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Orlando Pro Summer League 2013 schedule, new format announced

2013-05-23T18:59:03Z

On Thursday, the Orlando Magic announced the schedule for the 2013 Orlando Pro Summer League. The yearly event allows rookies, young prospects, and NBA hopefuls to gain five-on-five experience in front of scouts, general managers, and other league decision-makers.

The Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, and Utah Jazz will join the Magic for the 2013 Summer League, which runs from July 7th through the 12th on the practice court at Amway Center. The event is closed to the public.

Each of the 12 teams will play four games over the first five days of the event. July 12th, designated Championship Day, will crown a winner of the 2013 Orlando Pro Summer League. Championship Day is a new addition to the event.

To determine seeding for Championship Day, points will be awarded based on results from the first five days of Summer League play. Three points will be awarded for a win, with one point being awarded for each quarter won. In the event that teams tie in a quarter, then each team will receive 0.5 points.

The tiebreakers, for seeding purposes, are, in order: total point differential and total points allowed. A coin flip will serve as the third tiebreaker.

The schedule is listed below.

Sunday, July 7th

9 AM: Houston at Philadelphia
11 AM: Boston at Orlando
1 PM: Miami at Utah
3 PM: Oklahoma City at Indiana
5 PM: Detroit at Brooklyn

Monday, July 8th

11 AM: Oklahoma City at Orlando
1 PM: Philadelphia at Indiana
3 PM: Boston at Detroit
5 PM: Brooklyn at Miami

Tuesday, July 9th

11 AM: Indiana at Boston
1 PM: Detroit at Oklahoma City
3 PM: Utah at Houston
5 PM: Miami at Orlando

Wednesday, July 10th

11 AM: Utah at Brooklyn
1 PM: Oklahoma City at Philadelphia
3 PM: Boston at Houston

Thursday, July 11th

11 AM: Indiana at Utah
1 PM: Miami at Detroit
3 PM: Houston at Brooklyn
5 PM: Philadelphia at Orlando

Friday, July 12th (Championship Day)

8 AM: 6th place at 5th place
10 AM: 4th place at 3rd place
12 PM: 2nd place at 1st place
2 PM: 8th place at 9th place
4 PM: 10th place at 9th place

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NBA Draft 2013: Orlando Magic prepare to continue rebuilding

2013-05-23T01:25:18Z

Armed with the second pick in the Draft, Orlando looks to move forward in its rebuilding effort. Follow all the news, rumors, and analysis in this StoryStream.

With the NBA regular season winding down, it's time for some fans and analysts to look ahead to the 2013 NBA Draft. To that end, Chad Ford of ESPN Insider débuted his first 2013 mock draft on Tuesday, based on the league's standings after Sunday's action. With the league's second-worst record, the Orlando Magic own the second pick in Ford's mock, though it's important to note that the NBA does not allot Draft position based on standings: with the second-worst record, Orlando could pick anywhere from first overall to fifth overall.

In Tuesday's mock, Ford has Orlando selecting Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Marcus Smart, a freshman. Ford touts Smart's physical strength, "great motor," and "toughness," as well as his "leadership." Ford also notes that Orlando already has "promising young players" at small forward, power forward, and center--one can assume he means Maurice Harkless, Tobias Harris, and Nik Vučević, respectively--so Smart would address Orlando's need for guard help.

Smart averaged 15.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game for the Cowboys, shooting 40.4 percent from the field, 29 percent from three-point range, and 77.7 percent from the foul line. While jump-shooting is a weakness of Smart's, it's a skill that can improve over time, and his high rate of free throws--he averaged one free-throw try for every 1.7 field goals attempted--suggests that he has the tools to get into the paint and draw contact.

Smart did his draft stock no favors in the NCAA tournament, shooting 5-of-13 from the field for 14 points, with four assists and five turnovers, as the 12th-seeded Oregon Ducks upset his fifth-seeded Oklahoma State squad.

Ford selected center Nerlens Noel for the Charlotte Bobcats with the first pick in the mock draft. After Smart, the next three players off the board were Kansas Jayhawks guard Ben McLemore, Georgetown Hoyas swingman Otto Porter, and Indiana Hoosiers swingman Victor Oladipo.

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NBA Draft 2013 rumor: GMs "love" Victor Oladipo, according to report

2013-05-23T01:16:12Z

One NBA Draft prospect to watch in the weeks leading up to the June 27th event is Indiana Hoosiers swingman Victor Oladipo, if the latest word from Chad Ford is any indication. "Oladipo is the guy that GMs love in this draft," Ford said in a chat with ESPN readers on Wednesday. "I've talked to 14 or 15 who tell me he's their favorite player."

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Ford issued that response because of a fan who asked specifically if the Orlando Magic might select Oladipo with the second overall pick. Ford says he had the Magic taking Trey Burke instead of Oladipo "primarily based on need," but he goes on to say that either Orlando or the Phoenix Suns could be "strong fits" for the junior shooting guard.

Draft prospect profiles at OPP: Trey Burke Ben McLemore Nerlens Noel Victor Oladipo Otto Porter Shabazz Muhammad Other point guards

In Tobias Harris and Maurice Harkless, the Magic already have two talented young prospects who can play on the perimeter, though Harris may be better suited to play as a power forward. Oladipo may be redundant with Orlando's roster as presently constructed, but coming off a season in which the Magic led the league in losses, Rob Hennigan can't be too picky as he continues his rebuild.

Oladipo enjoyed a breakout season at Indiana, building on his reputation as a hard-nosed, hard-working player while adding to his offensive repertoire. He averaged 13.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.2 steals on a remarkable 59.9 percent shooting from the floor. Whether he'll be an effective scorer at the NBA level is an open question.

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NBA Draft rumor: Magic decision likely between Trey Burke and Ben McLemore, according to report

2013-05-22T20:42:12Z

With the NBA Draft order set as of Tuesday night, the rumor mill will certainly grind along until the Cleveland Cavaliers make the first pick on June 27th. One rumor regarding the Orlando Magic surfaced Wednesday from Pro Basketball Draft, which reported that the Magic's decision with the second overall pick will likely come down to Kansas Jayhawks shooting guard Ben McLemore and Michigan Wolverines point guard Trey Burke.

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"Both players can help" as Orlando rebuilds, according to the tweet. "Workout [and] interviews are key." Magic general manager Rob Hennigan said in February that he wants to add players "who are about the right things" in order to create a "sustainable" team, so certainly the interviews with McLemore and Burke will figure heavily into his decision as Draft night approaches.

Draft prospect profiles at OPP: Trey Burke Ben McLemore Nerlens Noel Victor Oladipo Otto Porter Shabazz Muhammad Other point guards

Most experts consider McLemore to be the second-best prospect in the Draft, behind Kentucky Wildcats center Nerlens Noel. The St. Louis, Missouri native has drawn comparisons to Ray Allen due to his combination of athleticism and shooting range. McLemore shot 42 percent from three-point range on 4.7 attempts per game en route to averaging 15.9 points in his lone season with the Jayhawks.

Experts haven't compared Burke to anyone as great as Allen, but he did win the Wooden Award for the NCAA's top point guard in 2013. In his two seasons at Michigan, Burke averaged 16.9 points and 5.7 assists per game, shooting 45 percent from the floor and 36.7 percent on threes.

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NBA mock draft 2013: SI has Magic taking Ben McLemore with second pick

2013-05-22T06:04:20Z

The Orlando Magic learned Tuesday night that they'll pick second overall in the 2013 NBA Draft. With the order of picks settled, many media outlets--including ESPN--have begun publishing new or updated mock drafts, and Sports Illustrated is no exception to that rule. Chris Mannix posted a new mock early Wednesday morning, and he has Orlando selecting Kansas Jayhawks two-guard Ben McLemore.

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Mannix believes "it will be difficult for the Magic to pass on McLemore" despite the fact that they already employ Arron Afflalo, a six-year veteran with three years remaining on his contract, at the position. Mannix compares McLemore to future Hall-of-Fame sharpshooter Ray Allen, and also notes that Oklahoma St. Cowboys guard Marcus Smart would have been "a natural fit" for Orlando had he elected to declare for the Draft.

Draft prospect profiles at OPP: Trey Burke Ben McLemore Nerlens Noel Victor Oladipo Otto Porter Shabazz Muhammad

Overall, Mannix concludes that second is "an interesting spot" for the Magic. Michigan Wolverines point guard Trey Burke could also be Orlando's pick, but Mannix expresses doubt that the Magic would select him so high in the draft.

In his lone season at Kansas, McLemore averaged 15.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, two assists, and one steal per game, shooting 49.5 percent from the field and a scorching 42 percent from three-point range.

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NBA mock draft 2013: Magic select Trey Burke in ESPN's first post-lotto mock

2013-05-22T02:15:07Z

With the NBA Draft order set as a result of Tuesday's Draft Lottery, ESPN Insider Chad Ford submitted a new mock draft. In it, Ford has the Orlando Magic selecting Michigan Wolverines point guard Trey Burke with the second overall pick.

Ford says that taking Burke first overall might have been risky, but that he makes more sense at number two. In Ford's mock, the Cleveland Cavaliers chose Kentucky Wildcats center Nerlens Noel with the top pick.

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"He's a bit small for his position, but Orlando needs a leader," Ford says, "someone with moxie, and Burke seems like the best fit." The ESPN Insider also points out that Kansas Jayhawks shooting guard Ben McLemore could also fit with Orlando.

In two seasons at Michigan, Burke averaged 16.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.3 steals on 45 percent shooting from the field and 36.7 percent shooting from three-point range. He earned Consensus All-American First Team honors, as well as the Wooden Award for the nation's top point guard, in 2013.

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NBA Draft Lottery 2013: Magic to pick second as Cavaliers win top selection

2013-05-22T00:59:26Z

The NBA held its Draft Lottery on Tuesday night, revealing the order in which teams will select in the 2013 Draft. The Orlando Magic, who had a 25 percent chance of winning the lottery, will pick 2nd on June 27th. The Cleveland Cavaliers, who had a 15.6 percent chance of winning the top pick, came away victorious. The Cavs also picked first overall in 2011 as a result of a previous trade with the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Washington Wizards jumped from 8th to 3rd, marking the biggest surprise of 2013. The Charlotte Bobcats and Phoenix Suns round out the top five, respectively.

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Pat Williams, the Magic's Senior Vice President, represented Orlando at the lottery, armed with a good-luck charm named Peace Man that the daughter of Alex Martins, Orlando's CEO, furnished him. Williams was present when the Magic won the lottery in 1992, 1993, and 2004.

Prior to Tuesday, Orlando had not dropped in lottery position since 2000, when it was slotted to pick third but fell to fifth. Despite the bad luck, the situation worked out for the Magic: Mike Miller, Orlando's selection at no. 5, went on to win Rookie of the Year honors.

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NBA Draft Lottery 2013: Odds favor Magic in Tuesday's event

2013-05-21T04:00:08Z

The NBA Draft Lottery will determine the order in which the 14 teams who did not qualify for the postseason will select in the 2013 NBA Draft. The event is scheduled for Tuesday, May 21st at 8:30 PM Eastern/5:30 PM Pacific. ESPN's crew of Mark Jones, Jay Bilas, and Heather Cox will provide live coverage.

The Orlando Magic finished the 2012/13 season with a 20-62 record, the NBA's worst. As a result, they have the best odds--25 percent--of earning the first overall pick in the NBA Draft; in addition, Orlando can pick no lower than fourth overall.

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Pat Williams, the Magic's Senior Vice President, is scheduled to represent his team at Tuesday's event. Williams was present for each of Orlando's three other lottery wins in 1992, 1993, and 2004.

Below are the odds of earning a top-four selection for each of the league's 14 lottery teams. The rightmost column lists the odds of each team finishing outside the top four.

Team	No. 1	No. 2	No. 3	No. 4	Outside top 4
Orlando Magic	25.00%	21.51%	17.77%	35.73%	0.00%
Charlotte Bobcats	19.90%	18.81%	17.12%	31.86%	12.32%
Cleveland Cavaliers	15.60%	15.74%	15.58%	22.56%	30.52%
Phoenix Suns	11.90%	12.60%	13.30%	9.85%	52.35%
New Orleans Pelicans	8.80%	9.65%	10.68%	0.00%	70.87%
Sacramento Kings	6.30%	7.10%	8.11%	0.00%	78.50%
Detroit Pistons	3.60%	4.16%	4.91%	0.00%	87.32%
Washington Wizards	3.50%	4.05%	4.79%	0.00%	87.66%
Minnesota Timberwolves	1.70%	2.00%	2.41%	0.00%	93.892%
Portland Trail Blazers	1.10%	1.30%	1.58%	0.00%	96.031%
Philadelphia 76ers	0.80%	0.95%	1.15%	0.00%	97.1001%
Toronto Raptors	0.70%	0.83%	1.01%	0.00%	97.46%
Dallas Mavericks	0.60%	0.71%	0.87%	0.00%	97.82%
Utah Jazz	0.50%	0.59%	0.72%	0.00%	98.18%

The last time the team with the best odds of winning the lottery indeed hit the jackpot was in 2004, when the 21-61 Magic scored big. The team would go on to select 18-year-old center prospect Dwight Howard ahead of the more polished Emeka Okafor in June, a decision which paid dividends over Howard's eight-year career in the City Beautiful.

The Pelicans, then known as the Hornets, won the 2012 Draft Lottery, owning just a 13.7 percent chance of doing so. The longest-shot lotto victory in the last five seasons came in 2008, when the Chicago Bulls had just a 1.7 percent chance of hitting paydirt. Just three seasons later, Derrick Rose, the Bulls' selection, earned his first MVP trophy.

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