The NBA offseason has begun, Magic fans!
After the Kemba Walker to OKC trade, we can officially say that offseason trades and signings have kicked off. Teams with Head Coach vacancies have started signing candidates, with Carlisle, Billups, Kidd and Udoka being among the names crossed off the clipboard. Another big topic swirling around Magic media is the possible signing of coaches like Atkinson, Hammon, and Magic fan favorite Penny Hardaway.
Unfortunately, this offseason Orlando has a small amount of cap space to sign upcoming free agents, which does not give us much room to work with. And as many have known for years, the Magic have never been a very aggressive suitor in free agency to begin with.
However, we cannot immediately count the Magic out from being ambitious in free agency for multiple reasons.
The Magic most expensive player, Otto Porter Jr., is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and it is not very likely that Orlando pursues re-signing him. Even if the Magic hang onto some big contracts, small signings are always the ones most overlooked by teams looking to get back in the winning column. Also, this is seemingly the first year we get to see Magic GM Jeff Weltman enter “full rebuild mode”, since in both of the past two years Orlando has secured a playoff berth and drastic changes were not anticipated. With the injury-plagued season the Magic have just recently finished, Weltman may want to bring in a couple new Magic men to speed up our journey back to the playoffs. Here’s why:
There’s no question Orlando’s young core will flesh out and develop, considering the team already has a ton to look forward to; Markelle and J.I. ‘s return, two top 10 picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, and a new coach. There’s simply too much talent for it to fail. However, a massive weakness within this team is it’s lack of veteran leadership. Our oldest player is James Ennis III, at just 30 years old. Playoffs experience and veteran leadership are crucial for developing teams, and if Orlando could find an unrestricted free agent with solid league experience to sign at a veteran minimum, it would be a great locker room addition. Our young guys could use a Udonis Haslem-type teammate to be taken under his wing.
One option that fans would certainly be in favor of is former Magic player, Dewayne Dedmon, who is currently on the Miami Heat roster. Many NBA fans were shocked at the rejuvenation they saw in Miami, as Dedmon showed flashes of board dominance and rim rockin’ dunks. Dedmon is an unrestricted free agent this offseason and adding a 30 plus year old veteran definitely advances the team development we’re looking forward to seeing.
Another option that Magic fans should be open to is the signing of PJ Tucker. At 36 years old, his career is probably on its last legs. On the other hand, there’s no denying the impact he still has on contending teams. After watching the playoff intensity and defense he’s been showing for Milwaukee, his presence would instantly bring livelihood and energy to the Magic. His corner spot-up shooting is also a very enticing aspect of his game, since Orlando could certainly use shooters. If Tucker would consider taking a trip down to Central Florida on a below-average deal, I do not see why we should not welcome him with open arms.
Finally, Orlando should take a look into signing Paul Millsap, who played for the Denver Nuggets this past season. A former All-Star for Atlanta, Millsap is notorious for being a solid stretch four, and could certainly provide much needed shooting to this team. His scoring ability even at his age is still present, as in his last two playoff games he scored a combined 20 points in just 25 minutes of play. Considering his age (36), Millsap is certainly in no position to be looking for a massive contract, so Orlando’s small cap space will be a non-factor should they look to pick him up.
Let me reiterate; these are just ideas, and I doubt Weltman has any of these players on his radar. There’s also many other unrestricted free agents that could have benefits for this young team that we may already be in talks with, or perhaps Weltman will take a backseat during free agency altogether. Considering Orlando has already done a solid job of setting up their rebuild for next season, why should we stop here? It simply does not make sense for the Magic to take their foot off the gas and let free agency pass by without a single move. No matter the outcome, I still believe Weltman and the rest of the Magic front office will have a plan to discuss possible trades and free agent acquisitions, so we hope for the best and continue to trust the front office.
By Kieran Patel
