Magic sign former Princeton star Cannady to 10-day contract
Devin Cannady proved to be on the money when he said he was going to be on an NBA roster before the end of the season.
The former Princeton University star signed a 10-day contract with the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, the team announced.
Cannady was one of the standouts for the Lakeland Magic during their run to the G League championship last month. The 24-year-old was named Finals MVP after he scored 22 points on 9-for17 shooting, grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists.
In total, he averaged 11.7 points on 40% from 3 in 13 regular-season contests before turning it up in three playoff games in which he posted 15.7 points, shot 48.6% overall and hit on 45% of his 3-point attempts.
“What I’ve done hasn’t gone unnoticed,” Cannady said in an interview last month. “Winning a championship at any level there has to be some sort of evaluation, ‘What were the keys to that team’s success?’ I think my leadership, my ability to play team basketball and be efficient on both ends contributed to some of that success. There are teams that need what I do and my specialty, (so) just continue to be patient, but I’m definitely knocking on that door.”
MORE: After earning G League Finals MVP, former Princeton star Devin Cannady has NBA in sight
Cannady had been back home in Indiana since the G League bubble ended last month, hoping to get a call from an NBA team. He was with the Magic in training camp, but wasn’t offered one of the organization’s two-way contracts.
Orlando was expecting to contend for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but season-ending injuries to Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz sent the team into a tailspin.
Instead, the Magic overhauled the roster at the trade deadline, shipping out All-Star center Nikola Vucevic as well as veterans Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier and brought back four players in return.
“It’s one of those things where if you have the ability, you just need the exposure and I think this bubble was a great opportunity,” Cannady said.
“For a lot of guys, you don’t know when your next opportunity is going to come, but I prepared myself for the bubble, knowing it was going to be a short season, knowing it was an opportunity to showcase what I worked on all summer since the shutdown last March. It’s actually exciting for me because I think I put myself in a position where I can finish this year on an NBA roster.”
Orlando is 17-33 overall and four games behind Chicago for 10th place and the final postseason play-in spot.
Cannady’s NBA debut could come as early as Wednesday when the Magic host the Washington Wizards.
Cannady left Princeton as the program’s fifth alltime leading scorer and can become the first Tiger since
Steve Goodrich in 2002 to appear in an NBA game.
“I am so happy for Devin,” Princeton coach Mitch Henderson tweeted. “He’s embodied everything we talk about with Princeton basketball — you never stop getting better. Devin has accomplished this through hard work and sheer will. He’s never stopped believing in himself and I believe this is just the beginning!!”