ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic waived third-year guard R.J. Hampton, league sources told the Orlando Sentinel Tuesday afternoon.
The Magic confirmed the Sentinel’s reporting when they announced Tuesday late afternoon that they waived Hampton.
He’ll have 48 hours to clear waivers — until 5 p.m. on Thursday. Any team with an open roster spot can claim him off waivers and take on the remainder of his contract during this period.
If he clears waivers, Hampton will become an unrestricted free agent, meaning he’s free to sign a new contract with any team and the Magic will take on Hampton’s full $2.41 million cap hit for the remainder of the season.
Hampton is in the third season of his 4-year, $11.1 million rookie scale contract after being drafted with the No. 24 pick in the 2020 draft.
He was going to become an unrestricted free agent during the offseason. The Magic didn’t exercise Hampton’s rookie scale fourth-year $4.2 million team option for the 2023-24 season — a sign that he was considered the odd man out among a crowded backcourt.
His spot in the rotation was unpredictable early in the season despite the Magic being down multiple guards because of injuries. He hadn’t been a consistent part of the rotation since Cole Anthony and Markelle Fultz made their returns on Nov. 30, and his role has only been diminished even more since the returns of Gary Harris and Jalen Suggs.
Hampton only played in seven of the Magic’s 37 games since Dec. 1 and played more than 20 minutes once in that span — the Jan. 4 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder when most of the regular guard rotation was sidelined.
He averaged 5.7 points (43.9% shooting from the field — 52.5% on 2s, 34% on 3s), 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 13.9 minutes (26 games) this season.
Hampton requested and received multiple assignments with the organization’s G League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic, over the last couple of months to get the playing time he needs to develop and stay in game shape.
He averaged 22.7 points (46.1% shooting) and 4 rebounds in seven games with Lakeland since mid-December.
The Magic acquired Hampton in March 2021, along with Harris and a future first-round pick, when they traded Gary Clark and Aaron Gordon to the Denver Nuggets to kick off a rebuild centered around younger talent.
Hampton averaged 8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 20.8 minutes in 116 games over the last three seasons with the Magic. He was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for the final month of the 2020-21 season before having a consistent role in the rotation last year.
His improved 2-point accuracy (up from 40.5% last season) and finishing around the rim demonstrates the game is slowing down for him and he’s better at weaponizing his speed.
He has the size and athleticism to be an impactful defender. Hampton’s been a solid shooter, especially in spot-up/catch-and-shoot situations.
His talent and potential are evident, but Hampton needs playing time to develop — which was hard to come by in a crowded backcourt filled with other young guards, including Fultz, Suggs and Anthony.
