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2018 Orlando Magic Player Outlook: Damjan Rudez

By Philip Rossman-Reich

TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 29: Damjan Rudez #3 of the Orlando Magic shoots the ball during the first half of an NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre on January 29, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 29: Damjan Rudez #3 of the Orlando Magic shoots the ball during the first half of an NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre on January 29, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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The Orlando Magic surprisingly brought Damjan Rudez back on a training camp invite. He does not produce on the court much, but his role is still big.

The Orlando Magic surprised just about everyone when they re-signed Damjan Rudez in late August. It was a move that flew under the radar and likely will have little effect on the Magic this season. But one that still raised enough eyebrows.

After all, the Magic renounced their restricted free agent rights to Rudez earlier in the summer to try to squeeze out some extra cap room. He was a virtual non-factor for the team last season on the floor.

It would seem if the Magic were going to extend another training camp invite to someone younger who might latch on with the G-League, not a veteran who has bounced around a bit in the league and struggled last year.

But Rudez will be in camp with the Magic. Orlando saw some value in him to keep him around at least for training camp. What happens after that is uncertain. But the team gave him a minimum contract, likely fully nonguaranteed. He is not someone that will hurt their books. Even if it seems highly unlikely he will make the final roster.

So what do the Magic see in Rudez? Why did they decide to bring him in for camp at the very least?

His play on the court did not suggest there was much to retain.

Rudez appeared in 45 games, averaging 1.8 points per game. He rarely played and was never part of the rotation — save for a nine-game stretch in early November when the Magic tried to pair Damjan Rudez up with Aaron Gordon to give Gordon some space. Rudez averaged 1.9 points per game in 10.3 minutes per game during that stretch.

And he never quite did the one thing he was supposed to do from the beginning.

Coach Frank Vogel joked in the preseason after Damjan Rudez had a big game that he and Rudez had an agreement that he would yank Rudez if he missed a shot. There was never complete truth to that. But it revealed the role the Magic hoped to get from Rudez.

Rudez was the designated shooter. The only true stretch-4 on the roster. His expertise, and what got him on the Indiana Pacers in 2015 with Vogel as the head coach, was his shooting. He had good size and could hold his own defensively off the bench. But his shooting was his great NBA skill.

Rudez played few minutes last season, but his shooting never came around. He hit on just 31.3 percent of his 3-pointers last year — including just 25.0 percent on wide-open 3-pointers, on a minuscule 28 attempts. Rudez was not a great 3-point shooter and the Magic ended up just leaving him on the bench. They never truly relied on him for very much.

But it was still surprising to see Rudez make it the entire year with the Magic. Orlando opted to guarantee the rest of his contract and keep him on the roster the rest of the year. After Jan. 10, when his contract guaranteed, Rudez played just 22 games and only hit 10 minutes in a game five times. Three of those 10-minute appearances came in 30-point blowout losses.

The Magic kept Rudez on the roster for a different reason. And it is likely the reason he will stay on the roster through training camp.

As eagle-eyed fans noted on various player Instagrams during the summer, Rudez continued to hang out in Orlando and work out with several current Magic players.

As many would note, only assistant coach Jay Hernandez and point guard D.J. Augustin played with Damjan Rudez last year in that picture. And it is no surprise to see Rudez quickly become a presence in the locker room.

Rudez was Mr. Congeniality in the Magic locker room last year. He was among the players everyone seemingly related to and helped keep the team loose, as much as he could during that season. He was someone everyone liked. And it did not hurt he knew what Vogel was asking of the players (even if he was not able to execute it perfectly).

Rudez is one of those locker room glue guys. Maybe that alone is not enough to retain a player for the rest of the season. The Magic might have used that extra roster spot to take a chance on a young player. Then again, it was not like Rudez was playing or the Magic needed to take anyone out of the rotation.

The Magic likely wanted to keep Rudez on the team for training camp for that purpose more than anything. He is someone who can help bring the team together. Rudez knows that is his role. And he can help mentor younger players and get them up to speed with the Magic and what Vogel is trying to do.

It is extremely unlikely Rudez makes it on the roster past training camp, even though the Magic have the extra roster spot to spend. He just does not produce at a high enough level. And the Magic have plenty of power forwards already on the roster — Aaron Gordon, Jonathan Isaac, Khem Birch and Adreian Payne — they are more invested in.

Rudez is there to make the transition into the season a bit smoother. He is the glue for a locker room, but not much else at this point in his NBA career.

Next: 2018 Orlando Magic Player Outlook: Aaron Gordon

And that is just fine for a training camp invite — even if a younger player might have a better chance at sneaking onto the roster.