Former Gamecock PJ Dozier traded, released on NBA deadline day
Former South Carolina star and current NBA player P.J. Dozier stint with the Orlando Magic didn’t last long.
The Boston Celtics traded Dozier and teammate Bol Bol plus a future second rounder and cash to the Orlando Magic for a future second-round pick just hours before Thursday’s 3 p.m. NBA trade deadline.
An hour later, the Magic announced they are releasing the Columbia native.
The Celtics had only just acquired Dozier from the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 19 in a three-team deal that also included the San Antonio Spurs. Wojnarowski reported the Celtics made Thursday’s move as a cost-cutting measure.
Despite being traded twice, 25-year-old Dozier won’t play basketball this season after tearing his ACL while with the Nuggets in late November. He played 18 games for the Nuggets this season, scoring 5.4 points per game.
A Columbia native and Spring Valley High alum, Dozier was a key member of the 2017 Final Four team. He’s carved out a four-year NBA career after going undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft. He had a career-best season in 2020-21, scoring a career-high 7.7 points per game while playing 50 games and drawing six starts for the Nuggets.
This story was originally published February 10, 2022 at 2:23 PM.
