ORLANDO, Fla. — Forward Jamal Cain earned the opportunity to remain with the Orlando Magic for the 2026-27 with his play this past season.
The Magic exercised the team’s option to keep him under contract for the upcoming season, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced Monday.
Cain signed a two-way contract with the Magic on July 25, 2025, and the team signed him to a standard contract on March 20 for the rest of the season and an option for 2026-27. He would have become an unrestricted free agent at 6 p.m. Tuesday if Orlando had not picked up his option. He will be paid $2.58 million under the terms of that contract if he is not waived before Jan. 10, 2027.
The 6-foot-7-inch, 207-pound forward played in 40 games with the Magic. With forward Franz Wagner out much of last season with a high ankle sprain, Cain played 486 vital minutes total, averaging 5.4 points and 2 rebounds. He started in one game in the regular season. After Wagner was re-injured in the playoffs last season, Cain started three playoff games, and he played in all seven in Orlando’s series against the Detroit Pistons, averaging 4.6 points and 3.4 rebounds in 17.6 minutes per game.
Cain scored in double figures nine times, including a season-high 20 points against the Chicago Bulls on April 10. He proved to be versatile on defense and shot 38.4% from 3-point range, although he took only 1.8 per game.
The 27-year-old went undrafted out of college. He has appeared in 121 career NBA regular-season games with three teams: the Miami Heat, the New Orleans Pelicans and the Magic. He also has appeared in 24 career NBA G League games, averaging 22.7 points, 10 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.67 steals in 36 minutes per game with Sioux Falls.