Anthony Johnson signs 2 year deal with Orlando Magic.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

MAGIC SIGN ANTHONY JOHNSON TO TWO-YEAR CONTRACT

By John Denton
FLORIDA TODAY

ORLANDO -- The Orlando Magic reached an agreement with free-agent point guard Anthony Johnson Tuesday on a two-year deal worth approximately $4.2 million, according to a source close to the negotiations.

The 33-year-old point guard could sign his contract with the Magic as soon as today or by Wednesday.

Johnson, a 6-foot-3, 195-pounder, is best known for his on-ball defense and veteran savvy. He has played 11 NBA seasons, including 18 games in the 1999-2000 season with the Magic.

He split time between the Atlanta Hawks and the Sacramento Kings last season, averaging 5.6 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists a game.

The signing ends the Magic’s faint hopes of retaining combo guard Keyon Dooling, who was angered by the Magic’s offering of the two-year deal after he made $3.6 million last season. When Dooling rejected the two-year, $4.2 million deal, it was offered instead to Johnson.

Johnson’s agent, Richard Howell, did not return messages left to his Atlanta-area office on Monday.

Orlando is still trying to acquire a third point guard and has held trade talks with the Memphis Grizzlies about the availability of 6-foot-5 guard Javaris Crittenton, according to Crittenton’s agent, Wallace Prather.

Johnson has played for eight NBA teams, 10 if counting his three different stints with the Atlanta Hawks. Because he’s often been used as a stop-gap guard signed to 10-day contracts, he’s split four NBA seasons between two teams.

His finest NBA season came in 2005-06 with Indiana when he averaged 9.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 26.4 minutes a game. He started 53 of the 75 games that he appeared in that season.

He also played exceptionally well in the 2006 playoffs with the Pacers, averaging 20 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists in six games. He had a career playoff high of 40 points (16 of 23 shooting, three 3-pointers) in 2006 against New Jersey.


lateral move.

[Lunatic]

minor but smart. I watched him a lot while he was in Atlanta and he is a fundamentally sound, solid backup at the very least. Makes very few mistakes.

[7even]

helluva deal for this nigga

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

^well, he did score 40 points in a playoff games just 2 years ago.

[tempo2]

magic are making some key additions in my opinion. continued rise of dwight could see the magic contending for the east next year.

[Don Jacob]

yeah, the magic are 1 key player away from contending in my opinion. they need to step their defense up.

["THE" MoSav]

Anthony is very Savvy and a good on ball defender, nice guy to have off the bench to help the young guys.