Fans, pundits, and concerned third parties will undoubtedly agree that the Orlando Magic have seen far better days than its current predicament. The Magic are presently one of the NBA’s worst teams, sitting 27th in net rating, a far cry from the Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway era. Many underwhelming players have contributed mainly to the Magic’s decline, making it challenging to be an Orlando Magic fan in recent years. If you wish to learn about some of the worst players ever to wear the famous blue and white, take a look at these points.

• Jeryl Sasser

Sasser was the 22nd overall pick in the 2001 NBA draft and was advertised to fans as a defensive stopper. Also, the Magic marketed him as a player who could blossom into a towering 6’6 point guard and cover other prominent floor generals in the league. However, he was a poor ball-handler and was not good enough to play in any position. Also, his touted defensive abilities were never enough to convince the fans, many of whom would agree that a visit to Universal Studios Orlando was far more exciting than watching him play. 

The theme park remains one of Orlando’s biggest attractions, and many families visit annually for a delightful experience. However, injuries and even death can occur at theme parks occasionally, and the family of victims may be entitled to compensation. In these scenarios, local personal injury attorneys can help with filing a personal injury or wrongful death claim if the unexpected occurs at Universal Studios Florida.

• Gilbert Arenas

Arenas was at one point one of the top-10 players in the league with the Washington Wizards, averaging about 30 points per game and making three All-Star teams. Gilbert Arenas received a bigger contract but soon struggled with knee injuries that made him a shadow of the player he once was. Orlando Magic acquired Arenas from the Washington Wizards in exchange for Rashad Lewis, who was supposedly underperforming. However, this proved to be one of the worst acquisitions of all time, as Gilbert Arenas had zero juice left in his legs after switching to Orlando from Washington. 

With the Orlando Magic, Gilbert Arenas had the worst shot of any NBA player averaging over 20 minutes per game, showcasing many failed jumpers and a constant inability to move laterally. Name recognition was what kept Arenas in the league for long, and the Magic were also insistent on him playing out his enormous contract. After his contract expired, Arenas left the Magic for the Memphis Grizzlies, who handed him a lifeline. Unfortunately, he could not make the most of his time in Tennessee and fizzled out of the league altogether.

• Shawn Kemp

The Orlando Magic brought Shawn Kemp into the fold just a year after their disastrous Patrick Ewing experiment. However, Kemp was equally as bad, if not worse, than Ewing. Shawn Kemp had been out of shape for a long time, but he weighed over 300 pounds during his time with the Magic. Additionally, he could not elevate more than six inches off the floor, which was a big letdown for a player who used to be known for his high-flying antics.

Kemp was also a lousy runner and could not run the court for more than 10 minutes before huffing and puffing. Nevertheless, most of the Magic faithful did not lose hope in Kemp, hoping he would return to his glory days after getting back in shape. Sadly, he continued to play far below league level and proved to be a costly and disappointing acquisition for the Orlando Magic.

• Patrick Ewing

Patrick Ewing is undoubtedly an NBA legend, but his time at the Magic was nothing short of a disaster. Ewing was way past his prime and out of shape, putting in horror show after horror show. Additionally, the Magic faithful felt disrespected that he wore the No. 6 jersey, which was retired in their honor. Ewing donning the No. 6 jersey was considered an insult by many fans, given that he had worn the number 33 jersey his entire career. It was a novelty to add a legend like Patrick Ewing to the team at the time, but this was far from the best move since he had little left in the tank by the time he arrived in Orlando.

• Daniel Orton

Daniel Orton was widely considered a player who was one knee injury away from having a quality NBA career. Many fans would agree that he was good with his moves around the basket and had decent skills, but he saw little court time. He never saw many minutes, and it soon became clear that the Orlando Magic had given up on developing him. Orton played behind Dwight Howard, but the team was so low on his abilities that they preferred to play Glen Davis and other power forwards out of position to avoid relying on him.