The Orlando Magic has announced today that it will exercise its team options on three players this season. As other players are still in contract negotiations with their respective teams, forward Aaron Gordon, guard Elfrid Payton, and guard-forward Mario Hezonja will be officially part of the Magic roster this upcoming 2016-2017 NBA season.
The news could build up the team's and its fan's excitement around the upcoming seasons.
General Manager Rob Hennigan announced that they would sign the three players officially but chose not to disclose the terms of the deals, according to NBA. The franchise is having high hopes of making it to the playoffs this year with a lot of youth on their roster. Both Gordon and Payton are entering their third season while Hezonja is entering his second in the league.
They had a win-loss record of 35-47 last season only finishing fifth in the SE division and 11th overall in the Eastern Conference, according to a statistic report on ESPN. They were only a few spots away from making it to the playoffs last year.
Gordon played a total of 78 games for the Magic last season with 37 of them as a starter. He averaged 9.2 ppg., 6.5rpg. and 1.6apg playing 23.9 minpg. He also competed in the 2016 slam dunk competition last season and placed second behind Minnesota guard Zach Lavine, who repeated as champion.
Hezonja played 79 games as a rookie last season and averaged 6.1 ppg., 2.2 rpg. and 1.4 apg playing 17.9 minpg. He was a fifth overall pick of the Magic in the first round of the 2015 NBA draft.
Payton played 73 games for the Magic last season with 69 of them as a starter. He averaged 10.7 ppg., 6.4 apg., 3.6 rpg and 1.22 stlpg playing 29.4 minpg. He was drafted tenth overall in the first round by Philadelphia but was traded to the Orlando for Dario Saric.
