The Magic have signed two-way forward Jamal Cain to a standard NBA contract, the Orlando Sentinel learned Friday.
By signing Cain to a standard contract, Orlando fills its 15th and final standard roster spot and allows Cain to be eligible to play in the postseason.
The Magic, who also have center Colin Castleton and forward Alex Morales on two-way contracts, also open up their third two-way spot with the move, but they won’t be able to fill it until the offseason. March 4 was the deadline to sign players to two-way contracts this season.
Cain, who turned 27 on Friday, has played in 27 games this season with Orlando but was running out of NBA time. Two-way players go between the NBA and the G League, but they’re limited to being active for just 50 NBA games.
In addition to his 27 contests on the floor, Cain was also active 16 other times but didn’t see the floor in those games. With 13 games remaining in the regular season, he would only have been able to play in seven (because he’s been active 43 times already).
But the Magic aren’t only signing Cain to a standard contract because time was running out on his two-way deal. The 6-foot-7 forward, who brought three years of NBA experience when he signed a two-way contract with Orlando over the summer, earned the opportunity as well.
Even when he wasn’t filling up the boxscore in limited minutes often near the end of games, Cain offered his energy and a sense of urgency on both ends of the floor.
That, combined with his daily work when he wasn’t playing, allowed Magic coach Jamahl Mosley to trust Cain in times when Orlando has dealt with injuries, such as this past week.
In 18½ minutes at Miami last Saturday, Cain notched 12 points with two 3-pointers and seven rebounds in a win against his former team. At Charlotte on Thursday, he scored 15 with three triples with one rebound, one assist and one steal.
Jamal Cain doesn’t waste opportunity with Magic: ‘He’s always working’
For the season, he’s averaged 3.5 points and 1.1 rebounds during 8 minutes per night.
In nine G League games with Osceola, Cain has averaged 20.1 points, 2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks during 32.8 minutes per night.
His hard work that earned him a standard contract hasn’t gone unnoticed by his Magic teammates.
“One thing about Jamal is that he doesn’t lack confidence,” Paolo Banchero said recently about Cain. “Whether (or not) he doesn’t play 10 straight games, you know he’s ready to go every single game. He’s always working.
“So, he’s a talented player,” Banchero added. “Just to have a wing like that, being able to check in and affect the game both sides of the ball, it’s huge.”
The newly signed Cain and the Magic host the Lakers on Saturday.
Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com