Former Laker Guard Signs Deal with Eastern Conference Contender

Ricardo Sandoval | Sep 4, 2024

Apr 10, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Mac McClung (37) celebrates the overtime win against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Mac McClung has found a new home.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, McClung is heading to Florida and signing a partially guaranteed deal with the Orlando Magic.

Guard Mac McClung – the back-to-back NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion and 2024 G League MVP – has agreed on a partially guaranteed deal with the Orlando Magic, sources tell @TheAthletic. McClung went to camp with the Magic last season and will again compete for a roster spot. pic.twitter.com/IIjiAjLlw8

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 4, 2024

The former Laker high flyer has spent some time with the Magic organization as a member of the Osceola Magic. With the Magic G League affiliate, McClung averaged 25.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game on 50.9 percent shooting from the field. He has also shot 39.6 percent from behind the arc.

The 25-year-old spent some time with the Los Angeles Lakers and their G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, in the 2021-22 season.

McClung started his NBA career with South Bay for the 2021 NBA Summer League and signed with the team in early Aug. 2021. The Lakers waived him, and then he signed back with South Bay for the 2021-22 season.

In late Dec. 2021, he signed a 10-day contract with the Chicago Bulls. After that 10-day contract expired, he returned to South Bay and was named 2021-22 G League Rookie of the Year.

Late in the 2021-22 season, McClung signed a two-way contract with the Lakers. In late June 2022, Los Angeles declined his $1.62 million qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent. McClung joined the Lakers for the California Classic in the 2022 NBA Summer League.

After two games with the Lakers summer league squad, he joined the Golden State Warriors summer team and signed a one-year, non-guaranteed contract with the team.

McClung appeared in one game as a Laker and scored six points, three rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block.

McClung has bounced from the Lakers, Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers, and now the Magic. The 25-year-old is one of the more accomplished G League players in recent memory as he's an NBA G League champion, NBA G League MVP, All-NBA G League First-Team, NBA G League Rookie of the Year, NBA G League All-Rookie Team, NBA G League scoring leader, and a two-time NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion.

Prior to his time in the NBA, McClung attended Georgetown and Texas Tech. He spent two seasons at Georgetown., averaging 14.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 39.3 percent from the field and 29.5 percent from deep. In one season at Texas Tech, McClung recorded 15.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists across 29 games.