After missing the entire 2012-2013 season due to an enlarged heart – a career-threatening condition – Channing Frye came back this past season seemingly without skipping a beat.
The floor-spacing big man averaged 11.1 points – including two 3-pointers per game on 37 percent shooting – and 5.1 rebounds to show that his game was still very much intact. Despite failing to make the playoffs in the ultra-competitive western conference, Frye was an instrumental piece in helping the Phoenix Suns to an impressive 48-34 record. For his efforts, the Orlando Magic offered the biggest contract of his career, from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports:
Free-agent forward Channing Frye has reached agreement on a four-year, $32 million contract with the Orlando Magic, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Frye had opted out of the final season of his contract with the Phoenix Suns to become an unrestricted free agent. Frye passed on his player’s option for $6.8 million in the 2014-15 season, which would’ve been the final year of an original five-year, $30 million deal.
Given what had transpired in his life the year before, Frye probably wanted financial stability more than anything else, so it’s understandable that he took the lucrative deal despite having to leave the up-and-coming Suns to join an inexperienced Magic team looking to rebuild.
Still, Phoenix is where he found his true niche as an NBA player, so he will never forget the experiences of the last four years. Here is what he had to say to the fans:
Thank you for everything Suns fans. These last years have been the unbelievable. I will always appreciate ever minute in the Suns Uni.
— Channing Frye (@Channing_Frye) July 7, 2014
Former teammate and former Magic backup center Marcin Gortat had congratulatory words for Frye, but he may wish to take it back after how Frye responded:
RT @MGortat: Congrats to @Channing_Frye for the new contact! BIG time vet in Orlando people!!!- let me stay at your house for free
— Channing Frye (@Channing_Frye) July 8, 2014
Needless to say, Gortat did not reply. In all seriousness, Frye should have no problem finding a nice little place of his own soon enough.
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James Park is the chief blogger of Sheridan Hoops. Find him on twitter @SheridanBlog.