Wesley Iwundu
We have reached the point where the Magic’s free agency went from expected and a positive because of the Bacon and Clark signings to fill out the roster, to a straight negative with the loss of Wesley Iwundu. It is unclear why the Magic didn’t extend an offer to him to bring him back, but it could come back to haunt them.
Second round picks don’t always work out, and to be sure Iwundu struggled initially with the Magic. But by the middle of last season he was really beginning to turn into something for the organization. A great guy off the bench who defended diligently and was figuring out how to knock down 3-pointers with more consistency.
That “3-and-D” role is not only sought after the league over, but it is also a role that Iwundu had made his own with the Magic. Right now it is unclear who will replace him in that regard, with Bacon again the best guess here. But if you’re keeping score, he’s not going to be able to bring everything both Ross and Iwnudu did, even if he works out better than hoped.
It is telling that Iwundu was immediately snapped up by the Dallas Mavericks as well. Even if he never gets any better, which doesn’t look likely given the strides he made last year, he will still be a guy who has no problems coming off the bench and playing hard for a playoff outfit. He won’t see his number called often, won’t care and will take whatever modest shots he can.
In other words, all of the things that the Magic could have used. They are trying to build out a young core and that takes time and these young guys having the ball in their hands while they make mistakes. Iwundu would have been brilliant alongside them, and had shown a willingness to defend within the defensive framework coach Clifford had put in place.
Letting Iwundu walk was a bad move by the Orlando Magic, because they can’t replace everything that he brought right away. Not wanting to pay him probably factored into the deal, but if you ask Magic fans that would have brought him back over signing Bacon or Clark. Bad business.