The Orlando Magic have signed two of the older players on two-way contracts in the NBA to further their desire to win now in both the NBA and G-League.
The main focus all offseason for the Orlando Magic has been predicated around remaining in the playoff field for the foreseeable future while building a core for the future. Their activity in free agency suggests the former and drafting Chuma Okeke, a player who will miss at least most of the season, supports the latter.
Now, with the roster near full completion, the Magic’s two-way players even point to a team focused on older players.
Orlando has signed Josh Magette, 29 years old, and Amile Jefferson, 26 years old, to two-way contracts, meaning they will spend most of their time in the G-League with the Lakeland Magic and have up to 45 days with Orlando and the NBA affiliate.
These spots are usually reserved for younger players that need to develop in the G-League before taking the next step to the NBA. Very rarely do you see players older than 27 years old on these deals since they are not young enough to develop into the long-term outlook for the organization. If they were talented enough, they would be in the NBA during their prime years.
Last season, the average age among two-way players was 23.5 years old. There were only three players older than the age of 27 signing these contracts, with the oldest being Kalin Lucas, 29 years old, with the Detroit Pistons.
Orlando’s signings of Josh Magette and Amile Jefferson points to the team being content with developing the five young players on their team while using the two-way contracts to have seasoned players at their disposal.
Magette and Jefferson lack NBA experience, but are older than the Magic’s young five and can come in to fill a role when called upon. Magic coach Steve Clifford always expressed faith in his ability to turn to Amile Jefferson throughout last year. The occasion just never arose.
It is an interesting strategy to deploy as both Magette and Jefferson are limited in their games.
Magette enjoys running the pick-and-roll and is a great passer, but that is about it. He averaged 10.1 assists per game for the Erie BayHawks in 2018 but played sparingly last year for Herbalife Gran Canaria in Spain.
Having an extra point guard, especially with the Magic’s lack of resources at this position, is not a bad thing, but he is not a long-term answer and just somebody who can keep an offense moving when D.J. Augustin is on the bench. The Magic would not play him unless both Markelle Fultz and Michael Carter-Williams are unavailable.
Jefferson, who was on a two-way deal with Orlando last season, will play solid defense, rebound. He did really well at Summer League, but Orlando already has a large amount of bigs and frontcourt players that will make playing time, barring injury, tough to come by when he is in the NBA with the Magic. Last year he played 68 total minutes for the main roster — none of them across the 12 games he appeared in any meaningful time.
Where Jefferson and Magette will have their largest impact is with the G-League team and how they can be examples of professionalism for the rest of the Lakeland squad. Having two players with their level of experience is great for the mostly young players trying to find their way in that league.
Who knows how limited options were for both players and the team itself, but signing two players to two-way contracts well above the average age in the NBA is another signal to the Magic’s intentions this season.
They are not trying to find long-term projects with their two-way deals. Rather they are using these contracts to have a pair of rotation players who will not be overwhelmed by the NBA game when with Orlando.
The team can trust these players to do their part to help the Magic win — really at both levels in the NBA and in the G-League.