NBA Notes: Magic, Desmond Bane, Knicks, Mike Brown, Jared Rhoden

Magic

Desmond Bane still believes his shot will come around.

The Orlando guard is hitting just 25 percent from three and taking fewer of them than at any point since his rookie year. But Bane indicated he’s not concerned, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel.

“It’ll come,” Bane said. “I’ve had multiple stretches like that. It’s basketball.”

He is getting far tighter coverage than he saw in Memphis. That has led to more drives and playmaking — seven assists in Friday’s win over Charlotte.

The Magic eventually need the threes to fall. Wendell Carter Jr. said that was one of the main reasons Orlando added Bane in the first place.

Carter said they have to get Bane cleaner catch-and-shoot looks. Not just tough ones off the dribble.

Knicks

New York is 2-3 and coming off a 135-point defensive collapse in Chicago.

Steve Popper of Newsday wondered if replacing Tom Thibodeau was really necessary.

Mike Brown promised tempo and a deeper rotation. But the roster is still built for Thibodeau’s slower, defensive style.

Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the players caught in that shift. Popper believes he is being miscast.

Towns is being asked to get out and run like a wing. He did not address his role after the loss, but he did speak to the overall disappointment.

“We had three winnable games and we didn’t do enough to close,” Towns said.

Last season the Knicks were one of the best fourth-quarter teams in basketball. Not so far this year.

International

Jared Rhoden has signed with Paris Basketball, the club announced.

Rhoden spent parts of the last three seasons with Detroit, Charlotte and Toronto. He finished last season on a two-way deal with the Raptors.

The former Seton Hall guard averaged 11.4 points in 10 NBA games last season and 19.0 in the G League with Raptors 905.

Paris competes in the EuroLeague and LNB Élite.