Last Updated on September 13, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
League Search Page > NBA > Orlando Magic > Roster & Statistics
The 1997–98 Orlando Magic relied on Penny Hardaway as their primary scorer and playmaker, with Nick Anderson providing consistent perimeter scoring and Horace Grant anchoring the frontcourt through rebounding and defense. Derek Strong added valuable interior production, giving Orlando a balanced starting group. The Magic combined capable ball movement with solid defensive contributions, but inconsistent offensive efficiency limited their ability to sustain success.
Roster
| NO. | PLAYER NAME | POS | HT | WT | DATE OF BIRTH | COLLEGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anfernee Hardaway | SG | 6-7 | 195 | July 18, 1971 | Memphis |
| 2 | David Benoit | SF | 6-8 | 220 | May 9, 1968 | Alabama |
| 2 | Vernon Maxwell | SG | 6-4 | 180 | September 12, 1965 | Florida |
| 3 | Kevin Ollie | PG | 6-2 | 195 | December 27, 1972 | UConn |
| 4 | Rony Seikaly | C | 6-11 | 230 | May 10, 1965 | Syracuse |
| 4 | Spud Webb | PG | 5-6 | 133 | July 13, 1963 | Midland College, NC State |
| 5 | Mark Price | PG | 6-0 | 170 | February 15, 1964 | Georgia Tech |
| 8 | Jason Lawson | C | 6-11 | 240 | September 2, 1974 | Villanova |
| 9 | Tim Kempton | PF | 6-10 | 245 | January 25, 1964 | Notre Dame |
| 10 | Darrell Armstrong | PG | 6-1 | 180 | June 22, 1968 | Fayetteville State University |
| 12 | Derek Harper | SG | 6-4 | 185 | October 13, 1961 | Illinois |
| 15 | Donald Royal | SF | 6-8 | 210 | May 22, 1966 | Notre Dame |
| 17 | Johnny Taylor | SF | 6-9 | 220 | June 4, 1974 | Indian Hills Community College, Chattanooga |
| 20 | Kevin Edwards | SG | 6-3 | 190 | October 30, 1965 | DePaul |
| 21 | Gerald Wilkins | SG | 6-6 | 185 | September 11, 1963 | Chattanooga |
| 24 | Danny Schayes | C | 6-11 | 235 | May 10, 1959 | Syracuse |
| 25 | Nick Anderson | SF | 6-6 | 205 | January 20, 1968 | Illinois |
| 30 | Carl Thomas | SG | 6-4 | 175 | October 3, 1969 | Eastern Michigan |
| 33 | Derek Strong | PF | 6-8 | 220 | February 9, 1968 | Xavier |
| 34 | Brian Evans | SF | 6-8 | 220 | September 13, 1973 | Indiana |
| 45 | Bo Outlaw | PF | 6-8 | 210 | April 13, 1971 | South Plains College, Houston |
| 54 | Horace Grant | C | 6-10 | 215 | July 4, 1965 | Clemson |
Regular Season Per Game
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FG | FG% | 3PA | 3P | 3P% | FTA | FT | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horace Grant | C | 32 | 76 | 76 | 36.9 | 12.1 | 8.1 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 11.3 | 5.2 | .459 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.6 | 1.8 | .678 |
| Nick Anderson | SF | 30 | 58 | 44 | 29.3 | 15.3 | 5.1 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 13.0 | 5.9 | .455 | 3.7 | 1.3 | .360 | 3.4 | 2.2 | .638 |
| Bo Outlaw | PF | 26 | 82 | 76 | 36.0 | 9.5 | 7.8 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 6.6 | 3.7 | .554 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .250 | 3.8 | 2.2 | .575 |
| Derek Strong | PF | 29 | 58 | 8 | 28.2 | 12.7 | 7.4 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 10.6 | 4.5 | .420 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 4.8 | 3.8 | .781 |
| Rony Seikaly | C | 32 | 47 | 47 | 31.6 | 15.0 | 7.6 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 2.9 | 11.4 | 5.0 | .441 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 6.5 | 4.9 | .754 |
| Mark Price | PG | 33 | 63 | 33 | 22.7 | 9.5 | 2.0 | 4.7 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 2.6 | 8.4 | 3.6 | .431 | 2.5 | 0.8 | .335 | 1.6 | 1.4 | .845 |
| Derek Harper | SG | 36 | 66 | 45 | 26.7 | 8.6 | 1.6 | 3.5 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 8.2 | 3.4 | .417 | 2.5 | 0.9 | .360 | 1.2 | 0.8 | .696 |
| Darrell Armstrong | PG | 29 | 48 | 17 | 25.8 | 9.2 | 3.3 | 4.9 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 2.3 | 7.9 | 3.3 | .411 | 1.4 | 0.5 | .368 | 2.6 | 2.2 | .854 |
| Danny Schayes | C | 38 | 74 | 33 | 17.2 | 5.5 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 5.0 | 2.1 | .418 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 1.3 | .807 | |
| Gerald Wilkins | SG | 34 | 72 | 16 | 17.4 | 5.3 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 6.0 | 2.0 | .325 | 1.5 | 0.4 | .266 | 1.4 | 1.0 | .704 |
| Anfernee Hardaway | SG | 26 | 19 | 15 | 32.9 | 16.4 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 14.4 | 5.4 | .377 | 2.6 | 0.8 | .300 | 6.2 | 4.7 | .763 |
| Brian Evans | SF | 24 | 44 | 0 | 12.8 | 4.7 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 4.7 | 1.8 | .374 | 1.0 | 0.3 | .267 | 1.1 | 0.9 | .833 |
| David Benoit | SF | 29 | 24 | 0 | 13.5 | 5.8 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 5.8 | 2.1 | .360 | 2.1 | 0.6 | .275 | 1.3 | 1.0 | .800 |
| Vernon Maxwell | SG | 32 | 11 | 0 | 15.4 | 7.4 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 7.1 | 2.4 | .333 | 2.4 | 0.5 | .231 | 2.4 | 2.1 | .885 |
| Kevin Ollie | PG | 25 | 19 | 0 | 11.4 | 4.1 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 2.9 | 1.2 | .411 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.4 | 1.6 | .689 |
| Kevin Edwards | SG | 32 | 12 | 0 | 11.3 | 4.9 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 4.9 | 1.7 | .339 | 0.3 | 0.2 | .500 | 1.7 | 1.4 | .850 |
| Johnny Taylor | SF | 23 | 12 | 0 | 9.0 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 3.1 | 1.1 | .351 | 0.2 | 0.1 | .500 | 1.3 | 0.9 | .688 |
| Jason Lawson | C | 23 | 17 | 0 | 4.7 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 0.5 | .600 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.5 | .800 | |
| Spud Webb | PG | 34 | 4 | 0 | 8.5 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 1.3 | .417 | 0.3 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.000 |
| Carl Thomas | SG | 28 | 4 | 0 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 1.0 | .800 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 | .500 | |
| Donald Royal | SF | 31 | 2 | 0 | 9.0 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 0.5 | .167 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.5 | .750 | |
| Tim Kempton | PF | 34 | 3 | 0 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Team Totals | 82 | 82 | 241.8 | 90.1 | 41.2 | 20.7 | 7.9 | 5.4 | 15.3 | 78.7 | 33.8 | .429 | 11.1 | 3.6 | .323 | 26.1 | 18.9 | .726 |
Regular Season Per 36 Mins
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FG | FG% | 3PA | 3P | 3P% | FTA | FT | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Anderson | SF | 30 | 58 | 44 | 1701 | 18.8 | 6.3 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 16.0 | 7.3 | .455 | 4.5 | 1.6 | .360 | 4.2 | 2.7 | .638 |
| Mark Price | PG | 33 | 63 | 33 | 1430 | 15.0 | 3.2 | 7.5 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 4.1 | 13.4 | 5.8 | .431 | 3.9 | 1.3 | .335 | 2.6 | 2.2 | .845 |
| Derek Strong | PF | 29 | 58 | 8 | 1638 | 16.2 | 9.4 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 13.6 | 5.7 | .420 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 6.1 | 4.8 | .781 |
| Horace Grant | C | 32 | 76 | 76 | 2803 | 11.8 | 7.9 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 11.0 | 5.0 | .459 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.6 | 1.7 | .678 |
| Danny Schayes | C | 38 | 74 | 33 | 1272 | 11.5 | 6.8 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 10.5 | 4.4 | .418 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.4 | 2.7 | .807 | |
| Rony Seikaly | C | 32 | 47 | 47 | 1484 | 17.1 | 8.7 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 13.1 | 5.7 | .441 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 7.4 | 5.6 | .754 |
| Gerald Wilkins | SG | 34 | 72 | 16 | 1252 | 10.9 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 2.3 | 12.5 | 4.1 | .325 | 3.1 | 0.8 | .266 | 2.8 | 2.0 | .704 |
| Bo Outlaw | PF | 26 | 82 | 76 | 2953 | 9.5 | 7.8 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 6.6 | 3.7 | .554 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .250 | 3.8 | 2.2 | .575 |
| Derek Harper | SG | 36 | 66 | 45 | 1761 | 11.6 | 2.1 | 4.8 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 2.1 | 11.1 | 4.6 | .417 | 3.4 | 1.2 | .360 | 1.6 | 1.1 | .696 |
| Darrell Armstrong | PG | 29 | 48 | 17 | 1236 | 12.9 | 4.6 | 6.9 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 3.3 | 11.1 | 4.5 | .411 | 2.0 | 0.7 | .368 | 3.6 | 3.1 | .854 |
| Brian Evans | SF | 24 | 44 | 0 | 561 | 13.2 | 5.5 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 13.2 | 4.9 | .374 | 2.9 | 0.8 | .267 | 3.1 | 2.6 | .833 |
| David Benoit | SF | 29 | 24 | 0 | 324 | 15.3 | 6.9 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 15.4 | 5.6 | .360 | 5.7 | 1.6 | .275 | 3.3 | 2.7 | .800 |
| Anfernee Hardaway | SG | 26 | 19 | 15 | 625 | 17.9 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 15.7 | 5.9 | .377 | 2.9 | 0.9 | .300 | 6.8 | 5.2 | .763 |
| Kevin Ollie | PG | 25 | 19 | 0 | 216 | 12.8 | 3.0 | 5.5 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 4.7 | 9.3 | 3.8 | .411 | 0.2 | 0.0 | .000 | 7.5 | 5.2 | .689 |
| Jason Lawson | C | 23 | 17 | 0 | 80 | 11.7 | 12.2 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 6.8 | 4.1 | .600 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.5 | 3.6 | .800 | |
| Vernon Maxwell | SG | 32 | 11 | 0 | 169 | 17.3 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 2.6 | 16.6 | 5.5 | .333 | 5.5 | 1.3 | .231 | 5.5 | 4.9 | .885 |
| Kevin Edwards | SG | 32 | 12 | 0 | 135 | 15.7 | 5.3 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 15.7 | 5.3 | .339 | 1.1 | 0.5 | .500 | 5.3 | 4.5 | .850 |
| Johnny Taylor | SF | 23 | 12 | 0 | 108 | 12.7 | 4.3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 12.3 | 4.3 | .351 | 0.7 | 0.3 | .500 | 5.3 | 3.7 | .688 |
| Carl Thomas | SG | 28 | 4 | 0 | 15 | 21.6 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 0.0 | 12.0 | 9.6 | .800 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.8 | 2.4 | .500 | |
| Spud Webb | PG | 34 | 4 | 0 | 34 | 12.7 | 3.2 | 5.3 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 7.4 | 12.7 | 5.3 | .417 | 1.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.000 |
| Donald Royal | SF | 31 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 10.0 | 8.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 6.0 | 12.0 | 2.0 | .167 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.0 | 6.0 | .750 | |
| Tim Kempton | PF | 34 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.8 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Regular Season Totals
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FG | FG% | 3PA | 3P | 3P% | FTA | FT | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horace Grant | C | 32 | 76 | 76 | 2803 | 921 | 618 | 172 | 81 | 79 | 88 | 857 | 393 | .459 | 7 | 0 | .000 | 199 | 135 | .678 |
| Nick Anderson | SF | 30 | 58 | 44 | 1701 | 890 | 297 | 119 | 72 | 23 | 85 | 754 | 343 | .455 | 214 | 77 | .360 | 199 | 127 | .638 |
| Bo Outlaw | PF | 26 | 82 | 76 | 2953 | 783 | 637 | 216 | 107 | 181 | 175 | 543 | 301 | .554 | 4 | 1 | .250 | 313 | 180 | .575 |
| Derek Strong | PF | 29 | 58 | 8 | 1638 | 736 | 427 | 51 | 31 | 24 | 74 | 617 | 259 | .420 | 4 | 0 | .000 | 279 | 218 | .781 |
| Rony Seikaly | C | 32 | 47 | 47 | 1484 | 704 | 357 | 69 | 25 | 39 | 134 | 538 | 237 | .441 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 305 | 230 | .754 |
| Mark Price | PG | 33 | 63 | 33 | 1430 | 597 | 129 | 297 | 53 | 5 | 162 | 531 | 229 | .431 | 155 | 52 | .335 | 103 | 87 | .845 |
| Derek Harper | SG | 36 | 66 | 45 | 1761 | 566 | 103 | 233 | 72 | 10 | 101 | 542 | 226 | .417 | 164 | 59 | .360 | 79 | 55 | .696 |
| Darrell Armstrong | PG | 29 | 48 | 17 | 1236 | 442 | 159 | 236 | 58 | 5 | 112 | 380 | 156 | .411 | 68 | 25 | .368 | 123 | 105 | .854 |
| Danny Schayes | C | 38 | 74 | 33 | 1272 | 406 | 242 | 44 | 34 | 33 | 61 | 371 | 155 | .418 | 0 | 0 | 119 | 96 | .807 | |
| Gerald Wilkins | SG | 34 | 72 | 16 | 1252 | 380 | 90 | 78 | 34 | 6 | 79 | 434 | 141 | .325 | 109 | 29 | .266 | 98 | 69 | .704 |
| Anfernee Hardaway | SG | 26 | 19 | 15 | 625 | 311 | 76 | 68 | 28 | 15 | 46 | 273 | 103 | .377 | 50 | 15 | .300 | 118 | 90 | .763 |
| Brian Evans | SF | 24 | 44 | 0 | 561 | 206 | 85 | 31 | 22 | 8 | 24 | 206 | 77 | .374 | 45 | 12 | .267 | 48 | 40 | .833 |
| David Benoit | SF | 29 | 24 | 0 | 324 | 138 | 62 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 13 | 139 | 50 | .360 | 51 | 14 | .275 | 30 | 24 | .800 |
| Vernon Maxwell | SG | 32 | 11 | 0 | 169 | 81 | 13 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 78 | 26 | .333 | 26 | 6 | .231 | 26 | 23 | .885 |
| Kevin Ollie | PG | 25 | 19 | 0 | 216 | 77 | 18 | 33 | 7 | 0 | 28 | 56 | 23 | .411 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 45 | 31 | .689 |
| Kevin Edwards | SG | 32 | 12 | 0 | 135 | 59 | 20 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 59 | 20 | .339 | 4 | 2 | .500 | 20 | 17 | .850 |
| Johnny Taylor | SF | 23 | 12 | 0 | 108 | 38 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 37 | 13 | .351 | 2 | 1 | .500 | 16 | 11 | .688 |
| Jason Lawson | C | 23 | 17 | 0 | 80 | 26 | 27 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 9 | .600 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 8 | .800 | |
| Spud Webb | PG | 34 | 4 | 0 | 34 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 5 | .417 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 |
| Carl Thomas | SG | 28 | 4 | 0 | 15 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | .800 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .500 | |
| Donald Royal | SF | 31 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | .167 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | .750 | |
| Tim Kempton | PF | 34 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Team Totals | 82 | 82 | 19830 | 7387 | 3381 | 1694 | 649 | 441 | 1224 | 6455 | 2771 | .429 | 907 | 293 | .323 | 2138 | 1552 | .726 |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Team Impact Spotlight
| Player Name | Role Tier | MPG | Usage Tier | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | Impact Index | Notes | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anfernee Hardaway | Franchise Offensive Initiator (1.1) | 32.9 | High | 16.4 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 2.3 | 69.43 | Franchise offensive initiator, Hardaway’s season was defined by how little Orlando actually got from him because of his knee problems. He played only 19 games, and contemporary reporting noted that the Magic’s offense became far less coherent without its primary creator; his return was still enough to give the team a genuine high-level shot creator. TalkSport — Penny Hardaway injury retrospective | All-Star (1998) |
| Rony Seikaly | Starting Interior Scoring Hub (1.05) | 31.6 | High | 15.0 | 7.6 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 64.01 | Starting interior scoring hub, Seikaly was still a substantial half-court presence before Orlando moved him at the trade deadline. Reporting around the February deal portrayed the relationship between player and organization as badly strained, with injuries and declining production adding to the decision to move him. Deseret News — Orlando relieved to be rid of Seikaly | — |
| Horace Grant | Defensive Frontcourt Anchor (1.05) | 36.9 | Medium | 12.1 | 8.1 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 56.83 | Defensive frontcourt anchor, Grant remained the stabilizing veteran in Chuck Daly’s system, combining positional defense with reliable rebounding and secondary passing. His 36.9 minutes reflected how much Orlando trusted him, while contemporary reporting repeatedly highlighted the veteran’s ability to provide structure on a team dealing with injuries and lineup changes. The Basketball Network — Horace Grant retrospective | Defensive Player of the Year voting: 11th (1998) |
| Nick Anderson | Primary Wing Scoring Option (1.05) | 29.3 | Medium | 15.3 | 5.1 | 2.1 | 1.6 | 55.67 | Primary wing scoring option, Anderson became increasingly important whenever Orlando lost another perimeter scorer. One March report captured the change particularly well: teammate Derek Harper said the Magic could run its offense through Anderson when he was playing at that level, and Anderson responded with a 32-point outburst. Los Angeles Times — Like Magic, Anderson Back and Orlando Gets a Victory | MVP voting: 3rd-place votes received (1998) |
| Bo Outlaw | Defensive Playmaking Forward (1.05) | 36.0 | Medium | 9.5 | 7.8 | 2.6 | 3.5 | 54.05 | Defensive playmaking forward, Outlaw gave Daly a rangy frontcourt defender who could rebound, rotate and finish without needing designed touches. His former Clippers coach Bill Fitch called him one of the league’s most versatile players, while Orlando increasingly leaned on his energy when injuries stripped the roster of other creators. Los Angeles Times — Just Like Magic, Versatile Outlaw Leaves Clippers | Defensive Player of the Year voting: 5th (1998) |
| Derek Strong | Reserve Interior Scoring Forward (1.05) | 28.2 | Medium | 12.7 | 7.4 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 50.59 | Reserve interior scoring forward, Strong was one of Orlando’s most useful secondary bigs and could provide offense without demanding the ball from the guards. His role became especially valuable during the injury-heavy stretch, and contemporary coverage noted him hitting a go-ahead jumper against Indiana and later producing 20 points off the bench against Detroit. Deseret News — Orlando free-agent coverage | — |
| Darrell Armstrong | Energy-Packed Backup Creator (1.05) | 25.8 | Medium | 9.2 | 3.3 | 4.9 | 1.3 | 43.20 | Energy-packed backup creator, Armstrong was already showing the disruptive defense and downhill aggression that would define his later breakout. Daly could use him to change the pace of a game, pressure opposing guards and keep the ball moving, although a torn shoulder ultimately ended his season after 48 games. Reddit — contemporary-era Armstrong discussion and career context | — |
| Mark Price | Veteran Pick-and-Roll Organizer (1.05) | 22.7 | Medium | 9.5 | 2.0 | 4.7 | 0.9 | 39.50 | Veteran pick-and-roll organizer, Price supplied Orlando with shooting gravity and precise half-court distribution, but injuries and the roster’s constant changes limited the impact the Magic expected when acquiring him. His reputation as an elite free-throw shooter and efficient offensive guard remained intact even as his workload fell. Yahoo Sports — NBA stars who were never among the highest paid | — |
| Derek Harper | Veteran Backcourt Stabilizer (1.05) | 26.7 | Medium | 8.6 | 1.6 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 34.65 | Veteran backcourt stabilizer, Harper gave Daly an experienced secondary ball-handler who could defend bigger guards and organize possessions. He was also capable of stepping into a larger offensive role when Anderson heated up, with Harper specifically describing how Orlando could run its offense through Anderson during a strong stretch. Dallas Morning News — Derek Harper franchise retrospective | — |
| Danny Schayes | Veteran Interior Connector (1.0) | 17.2 | Low | 5.5 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 20.60 | Veteran interior connector, Schayes was more than emergency size: injuries repeatedly pushed him into meaningful minutes, including a memorable start against New York in which he outplayed Patrick Ewing. His late-career value came from positioning, experience and the ability to survive difficult frontcourt assignments. Deseret News — Schayes outplays Ewing | — |
| Vernon Maxwell | Short-Term Shot-Making Guard (1.0) | 15.4 | Low | 7.4 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 20.00 | Short-term shot-making guard, Maxwell arrived on a pair of 10-day contracts and was essentially an emergency offensive option rather than a permanent rotation piece. Contemporary reporting described his Orlando stint as a brief opportunity for the veteran scorer to revive his NBA career before moving on to Charlotte. Houston Chronicle — Vernon Maxwell retrospective | — |
| Gerald Wilkins | Veteran Wing Reserve (1.0) | 17.4 | Low | 5.3 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 16.60 | Veteran wing reserve, Wilkins supplied experience and occasional scoring but was no longer a major offensive piece. Orlando had already brought him back largely for veteran depth, and his minutes reflected a player whose defensive and secondary scoring value outweighed his declining shooting efficiency. Los Angeles Times — Wilkins re-signs with Orlando | — |
| Kevin Edwards | Spot-Up Guard Reserve (1.0) | 11.3 | Low | 4.9 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 16.40 | Spot-up guard reserve, Edwards joined Orlando as part of the February Seikaly transaction and was used mainly to add experienced perimeter depth. With the Magic already carrying several veteran guards, his role was naturally limited and centered on filling gaps rather than creating a new offensive hierarchy. Deseret News — Orlando’s February roster changes | — |
| Brian Evans | Developmental Wing Reserve (1.0) | 12.8 | Low | 4.7 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 16.00 | Developmental wing reserve, Evans never established a consistent rotation role despite his size and ability to space the floor. His eventual inclusion in the Seikaly trade illustrated how peripheral his place had become in Orlando’s rapidly changing veteran roster. Deseret News — Orlando trade coverage | — |
| Kevin Ollie | Emergency Point Guard (1.0) | 11.4 | Low | 4.1 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 14.20 | Emergency point guard, Ollie was brought in late in the season to stabilize the backcourt after Orlando’s injury problems. His assignment was straightforward: protect possessions, get the team into its sets and provide competent minutes behind a veteran-heavy guard group. Los Angeles Times — Orlando roster coverage | — |
| Spud Webb | Veteran Change-of-Pace Guard (1.0) | 8.5 | Low | 3.0 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 10.80 | Veteran change-of-pace guard, Webb’s four-game appearance was strictly situational, giving Orlando another experienced ball-handler during a season of constant roster turnover. There is limited contemporary coverage of his brief Magic stint, so his role is best characterized as emergency backcourt depth. Atlanta Journal-Constitution — Spud Webb retrospective | — |
| Donald Royal | Deep Wing Insurance (1.0) | 9.0 | Low | 2.5 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 11.00 | Deep wing insurance, Royal returned to Orlando on a 10-day contract but barely entered the rotation. The move was part of a broader sequence of short-term roster changes as the Magic searched for healthy perimeter bodies, making his contribution more about availability than sustained production. Los Angeles Times — Orlando roster movement | — |
| Tim Kempton | Emergency Frontcourt Body (1.0) | 5.0 | Low | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.20 | Emergency frontcourt body, Kempton appeared only three times and had no meaningful offensive responsibility. Contemporary reporting offers little detail on the stint, so there is limited independent coverage beyond his place among Orlando’s short-term frontcourt depth during a heavily reshuffled season. Los Angeles Times — Orlando season coverage | — |
| Jason Lawson | Developmental Interior Reserve (1.0) | 4.7 | Low | 1.5 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 7.60 | Developmental interior reserve, Lawson was a young big learning behind a crowded group of veteran centers and forwards. His opportunities were consequently brief, with Orlando using him primarily when the frontcourt needed another available body rather than as part of a stable rotation. Atlanta Journal-Constitution — NBA player retrospective coverage | — |
| Johnny Taylor | Athletic Wing Prospect (1.0) | 9.0 | Low | 3.2 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 9.80 | Athletic wing prospect, Taylor’s role was developmental and largely dependent on short stretches of reserve minutes. Limited independent reporting exists on his 1997-98 Magic stint, so the evidence supports describing him as perimeter depth rather than assigning a larger tactical role. Los Angeles Times — Orlando roster coverage | — |
| Carl Thomas | Ten-Day Perimeter Reserve (1.0) | 3.8 | Low | 2.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 5.80 | Ten-day perimeter reserve, Thomas was part of Orlando’s midseason churn and appeared in only four games. Contemporary coverage is extremely limited, making it difficult to identify a more substantial tactical assignment beyond temporary backcourt insurance. Los Angeles Times — Orlando roster movement | — |
| Team Totals | — | 241.8 | — | 90.1 | 41.2 | 20.7 | 13.3 | — | Orlando’s 1997-98 season was shaped by injuries, veteran depth and a defense-first identity under Chuck Daly. Hardaway’s knee problems removed the team’s primary creator for most of the year, leaving Grant and Outlaw to anchor the defense while Anderson, Strong and the veteran guards absorbed much of the offensive burden. Los Angeles Times — 1997-98 Orlando season overview | — |