Magic vs. Nuggets: Arron Afflalo Faces Former Team

On August 10th, the Denver Nuggets dealt Arron Afflalo to the Orlando Magic as part of a four-team, 12-player trade which netted them All-Star forward Andre Iguodala. Friday night, Afflalo will get the chance to play his former team, which lost to the Philadelphia 76ers squad which sent it Iguodala in the deal, for the first time since the trade. Afflalo's focus, however, is helping the rebuilding Magic achieve their goals on and off the floor.

"It’s not necessarily about proving them wrong," Afflalo told John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com, "because the picture over here in Orlando is much bigger than them." But Afflalo did say--sarcastically, Denton is careful to note--that Denver made "a good move" in swapping him for Iguodala.

Afflalo spent three seasons with the Nuggets after they acquired him from the Detroit Pistons following his first two seasons in the league. Magic assistant general manager Scott Perry worked with Afflalo in Detroit and spoke highly of him when Orlando was considering whether to acquire the UCLA product over the summer. Perry in particular touted Afflalo's attitude, saying it "would rub off on teammates."

Denton writes that Afflalo "had no plans of seeing any of his former Nuggets teammates prior to Friday’s pregame warmups."

Afflalo owns career averages of 8.8 points and 2.7 rebounds. The Compton, CA native has increased his scoring average in each of his five seasons, culminating in a 15.2 per-game average in the 2011/12 season.

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