The Orlando Magic’s surprise signing of Jonathon Simmons likely represents the end of the team’s summer acquisitions. The team is capped out and full.
The Orlando Magic were not expected to be very active this summer.
They entered July with very little cap room to make significant moves in free agency. They would not have the money to go after any big stars and had too many needs to do anything more than chase after some reserves.
Even then, Orlando seemingly would need to do a lot more to show significant progress. Their draft pick was likely to be the best new player they bring in. There was no clear path.
With most of the offseason over, the Magic have to step back and look at their summer and feel pretty happy with how things turned out.
With the sixth overall pick, the team selected Jonathan Isaac, a high-upside, long defensive player that fits the style Jeff Weltman seems to want to build. They furthered that in signing Shelvin Mack to boost their point guard depth. And then, in maybe the steal of the summer, the Magic signed Jonathon Simmons to a reported three-year, $20-million contract.
The Magic filled their roster with players who fit a specific archetype the Magic want to build their team in the future with.
They can sit back a little bit now and look at a virtually complete roster.
As things stand, the Magic roster is at 14 players. The team has an estimated $94.4 million in guaranteed salary. They are likely to keep Marcus Georges-Hunt and Patricio Garino on the roster into training camp. Excluding Damjan Rudez‘s cap hold, which Keith Smith of RealGM reports was renounced, the Magic have about $2.1 million in cap room left to spend — plus their $4.5-million room exception.
It is not likely the Magic are going to use this.
They have one roster spot left — plus the two two-way contracts they can use. So there is not much room left to spend and not many spots on the roster to fill it, although they could decide to waive Patricio Garino or Marcus Georges-Hunt and their non-guaranteed deals.
The Magic still have not signed second-round pick Wesley Iwundu. Nor have the Magic completed the reported signing of Khem Birch. At least one would have to be on a two-way contract in order for the team to make a legal roster unless someone is getting cut (Garino seems likely).
This is to say it is not just Orlando is up against the cap and can no longer sign a new player. But the team also has a full roster.
Here is a look at the Magic’s depth chart as things stand now:
| PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elfrid Payton | Evan Fournier | Terrence Ross | Aaron Gordon | Nikola Vucevic |
| Shelvin Mack | Jonathon Simmons | Mario Hezonja | Jonathan Isaac | Bismack Biyombo |
| D.J. Augustin | Marcus Georges-Hunt | Patricio Garino |
There are still clearly some things Orlando needs before getting ready for the season.
The Magic could probably use one more post player to bolster their front court rotation. That likely is Birch if that signing goes through. The team is also in desperate need of some more shooting. But acquiring that would likely mean pushing Iwundu out of the rotation or off the roster entirely.
As things stand now, the Magic will rely on either a three-man win rotation with Evan Fournier, Terrence Ross and Jonathon Simmons or they will need Mario Hezonja, Wesley Iwundu or Marcus Georges-Hunt to step up and fill that role.
Unless another trade is in the works, there is likely not enough room to sign Summer League standout Derrick Walton to the roster. Although, a two-way contract remains an option if the team wants to go that way.
The Magic are pretty much done this summer roster wise.
But certainly, the team could still look to fill some needs with the remaining roster spots they have. Whether that becomes a big move — using the room mid-level exception — or something cosmetic with minimum salaries is another question.
Orlando still needs some shooting. Evan Fournier is the top 3-point shooter returning, and he had a decidedly down year from beyond the arc. Neither Shelvin Mack nor Jonathon Simmons are great 3-point shooters for their careers.
The team did not find a great playmaker or scorer either. There are a lot of familiar faces playing familiar roles from last year’s frustrating season.
And while there is some thought Simmons could push for starter’s minutes, the Magic are likely heading into the season with the same starting five they finished the season with.
That may not be a bad thing. Orlando’s current starting lineup performed well to end the season after the All-Star Break with a positive net rating. The Magic seem ready to stick with the group that finished last year.
That may be as much out of necessity than anything else. But there is at least some evidence to suggest this can work.
Orlando Magic
Orlando definitely cannot look at the roster now and say definitively whether it is a Playoff team. It may have the chance to become one — especially in the watered down Eastern Conference. But the margin for error remains small.
Remember, last year the Magic believed they had a dominant defensive team. But eventually, the team’s offensive struggles collapsed the defense. Orlando could not win on its defense alone. Orlando may have the slim margin for error again this year with the way the roster is shaping up.
That is, without internal improvement and some role players taking a step up.
With limited circumstances, the Magic’s summer appears to be over. At least the free agency part. The team made some nice additions and did well considering its financial limitations.
But questions still remain for remaking the roster.
The Magic may yet make a trade of one of their key pieces to further reform the roster. But, in all likelihood, the Magic are going to enter camp with this group and see how things work out before taking the next steps.
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Orlando is capped out. The Magic have a full roster. The team is likely to add maybe another end-of-the-roster player and some training camp invites. But the majority of the team’s spending and offseason moves are done.