The Orlando Magic will end the Orlando Summer League after this summer. The team told the Orlando Sentinel it will send its Summer League team to Vegas.
The Orlando Magic will head to Las Vegas for the NBA Summer League in July, ending their Orlando Summer League, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reports.
The Magic hosted a smaller Summer League — usually with anywhere from eight to 12 teams — in the practice facility at Amway Center or, before the Amway Center, at the RDV Sportsplex. The team hosted the league 12 times since 2002.
While most of the teams headed to Las Vegas, several regulars preferred the low-key, quiet setting in the Orlando practice facilities. It was a more intimate, focused setting as the summer league was always closed to the public. The only people in the building were basketball people and it lacked the distractions of the heavily produced Vegas tournament.
The NBA has increased its marketing for the NBA Summer League in Vegas with nearly every game broadcast on NBATV or ESPN and putting in a tournament style. It created a much more marketable event.
For several years, the NBA has pushed to have every team play in Las Vegas. Even when a four-team league in Salt Lake City popped up, all four teams still made the trip to Vegas. The only teams that did not head to Vegas were the teams in Orlando, save for a few.
It seemed the Magic, at the urging of some teams the preferred the quieter setting, resisted this move. Until now.
It seems Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman opted not to continue the league, preferring to go with the exposure and convenience of the Vegas league.
"“It’s a level of competition and a level of exposure when more or less every team in the league is there and you’re playing in front of 20,000 people as opposed to playing in a gym with a few hundred people,” Weltman told the Orlando Sentinel. “So it better prepares you for what NBA life is really about with the crowds, the pressure, the travel — a lot of what you’re going to have to confront. Obviously, it’s not a true test of an NBA season, but it’s a little taste.”"
Fans were only ever admitted to watch the Orlando Summer League on one occasion — LeBron James‘ first Summer League game was moved to the Amway Arena (nee Orlando Arena). So it will not affect fans very much. In fact, many fans often ask why the Magic did not participate in Vegas when there seems to be much more NBA attention on the league.
This summer will be the first time the Magic have attended the Vegas Summer League since Dwight Howard‘s rookie year in 2004.
It is definitely the passing of an era for the Magic. The Summer League was an unofficial start to the end of the summer with several executives meeting in one place. Often massive news stories would break while Summer League was going on — sending shockwaves through the assembled media and executives around.
The Magic would still send representatives to Vegas to scout players and meet with other executives.
Next: Orlando Magic's road trip uncovers flaws
Now they will send their team to Vegas too.