Khem Birch starting for Canada benefits himself and the Orlando Magic

Khem Birch is another member of the Orlando Magic that will be playing in the FIBA World Cup and is in line for heavy minutes for Team Canada.

The FIBA World Cup tips off in China on August 31, and the Orlando Magic have a quartet of players taking part in the tournament. Nikola Vucevic will be the focal point for Montenegro, Evan Fournier remains a key cog with France, Al-Farouq Aminu is playing his final tournament for Nigeria and Khem Birch will suit up for Canada.

While Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier and Al-Farouq Aminu are household names within their respective countries and were locks to have heavy minutes, Khem Birch is in line for an increase in minutes. Kelly Olynyk was injured in the first exhibition against Al-Farouq Aminu’s Nigeria and Tristan Thompson did not report to training camp, opening up plenty of frontcourt opportunities for Khem Birch to get international experience.

Birch shared the lead in scoring with 14 points in Canada’s 96-87 win over Nigeria. He also contributed four rebounds, three steals and one assist for them, and is line to start for them in the World Cup.

This is a strong development for Birch and the Magic.

The 26-year-old will have some tough matchups in the group stages with Australia’s Andrew Bogut and Aron Baynes, Lithuania’s Jonas Valanciunas and Domantas Sabonis and Senegal’s Gorgui Dieng.

That is five high-quality NBA bigs that Birch will be battling with, and they are all very different styles of players. Not to mention this is supposed to be Canada’s golden generation — although players like Andrew Wiggins and Jamal Murray are sitting out.

Australia will be extremely physical given Bogut’s and Baynes’ massive frames and how they use them. Sabonis and Valanciunas are extremely skilled in the post, and Dieng has an inside-out game that will put Birch on the perimeter.

This will give Birch a chance to get extended playing time against NBA bigs that would be tough to come by given where he stands in the Magic pecking order of big men. Nikola Vucevic and Mohamed Bamba are locked in as the starter and bench big with Khem Birch spelling them if foul trouble or an injury arises.

For the Magic, it will give them a legitimate sample size of playing time to judge Birch against NBA competition. If he can hold down the paint, control the boards and use his speed to cause some difficulties in the pick-and-roll as a rim runner, Orlando could be inclined to give him some extra minutes.

If Birch shows out in the FIBA World Cup, he could play his way to a bigger deal down the line, or even generate interest from other teams. The Magic may not have a role for him, but he is on a team-friendly contract, and finding role players short on years and low on money is valuable.

Birch was always expected to be a part of the Canadian National Team for the FIBA World Cup, but injuries and dropouts have created a path for him to be a starter for the tournament.

This, coupled with the rest of the Magic players featured in the competition as well as Jonathan Isaac’s participation with the USA Select Team that is working with the Team USA World Cup Roster, gives half of the Orlando roster an early preseason.

There is always an increased injury risk in playing competitive basketball, something Birch is individually benefitting from with Olynyk getting hurt in the first exhibition game, that could concern the Magic. This and preserving their bodies for the playoffs is why a lot of the star NBA players are opting to sit out of the tournament.

But there is injury risk every time you play basketball, workout or even walk around the house as we’ve seen freak injuries occur all the time.

Regardless of the injury risk, Birch needs playing time and this a great way to play against solid competition. He will be in the pick-and-roll with Cory Joseph, Canada’s point guard, which is ideal for him since D.J. Augustin has a slightly similar pick-and-roll game to Joseph.

Birch starting helps himself and is great for the Magic. Representing your country is always an honor.

There will be a quartet of Magic players in China for the FIBA World Cup, and Birch is now among the players who will be in the starting lineup and relied upon as contributors for their countries.