Free-agent sharpshooter Daman Rudež will sign with the Orlando Magic, he confirmed to VigilantSports.com.
Rudež is eager to prove that he can contribute in the NBA.
In doing so, he will once again play for head coach Frank Vogel — his first coach in the NBA. Larry Bird and the Pacers took a chance on Rudež, bringing him over from Croatia for the 2014-15 season. Over the final two months of his rookie season, he shot better than 50 percent from long range.
But then Bird sent him to Minnesota in exchange for Chase Budinger, who was not a good fit and the Pacers later bought out. Last season with the Timberwolves, Rudež appeared in just 33 games and averaged 2.3 points per game.
Minnesota declined Rudež team option for the 2016-17 season, thus making him a free agent.
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Rudež will be joined by two other ex-Pacers on Vogel’s first Magic roster: C.J. Watson and D.J. Augustin.
Rudež is not playing in the Olympics with Croatia because he didn’t want to risk getting hurt while not under contract with an NBA team.