The Orlando Magic didn’t train R.J. Hampton’s rookie scale fourth-year workforce choice for the 2023-24 season, a number of sources informed the Orlando Sentinel on Friday night.
The Magic exercised the third-year workforce choices on Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner and the fourth-year workforce choices on Cole Anthony and Chuma Okeke for subsequent season, a number of sources mentioned.
The group later confirmed the Sentinel’s reporting, saying they’d exercised the choices for Anthony, Okeke, Suggs and Wagner.
Monday is the league-wide deadline for groups to select up rookie scale choices.
With the Magic not choosing up his workforce choice, Hampton will change into an unrestricted free agent in July, which means he’s free to signal with any workforce.
The Magic can nonetheless re-sign Hampton as a free agent. If they re-signed him, the Magic can be capped at paying Hampton $4.2 million within the first yr of his new contract according to Spotrac — the quantity of his declined choice.
Hampton is within the means of leaving LIFT Sports Management, the company based by former UF and Magic guard/ahead Mike Miller and CEO Donnie McGrath in the summertime of 2020, a supply informed the Sentinel. He was the company’s first signing.
Hampton’s fourth-year choice not being picked up was barely stunning. Most first-round picks have their third- and fourth-year workforce choices exercised.
What made the choice much less stunning is Hampton hasn’t been a constant a part of coach Jamahl Mosley’s rotation.
Before Friday’s win over the Charlotte Hornets, Hampton was averaging 11 minutes, enjoying in 4 of 5 video games.
He performed 9 minutes within the Oct. 22 loss to the Boston Celtics and seven minutes in Monday’s loss to the New York Knicks. Hampton was a wholesome scratch in Wednesday’s loss on the Cleveland Cavaliers, the primary time that’s occurred for the reason that Magic acquired him from the Denver Nuggets in March 2021.
“I really can’t say there have been things I’ve been told that have been pinpointed as far as why I’m not getting consistent minutes or the minutes aren’t the same as preseason,” Hampton informed the Sentinel forward of Friday’s sport, earlier than the Magic introduced their selections on the choices.
“A lot of it is just staying ready. It sounds cliché but it’s the truth. You never know when your opportunities going to come. When it does, you have to be ready for it. When I get that opportunity, I’ll be ready.”
With Anthony (proper inside indirect muscle damage), Markelle Fultz (fractured left huge toe), Gary Harris (left knee damage restoration) and Jalen Suggs (sprained proper ankle) sidelined, Hampton had 9 factors (2 of seven), 4 assists, 4 rebounds and a pair of steals in a season-high 25 minutes Friday.
Hampton was a constant a part of final season’s rotation, averaging 21.9 minutes and enjoying in all 64 video games he was accessible for, together with 14 begins. He averaged 21.9 minutes within the Magic’s 5 preseason video games, suggesting he’d get constant minutes as a part of the common rotation in gentle of the workforce’s accidents however that hasn’t been the case.
“I’d be lying to say it’s not frustrating,” Hampton mentioned, “but it’s all how you control your emotions and how you see the bottle — half full or half empty.”
When requested about Hampton’s lowered position forward of Friday’s sport, Mosley responded: “Part of it is … there are other guys who are handling the basketball. He’s going to continue to get the opportunity. He’s done a great job of continuing to work and grow.”
As for the way Hampton could possibly be featured extra within the rotation, Mosley replied: “R.J. and I have talked. We do a ton of communicating of his ability to sit down and guard. Picking up guys full court as that primary guard to start our defense. Offensively, it goes back to what we’re telling all of our guys — quick, right decisions.”
Hampton, the No. 24 choose within the 2020 draft, was traded to the Magic together with Harris and Denver’s protected 2025 first-round draft choose for Aaron Gordon.
He averaged 11.2 factors, 5 rebounds and a pair of.8 assists (25.2 minutes) in his 26 video games with the Magic in the course of the 2020-21 season and was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for May.
Hampton’s manufacturing dipped to averages of seven.6 factors, 3 rebounds and a pair of.5 assists his sophomore season.
His position modified — he wasn’t the first ballhandler as incessantly — due to inconsistent outcomes as a playmaker and his scoring effectivity on the rim declined. He made enhancements as a defender and outdoors shooter, flattening 35% of his 2.9 3-point makes an attempt in 2021-22 after changing 31.9% of his 2.7 makes an attempt with the Magic as a rookie.
Hampton appeared to make enhancements as a playmaker throughout preseason, mentioning the sport was slowing down for him and making the most of his elite pace, however his enjoying time dwindled within the common season.
The choices for Anthony, Okeke, Suggs and Wagner being picked have been anticipated.
Anthony, the No. 15 choose within the 2020 draft who’s slated to earn 5.54 million subsequent season, has averaged 14.9 factors, 5.1 rebounds and 5 assists in 29.8 minutes with the Magic (116 video games — 102 begins). He participated within the Rising Stars competitors throughout final yr’s All-Star Weekend in Cleveland.
Okeke, the No. 16 choose within the 2019 draft who’ll have a wage of $5.27 million, averaged 8.1 factors, 4.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.2 steals in 24.6 minutes forward of Friday, largely as a reserve. He signed his rookie deal in November 2020 after utilizing the 2019-20 season to work his method again from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee at Auburn.
Suggs, the No. 5 choose in final yr’s draft, has averaged 11.8 factors., 4.3 assists., 3.5 rounds and 1.2 steals in 50 common season video games (47 begins). He additionally participated in Rising Stars.
Wagner, picked three spots behind Suggs, was named to final season’s All-Rookie first workforce, the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for December and took part in Rising Stars.
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at [email protected] or observe him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com