night, sending prized young shooting guard Victor Oladipo, stretch-4 Ersan Ilyasova and the draft rights to the 11th overall pick in Domantas Sabonis to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for shot-blocking savant Serge Ibaka.
So far, it has continued into free agency as the team has retained versatile 2-guard Evan Fournier, reached agreements with D.J. Augustin and Jeff Green and traded for journeyman guard Jodie Meeks.
But the Magic’s biggest splash in free agency came Saturday afternoon as Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press reported that the team had reached an agreement on a 4-year deal with former Toronto Raptors center Bismack Biyombo.
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AP Source: The Orlando Magic have agreed to terms on a 4-year deal with Bismack Biyombo.
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) July 2, 2016
Biyombo had a breakout year — well, postseason — with the Raptors after starting center Jonas Valanciunas went down with a sprained ankle in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinals matchup with the Miami Heat.
Biyombo averaged 6.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks a night in his absence and helped lead The North to its first Eastern Conference Finals appearance, where they lost in six games to the eventual NBA champs in the Cleveland Cavaliers.
However, such a dominant postseason wasn’t enough for Raptors GM Masai Ujiri to dole out the cash ($72 million, to be exact) to bring Biyombo back.
Four-year, $72M on Bismack Biyombo's Magic agreement @APkrawczynski reported on. Masai Ujiri loved Biz, but didn't value him that way.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2016
With Biyombo joining the Magic, the obvious central storyline is the now-crowded frontcourt in Orlando that includes Ibaka, breakout youngster Aaron Gordon and starting center Nikola Vucevic.
Despite his joyous reaction to the team’s new additions, the chatter has already begun that Vucevic may be the odd man out:
Big question people around the NBA are asking here at Orlando Summer League: Will the Magic trade Nik Vucevic and what could they get back?
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) July 2, 2016
If that turns out to be the case, pairing Biyombo with Ibaka in the Magic frontcourt would give the team a Twin Towers of Defense that hasn’t been seen since the Wallace Brothers (Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace, unrelated of course) helped win the Detroit Pistons a championship back in 2004.
The duo averaged a combined 3.5 blocks a game last season, which is a perfect upgrade for a team that ranked 17th in both scoring defense (103.7 points allowed per game) and opponent points in the paint (43.5 per game).
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The two are also a perfect fit for each other on the offensive end, as Ibaka is more of a face up big who has shown the ability to shoot from behind the arc and be a legitimate threat in the pick-and-pop while Biyombo thrives in pick-and-roll situations where he can finish off an entry pass or lob at the rim.
Should Vucevic stay in the Magic Kingdom, Biyombo can thrive in lineups alongside him, Ibaka and Gordon as the defensive anchor and a post-up option while Vucci and Ibaka stretch the floor with their outside shooting.
However, it will be an interesting dilemma for new head coach Frank Vogel to divvy up playing time among the four talented bigs.
Either way, the addition of Biyombo is yet another sign of a changing of the guard for the Orlando Magic under new coach Frank Vogel as this young team is gearing more towards the defensive side of the ball.
With talented youngsters in Gordon, Elfrid Payton and Mario Hezonja already in tow, the Magic have spent the offseason surrounding them with veteran talent that know their roles and can help the team grow more competitive in the short term.
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With the way they’re already progressing this offseason, the Magic may not be cellar dwellers for much longer.