5 players the Orlando Magic could sign with extra roster spots
The G-League Options — Josh Magette & Amile Jefferson
Two other G-League players within the Lakeland Magic system likely work better for the team and fill needs they might have in practice. Especially if the team opts to deem Jonathan Isaac and Al-Farouq Aminu out for the rest of the year.
The biggest need on the Magic’s roster remains the backup power forward spot. The team signed Gary Clark for some veteran reliability. But Clark has been up and down in his time with the team. He is averaging only 2.5 points per game in 12.5 rebounds per game. His defense has been solid, but he is mostly filling the minutes Aaron Gordon cannot play.
The Magic certainly could consider bringing Amile Jefferson back into the fold. He knows everything the Magic want to do and what they are trying to do. Coach Steve Clifford has said on numerous occasions how he believes Amile Jefferson could fit into a game whenever he is called. He has lauded Jefferson’s practice habits.
If the Magic are merely bringing a player along to fill practice time, Jefferson is about as good as the Magic can do. He knows everyone on the team and knows what the coaches want. There will be no learning curve.
He killed the G-League once again, averaging 25.9 points and 12.6 rebounds per game in his seven games in the G-Leauge — he signed a contract with the Magic to start the season. Jefferson has established beyond a doubt that he is too good for the G-League.
But the problem is, as it always has been, despite the trust Clifford professes to have in Jefferson, he never could find minutes.
Orlando Magic
The most minutes Jefferson played this season was 16:23 in the road game against the Phoenix Suns. He only cleared 10 minutes twice — the other being the Jan. 1 game when Jonathan Isaac got injured.
Jefferson never got playing time and he plays more like a traditional center than a modern power forward.
Familiarity might win out here. And it feels like a safe bet that if the Magic ad someone from outside the roster, Jefferson is their guy.
The other big need on the Magic roster might be another point guard. The Magic like running two point-guard lineups and so there are a lot of instances where Markelle Fultz shares the floor with D.J. Augustin or Michael Carter-Williams. A fourth point guard might come in handy.
And Josh Magette is still someone who has a lot of familiarity with what the Magic are going to run. He started the year as a two-way player and tore up the G-League as well with 21.1 points and 10.6 assists per game.
But like Jefferson, that was not enough to break through the rotation and take any significant minutes.
The Magic are likely to add one or both of these players to their roster if they have space just for the familiarity. They should feel like they can contribute to the team in practice.
But relying on them to contribute beyond that? That is much more uncertain. Maybe the trust in knowing the system will be enough if that time comes.