Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Channing Frye
Final Grade
<p>The Magic were a very young team. Most of the players on the roster were not going to be judged completely on their production on the floor. They were judged on their development and continued improvement.</p><div class=. PF. Orlando Magic. CHANNING FRYE. D
Channing Frye was not that player. More than anyone else, he would be judged on his production on the floor and how he performed there. And that performance was simply not good enough.
He shot a high percentage for his career, but did not shoot enough. Nor did he get enough open shots. Blame some of that on coaching. Blame a lot of Frye’s problems on coaching and their inability to figure out how to use him.
But Frye also did not perform. It seemed like he missed a lot of shots in big moments. His defense was a negative overall and exposed the weaknesses both in the Magic’s defensive schemes and in Nikola Vucevic. Maybe that will be good in the long term as the team grows and develops. But it is still a costly lesson to learn.
Frye is going to do what he does. He is the player he is at this point. The Magic should have vetted that more clearly in signing a player on the wrong side of 30.
Logically, he could have been the missing piece to keep the floor spread. That is not how things worked. Even with Frye making shots at a decent clip, teams did not stick to him like they stuck to Kyle Korver or other great shooters. Frye needed better dribble penetration and better offense from the guards to free himself up. He is not a mover and cutter, he needed the help.
Frye can still salvage his tenure with the Magic. Better usage is going to free him up for more shots. But it will be tough to cover up the defense with the Magic’s current makeup.
" >
D
The Magic were a very young team. Most of the players on the roster were not going to be judged completely on their production on the floor. They were judged on their development and continued improvement.
Channing Frye was not that player. More than anyone else, he would be judged on his production on the floor and how he performed there. And that performance was simply not good enough.
He shot a high percentage for his career, but did not shoot enough. Nor did he get enough open shots. Blame some of that on coaching. Blame a lot of Frye’s problems on coaching and their inability to figure out how to use him.
But Frye also did not perform. It seemed like he missed a lot of shots in big moments. His defense was a negative overall and exposed the weaknesses both in the Magic’s defensive schemes and in Nikola Vucevic. Maybe that will be good in the long term as the team grows and develops. But it is still a costly lesson to learn.
Frye is going to do what he does. He is the player he is at this point. The Magic should have vetted that more clearly in signing a player on the wrong side of 30.
Logically, he could have been the missing piece to keep the floor spread. That is not how things worked. Even with Frye making shots at a decent clip, teams did not stick to him like they stuck to Kyle Korver or other great shooters. Frye needed better dribble penetration and better offense from the guards to free himself up. He is not a mover and cutter, he needed the help.
Frye can still salvage his tenure with the Magic. Better usage is going to free him up for more shots. But it will be tough to cover up the defense with the Magic’s current makeup.