The Orlando Magic and Channing Frye: What’s the next move?
By sfenech
Channing Frye‘s first season with the Orlando Magic has not gone according to plan. The veteran power forward still holds value for the Magic to unlock.
It does not take an NBA insider to recognize that Channing Frye’€™s first season with the Orlando Magic has not gone according to plan. Rob Hennigan’s decision to sign the veteran to a four-year, $32-million contract took many by surprise, as the Magic have opted not to be major players in free agency during the current rebuilding effort.
Although the signing has not worked out, you can see what Orlando’s front office was thinking at the time.
Frye was coming off one of the best years of his career and his skill set had the potential to help the Magic space the floor. After all, Orlando finished the 2013-14 season ranked 25th in scoring and desperately needed more perimeter shooting.
Unfortunately, sometimes even the best-laid plans do not work out, and that certainly has been the case in Frye’s first season in Central Florida. With the campaign winding down, Frye is averaging 7.5 points and four rebounds while shooting 39.4 percent from behind the arc.
Making matters worse, Frye is sporting a PER of 9.48 which ranks 69th among the 72 power forwards that qualify. To say this has been the worst season of Frye’s career would be an understatement, as his numbers are clear proof that the transition has been a bumpy one, despite his second best 3-point field goal percentage of his career.
While Frye still does have value on the open market to the right team, it is fair to say that his stock has dropped considerably since the start of the season.
The Magic should not panic based upon this season’s results and should only move Frye if they receive a fair trade offer. If the right opportunity arises closer to the draft, then Magic general manager Rob Hennigan should act, but not in an impulsive manner.
Orlando could choose to use the stretch provision to cut ties with Frye, but that would extend his cap hit for the next seven years. Rather the Magic would be better off holding onto Frye for a few reasons.
First, Frye has the potential to still be a valuable piece on a winning team. Much of Frye’s value is derived from his ability as a pick and roll big man, as he forces the defense to remain honest due to his solid three-point shooting. This season, Frye has struggled in part because the Magic do not have an elite point guard to partner him with.
If the Magic are going to become relevant again, it is crucial for them to add another talented ball handler/shooter to the equation. Today’s NBA rewards teams that can run the pick and roll successfully while spacing the floor with perimeter shooters. Frye still has the ability to help bolster the bench of a good team with his versatile offensive game.
Although Frye’s contract looks onerous on the surface, the fact that it depreciates on an annual basis makes it more appealing. With the salary cap set to take a major jump after the 2015-16 season, potential suitors may not view Frye’s contract as much of a liability since it will take up a smaller percentage of a team’s overall payroll.
Throughout his career, Frye has gotten positive publicity as a locker room presence. He also has experience in big games, as he played in the Western Conference Finals as a member of the Phoenix Suns.
Considering that Orlando’s future is dependent on building a positive locker room culture and the continued development of young talent, a strong argument could be made that Frye’€™s most important contributions may take place off the court.
With young front court players such as Aaron Gordon, Nikola Vucevic and Kyle O’Quinn currently on the roster, Frye’s presence as a locker room leader cannot be understated, even if his performance on the court has been horrific. Although Frye’s season has not gone according to plan, that does not mean he still does not hold some value to other teams.
Frye is still one of the better perimeter shooters in the league, evidenced by his strong play as recently as last season and even his shooting percentage this season. He still has some value around the league as an offensive player.
Frye’s future with the team seems a bit unsettled, pending the new coach, but he can still provide value to the Magic.