The Orlando Magic have new leadership in place for this year’s free agency, as they are optimistic to turn things around. They will try to reverse five years of frustration.
The NBA offseason always creates hope and optimism for all 30 teams around the league because a couple of big signings can turn the shape and culture of a franchise. It can turn a losing lottery-bound team to a championship-worthy team.
The Orlando Magic are not the most appealing team to free agents by any means necessary. That is no secret. That often leaves the Magic overpaying free agents in order to pry them off their previous team. That is the reality of being a 29-win team.
The Magic have around $13 million in cap space. And they will certainly need to trade players if they want to get to the max player territory. That is not likely.
Orlando has contracts that are a good bargain, such as Nikola Vucevic. And then bad contracts, such as Bismack Biyombo. And then there are contracts that are “okay but not great”, such as D.J. Augustin‘s contract.
But the Magic need to be very careful and controlled. They must not dig themselves a financial hole for the next few seasons like they did when they signed Biyombo last offseason.
With the new leadership in president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman and general manager John Hammond, how the team handles this summer will be a true test of whether they can turn things around for the better in Orlando.
Expect them to sign, defensive-minded, lengthy players as part of their core. Their approach was seen when they drafted the 6-foot-10 Jonathan Isaac with the sixth pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
Orlando does not have many resources to use. But if the Magic want to improve their team, they have to be looking for bargains and looking for players who can make their team better immediately.
With free agency officially opening Saturday morning, here are some players the Magic should have on their wish list.
George Hill, Utah Jazz
George Hill would be a great addition to the Magic. He plays very good defense, something incumbent point guard Elfrid Payton has struggled with for the majority of his NBA career. He also shoots the three ball well, another area Payton has struggled.
Hill averaged 16.9 points per game and dished out 4.2 assists per game while shooting 40.3 percent from beyond the arc. He helped lead the Utah Jazz to the second round of the Playoffs.
Hill was also the lead point guard for Magic coach Frank Vogel’s Indiana Pacers teams from 2012-16. There too, he was a strong defender, solid shooter and leader.
He certainly fits Vogel’s preferred style of play. That is a proven asset because he had a lot of success with Vogel in Indiana, as they went to back-to-back conference finals.
His contract will be pricey, no doubt. Probably more than the magic can afford with their limited cap room.
And Hill has had discussions with several teams already — including the San Antonio Spurs with the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets upcoming.
Sources: George Hill, Spurs discussions broke off. Denver and New York have so far made initial contact with Hill, one of top PGs on market.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2017
Hill’s ability to run the fast break well and push the ball and make plays for his teammates would be beneficial for the Magic, as their offense got very stagnant, at times last season.
He averaged 16.9 points per game while shooting a very impressive 40.3 percent from downtown, that asset is something the Magic needs desperately.
Hill would change the identity of the Magic because as a point guard, he would set a great example for all the young core, and he has the ability to be a very good leader. If Orlando could free up the room to go after him, Hill is the home-run move Orlando would need to help turn the team around.
C.J. Miles, Indiana Pacers
C.J. Miles has the ability to score in bunches. That is something no one on the Magic roster currently has. The best scorer is Evan Fournier, and even Evan Fournier struggles with making plays for himself, at times.
He has been very consistent shooting the ball in his career. And he has been very good.
He has been a sniper from outside and can hit tough, contested 3-pointers. He shot 41.3-percent from beyond the arc this season. He averaged 10.7 points per game in 23.4 minutes per game last year. That equates out to 16.5 points per game per 36 minutes.
He has the ability to play the 2 and the 3. And he defends aggressively too. He has had some great success in Indiana and his name is always near the Sixth Man of the Year conversation. He can create for himself off the dribble too.
Miles is a multi-skilled player with versatility and a defensive mindset. He is a strong 3-and-D player off the bench, giving the Magic that presence they need. Not to mention, he too has a familiarity with Vogel from his time with the Pacers.
With all the free agents looming this offseason, teams might be able to grab Miles for a little less. He should get something similar to what Joe Johnson got last offseason from the Utah Jazz, where Johnson carved a role off the bench.
In the early hours of free agency, Miles was a player who was getting interest but as a second or third option if they strike out on other players. Miles is certainly due for a raise of his $4.4 million salary last year. He could be a player the Magic strike to get early to bolster their bench.
James Johnson, Miami Heat
James Johnson was often desperately looking for playing time with the Toronto Raptors. He finally got his chance with the Miami Heat, where he signed a one-year deal last offseason. He proved he is a very good two-way player in the NBA and can contribute consistently.
He was a great spark off the bench for Miami and played a huge role in the team’s turnaround. The 11-30 start quickly went away as the Heat went 30-11 for the second half of the season. They barely missed the playoffs by a half game.
Johnson averaged 12.8 points per game on 48 percent shooting. He also grabbed 4.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. He is a multi-faceted player with size to play the 3 or the 4 on defense. His shooting is not super impressive, but Johnson will play and work hard. He might be a great pair with Jonathan Isaac off the bench.
The most impressive stat Johnson posted was his average of 1.0 steals per game and 1.1 blocks per game. He was one of only 17 players in the NBA who were in that illustrious company.
It seems at this point, James Johnson is a par tof the Heat’s plan. And it feels like he is going to wait out the Gordon Hayward decision and see what Miami has planned for him. But he has interest in several places throughout the league.
Joe Ingles, Utah Jazz
Joe Ingles had a very good season for the Jazz, as they finished as the fifth seed in a tough Western Conference. He was a solid contributor off the bench and started in the playoffs due to the knee injury to Rodney Hood.
He was extremely efficient from beyond the arc, as he connected on 44.1 percent of his 3-pointers, which ranked fourth best in the NBA behind Pau Gasol, Kyle Korver and Allen Crabbe.
He is also another player on the floor who can handle the ball and make plays for others. He averaged nearly assists per game this season. That number would most likely increase in Orlando, due to Ingles having the ball more often.
He also played stellar defense on J.J. Redick in the NBA Playoffs against the LA Clippers, which Utah won in seven games. Redick shot 38 percent and 34.6 percent from beyond the arc in the playoffs, wfar below Redick’s norm.
Earlier, Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post reported the Magic are considering offering Ingles around four years and $60 million, which might sound a little high, but is okay in today’s cap.
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For now, Ingles appears to be waiting a few days to weigh his options. And it seems like he will have plenty other than the Magic. The Jazz still have the right to match any offer as a restricted free agent.