On Wednesday, the Orlando Magic and free agent point guard Peyton Siva agreed to terms of a deal that would bring Siva to camp, give him a small guarantee, and end up with him on the Magic’s newly acquired NBA Development League team, the Erie BayHawks. Once Siva is waived following the preseason finale, he will have to clear waivers before the Magic are able to assign him to the D-League. While it’s a somewhat confusing deal, it could end up being very rewarding for both Siva and the Magic.
With the Magic’s roster currently sitting at 15, bringing in Siva is a low-risk high-reward type of move. While it’s highly unlikely he makes the team out of training camp — due in large part to the abundance of guards already on the roster — having him there to grow and push some of the other guys could be advantageous for them going forward. It also allows Siva to get some time under his belt to learn the system and develop some with head coach Jacque Vaughn.
Barring a trade and a roster spot opening due to that, Siva will most likely not see any time with the Magic at the NBA level this season. However, after this season, Siva could land as the team’s backup point guard, should he impress with the BayHawks. Luke Ridnour, who was the 15th player added to the roster, is nearing the end of his career, so having a young point guard who can grow on both ends waiting in the wings, could be big for the team.
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This move also bolsters what should be a new look D-League team. The BayHawks, who were formally the New York Knicks affiliate, will be getting new coaching, new players, new everything hand picked by Magic general manager Rob Hennigan and his brain trust. Having a guy like Siva, who has some NBA experience with the Detroit Pistons and someone who led his team to a National Championship in college, could be huge. Having that added leadership ability would not only help players get more comfortable with each other, but the coaching staff as well.
Our friend Sam Vecenie of Upside and Motor took a look at Siva’s game in the wake of Wednesday’s news. As Vecenie points out, Siva is a tenacious defender, and a point guard who is very smart on the offensive end. Though, like all young players, has some things to improve on, most notably, his shooting.
"“He’s a defensive nuisance that can make any other opposing point guard’s life a living hell, and a smart offensive player that doesn’t turn the ball over. The biggest thing for him to work on at this point is simply his shooting ability in order to make defenders have to respect that part of his game. Given that shooting is actually correctable aspect of a prospect’s game, I think there is a good chance that Siva ends up being a backup point guard at some point during his career.”"
This is a very low-risk move for the Magic, that could end up paying huge dividends down the road. For now, Siva will have to hone his craft with the Magic during the preseason, then the BayHawks during the season in hopes of getting that call that every player hopes for that he’s got a spot on an NBA Roster, be that with the Magic, or elsewhere across the league.