On Thursday, the day of the NBA trade deadline, Jevon Carter received a phone call from his agent.

Carter, who was waived by the Bulls on Feb. 1, was told the Magic were “very interested” in him.

Things moved quickly after that for the free-agent guard.

On Friday he signed with Orlando and by Saturday morning he was inside the AdventHealth Training Center for shootaround, hours before the Magic hosted the Jazz at Kia Center.

“It was kind of a like a no-brainer for me,” Carter said about his decision to join the Magic for the final 32 games of the regular season. “They wanted me. I like to go where I’m wanted.

“Talking to Jeff (Weltman), he still remembered my pre-draft work out that I did here back in 2018,” Carter added. “So, he was excited to have me, and I’m excited to be here.”

Weltman, the team’s president of basketball operations, had said Friday the Magic would look to add a veteran-type player to their locker room after the franchise sent guard Tyus Jones to Charlotte ahead of Thursday’s deadline (Jones was later moved by the Hornets and sent to Dallas).

Carter is in the middle of his eighth season in the league and has built up a reputation  as a tough defender around the perimeter, while still shooting accurately from distance on the other end.

In 23 games this season with Chicago, he averaged 5.4 points and 1.1 rebounds during 11.1 minutes per contest, while shooting 41% from beyond the arc.

Opposing players have shot almost a full percentage-point worse (minus-0.9%) from 3-point range with Carter as the closest defender, according to NBA.com.

He doesn’t think he’ll have a hard time fitting in with Orlando, which often relies on forcing defensive stops to power its offense.

“They play together,” Carter said about the Magic. “You can tell it’s a good group, that they gel well together and they take pride on the defensive end.

“I’ll be able to just plug right in and just do what I do,” he added.

So what does Carter do when he’s at his best?

“Defense,” he said. “Pressuring the ball, making it tough on you and knocking down shots.”

That was music to the ears of Magic coach Jamahl Mosley.

“Watching Jevon over the years, just his level of toughness, professionalism … Defensively, he is a tenacious defender,” Mosley said. “He pushes his teammates. And his ability to knock shots down as well.

“Those things are the key pieces that he brings to the table for us,” Mosley added.

Carter perked up when he was asked about his new coach.

“Exactly how I thought he was going to be,” Carter said of his first impressions of Mosley. “Like, tough-nose. The film session was a little tough. I was like, ‘Yeah, this is the type of stuff I miss.’ You know what I’m saying?

“That’s my type of energy,” he added.

The Magic hope he matches that energy on the court throughout the final stretch of the regular season.

Orlando was 2.5 games back of No. 6 Philadelphia entering Saturday’s slate of contests.

“I’m that guy you just plug in to just to try to pick up energy, making shots, picking up full (court) … Whatever you need me to do,” Carter said. “Every game could be different.

“I’m just ready whenever my name’s called.”

Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com

Up next …

Magic vs. Bucks

When: 7:30 p.m., Monday, Kia Center

TV: Peacock