Carter-Williams, Birch signed for 2019-20
The Orlando Magic officially announced Wednesday they have re-signed free-agent guard Michael Carter-Williams and reserve center Khem Birch, bringing back two more key pieces from last season’s playoff team.
Terms of the contracts were not disclosed, but Birch’s deal will be for two years and a reported $6 million. Carter-Williams reportedly has received a one-year deal worth $1.62 million.
The signings mean every player who was in the Magic’s playoff rotation last season will be back for the 2019-20 campaign.
When backup point guard Isaiah Briscoe went down with a knee injury in March, the Magic signed Carter-Williams. Known for his defensive abilities, Carter-Williams had played for Magic general manager John Hammond in Milwaukee and had played the 2017-18 season in Charlotte for Magic coach Steve Clifford.
The 6-foot-6 Carter-Williams gave the Magic heavy doses of defense and energy and quickly became a fan favorite for his enthusiasm and energy.
Clifford, who called the guard one of the best perimeter defenders he’s ever coached, said he was watching film recently and he began thinking about Carter-Williams’ defensive skills.
“Defensively, there’s nights now, I don’t know if we all realize, he’s spectacular,” Clifford said. “He can guard 1s, 2s and many 3s. He can contain the ball and pressure the ball without getting beat, and steal the ball, and there’s just not many guys that can do that. Isaiah had given us more pace up and down the floor, and we played faster [with Carter-Williams]. He played really well.”
Clifford credited Hammond for seeing Carter-Williams as a player who could help the Magic, particularly with his defensive versatility.
“When you talk about depth, guys that can guard more than one spot, it’s a big deal,” Clifford said.
With Carter-Williams in the lineup, the Magic went 10-2 in their final 12 regularseason games as they clinched their first playoff berth since 2012.
Birch, meanwhile, also played at a high energy level. He stepped up his game when called upon and played a big role in helping the team secure its first playoff berth since 2012. He took over the backup center role to Nikola Vucevic after rookie Mo Bamba went down with a season-ending leg injury in early February. From there, Birch showed tremendous value to the Magic. He averaged 6.3 points and 4.7 rebounds — both above his season marks — and posted a defensive rating of 101.9 over the final 29 games of the regular season, according to league data.
While he didn’t block a lot of shots, Birch’s length makes him a defensive presence and he has the ability to alter shots in the paint. Birch also has shown to be an effective screener in the pick-and-roll game.
The Magic have retained CarterWilliams, Birch, Vucevic and Terrence Ross and signed free agent Al-Farouq Aminu this offseason. They now have 14 players signed for next season. In addition, they also have a qualifying offer out to two-way player Amile Jefferson, who is a restricted agent.