Only two NBA seasons have passed since Ryan Anderson left the Orlando Magic in the summer of 2012, but Central Florida’s pro franchise has undergone such sweeping personnel changes that not one of Anderson’s former teammates remains on the current roster. When Jameer Nelson signed with Dallas in July, it marked the last Orlando player with ties to Anderson to depart the Magic.
The 2011-12 Magic were spearheaded by veterans such as Nelson, Dwight Howard, J.J. Redick and Jason Richardson, but that group has gradually been replaced mostly by youngsters. Orlando now is one of the least experienced teams in the NBA, featuring nine players with two years or less as pros.
“The trainer is the same, the equipment manager is the same, and that’s it,” Anderson said of the familiar Magic faces left for him. “So it’s completely different, but I think that’s good. Obviously that was a great time, I had a great three years in Orlando, wouldn’t change anything for the world, but it’s far over now. I’m happy to be here with this group and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
Orlando went 23-59 last season and lost its top two leading scorers (Nelson and Arron Afflalo) in the offseason. Fourth-leading scorer Victor Oladipo is expected to miss a month with a facial fracture, leaving the Magic with few proven veterans to open 2014-15 tonight. Orlando center Nikola Vucevic was the team’s No. 3 scorer and is back; key free-agent pickup Channing Frye (left MCL sprain) is listed as questionable. The Magic’s rookie crop is headlined by guard Elfrid Payton (a New Orleans native) and fourth overall draft pick Aaron Gordon, a high-flying forward.
“They have a lot of talent, a lot of young talent,” Anderson said. “They want to play an up-tempo, fast-paced game. That’s the same style of game we want to play, too. I think it will be a good matchup for us, to play against a team that wants to play similar to us.”
- Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday, who’ll be playing his first regular season game since January, said of his health status that “I’m maybe 80 percent. I think I’m to the point where I can play and I can play hard, and I can give you some good minutes.”
- Although he generally declines to divulge his lineups to the media, Monty Williams told reporters Monday that the decision has been made to start Tyreke Evans at small forward, with Eric Gordon at shooting guard. That came as little surprise after the Pelicans had used that alignment for the final two preseason games. The other starters will be Holiday, Anthony Davis and Omer Asik.
- The NBA required teams to submit a finalized season-starting roster Monday, including inactives that don’t necessarily carry over to the opening game. Pelicans rookies Russ Smith and Patric Young were listed as inactives, with the other 13 players on the active list.