The Orlando Magic need to make moves this summer to get to the Playoffs. With Tobias Harris‘ free agency looming, they don’t have as much money as you think.
It is pretty safe to say that this is a pretty big offseason for the Magic personnel-wise. Remove the major coaching decision from the equation for the moment. The Magic have big decisions to make on key personnel on the roster, and, if they truly want to make the playoffs next season, they have a lot of work to go to build an actual team. As mentioned before, the coaching decision plays a big role in that.
Orlando has some big decisions to make. But those looking for the Magic to make some serious moves this summer are probably going to be a bit disappointed.
Orlando has a fair amount of cap room this summer, but hardly enough to make a major move or bring in a max player. Not at least until the Tobias Harris situation is figured out.
According to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders, the Magic’s best-case cap situation has them with $23.8 million available this summer. Their worst-case has them with just $9.2 million. Tobias Harris’ contract situation looms very large.
"Worst case includes cap holds for Tobias Harris and Kyle O’Quinn, along with Ben Gordon, Luke Ridnour and others."
The Magic have about $38.9 million committed to next season in guaranteed deals. That amount does not include the qualifying offer the Magic are required to offer Tobias Harris to retain his restricted free agent rights. Nor does it include options and non-guaranteed deals — such as the ones due Luke Ridnour and Dewayne Dedmon.
The whole crux of the Magic’s plans this summer will turn on what happens with Harris. His cap hold will take up nearly $6 million of cap space, more or less eliminating the Magic’s ability to offer a max contract. Harris, coming off his rookie contract, is certainly in line to make more than $9 million per year and Harris is looking for much more than that.
So, already, figure from the Magic’s best-case scenario that the Magic will have somewhere near $11-13 million in actual cap space to use. How much they actually want to use is a relatively big question too.
They have to keep some cap space handy for when Victor Oladipo comes off the books and is owed his extension — that would be in the summer of 2017 when that kicks in. But it would appear the Magic are locking in to the summer of 2016 bonanza to use their extreme amount of cap room.
Of course certain decisions could make spending much more difficult for this growing team that summer.
The plain fact is that this summer’s free agent crop is not particularly enticing. LaMarcus Aldridge and Marc Gasol are expected to stay with their respective teams. Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard is a restricted free agent and there seems to be a sense their respective teams will match.
For temporary relief on the wing, Monta Ellis and Manu Ginobili are free agents as is Luol Deng. For those seeking a power forward, Greg Monroe and Tim Duncan are free agents. Do not hold your breath on Ginobili and Duncan leaving San Antonio. They will probably wait for the Spurs to resolve Leonard and fill their slots from there.
So it would appear Orlando is not going to make any major changes in free agency.
The cap room they have though could become valuable in trades. If the Magic are planning a big, splashy summer, expect them to use their money that way instead.