NBA Free Agency: Why the Orlando Magic re-signed Mo Bamba

NBA Free Agency: Why the Orlando Magic re-signed Mo Bamba: Potential

Having a big like Bamba coming off the bench, and with a point to prove, could be very beneficial for the Magic. They are a young team on the rise and Bamba is one of the longest-tenured players in the group. It would be a stretch to call him a veteran, but he’s been through a coaching change with the team and had to fight through that battle.

In fact, that may also go some way to explaining the woes of Bamba to this point. The first of those head coaches was Steve Clifford, a coach famous for getting results where it doesn’t look like there are any, but who is also averse to rookies.

Bamba had that to contend with, and it is no secret that Clifford preferred veterans over him pretty much all of the time (which is also a reason why Charlotte Hornets fans should worry, but that is no longer for Magic fans to worry about). So again, the fact that first-time head coach Jamahl Mosley got the most out of Bamba last season, however modest, is worth noting.

In the end, this is not a move that Magic fans were thrilled about. They’ve seen enough of Bamba to know that, at best, he is going to be a serviceable backup in the league. He might not even end up being that, but luckily for the franchise, they’ve got the time, and apparent potential stars elsewhere on their roster, to see what happens next with Bamba. It made sense to bring him back, no matter what way you look at it.