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Jameer Nelson is part of the Orlando Magic, no more. The team has reportedly released the veteran point guard after 10 years with the team. If Nelson clears waivers, he will become an unrestricted free agent and be able to sign with any team of his choosing.
The departure of Nelson clears things up considerably at the point, where rookie point guard Elfrid Payton is now tentatively expected to take over as the new starter. Second year guard Victor Oladipo could also factor in at the lead guard spot, but with Arron Afflalo being traded to the Nuggets last week, he is now a more likely bet to man the starting shooting guard spot.
The release of Afflalo and now Nelson is a part of a continued rebuilding process in Orlando, where their oldest corps player is now center Nikola Vucevic, who is just 23 years old.
Heading into the 2014-15 NBA season, the starting five of the Magic should be Payton, Oladipo, Tobias Harris, Aaron Gordon and Vucevic.
As for Nelson, the 32-year old point guard still appears to have some NBA floor time left in his legs, although it’s worth noting that he’s not quite as explosive as he once was. With that said, he did look solid in his final season with the Magic, where he averaged at least 12 points and over seven assists for the second year in a row.
Nelson also shot under 40% from the field for the second straight season, as well, and his large role with the team was turning into a hindrance to the young talent, more than it was a help.
Still, Nelson can be more than just a serviceable weapon as a stopgap starter or a spark off the bench. That will ultimately depend on exactly what he wants to do to finish out his career – make as much money as possible or try to compete in the playoffs.
Should Nelson opt for the playoffs option, it’s possible he could garner interest for teams looking for outside shooting help. Several teams could eventually express interest, but some veteran contending teams that come to mind are the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets. The Detroit Pistons could also appear appealing to Nelson, as he’d have a chance to reunite with former Magic head coach, Stan Van Gundy.
