Orlando Magic should target Isaiah Thomas to solve point guard question
By Drew Miller
With the Orlando Magic needing a point guard and a playmaker, Isaiah Thomas would be the perfect fit on a one-year deal to fill the void and take the team to the next level.
The Orlando Magic have searched for a point guard for several years. The team drafted Elfrid Payton in 2014 to be the franchise point guard. The Magic hoped his mixture of size and offensive savvy would be a solid base to build around. He traded on his defense coming out of college and his playmaking was at an elite level.
He was meant to be someone they could count on to lead the team. And general manager Rob Hennigan tied his whole future to him on several occasions.
As things fell apart for the rebuild, attention continually turned to this position. Especially as point guard became such a deep and important position around the league.
While Payton showed promising signs across the years, he never put it all together. He went from triple-double one night, to no impact the next. Last season, the team lost hope and dealt him for spare change to the Phoenix Suns.
Whether it was the failed Victor Oladipo experiment, trying to make Willie Green or Shabazz Napier work or Elfrid Payton, the Magic were lost at the point guard position. As they tried to turn the corner, they never had the leadership to make that next step.
In the end, Orlando used a patchwork of veterans to hold the ship steady.
D.J. Augustin and Shelvin Mack were the primary point guards last season. Both of them failed to effectively run the offense. They performed as expected, both are veteran bench guards. But neither have the tools to be a starting point guard.
This obvious team need was only exacerbated when the team did not draft a point guard. Orlando later cut Mack, leaving only one real point guard on the roster.
Obviously, the Magic need a point guard, and they need one bad. It is a glaring hole on the roster as it currently stands.
There are few playmakers on the roster, and the team would greatly benefit from a guard who can drive, shoot and pass. These qualities will help the development of the young bigs, setting them up for success. Another season of D.J. Augustin as the starter may keep things steady, but it will not lead to wins and could hurt Mohamed Bamba, Aaron Gordon and Jonathan Isaac‘s development.
This is where Isaiah Thomas comes in.
Thomas, an All-Star in 2016 and 2017, is off an injury-riddled season where he struggled to find a rhythm on two new teams. Thomas averaged 15.2 points and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 37.3 percent from the field last season. Not great numbers. But he still showed some potential and was playing off a hip surgery.
As he got healthier, the All-Star version showed up. And the Magic could still use a player with his scoring and creation ability. no one on the roster does what Thomas can do, even slowed with an injury.
Thomas is a very intriguing player for the Magic for that reason. He fits all the boxes for the Magic. And the Magic are the perfect situation for Thomas to rebuild his value.
It is a win-win for both sides.
Thomas is the type of playmaker the Magic need. He is an elite driver and would be an assist machine with Mohamed Bamba, Aaron Gordon and Jonathan Isaac.
Further, his scoring ability and his volume of shooting would be welcome, as the Magic do not have many scorers or any high volume shooters on the roster. Orlando has not had a guard score more than 20 points per game since Steve Francis in 2005.
While Thomas shot 29.3 percent from beyond the arc last season, he has a solid track record of being an above average shooter. He is a career 36.1 percent 3-point shooter. He shot 37.9 percent in his breakout 2017 season.
Thomas has the track record to rebound from his poor season, and given the ample opportunity in Orlando, he very well could. And the pressure is on him once again to prove he is healthy. Thomas has made a career of proving doubters wrong — he was the final pick of the 2011 NBA Draft.
For Thomas, a move with the Magic makes perfect sense. He would join a team where he could play 30-plus minutes per night and be the primary scorer and ball handler. Thomas needs the ball to show the NBA he can still play. The Magic are a team where he will have ample opportunity to do so. They would hope Thomas would put his teammates in their proper roles, allowing them to flourish alongside him.
And maybe turn some of that into some winning too.
Logistically, the market for Thomas will have to be dry for the Magic to sign him. The good news is there is limited cap space available across the league. And teams with room spent a lot of their money already.
The Magic have the non-taxpayer mid-level exception of $8.6 million available and could use this to sign Thomas to a one year “prove it” deal.
Orlando should go after Thomas this free agency period as a short-term signing to help the team immediately. He may not be the long-term solution at point guard, but he would bring some excitement back to the Amway Center and be a strong veteran presence for a growing young team.
There are also simply no other feasible options. The Toronto Raptors already re-signed Fred VanVleet. Dante Exum and Marcus Smart are restricted free agents. But they are likely above the Magic’s price point.
Next: Orlando Magic Offseason Manifesto: Gauging the free agent and trade markets
If there is a big swing the Magic could take in free agency to bolster the roster immediately, Thomas is the swing to take.