Kori Ellis
06-15-2006, 10:49 PM
MIAMI -- Orlando Magic guard DeShawn Stevenson opted out of his contract and has become an unrestricted free agent, according to a statement from his agent, Rob Pelinka.
The 6-foot-5 shooting guard would have earned $3 million had he stayed with the Magic for the final year of his contact. Instead, the six-year veteran seems set to improve on that amount in a summer free agent market that's short on quality wing players. While Stevenson has struggled to establish himself as an offensive force since turning pro out of high school in 2001, he was Orlando's best perimeter defender and started all 82 games.
Stevenson, 25, averaged 11.0 points per game and shot a career-high 46.0 percent for the Magic in 2005-06, averaging 32.3 minutes per game. However, he made only two 3-pointers all season. Stevenson was traded to Orlando from Utah on Feb. 19, 2004 after spending his first three-plus seasons with the Jazz.
The 6-foot-5 shooting guard would have earned $3 million had he stayed with the Magic for the final year of his contact. Instead, the six-year veteran seems set to improve on that amount in a summer free agent market that's short on quality wing players. While Stevenson has struggled to establish himself as an offensive force since turning pro out of high school in 2001, he was Orlando's best perimeter defender and started all 82 games.
Stevenson, 25, averaged 11.0 points per game and shot a career-high 46.0 percent for the Magic in 2005-06, averaging 32.3 minutes per game. However, he made only two 3-pointers all season. Stevenson was traded to Orlando from Utah on Feb. 19, 2004 after spending his first three-plus seasons with the Jazz.