Orlando Magic, Ryan Anderson Hold Off Extension
With the way the Orlando Magic run their offense, a power forward with outside range like Ryan Anderson fits in perfectly. Still, the Magic and Anderson’s agent, Jeff Austin, have decided to hold off negotiations for a contract extension.
Anderson has been playing great this season raising his scoring average from 10.6 to 16.8. His outside shooting is a big reason why the Magic are sitting near the top of the Eastern Conference at 12-5. Wednesday was the final day for NBA teams to sign players who were drafted in the 2008 draft to extensions. Ryan Anderson was drafted 21st overall by the New Jersey Nets and traded to Orlando in the deal that brought Vince Carter to Orlando and sent Rafer Alston, Tony Battie, and Courtney Lee to New Jersey. The fourth year forward will become a restricted free agent meaning that the Magic have the opportunity to match any offer for him by other teams.
Anderson and Austin say they would like the player to stay with the Magic long term but it all depends on what happens with Dwight Howard. With Dwight Howard in the Magic lineup, the Stan Van Gundy has his team playing the way the Magic did in the mid-90s when they had Shaquille O’Neal. They put Howard in the middle and surround him with four shooters. Howard usually can’t be guarded by one individual so that leaves at least one open shooting on the perimeter. Being a three-point threat, this makes Anderson perfect as the Magic power forward as long as Howard is in the lineup.
While Anderson has been a productive player with the Magic, his departure will be expected if Howard is traded before the March 15 trade deadline or leaves via free agency this summer. If Magic general manager Otis Smith can convince Howard to re-sign with the Magic, Anderson will almost certainly be in a Magic uniform for the foreseeable future.
