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Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Bismack Biyombo

By David Iwanowski

Nov 25, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Bismack Biyombo (11) pleads to a referee about a technical foul called on him during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards at Amway Center. The Wizards won 94-91. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 25, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Bismack Biyombo (11) pleads to a referee about a technical foul called on him during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards at Amway Center. The Wizards won 94-91. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
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Bismack Biyombo, Orlando Magic
Nov 25, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Bismack Biyombo (11) pleads to a referee about a technical foul called on him during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards at Amway Center. The Wizards won 94-91. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

Bismack Biyombo was a big, surprise signing for the Orlando Magic, but team fit led to a startling lack of improvement from the center

The Orlando Magic made a huge splash that surprised most people this summer when they signed Bismack Biyombo to a massive four-year deal.

It did not seem to make much sense at the time. The Magic signed an unproven reserve player to a large long-term deal when they already recently traded for a rim-protecting big man in Serge Ibaka. They also had a center in Nikola Vucevic who had been their most consistent player in the previous four years.

The Magic were sold on what Biombo had shown in his limited time in the NBA: defense, rebounding and athleticism. Not to mention his Playoff explosion when Jonas Valanciunas went down to an injury — posting 6.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game in 25.3 minutes per game in the Playoffs.

The Magic saw a prototypical modern center in Biyombo, and decided to catch up with the times by signing him.

In his previous season with the Toronto Raptors, Biyombo logged 22 minutes per game and had a 29.5 percent defensive rebounding rate (fifth in the league), 11.7 percent offensive rebounding rate (13th in the league), 1.06 points saved per game (10th in the league) and 2.3 Defensive Box Plus Minus (tied for 19th in the league).

But this season was a disappointment for everyone, Biyombo included. Biyombo never quite fit in. He was not the destructive rim protector the Magic hoped they were signing up for. And the team’s poor spacing made Biyombo’s offensive shortcomings more apparent.

His up-and-down season has fans wondering if this deal will hurt them over the next few years.