Orlando Magic acquire Rashard Lewis via sign-and-trade
InsideHoops.com NewsWire | July 11, 2007
The Orlando Magic have acquired forward Rashard Lewis from the Seattle SuperSonics in a sign-and-trade deal in exchange for a future conditional second round draft pick, General Manager Otis Smith announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed. InsideHoops.com will post contract details later today. We hear it's for an insane amount of money, possibly the maximum salary allowed.
“Rashard (Lewis) is a young, athletic forward and a proven scorer in this league,” said Smith. “We feel his skills will be a tremendous addition to our team and we are very excited to have him join the Magic family.”
Lewis (6’10”, 230, 8/8/79) played in 60 games last season with Seattle, averaging a career-high 22.4 ppg., 6.6 rpg., 2.4 apg. and 1.13 stlpg. in 39.1 minpg. He ranked 11th in the NBA in minutes played, 27th in free throw percentage (.841) and tied for 27th in three-point field goal percentage, connecting on 151-of-387 (.390) from beyond the arc. Lewis scored in double figures a team-high-tying 57 times, including 41 games of 20-plus points and 30-or-more points eight times. He led (or tied) the Sonics in scoring 25 times, including a season-best 36 points on Dec. 18 @ Memphis, in rebounding 17 times and in assists four times. Lewis recorded 13 double-doubles. He missed 22 games (Dec. 23-Feb. 7) due to an injury to the tendon sheath on the back of his right hand.
Lewis has played in 617 career NBA regular season games, all with Seattle, averaging 16.6 ppg., 5.8 rpg., 1.7 apg. and 1.15 stlpg. in 33.9 minpg. He has also appeared in 16 career playoff games, averaging 15.6 ppg., 5.3 rpg. and 1.1 apg. in 34.3 minpg. Lewis has averaged at least 20 points per game in three straight seasons and was an NBA All-Star in 2005. He poured in a career-high 50 points on Oct. 31, 2003 vs. L.A. Clippers (in Japan), which is the fifth-highest single-game point total in team history.
Originally selected by Seattle during the second round (32nd overall) of the 1998 NBA Draft, Lewis ranks among the all-time leaders in the SuperSonics’ 40-year history. He stands first in three-point field goals made (973), second in three-point field goals attempted (2,519), fourth in points (10,251) and minutes played (20,921), and sixth in rebounds (3,595), blocked shots (362) and games played (617).
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