MCW in ORL: Michael Carter-Williams is coming back
In an under the radar move during the madness of Free Agency, Orlando resigned point guard Michael Carter-Williams to a one year deal. In a running theme, he was another one of our out of contract pieces from last years Playoff appearance that returned.
When Isaiah Briscoe went down with a torn meniscus in his right knee in late February, Magic fans became concerned. He had stepped up and taken Jerian Grant's slot as back up point guard and performed very well. His dogged determination and hustle was a hindrance to opposition guards. Not wanting to revisit the Grant experiment in the midst of the Playoff Push, the team took a gamble.
Despite being a former Rookie of the Year, Michael Carter-Williams was out of the league, keeping in game shape in Los Angeles following being cut by the Chicago Bulls. He had bounced around in recent years, never staying anywhere too long. He was determined to make it back onto a roster and knew it was only a matter of time. Orlando gave him that opportunity.
He did not disappoint.
Familiar with both General Manager John Hammond and Head Coach Steve Clifford, he was signed to a 10 day contract. Immediately he went to work and injected the second unit with energy, increasing their pace to 104.4 (up from their 98.7 average previously). He can appear reckless at times, but it's part of his play that pushes the tempo beyond the norm. His 4.1 assists in 18.9 minutes were good numbers, but only put up 5.4 points (he's never been a prolific scorer). He did more than just this though. His impact on the team was sudden and apparent. He was pesky on defense, using his length to affect plays and showed willingness to put his body on the line (remember that bloody nose!?). Filling the back up spot as well as could be hoped for, he helped lead the Magic to a 10-2 finish to the regular season. While he did not do anything of note during the First Round match up with Toronto, his affect before those five games was big.
With the lack of clarity around Markelle Fultz still there, Carter-Williams may have a bigger role next season than we imagine. As things stand, he will be the back up point guard behind DJ Augustin. He may even split minutes still when Fultz returns. He looked in good shape at the back end of last season when he joined the Magic, so I'm not concerned by him playing extended games. I think his energy will carry on, he's just that kind of player. His defensive abilities in an already skilled second unit in that department will be a nightmare for opponents, but as is our biggest team problem, scoring will be the sticking point. We're built to shut out each night though and that's going to be how we rise or fall.
One year of Michael Carter-Williams in Central Florida is a good thing. At least we signed someone else with 'Guard' in the role description right?
Let me know what you think of the signing in the comments below or on Twitter @philharlowuk and @thecloseupmagic.
You can also hear me on The Pick n' Rock n' Roll: An Orlando Magic Podcast. Search for us in your favorite app and add us on Twitter @picknrocknroll.