Lewis returned to the Magic after a ten-game suspension in ‘09-’10, but was never really the same player. The Houston-native was suspended by the NBA for taking a banned substance which caused him to fail multiple drug tests during the ‘08-’09 season (his testosterone levels were elevated). Lewis suffered from right knee tendinitis late in the ‘09 season. In 14 playoff games in ‘09, Lewis stepped his game up to another level, posting 19.0 points per game while pulling down 6.4 rebounds (39% 3PT%). Lewis was huge for the Magic in 2009, scoring 17.7 points per game while shooting just under 40% from behind the arc (2.8 3PTM’s per/g). In fact, Stan Van Gundy convincing “Sweet Lew” to play the “stretch” power forward (he primarily played small forward in Seattle) position in Orlando led to the formation of one of the first NBA spread offenses that are now so commonly found around the league. The six-year, $110 million dollar deal Lewis agreed to with the Magic was viewed by some as an overpay, but Lewis proved in the short-term that he was the missing piece in Orlando that solidified their roster. Lewis, who was drafted by the Sonics in the second round of the ‘98 NBA Draft directly out of high school, played nine seasons in Seattle before heading to Orlando. Lewis was acquired by the Magic in the Summer of ‘07 in a sign-and-trade deal with the Seattle SuperSonics. Lewis, who was recognized as an All-Star while playing for the Magic during the ‘08-’09 season, would probably be higher on this list if not for his somewhat shorter stay in Orlando compared to some other guys ranked ahead of him. Rashard Lewis 4 seasons in Orlando, 257 games I also highly recommend checking out Mike Cali’s recent article which profiles Orlando’s Top-30 games in team history.ġ0. You can find the first two articles with players 21-30 and 11-20 here.
So without further explanation, enjoy this trip down memory lane as I run-down the final ten players (1-10) that I’ve ranked as the best in franchise history. Carter is a legend, but for me, he didn’t spend enough time in Orlando to make sense for this activity. For example, I did not include Vince Carter (even though he’s a hall of fame player, and arguably the best player to ever come out of Central Florida). Some guys were in town for just a couple seasons, others played the majority of their careers for the Magic.Īs a general guideline, I tried to set a baseline of 120 games as a minimum that someone would have to play as a member of the Magic to qualify for this list. It wasn’t easy I often felt like I was comparing apples to oranges, so to speak. How do I compare the numbers put up by role players that played on some of Orlando’s greatest teams with guys that contributed (often in larger roles) amidst losing seasons? Also, how do I account for how much the game has changed in the NBA in the last thirty years (more of a premium on outside shooting, pace, etc.)? But early on, and especially in the last six years, the organization has also experienced a lot of “downs”.Īs I began to embark on this task of ranking Orlando’s all-time great contributors, I came across some bumps in the road. It’s a history that has seen a lot of “up’s”. Here at Orlando Pinstriped Post, we thought there was no better time than now to do our part in celebrating the Orlando Magic franchise’s thirty year history. The Magic also unveiled a new commemorative 30th anniversary logo for next year. Of course, these uniforms were sported by some of Orlando’s most iconic players in the 1990’s. The organization revealed last month that the team will be periodically wearing their “iconic, legendary, classic” blue pinstriped uniforms next season. Some festivities have already started to begin. The Orlando Magic will be celebrating their 30th Anniversary as a member of the National Basketball Association during the upcoming 2018-2019 season.
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