September 8, 2016
ORLANDO – The Orlando Magic have signed six free agents: forward Cliff Alexander, forward Branden Dawson, guard Nick Johnson, guard Kevin Murphy, center Arinze Onuaku (ah-RIN-zay on-ooh-AH-koo) and forward Damjan Rudez (DAHM-yahn ROO-dezh), General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deals are not disclosed. Orlando’s roster stands at 19 players (see below), as training camp opens on Tuesday, September 27.
Alexander (#2, 6’8”, 245, 11/16/95) played in eight games last season during his rookie campaign with Portland, averaging 1.3 ppg. in 4.5 minpg. He also spent time with the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA Development League. Alexander, who was not drafted by an NBA franchise, played in 28 games (six starts) during his only season at the University of Kansas (2014-15), averaging 7.1 ppg., 5.3 rpg. and 1.32 blkpg. in 17.5 minpg.
Dawson (#22, 6’6”, 225, 2/1/93) appeared in six games last season during his rookie campaign with the Los Angeles Clippers, tallying five points in 4.8 minpg. He also played with the Bakersfield Jam, Erie BayHawks and Grand Rapids Drive of the NBA Development League. Originally selected in the second round (56th overall) of the 2015 NBA Draft by New Orleans, Dawson played in 130 career games (122 starts) during four seasons at Michigan State University (2011-15), averaging 10.1 ppg., 6.9 rpg., 1.4 apg., 1.25 stlpg. and 1.09 blkpg. in 26.6 minpg., while shooting .559 (566-1,013) from the floor.
Johnson (#13, 6’3”, 202, 12/22/92) played in 34 games (25 starts) last season with the Austin Spurs of the NBA Development League, averaging 10.4 ppg., 3.7 rpg. and 3.0 apg. in 28.9 minpg. As a rookie during the 2014-15 campaign, he appeared in 28 games with the Houston Rockets, averaging 2.6 ppg. and 1.4 rpg. in 9.4 minpg. Originally selected in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2014 NBA Draft by Houston, Johnson played in 108 career games (101 starts) during three seasons at the University of Arizona (2011-14), averaging 12.3 ppg., 3.7 rpg., 2.8 apg. and 1.27 stlpg. in 30.9 minpg.
Murphy (#55, 6’5”, 185, 3/6/90) appeared in 49 games last season with the Hitachi SunRockers of the Japan Basketball League, averaging 14.7 ppg., 4.3 rpg. and 2.0 apg. in 21.8 minpg. He has also spent time with the Grand Rapids Drive and Idaho Stampede in the NBA Development League. As a rookie during the 2012-13 campaign, Murphy played in 17 games with the Utah Jazz, averaging 0.9 ppg. in 3.1 minpg. Originally selected in the second round (47th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft by Utah, Murphy played in 128 career games (110 starts) during four seasons at Tennessee Tech University (2008-12), averaging 15.8 ppg., 4.2 rpg. and 2.0 apg. in 29.0 minpg.
Onuaku (#21, 6’9”, 255, 7/13/87) played and started in 17 games with the Meralco Bolts of the Philippine Basketball Association, averaging 18.7 ppg., 17.5 rpg., 2.9 apg. and 1.5 blkpg. in 41.1 minpg., while shooting .658 (129-196) from the field. He also appeared in 11 games for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israel Premier League, averaging 7.2 ppg. and 3.5 rpg. in 12.0 minpg. Onuaku has played in 11 career NBA games with New Orleans, Cleveland and Minnesota (2013-15), aveaging 2.7 ppg. and 2.6 rpg. in 8.9 minpg. Not drafted by an NBA franchise, Onuaku appeared in 134 career games (103 starts) during four seasons at Syracuse University (2005-06, 2007-10), averaging 9.2 ppg., 6.0 rpg. and 1.10 blkpg. in 22.8 minpg., while shooting .648 (540-833) from the floor.
Rudez (#3, 6’10”, 228, 6/17/86) appeared in 33 games last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging 2.3 ppg. in 8.4 minpg. Not drafted by an NBA franchise, he has played in 101 career NBA games (two starts) with Indiana and Minnesota (2014-16), averaging 3.9 ppg. in 13.1 minpg., while shooting .391 (86-220) from three-point range. Rudez is a former member of the Croatian Senior National Team.