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Orlando Magic to sign Keith Appling

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Mar 30, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Keith Appling (11) passes the ball against Connecticut Huskies guard Ryan Boatright (11) during the second half in the finals of the east regional of the 2014 NCAA Mens Basketball Championship tournament at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 30, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Keith Appling (11) passes the ball against Connecticut Huskies guard Ryan Boatright (11) during the second half in the finals of the east regional of the 2014 NCAA Mens Basketball Championship tournament at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Orlando Magic have called up some point guard help, signing Keith Appling to a 10-day contract according to a Yahoo! Sports report.

The Orlando Magic appear to have found at least a temporary solution to their backup point guard problems. The team will sign Keith Appling from its D-League affiliate, Shams Charania of Yahoo! Sports reports.

Appling has spent much of the past two seasons with the Magic or in the Magic system. He signed with Erie late last season playing 10 games with the Bayhawks, averaging 17.5 points per game and 4.5 assists per game.

The performance, along with his limited NBA experience with the Detroit Pistons, helped him pick up a Summer League invite with the Magic.

He continued his scoring binge with 15.6 points per game on 50.0 percent field goal shooting and 40.0 percent 3-point shooting in the five-game Summer League stint. It was more than enough to help Appling earn a training camp invite to Orlando.

In preseason, Appling did little to stand out and seemed destined again for a season in the D-League.

Appling has kept up his pretty consistent production from his previous season in the D-League. Appling is averaging 15.9 points per game and shooting a 50.5 percent effective field goal percentage. Where he has really improved is as a point guard — posting 5.4 assists per game, well up from last year.

Appling came into the league from Michigan State known more as a scorer and sparkplug at point guard. He is not a fantastic shooter — he has only taken 27 3-pointers in 16 games — but finds other ways to score.

What he also came into the league from Michigan State as was a tenacious and pesky defender. That is always a hallmark of a Tom Izzo-coached team. According to Basketball-Reference, Appling has a +0.8 defensive box plus-minus, meaning Erie is 0.8 points per 100 possessions better than the average player with Appling on the floor.

It should be noted here too, Appling has a 3.4 offensive box plus-minus, meaning the Bayhawks are 3.4 points per 100 possessions better with Appling on the floor as opposed to an average player.

Appling has had a very good year with Erie so far.

NBA.com’s D-League stats engine projects Appling to score 10.1 points per 36 minutes and dish out 4.9 assists per 36 minutes. But it also projects he would shoot worse than 40 percent from the field.

Considering the Magic are in desperate need of help at point guard right now, bringing in some outside help certainly seemed in the cards.

The bonus of bringing in Appling from Erie is that he should already be familiar with the Magic’s offensive and defensive scheme. This is the exact kind of reason the Magic set up the Bayhawks they have.

Erie runs all the same offensive and defensive schemes as Orlando. There should be little adjustment offensively or defensively for Appling when he arrives in Orlando.

It is still uncertain whether Appling would unseat Shabazz Napier for playing time or is just an extra body needed in practice with Elfrid Payton still returning from injury. The Magic need the extra body either way though.

For the next 10 days, Appling will get his opportunity to show Magic brass what he can do and help the team set the ship straight.