Magic waive Stiemsma, Ejim, leaving roster at 15
The Orlando Magic’s roster situation is starting to come into focus.
The team waived center Greg Stiemsma on Thursday morning and waived forward Melvin Ejim on Wednesday night, leaving the roster at 15 players.
An Achilles’ tendon strain prevented Stiemsma, 30, from playing early in the preseason. He appeared in a total of two exhibition games, collecting 1.5 rebounds in 8.3 minutes per game.
“It’s unfortunate for Greg, in particular,” coach Scott Skiles said. “He didn’t get much of an opportunity to play because of his injury, but that’s part of it as well.
“And, then, Melvin, we like. But we knew he’d be in a tough spot on this team. We have wing players, and he would have to come in and really beat somebody out or something, and we just didn’t feel like that happened. He was good, though.”
NBA teams may carry a maximum of 15 players during the regular season, so it’s possible that the Magic will stand pat and not make any additional cuts.
But the team also may elect to make one more move and enter its season opener with 14 players to give the team additional roster flexibility.
If the team waives someone else, 6-foot-11 center Nnanna Egwu would be the most likely candidate. The team signed Egwu to a makegood deal during the offseason, and his salary won’t be guaranteed unless he remains on the roster beyond Jan. 7.
The Magic seem to have enough depth at the bigman spots.
Nik Vucevic is the team’s clear starting center, and Dewayne Dedmon gives the team a shotblocking presence at power forward or at center. Power forward Channing Frye also can play center when Orlando goes to a small lineup, and the Magic also signed 7-footer Jason Smith during the offseason.
Egwu went undrafted in June out of the University of Illinois and played for the Magic during the Orlando Pro Summer League in July.
If Egwu is waived, he would be a candidate for the Magic’s NBA Development League affiliate, the Erie BayHawks.
Magic hold youth clinics
The sounds of basketballs bouncing, children yelling gleefully and adults coaching filled the Downtown Recreation Complex gym Thursday afternoon as the Magic held a clinic for almost 100 kids ages 6-14.
The event was part of the NBA’s youth basketball initiative.
Dedmon, Victor Oladipo and Magic assistant coaches Adrian Griffin and Laron Profit helped guide the kids through drills for about 90 minutes.
“I was just like them at one point,” Oladipo said. “I was a little kid wanting to play basketball and just trying to do something productive with my life. To have the opportunity for us to come out here and experience this [is gratifying]. I never experienced anything like this with NBA players.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has said the league wants to reach five million children nationwide over the next two years through its Junior NBA program.
The Magic held two additional clinics Thursday afternoon at other Orlando-area gyms, with 200 more kids participating.
Assistant coaches Conner Henry, Monte Mathis and Jay Hernandez and Fox Sports Florida broadcaster Jeff Turner served as instructors at those events.
All 300 children who participated in the clinics received a free basketball.
Josh Robbins