Orlando Magic: Complete 2018 offseason grades
By Amaar Burton
Signing Isaiah Briscoe
With the way John Calipari churns out one-and-done stars at Kentucky, Briscoe was a grizzled veteran by recent UK standards when he spent two years in Lexington as a full-time starting guard. As a sophomore in 2016-17, Briscoe averaged 12.1 points and 4.2 assists per game while helping the Wildcats reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
Briscoe went pro that year, but he was not drafted by an NBA team. An NBA Summer League run with the Philadelphia 76ers and a training camp invite from the Portland Trail Blazers didn’t result in a roster spot.
So Briscoe packed up and traveled to Estonia, where he became a star. He averaged 18.5 points, 4.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game for BC Kalev last season, leading the team to a championship.
Briscoe’s overseas exploits caught the attention of the Magic, who gave him a shot in Summer League and then signed him to a four-year deal worth a reported $6 million.
The length of the contract may raise some eyebrows, considering Briscoe is entirely unproven on the NBA level, but it’s an extremely affordable deal for Orlando.
If this franchise finds itself in salary-cap trouble over the next four years, just know that Briscoe’s contract won’t be part of the problem. If he turns out to be a reliable rotation player, he’ll be a great value. If not, he’s easily expendable.
Grade: C