Orlando Magic sought players with something to prove in free agency

The Orlando Magic focused their offseason acquisitions on guys who had something to prove. They wanted guys who had that chip on their shoulder.

Jarell Martin displayed a solid array of skills with the LSU Tigers in an intriguing package. The athletic power forward had potential to play multiple positions while still being a strong guy on the block and a high-flyer at the rim. He was a first-round pick to the Memphis Grizzlies, a team that seemed to fit his skills.

Things did not go to plan.

Injuries and a veteran group ahead of him had Jarell Martin scrounging for minutes. He played just 14.1 minutes and 13.3 minutes per game in his first two seasons. Martin appeared in just 69 games in his first two seasons.

Martin’s career never quite took off. Certainly, some of that was his own shortcomings as a player. Every minute in the league is earned. But he also showed when he finally got his time what he can do.

Last year, Martin played a career-high 73 games, averaging 22.8 minutes per game. He scored 7.7 points per game and 4.4 rebounds per game. They were solid but not spectacular numbers.

But Martin likely has never stared down an opportunity like the one he may have after the Memphis Grizzlies traded him to the Orlando Magic. It is the final year of his rookie contract and his NBA life is in the balance. This is his chance to make the most of a new situation and get a breath of fresh air. The Magic seem willing to give him the consistent role he rarely got with the Grizzlies.

Any player would be hungry for this opportunity. And this is exactly the kind of player Orlando targeted throughout the offseason.

"“I think the returning players feel they have a lot to prove,” president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said. “As we always speak about, there is something to be said for whether it is draft, free agency or trade, it’s not just who you acquire but when. You look at a guy like Jerian Grant, for example, he has something to prove to the league. I think we have a team full of those guys right now. I think they are eager to start.”"

Jerian Grant is another perfect example of this.

The former first-round pick bounced around between the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls in his first three years. He too struggled to find his playing time — averaging about 16 minutes per game and 5.7 points per game. Grant’s shot needed some improvement and he was a true tweener as he struggled to grow his point guard skills.

Last year with the Bulls, he played a career-best 22.8 minutes per game and 8.4 points per game. It was his first time with real consistent playing time and a few opportunities to start.

He still has to prove himself as a shooter and a point guard. A new situation often can help a player get more clarity.

But like Martin, he is entering the final year of his rookie contract. This is an opportunity Grant has to take advantage of to keep his place in the NBA.

"“This is a great opportunity,” Grant said. “l I have been talking to coach Clifford and everybody is hungry to do something special.”"

That is the pervasive feeling throughout the Magic roster this year. Grant said everyone on the team appears hungry to take that next step. It should create an interesting dynamic as the team tries to break through and make a better future for itself.

A lot of players have something to prove.

Weltman said this is the exact kind of player the Magic targeted throughout their offseason. He said they looked specifically for young players who “had not yet had their books written.” These were players they felt still had a chance to blossom.

Jerian Grant said he had watched how his good friend and fellow De Matha high school teammate Victor Oladipo needed some time to develop and grow his game. Even getting a new opportunity helped Oladipo take his game to a new level. Not everyone can enter the NBA and make such an immediate impact.

With the Magic likely still in a bit of a rebuild mode, it seemed they were happy to take the short-term gambles on young players like these. They are in a position where they could grab expiring rookie contracts and give them the chances they might not be getting elsewhere. If they come through, they can re-sign them, if not, very little seems lost.

The players just have to take advantage of the opportunities.

"“Definitely a fresh start,” Martin said. “But the guys are making it easier for me with them competing with me and working hard. It makes it easier for me.”"

Martin is now fully healthy for training camp for one of the first times in his career. He has been part of the team’s spirited practices — so much so that he was dripping sweat following a recent practice as he met with reporters.

It appears he could be in line for minutes at power forward. Magic officials said they liked his versatility and see him possibly able to play both forward positions and maybe even some center. Martin said he worked on trying to expand his shooting out to the 3-point line to become a bit more valuable. But his best role likely is in attacking the offensive glass and working pick and pops in the mid-range.

Orlando sees a lot of opportunities to use him. And Martin said the trade gave him a little bit of a chip on his shoulder. The Grizzlies essentially traded him in a salary dump, acquiring only a second-round pick in return.

The same goes for Grant. Orlando officials have already suggested they are intrigued with playing him in lineups with D.J. Augustin. They love his versatility and his defense has drawn some positive reviews in the early days of camp.

Add in a player like Isaiah Briscoe who had to play in Europe last year before returning to the U.S. for a NBA shot has a lot to prove.

It is still unclear how these players will ultimately contribute to the Magic. They all seem to sense the overall hunger on the team to make more of this season.

It was the exact atmosphere and kind of player the Magic were looking for this summer.