Magic Free Agency: 'Big Swing' Next Summer?
ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic could be big players on the free agent market next summer in what could prove to be one of, if not the most important offseason in franchise history.
"The Magic can make their big free-agent swing in either 2024 or 2025 depending on who hits the open market and shows interest in joining their franchise," The Athletic writes.
"Even if we pick up all of their rookie-scale options plus Caleb Houstan’s non-guarantee, they only have $55 million in committed salary and thus could open up around $45 million to $80 million depending on a ton of variables: their restricted free agents Cole Anthony and Chuma Okeke; whether they pick up non-guarantees on Jonathan Isaac, Joe Ingles and/or Moritz Wagner; and the unrestricted free agency of Markelle Fultz and Gary Harris. That would open up a lot of holes to fill, and the 2024 free-agent guard class looks frustratingly weak, but it could be a huge offseason in Orlando."
The Magic will have the money to pursue whatever free agent it wants, but the big question will be whether or not the team has made themselves an attractive-enough destination for a big name.
Some of the players that might be available in free agency include DeMar DeRozan, Pascal Siakam, James Harden and Jonas Valanciunas. Orlando could also be seen as a potential landing spot for any star players asking out by way of trade.
With Wendell Carter Jr. being the only proven center on the roster at the moment, Valanciunas could be an intriguing target during the offseason. In his last two seasons for the New Orleans Pelicans, he averaged 15.9 points per game and 10.8 rebounds per game while spacing the floor a bit with 35.6 percent from deep on 1.7 attempts per game.
The prospect of playing with the young duo of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner will be enticing to anyone with a desire to win. If the Magic can manage to make the playoffs this season, it will only make them a more covetable team.
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