Orlando Magic giving Chuma Okeke a redshirt year benefits everyone
Rehab, Access and Recovery
The Orlando Magic have had a general policy throughout several front offices of preferring to have players rehab with the main roster.
They have long preferred players be able to practice with the NBA team, believing they get more quality experience traveling with the min team and practicing with them rather than staying separate or playing with the G-League team.
Things have slowly changed especially since the Orlando Magic bought the Lakeland Magic and brought them closer to the city. Players can shuffle between the team much easier now and Orlando has used Lakeland as a venue for a few rehab starts — Jonathan Isaac notably played a few games with Lakeland as he recovered from his injury.
But undoubtedly, Chuma Okeke’s situation is unique.
The main focus right now is getting him healthy so he can contribute to the team in the long-term. That is always the thought process is his long-term health and outlook.
Orlando Magic
Getting him with a NBA training staff and into the Amway Center medical facility would seemingly be the primary goal. It would follow that he would need to be under contract to access everything the Magic have to offer.
But this is not entirely true.
The rules on access to the training facility are a bit fuzzy. I could not find anything governing this within the collective bargaining agreement. But it appears through some anecdotal evidence, Okeke would still be able to do rehab and meet with medical staff within the Amway Center without being under contract.
The main restriction is access to coaching and the inability to practice. Okeke would not be able to get coaching from the Magic’s coaching staff or participate in any practices.
The Magic have used this in their recent history.
When the team drafted Tyler Harvey, he did not participate in camp for several years. The plan when the Magic took him was to have him spend at least his first year with Erie. So he did not sign a contract with the team immediately, allowing the Magic to retain his rights. But he was spotted in the Amway Center throughout training camp.
More recently, during the offseason and after his injury, Isaiah Briscoe was spotted doing his rehab within the Amway Center. That is reportedly a common practice to provide training facilities for injured players after they are cut when in a similar circumstance.
It therefore seems to follow the team can open its training facility and team doctors to Okeke. But he would not have access to the team’s coaches.