The Orlando Magic went on a bit of a spending spree to transform their roster. The summer is virtually over as the number of available options are thin.
The Orlando Magic are largely done this offseason. They have added seven new players to the roster. Nearly half the roster has turned over in a transformative summer for the team. The Magic decided to push the pace on things and rebuild an entirely new roster.
The construction began in February with the Tobias Harris trade that freed up enough cap space for the Magic to make some major offseason moves. In all, Orlando spent $56.3 million in free agency and then added even more salary in free agency.
Last year, the Magic had $63.5 million in salary commitments last year — through some other means, that bumped the team right up against the cap last year which limited their ability . Orlando has $104.8 million committed in salary this year. Again that bumps them right up against the cap.
Orlando’s ability to make any more additions to the roster is extremely constrained. The summer is pretty much over.
The Magic do still have some tools they can use to add to their roster though if they so choose. Nothing major, but certainly still a tool if the team wants to make any more additions.
Looking at the Magic’s depth chart, they could probably still use another true small forward or a true power forward to bolster the lineup. Those players might be few and far between. And in this spending climate, they may not have enough to entice anyone who could really help them.
At this point, all the Magic have to offer a potential free agent is the room exception. This is a salary cap exception that stands in for the mid-level exception for teams that start the offseason under the cap. Essentially teams get to double up on some of their cap room to go over the cap.
Orlando received this exception at $2.9 million. They have this to spend even though they are now over the salary cap. That is not likely going to net anyone of any significance.
The major moves of the Magic’s offseason are well over. If Orlando is going to add anyone else in free agency, it will come to add depth, as many of the team’s offseason moves have been.
Orlando will retain the room mid-level exception for the rest of the year. So it is not something the team loses once the season begins. It could remain a resource if the team needs to add anyone during the season.
Of course, trades still remain an option. Since the Magic are over the cap, they will have to match salaries or take in less money to complete a trade. This is where the expiring deals for Jodie Meeks ($6.5 million), Jeff Green ($15 million) and even Serge Ibaka ($12.3 million) can become useful in moving salaries around for a big deal.
And we have long talked about Nikola Vucevic and what he could fetch in the trade market now. That can only grow as teams look for reinforcements closer to the deadline.
The Magic are likely to stand pat at the moment. With few resources and ability to strike out for any of the remaining free agents, the roster feels very set. The only additions might be training camp invites at this point.
Next: Orlando Magic Daily Podcast: Offseason review and trade winds
They still have some tools and some cards to play. But patience for the rest of this roster might be the key. The Magic seem likely to go with what they have into the start of the season.