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Orlando Magic: Top 5 positives from a busy 2017

By Luke Duffy

ORLANDO, FL - DECEMBER 8: The Orlando Magic celebrate before the game against the Denver Nuggets on December 8, 2017 at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - DECEMBER 8: The Orlando Magic celebrate before the game against the Denver Nuggets on December 8, 2017 at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images
Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images /

4. Signing Jonathon Simmons

The signing of Jonathon Simmons during free agency in the summer of 2017 was one of the more important things to happen to this team in some time.

Although LeBron James apparently came calling, Simmons preferred to make more money and have the opportunity to get more minutes with the Magic.

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The three-year, $20 million deal Simmons signed with the team was fantastic value for money, and represented a small shift in the team’s perception around the league.

Simmons was a cult figure with the Spurs, his previous team, and their fans were sorry to see him go. It puzzled some of them why he had chosen Orlando too.

Not taking into account their more relaxed laws on income tax, this is the kind of move that will benefit the team in free agent meetings down the road.

Simmons appears to be a great teammate with a wise head on his shoulders, and the fact he chose Orlando will make fellow veterans think about doing the same thing.

It didn’t hurt that Arron Afflalo and Marreese Speights, two other guys with solid reputations around the league, also came to Orlando as well.

It was the signing of Simmons, however, that signaled the team was more serious about adding veteran leadership and winning in the near future, as opposed to simply collecting assets.

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