Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Hedo Turkoglu never had a chance to play much this season for the Orlando Magic.
He may not have much of a chance to play for the Magic again.
There’s wide spread speculation that the 13-year NBA veteran may not be with Orlando next season. It’s a strong guess that the team could try to get a buyout of the one-year remaining on his contract.
Turkoglu’s dismal season is among the reasons the Magic had a disappointing year.
He’s only 32 and obviously has a few more years left in him. But Turkoglu went through a nightmarish season with the Magic. He broke his left hand in the season opener and then had to take a 20-game suspension for using a substance banned by the NBA. Later in the season, as the Magic were scrambling for wins, veterans like Turkoglu saw less playing time as younger performers got a chance to show what they could do.
He only saw action in 11 contests and Turkoglu just could never get into a groove. He averaged 2.9 points. 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. He shot a dismal 26.4 percent from the floor.
What a difference from last season when he appeared in 53 games and started in all 53 averaging 31.7 minutes, 10.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. When it rained, it poured against Turkoglu during the season. It was frustrating for both Turkoglu and his team. Dwight Howard’s departure gave the team instant challenges. But they never expected what would happen for the season.
He may still have something to offer an NBA team. But Turkoglu likely won’t be doing it in Orlando.
