Lakeland Magic

Lakeland Magic
League NBA G League
Founded 2008
History Erie BayHawks
2008–2017
Lakeland Magic
2017–present
Arena RP Funding Center
Location Lakeland, Florida
Team colors Blue, black, silver[1][2]
              
Team manager Anthony Parker
Head coach Stan Heath
Ownership Orlando Magic
Affiliation(s) Orlando Magic
Championships 0
Division / Conference titles 0
Website http://lakeland.dleague.nba.com/

The Lakeland Magic are an American professional basketball team of the NBA G League announced to begin play for the 2017–18 season as an affiliate of the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Based in Lakeland, Florida, the team will play their home games at the RP Funding Center.

The franchise previously was based out of Erie, Pennsylvania, as the Erie BayHawks.

History

Erie BayHawks (2008–2017)

The logo of the Erie BayHawks.

The Erie BayHawks were established in 2008 as an expansion team in the NBA Development League, originally affiliated with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Philadelphia 76ers. The "BayHawks" name alluded to the Presque Isle Bay, on which the city of Erie lies. The hawk represents the city's wildlife and naval history, especially because hawks were used by naval expeditions to send important messages. The team's colors of black, red, and gold paid homage to the Erie-based Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry and to the United States Navy uniforms worn during the War of 1812.[3]

The affiliation with the Cavaliers lasted until 2011 when Cleveland obtained their own affiliate in the Canton Charge. The BayHawks would then affiliate with the New York Knicks. Under the Knicks' affiliation, the BayHawks made headlines on January 17, 2012, when Jeremy Lin was assigned to the team.[4] On January 20, he had a triple-double with 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists in the BayHawks' 122–113 victory over the Maine Red Claws.[5] Lin was recalled by the Knicks three days later.[6] In December 2012, the Knicks assigned NBA veteran Amar'e Stoudemire to the BayHawks because of an injury.[7]

In 2012, the Knicks offered the BayHawks head coach position to Patrick Ewing, one of their most prominent alumni. However, he turned down the offer citing his desire to coach in the National Basketball Association as opposed to the D-League. Ewing has worked as an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets, and Orlando Magic.[8]

In 2014, the Knicks ended their affiliation with Erie in favor of starting an expansion D-League franchise, the Westchester Knicks, forcing the BayHawks to find a new affiliate.[9] In April 2014, the BayHawks entered talks for a hybrid relationship with the Orlando Magic[10] and a deal was announced May 19, 2014.[11]

Lakeland Magic (2017–present)

In January 2016, the Magic announced their intentions to have their own D-League team in Florida but stated that it would be an expansion team and not a relocation of the BayHawks.[12] In the original January 6, 2016, announcement, it was announced that the Orlando Magic would be seeking to place a D-League team in Florida; the eight initial candidate venues were: Bay Lake (ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex), Daytona Beach (Ocean Center), Estero (Germain Arena), Fort Myers (Lee Civic Center), Jacksonville (Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena), Kissimmee (Silver Spurs Arena), Lakeland (Lakeland Center), and Orlando (CFE Arena).[12] On February 17, the Magic narrowed their choices down to Bay Lake, Jacksonville, Lakeland and Kissimmee.[13] On June 30, the Magic named Kissimmee and Lakeland as the two finalists.[14]

However, in December 2016, the Magic announced that they had purchased the BayHawks' franchise and that they would be relocating it to Lakeland, Florida, for the 2017–18 season, becoming the seventeenth NBA team to own a D-League franchise.[15] They would also build a practice facility in nearby Winter Haven.[16][17] On April 12, 2017, it was announced that the team would be named the Lakeland Magic.[18]

In response to the purchase, the BayHawks' local management and former owners also announced that they were attempting to secure another franchise to replace the now Magic-owned BayHawks franchise to play in Erie.[19] In January 2017, it was announced that the Atlanta Hawks would temporarily place their D-League affiliate in Erie for the 2017–18 and 2018–19 seasons under the operations of the former BayHawks management as a new BayHawks team. The Atlanta Hawks had already announced their intentions of placing their D-League team in College Park, Georgia, for the 2019–20 season.[20]

On August 8, 2017, Stan Heath was named as the head coach and Anthony Parker as the general manager.[21]

Season by season

Season Conference Division Finish Wins Losses Pct. Post-season Results
Erie BayHawks
2008–09 — Central 3rd 27 23 .540 Lost First Round (Colorado, 108–129)
2009–10 Eastern — 6th 21 29 .420
2010–11 Eastern — 2nd 32 18 .640 Lost First Round (Reno, 1–2)
2011–12 Eastern — 3rd 28 22 .560 Lost First Round (Austin, 1–2)
2012–13 Eastern — 4th 26 24 .520
2013–14 — Eastern 5th 16 34 .320
2014–15 Eastern Atlantic 3rd 24 26 .480
2015–16 Eastern Atlantic 5th 12 38 .240
2016–17 Eastern Atlantic 6th 14 36 .280
Lakeland Magic
Totals
200 250 .444 Regular season results
2 5 .286 Post-season results (Series record: 0–3) (.000)
188 219 .462 Regular and post-season results
Total Most recent
Winning seasons42012–13
Losing seasons42015–16
Playoff appearances32011–12

Current roster

Lakeland Magic roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY-MM-DD) From
F 5 Bass, Paris 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1995–08–29 Detroit
G 9 Lucas, Kalin 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1989–05–24 Michigan State
G/F 16 Lyons, Michael 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 198 lb (90 kg) 1990–06–15 Air Force
G 31 Onwukamuche, Reggis 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1992–03–18 Prairie View A&M
G 10 Petrucelli, John 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1992–10–27 Molloy
G 52 Price, T. J. 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1993–06–16 Western Kentucky
G 55 Thomasson, Joe 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 165 lb (75 kg) 1993–08–16 Wright State
C 34 Thompson, Shevon 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1993–06–10 George Mason
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • (NBA) On assignment from NBA affiliate
  • (TW) Two-way affiliate player
  • (I) Inactive
  • Injured

Roster • Transactions
Last transaction: 2017–04–01

High points

Individual awards

NBADL All-Rookie Second Team

All-NBADL First Team

All-NBADL Third Team

NBADL All-Defensive Second Team

All-Star Weekend

All-Star Game

Affiliates

Notes

[a] Alade Aminu was traded to the Bakersfield Jam after 37 games with the BayHawks.

Affiliates

References

  1. ↑ Cohen, Josh (April 12, 2017). "And the Winner is….Lakeland Magic!". NBA Development League. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Lakeland Magic Reproduction Guideline Sheet". NBA Properties, Inc. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  3. ↑ "BayHawks Selected as Name for Erie’s New NBA Development League Basketball Team". Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Knicks Send Two Bench Warmers to D-League". The New York Times. January 17, 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Lin Picks Up Triple-Double As Erie Drops Maine 122–113". NBA. January 20, 2012. Retrieved January 20, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Knicks Recall Jordan & Lin". NBA. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Knicks assign Stoudemire to BayHawks". Erie Times-News. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Ewing rejects Knicks' offer to coach D-League club". New York Daily News. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  9. ↑ "Knicks seek to relocate D-League affiliation from Erie". Erie Times-News. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Orlando Magic get D-League affiliate in Erie BayHawks". USA Today. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Magic and BayHawks Enter Single Affiliation Partnership Team". Retrieved May 19, 2014.
  12. 1 2 Robbins, Josh (January 6, 2016). "Orlando Magic begin process of bringing D-League team to Florida". Orlando Sentinel.
  13. ↑ Robbins, Josh (February 17, 2016). "Magic will choose among 4 locations for their Florida-based D-League affiliate". Orlando Sentinel.
  14. ↑ Robbins, Josh (June 30, 2016). "Kissimmee, Lakeland finalists for Magic's D-League location". Orlando Sentinel.
  15. ↑ "Orlando Magic Purchase NBA D-League's Erie BayHawks". OurSports Central. December 14, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Orlando Magic Purchase NBA D-League’s Erie BayHawks" (Press release). NBA Development League. December 14, 2016. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  17. ↑ Fredericksen, Brady (December 14, 2016). "Orlando Magic D-League team to play in Lakeland, practice in Winter Haven". The Ledger.
  18. ↑ http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orlando-magic/magic-basketblog/os-sp-lakeland-magic-d-league-0412-story.html
  19. ↑ "Local BayHawks Management Issues Statement on the Future of the NBA". OurSports Central. December 14, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Atlanta Hawks' NBA D-League Team to Begin Play in 2017". OurSports Central. January 31, 2017.
  21. ↑ "Magic name Anthony Parker GM, Stan Heath head coach of Lakeland G-League team". Fox Sports Florida. August 8, 2017.
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