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2014-15 Season Review: Channing Frye

Josh Cohen
Digital News Manager

By John DentonMay 26, 2015

ORLANDO – While the Orlando Magic were hoping to make some significant strides in the standings during the 2014-15 season, it’s the individual strides among the gaggle of young players on the roster that might ultimately prove to be more long lasting in the years ahead.

Without question, the Magic (25-57) showed flashes of greatness this past season – both as a team and among their individual players. Seeing the growth and potential of players such as Nikola Vucevic, Victor Oladipo, Tobias Harris, Elfrid Payton, Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon gives the Magic tremendous hope that brighter days are ahead for a franchise out of the playoffs the past three seasons.

Without a doubt, developing more defensive toughness, becoming more consistent and learning how to close out tight games is still a work in progress for a Magic team that had the NBA’s fourth-youngest roster. Cultivating those things will be the job of a new head coach – be that an entirely new leader or interim coach James Borrego, who admirably guided the Magic over the final 30 games of the season after Jacque Vaughn was fired on Feb. 5. Orlando made some significant gains under Borrego – as evidenced by late-season victories against Chicago and Milwaukee – and he is expected to be considered for the full-time coaching gig going forward.

Orlando is also expected to add to its talent base in the June 25 NBA Draft. The Magic secured the No. 5 pick in the recent NBA Draft Lottery, meaning they will be able to acquire a top-five talent for a third consecutive season.

Looking back on the 2014-15 season, we here at OrlandoMagic.com are going to spend the next three weeks breaking down each of the players currently on the Magic roster. We’ll look at their stats, highs and lows from the season, a favorite moment and analyze their role for the future.
So without further ado, here is today’s Magic player capsule:

NAME: Channing Frye
JERSEY NUMBER: 8
HEIGHT, WEIGHT: 6-11, 255
POSITION: Power forward
NBA SEASONS: 9
AGE: 32

2014-15 SEASON STATS: 75 games, 7.3 ppg., 3.9 rpg., 1.3 apg., 39.2 FG percentage, 39.3 3FG percentage, 88.6 FT percentage.

2014-15 SEASON HIGHS: 22 points (March 6 vs. Kings); 11 rebounds (Nov. 5 at 76ers); 5 assists (two times – most recently Jan. 14 vs. Rockets); 3 steals (two times – most recently Jan. 18 vs. Thunder); 3 blocks (three times – most recently March 6 vs. Kings); 43 minutes (Nov. 11 at Raptors).

BEST MOMENT: On March 6, with the Magic playing extremely short-handed because of injuries to center Nikola Vucevic and power forward Dewayne Dedmon, Frye stepped up on the inside and outside for his best game of the season. Not only did he score 22 points and make six of nine 3-point shots, but he also grabbed 10 rebounds and swatted three shots. His effort helped Orlando rally in the second half for one of the most exhilarating home victories with James Borrego as the team’s interim head coach.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Frye made it a point to get out into the community and make himself familiar to Magic fans during the 2014-15 season. He did just that by taking part in 15 community events – nine on an individual basis and six while along with his teammates. That participation led to Frye having interactions with Magic fans on 86 occasions. In November, Frye conducted a postgame meet-and-greet session with soldiers attending a Magic game. In January, he addressed the Amway Center crowd as the team was honoring the life of Dr. Martin Luther King. Frye also took part in casino night and a bowling event for season ticketholders and corporate sponsors.

FUTURE ROLE WITH THE MAGIC: Frye sprained the MCL in his left knee in the third practice of training camp, and he never seemed to get on track all season. His inability to guard in the post and consistently be a factor in the offense proved to be one of the major disappointments of the season. The hope is that as Victor Oladipo and Elfrid Payton develop as drive-and-kick guards that it will lead to Frye being more effective in the future from the perimeter. Frye can be a lethal offensive weapon because of his abilities as a 3-point shooter, but he needs to be set up by others to be effective. In the right system, he could still be a very effective piece for the Magic on the offensive end of the floor. However, Frye must become a more willing defender and rebounder in the future if he is going to continue to be a starter at the power forward position.

Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors.