Magic promote former first-rounder to GM

Former NBA player Anthony Parker is receiving a promotion and will become the Magic‘s new general manager, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Veteran executive John Hammond previously held that GM role in Orlando under president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman. However, Hammond has decided to transition to a senior advisory role, according to Wojnarowski. Hammond, who is 68, wanted to move into a position where he didn’t have to be a daily presence, adds Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link).

A first-round pick in the 1997 NBA Draft and the older brother of longtime WNBA star Candace Parker, Anthony Parker appeared in nearly 500 regular season games across nine NBA seasons. He played in Philadelphia and Cleveland from 1997-2000 before spending several years in Israel and Italy. He returned to the NBA in 2006 and was with the Raptors for three years, then with the Cavaliers for three more.

After retiring as a player, Parker was a scout for the Magic from 2012-17. He became the general manager of the Lakeland Magic, Orlando’s G League team, in 2017 and was promoted to become the Magic’s assistant GM in 2021.

According to Wojnarowski, Parker has been a “sought-after” executive during much of his tenure in Orlando but opted to remain with the Magic and prepare for eventually becoming a senior member of the front office.

In addition to promoting Parker, the Magic are elevating associate GM Pete D’Alessandro to executive vice president of basketball operations, sources tell Wojnarowski. D’Alessandro, who previously held the GM title in Sacramento, has been in Orlando since 2017.

The Magic have issued a press release (via Twitter) confirming the front office changes.