Fran Vazquez Wants to Stay in Spain

Feb 2, 2013; Milwaukee, WI, USA; The Orlando Magic logo on a players shorts during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. The Bucks won 107-98. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

In news that will surprise no one at all, Fran Vazquez wants to stay in Spain.

The Orlando Magic’s 2005 first round draft pick has a club option on his 2014-15 deal with current club Unicaja Malaga, which Vazquez hopes they pick up.

“I don’t know my future yet,” Vazquez told La Opinion de Malaga. “The club has an option to keep me for one more year. I am very happy in Malaga and I’d love to remain here. My agent will talk with the club now that the season is over.”

In the same interview however, Vazquez says that Magic general manager Rob Hennigan has been in contact.

“It is true that [they] have come to me a few times,” he said. “Hennigan asked me how I was, how I was doing … and little else. We did not talk anything about the future,” said Vazquez, adding that it was the first time he had spoken with Hennigan since his previous discussions were with former GM Otis Smith.

It’s interesting to note that Hennigan has been in touch with Vazquez, but the likelihood of him coming to North America is still slim to none. There are also reports that Real Madrid are interested in acquiring Vazquez.

The Magic took Vazquez eleventh overall in the 2005 draft and for those who don’t know, Vasquez never came to Orlando. He’s been in Spain ever since and now at 31-years-old it’s becoming less and less likely he’ll ever make his way to Orlando.

By picking Vazquez, the Magic passed on players such as Jarrett Jack, Monta Ellis, Danny Granger, David Lee, C.J. Miles, Ersan Ilyasova and Louis Williams. The Magic also passed on both Marcin Gortat and Brandon Bass, but they would later play for the organization.

The Magic will continue to hold Vazquez’s rights indefinitely.