Former Milwaukee Bucks guard Jevon Carter has a new home. The eight-year veteran has signed a rest-of-season contract with the Orlando Magic, Carter’s agents, Mark Bartelstein and Reggie Brown, told ESPN’s Shams Charania Friday. For Carter, joining Orlando represents a fresh opportunity after being waived by Chicago on February 1 to clear roster space for later trades. It’s also his first chance to play for a genuine contender since his last Bucks season in 2022-23.
Just what kind of role he earns on the Magic remains to be seen, but Carter should at least merit a share of Tyus Jones’ minutes with the latter departing at the deadline.
Magic move on from Jones, add Carter for shooting down the stretch
Jones was a disappointment as Orlando’s backup point guard. In 48 games he averaged just 3.0 PPG and 2.4 APG while shooting 34% from the field and 29% on threes. The sudden drop-off comes after consecutive seasons shooting better than 40% beyond the arc to go with 10-plus points and five-plus assists per game.
Carter wasn’t producing at that level in Chicago this season, but he was better than the Magic version of Jones. A 41% three-point shooter, Carter provided 5.4 points per game in just 11 minutes per night. The 30-year-old guard can still get buckets.
Feb 28, 2023; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Jevon Carter (5) controls the ball against Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
For a 26-24 Orlando team sitting seventh in the East, Carter should, like Jones was supposed to, provide a veteran presence off the bench while knocking down shots and contributing as a scorer as needed in limited minutes.
That’s essentially the role he held in Milwaukee during his one and a half seasons there. A deadline addition in 2021-22, Carter enjoyed a career year the following season: 8.0 PPG and 2.4 APG on 42% from distance. Carter played all but one game and started 39. Outside of ’22-23, he has only made 10 other starts in 435 career games.
While Carter failed to live up to the three-year, $19.5 million deal the Bulls gave him in free agency, now on an expiring contract, he should supply a cheap boost to a Magic squad in dire need of shooting.
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