The NBA's Summer League is a chance for players on the fringes of the league to showcase themselves. It is their chance to be in front of decision-makers around the league to try to earn one of the precious few roster spots or even two-way opportunities.
It is all about staying in touch with the league.
There is a lot of attention put on what happens on the court in Las Vegas. But there are other showcases taking place in high school gyms and training gyms around the city.
NBA executives were reportedly watching one particular player trying to come back from injury.
Former Magic second overall pick Victor Oladipo was one of the talks of Summer Leauge after he reportedly impressed in a workout that included 5-on-5 work with international pros on Monday in Las Vegas.
A potential return for Oladipo would make for one of the best stories in the league -- especially with the increase of high-profile leg injuries that hit the league this spring. Oladipo has been out of action since tearing his patellar tendon in his left knee in the 2023 Playoffs while playing with the Miami Heat.
He is trying to prove at 33 that he still has something to give teams and is back from that injury.
I feel so great right now!! Better than I felt in the last 7 years mind, body and soul. I know I am a fighter! I know I am a warrior! I have seen every lens this game and this league has to offer. I know I can help any team in any role win in any way! I also know the people want…
— Victor Oladipo (@VicOladipo) July 14, 2025
It may not happen immediately. But Oladipo is back on NBA radars. And it seems like a comeback is very possible. The question is which team will take the chance.
Oladipo has had a strange journey
Victor Oladipo's journey through the NBA has been a strange one.
Oladipo started as an under-recruited player out of the legendary DeMatha High School in Washington, D.C., before slowly improving his skills in three years at Indiana and breaking out in his junior year.
The Orlando Magic made him the second pick of the 2013 Draft. He was the first high draft pick after the Magic began their rebuild after Dwight Howard's departure.
Oladipo showed a lot of promise, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting (he likely should have won) and pouring in several impressive scoring games. As the Magic collected talent, they never quite found their groove. They bounced between coaches and Oladipo suffered without much direction or purpose from the franchise.
In three seasons with the Magic, he averaged 15.9 points per game 4.0 assists per game. It was clear he was not reaching his potential.
Still, the Magic controversially traded him, along with the draft rights to Domantas Sabonis, for Serge Ibaka and his expiring contract. The Magic were hesitant to give him a big contract at the end of his rookie deal, but they traded away two future All-Stars for nothing.
It took going to a more settled franchise like the Oklahoma City Thunder for Oladipo to find his way. He emerged as an All-Star after he was traded to the Indiana Pacers, earning his first of two All-Star bids in 2018. He delivered in the Playoffs for a spunky Pacers team, averaging 22.7 points per game in the 2018 Playoffs and 17.8 points per game in 2020.
But injuries overtook him.
He played only 36 games in 2019 after suffering a ruptured right quad tendon. He began bouncing around the league as he struggled to stay on the court. He played 33 games in 2021, averaging 19.8 points per game that year, but still dealt with complications from his injury.
The injury he suffered in 2023 with the Miami Heat seemed like it would be the end for him. The injuries gutted the athleticism that made him such a high-level prospect.
But Oladipo still has something to give. While he struggled to shoot with the Magic, he has developed into a solid 3-point shooter, shooting 35.0 percent in the seven seasons since leaving Orlando. Oladipo still has something to give.
Would he be a fit with the Magic?
The Orlando Magic still have an open roster spot. It is not clear whether the Magic were one of the teams that attended his workout in Las Vegas earlier this week. It is not clear if the Magic would be interested in signing a player like Oladipo.
Orlando is very limited by the hard cap it imposed on itself by signing Tyus Jones. The Magic have about $1.3 million before hitting the hard cap. They are not able to sign any player to a minimum contract to fill that spot until later in the season to stay beneath that hard cap. Not unless the team reduces its payroll.
But it should also be clear that the Magic need some scoring punch off their bench. They are banking on a starter-heavy scoring system, and they are unsure about what they will get from Moe Wagner when he returns from injury. Otherwise, the team will need scoring from Tyus Jones and Anthony Black, especially in the backcourt.
More likely, the missing piece for the Magic is a scorer at the small forward position unless Tristan da Silva or Jett Howard steps up in a major way. The team could even go with a small backcourt with Jase Richardson, Tyus Jones and Anthony Black as the backup wings.
Oladipo may not be a solid fit for what the Magic are missing right now. But his skills, his penchant and commitment to playing defense and his shooting would be valuable.
The Magic are missing maybe one more player to complete their roster. They likely will be a team active at the trade deadline to find that missing piece or in the buyout market using their limited resources. Orlando still has to figure out what it is missing and how close the team really is to competing for a title.
Oladipo is an option. Whether he will last until the Magic have the ability to sign him is another question.
But it is good to see the former Magic draft pick making his comeback and trying to find his way back on the court.