Magic plan to exercise contract option on G Napier
After using the last several weeks to evaluate point guard Shabazz Napier, the Orlando Magic are planning to exercise their third-year option on him for the 2016-17 season.
This preseason, Napier has averaged 10.2 points, 2.2 assists and 1.2 turnovers in 17.0 minutes per game.
Napier also has made 60.0 percent of his 3-point attempts.
Napier, the 24th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, will earn $1.35 million during the 2016-17 season after his option is exercised.
The Magic acquired him in late July in a trade with the Miami Heat, who were facing a roster crunch and luxury-tax concerns.
The Magic received Napier and cash in exchange for a conditional secondround pick in 2016. The pick is so heavily protected that the Heat will receive the pick only if the Magic finish the upcoming season with one of the NBA’s five best records.
Of course, the Magic also plan to pick up their thirdyear options on combo forward Aaron Gordon and point guard Elfrid Payton and their fourth-year option on guard Victor Oladipo.
All the options apply to the 2016-17 season.
The deadline to exercise former first-round selections’ third- and fourthyear options will fall on Nov. 2 this year.
Barring an unforeseen occurrence such as a significant injury, the Magic are likely to exercise the options in the days immediately following their preseason finale Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies at Amway Center.
Survey says
The Magic now have some material to post on their bulletin boards after their franchise made relatively few appearances in this year’s NBA.com survey of league general managers.
The team, its players and its coaches received votes in response to four out of a possible 48 questions.
The Magic received their highest mention when GMs were asked, “Which new [or relocated] coach will make the biggest impact this season?”
Magic coach Scott Skiles placed fourth in the voting.
Alvin Gentry of the New Orleans Pelicans received 32.1 percent of the vote, followed by Billy Donovan of the Oklahoma City Thunder (28.6 percent) and Fred Hoiberg of the Chicago Bulls (17.9 percent).
Skiles received 10.7 percent of the vote, finishing ahead of the Sacramento Kings’ George Karl (7.1 percent) and the Denver Nuggets’ Mike Malone (3.6 percent).
The survey was released Tuesday.
No one on the Magic roster ranked in the top five when GMs were asked, “Which player is most likely to have a breakout season in 2015-16?”
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ Andrew Wiggins placed first, followed by the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Washington Wizards’ Bradley Beal and the Bucks’ Jabari Parker tied for third, followed by the Pelicans’ Anthony Davis.
Oladipo and Tobias Harris were among 13 players who also received votes.
The Thunder, Bucks, Pelicans, Heat and Indiana Pacers placed in the top five when GMs were asked to name the team that will be most improved.
The Magic also received at least one vote, as did the Boston Celtics, Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Utah Jazz.
Adrian Griffin, the Magic’s lead assistant coach, received at least one vote for the league’s top assistant coach. The Golden State Warriors’ Ron Adams, Cleveland Cavaliers’ Tyronn Lue and the San Antonio Spurs’ Ettore Messina ranked first, second and third in that category, respectively.
Josh Robbins