The Orlando Magic and the New York Knicks have beefed up their reserves by signing players from the free-agent pool while Brandon Jennings has taken his talent to China. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Magic signed free-agent shooting guard Arron Afflalo and big man Marreesse Speights to one-year deals worth $2.3 million and $2.1 million, respectively.
The Sacramento Kings waived the 31-year-old Afflalo after they added young players De'Aaron Fox, Justin Jackson, and Harry Giles. Afflalo played one year for the Kings, averaging 8.4 points per game in 61 games, including 45 starts.
He shot 41.1 percent from three-point range during that span.
A 27th overall pick by Detroit in the 2007 NBA Draft, Afflalo played two seasons with the Pistons before he moved to the Denver Nuggets. After three seasons in Denver, he was traded to the Magic where he played from 2012 to 2014. The Magic traded him back to the Nuggets in 2014 but he was shipped to the Portland Trail Blazers in the latter part of the 2014-15 season. He suited up for the New York Knicks during the 2015-16 season.
Speights to provide outside threat for Magic
The 6-foot-10 Speights played for the Los Angeles Clippers last season, averaging 8.7 points and 4.5 rebounds in 15.7 minutes of action per game in 82 outings last season.
He made 37.2 percent of his attempts from three-point range during that span. Before joining the Clippers, he won an NBA title with the Golden State Warriors before the 2014-15 season.
A 16th overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2008 NBA Draft, Speights has appeared in 653 career NBA regular with the 76ers, Memphis Grizzlies, Cleveland Cavaliers, Warriors, and Clippers, averaging 7.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
The Magic also added center Khem Birch, who played with Olympiakos in Greece last season. He suited up for 37 games, averaging 7.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per outing.
Knicks signed Ramon Sessions to one-year deal
According to Shams Charania of The Vertical, the Knicks signed veteran point guard Ramon Sessions to a one-year deal.
Sessions was averaging 6.2 points and 2.6 assists per outing for the Charlotte Hornets before he suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee that ended his season after 50 games. The Hornets then declined Sessions’ team option worth $6.3 million.
Meanwhile, former Knicks point guard Brandon Jennings signed a $1.5 million deal to play for the China Shanxi in the Chinese Basketball Association, according to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. Last season, Jennings split time with the New York Knicks and the Washington Wizards. He didn't receive any offer from teams in the offseason.
