The Orlando Magic announced Mohamed Bamba is done for Summer League. That vacated attention will allow some new diamonds to form for this team.
The Orlando Magic’s Summer League team has quickly become about how is not there rather than who is there.
The team announced Mohamed Bamba would be out for the remainder of the Summer League after Mohamed Bamba complained of general soreness. The team said it did not have anything to do with his left leg, which he injured in January last year. Both Bamba and the Magic said he was sitting out from an abundance of caution.
Not that he needed to show much more.
Bamba scored 15 points in 15 minutes during his lone game Friday against the San Antonio Spurs, displaying confidence offensively and holding his own on the block. He was rusty for sure, but it was encouraging as he made his imprint on the game.
Maybe the Magic did not need to see much else that they had not seen already in practices.
And so Summer League became about something else. Without any other regular roster players or rookies on the Sumer Leauge roster, the Magic are mining for players who might make a difference on the roster. Or, at least, be worth developing a bit more.
That part has been the harder one to figure out. The team is still trying to come together and find its rhythm.
But players are beginning to emerge now three games into Summer League. And the Magic can bank more information as they decide where to spend their last roster spot and their two-way contracts.
Perhaps too, the Magic’s players are starting to find more comfort on this stage.
These Summer League games are as much about who is going to fight and claw their way into the league. Coaches want to see production for sure, but it is also about showing how much you understand team concepts and fit into the overall concept.
Players who star in Summer League are not likely to be the stars on their regular teams.
That is why the scoring that Erik McCree has given the Magic earlier in the Summer League might be a bit of a mirage. He can score, but he needs a lot of shots to get there and is still a developing playmaker.
It is why the way DaQuan Jeffries has started to develop is encouraging.
He started hitting 3-pointers toward the end of Sunday’s game against the Denver Nuggets was encouraging. That continued into Tuesday’s 96-92 loss to the Miami Heat. Jeffries started to look like the player who just missed out on being drafted and wanted to prove his place.
Jeffries scored 21 points on 7-for-13 shooting. He hit five of his six 3-pointers. He was active defensively too and he brought the energy on the floor.
This is what the Magic wanted to see from him. The chip on his shoulder he said he would have throughout the Summer League. It was starting to shine through in much more obvious ways after Jeffries took a bit more of a back seat in the first few games.
With the lineup shifted a bit, Jeffries got put on the ball more. He gained instant chemistry with Amile Jefferson in the pick and roll as the two found each other throughout the game. Jeffries showed good patience and burst off the dribble, getting to the basket on more than a few occasions.
His improved 3-point shooting has been the biggest boost for the team. If he can continue to hit 3-pointers at this rate, he could become extremely valuable for the Magic. Orlando could certainly use another wing who can shoot to complete its roster.
Jeffries has a clear fit and now he is playing like he really belongs. The diamonds for the team are starting to emerge.
Orlando has used these outings to find key players in the past. The Magic reward their Summer League standouts. It is starting to look like Jeffries was a good find and someone who deserves a bit more review and consideration.
Other Summer League Notes
–What more is there really to say about Amile Jefferson at this point? He again turned in a monster game for the Magic in their loss to the Heat, scoring 24 points and grabbing 15 rebounds.
Jefferson displayed some solid footwork in the post and is just so good at filling gaps and finding opportunities around the basket. He is not the biggest guy in the world, but he finds a way to contribute. This is the kind of grinder coaches love and it is easy to see why the more he plays.
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–This Summer League has been a tough watch for the Magic. The main star in Bamba played his one game and is now done as the team stays cautious with injuries. So who will be the players the Magic are looking at? who are the guys that actually stand a chance to make this roster?
That has been the part that has been tough. Jefferson and Jeffries combined to score 45 of the team’s 92 shots and make 18 of 30 shots. The rest of the team made 17 of 51 shots (33.3 percent).
No one else really seemed to stand out for the Magic in the end. That is the biggest issue with this team right now.
–Having said that, Orlando is starting to rest some guys and look at new players on the roster. Erik McCree was moved to the bench to start John Petrucelli and Abdul Gaddy sat out for Jeremiah Hill to play. Dererk Pardon, who had an impressive stretch in the second quarter, got his first playing time.
Of note, Braian Angola-Rodas did not play in this game. He is someone the Magic had a close eye on last year at Summer League and with the Lakeland Magic. He has played well this year, displaying his shooting stroke. He could be someone the Magic look to offer a two-way contract to this year.
But there are still players who have yet to see action, including UCF Knights alums B.J. Taylor and Chad Brown. Expect more players to take some time off Wednesday and for the rest of the roster to get their chance.
The Orlando Magic are back in action Wednesday against the Brooklyn Nets.