ORLANDO – The Orlando Magic have signed free agents Aleem Ford and Xavier Simpson, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deals are not disclosed.
In addition, the Orlando Magic have waived guard Joel Ayayi (JOE-el, EYE-yigh-YEE).
Orlando’s roster now stands at 20 players (listed below). Training camp begins on Tuesday, September 27 at the AdventHealth Training Center.
Ford (6’8″, 220, 12/22/97) played in five games last season with Orlando, after signing a 10-day contract on Dec. 17. He averaged 2.8 ppg. and 3.0 rpg. in 14.7 minutes. Ford also appeared in 31 games (25 starts) with Lakeland of the NBA G League, averaging 12.5 ppg., 4.2 rpg. and 1.7 apg. in 31.1 minpg., while shooting .387 (82-211) from three-point range.
Ford played in 126 career games (82 starts) during four seasons at the University of Wisconsin (2017-21), averaging 6.5 ppg. and 3.3 rpg. in 22.4 minpg.
Ford will wear #12 with the Orlando Magic.
Simpson (6’0″, 190, 2/11/97) played and started in four games last season with Oklahoma City, averaging 11.0 ppg., 7.5 apg., 5.3 rpg., 1.25 stlpg. and 1.00 blkpg. in 43.5 minutes. He also played in all 35 games (29 starts) with Oklahoma City of the NBA G League, averaging 14.5 ppg., 6.8 apg., 5.1 rpg. and 1.49 stlpg. in 32.4 minpg.
Simpson has appeared in 50 career NBA G League games (44 starts), all with Oklahoma City, averaging 13.1 ppg., 6.6 apg., 4.8 rpg. and 1.32 stlpg. in 31.2 minpg.
Simpson played in 146 career games (96 starts) during four seasons at the University of Michigan (2016-20), averaging 7.6 ppg., 4.6 rpg., 3.3 rpg. and 1.07 stlpg. in 25.2 minpg. He was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team twice (2018-19, 2019-20) and to the All-Big Ten Defensive Team in 2018-19. Simpson finished his collegiate career as the school’s all-time leader in games played, tied (with Jon Teske) as the Wolverines’ all-time winningest player (108 victories) and second on the school’s all-time list in assists (667).
Simpson will wear #8 with the Orlando Magic.
2022-23 ORLANDO MAGIC TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
(as of September 24, 2022)
#50 Cole Anthony G 6-3 195 5-15-00 North Carolina/USA
#11 Mo Bamba C 7-0 230 5-12-98 Texas/USA
#5 Paolo Banchero F 6-10 255 11-12-02 Duke/USA
#10 Plenty of plenty C 7-2 220 11-16-99 Oregon/Sudan
#30 Devin Cannady G 6-1 190 5-21-96 Princeton/USA
#34 Wendell Carter Jr. C 6-10 265 4-16-99 Duke/USA
#12 Aleem Ford F 6-8 220 12-22-97 Wisconsin/USA
#20 Markelle Fultz G 6-4 210 5-29-98 Washington/USA
#13 RJ Hampton G 6-6 190 2-7-01 Little Elm (HS)/USA
#14 Gary Harris G 6-4 210 9-14-94 Michigan State/USA
#7* Kevon Harris G 6-6 220 6-24-97 Stephen F. Austin/USA
#2 Caleb Houston F 6-8 210 1-9-03 Michigan/Canada
#1 Jonathan Isaac F 6-10 230 10-3-97 Florida State/USA
#3 Chuma Okeke F 6-8 230 8-18-98 Auburn/USA
#31 Terrence Ross GF 6-7 205 2-5-91 Washington/USA
#25* Admiral Schofield F 6-5 240 3-30-97 Tennessee/USA
#8 Xavier Simpson G 6-0 190 2-11-97 Michigan/USA
#4 Jalen Suggs G 6-5 210 6-3-01 onzaga/USA
#22 Franz Wagner F 6-10 225 8-27-01 Michigan/Germany
#21 Moritz Wagner C 6-11 240 4-26-97 Michigan/Germany
Head Coach: Jamahl Mosley (Colorado)
Assistant Coaches: Nate Tibbetts (South Dakota), Jesse Mermuys (Arizona), Dale Osbourne (South Alabama), Bret Brielmaier (Arizona), Lionel Chalmers (Xavier), Dylan Murphy (Columbia)
High Performance Director: Lindsay Winninger (Saint Louis)
Head Athletic Trainer: Ernest Eugene (George Washington)
Cole Anthony – First round, 15th pick overall in 2020
Mo Bamba – First round, sixth pick overall in 2018
Paolo Banchero – First round, first pick overall in 2022
Caleb Houston – Second round, 32nd pick overall in 2022
Jonathan Isaac – First round, sixth pick overall in 2017
Chuma Okeke – First round, 16th pick overall in 2019
Jalen Suggs – First round, fifth pick overall in 2021
Franz Wagner – First round, eighth pick overall in 2021
Bol Bol – From Boston along with PJ Dozier, a future second round draft pick and cash considerations in exchange for a future protected second round draft pick on Feb. 10, 2022
Wendell Carter Jr. – From Chicago along with Otto Porter Jr. and two future first round draft picks in exchange for Al-Farouq Aminu and Nikola Vučević on Mar. 25, 2021
Markelle Fultz – From Philadelphia in exchange for Jonathon Simmons, a protected 2020 first round draft pick and a 2019 second round draft pick on Feb. 7, 2019
RJ Hampton – From Denver along with Gary Harris and a future first round draft pick in exchange for Gary Clark and Aaron Gordon on March. 25, 2021
Gary Harris – From Denver along with RJ Hampton and a future first round draft pick in exchange for Gary Clark and Aaron Gordon on March. 25, 2021
Terrence Ross – From Toronto along with a 2017 first round draft pick in exchange for Serge Ibaka on Feb. 14, 2017
Devin Cannady – Originally signed to a 10-day contract on Mar. 31, 2022
Aleem Ford – Originally signed to a 10-day contract on Dec. 17, 2021
Kevon Harris – Originally signed to a two-way contract on Jul. 25, 2022
Admiral Schofield – Originally signed to a 10-day contract on Dec. 17, 2021
Zavier Simpson – Originally signed on Sep. 24, 2022
Moritz Wagner – Originally signed on Apr. 27, 2021