Orlando Magic must remain opportunistic even with summer work over
Orlando Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman says the team is done making moves. But they should still remain open to opportunities.
The Orlando Magic entered the offseason with few options and little maneuverability.
The team was slightly under the salary cap entering the summer, but the team would have to spend all that room on re-signing Aaron Gordon. It seemed that move was a sinch after Aaron Gordon’s breakout year and he is just 22 years old.
Even at his seemingly discounted four-year, $76 million deal, Gordon ate up all the available room, leaving the Magic with just their non-taxpayer mid-level exception to use.
Plenty of fans hoped for big things with that limited tool — just $8.6 million. Fans talked about bringing in former All-Star Isaiah Thomas in a make-good contract to allow him the chance to prove where he is health-wise.
Orlando reportedly kicked the tires on signing him but decided to move in a different direction. Whether that was because of his lingering injury, his defensive shortcomings or something else, the Magic opted not to go much further than that.
Instead, the Magic engaged in a three-team trade sending out Bismack Biyombo for Jerian Grant and Timofey Mozgov. That, with the signings of second-round pick Melvin Frazier and Isaiah Briscoe, brings the roster to 14 players with at least enough nominal depth to find it hard to fit much more.
The Melvin Frazier and Isaiah Briscoe signings dipped into the Magic’s mid-level exception because they were both multi-year deals. Orlando has roughly only $6 million to spend now if they want to add someone.
But that no longer appears to be the case. The Magic appear done with free agency, ending a quiet summer . . . for now.
President of basketball operations Jeff Weltman told Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel the Magic are likely done reworking the roster this summer. The roster is relatively full with 14 players signed under contract and one two-way slot filled and so finding something new out there with a limited amount of money to spend would be quite difficult.
Orlando was looking to gain some more financial flexibility this summer. But likely did not find that. Orlando traded one bad contract for another in dealing Bismack Biyombo for Timofey Mozgov. They still have their expiring contracts in Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross. And Gordon will start his new contract with the largest salary of his four-year deal.
It is easy to see why Orlando had very little maneuverability.
Many expected the Magic to make a lot of changes this summer. The team’s core has been together for several years with few results. It felt like time for a change.
But if Weltman has been consistent about anything in his tenure with the Magic it is that he is not going to rush into decisions. He has been deliberative and patient with the roster — to some fans’ chagrin. Inaction never means the team is not trying to do something. But the team is looking for the right moves. They do not make deals just to “shake things up.”
As Weltman repeatedly says, he wants to do things right not quick.
Still, fan frustration and impatience are warranted after six years. It felt like after the team fell apart last season on its way to another sub-30-win season. Everyone wants to see when this team will turn the corner. And it does not seem to come with this cast of characters. Even adding in Mohamed Bamba and a healthy Jonathan Isaac who both will certainly give the team a boost.
That makes this pronouncement the Magic are done unwelcome news to some. If this is the Magic’s roster, it certainly seems like it will be another difficult season — at least on paper.
Coach Steve Clifford and Magic management are pushing the idea that this same group when healthy was 8-4 and leading the Eastern Conference. This was not an insignificant sample.
Clifford and Weltman have expressed confidence that D.J. Augustin can be the team’s starting point guard next year. And both have praised Nikola Vucevic’s hunger to start winning, along with other young players who have struggled to break through on this roster.
They hope Clifford can instill the culture to withstand the pitfalls that suck the team into the abyss. Most of the team’s changes remain behind the scenes and not on the roster.
But how much of that is the team selling an idea and some hope rather than what actually might happen is unclear. Sure, there is a universe where everything breaks right and the Magic exceed expectations. But that is not likely what anyone will bet on now.
Orlando still has a lot of work to do to get this roster moving in the right direction.
But what Weltman’s statement is not is closing the door to future moves. The Magic may be done adding players through free agency this summer. But the one thing every team must be is nimble enough to take advantage of opportunities when they come about.
Who knows how long the Magic discussed the Biyombo trade before going through with it. But they clearly saw the chance to get an interesting young player in Jerian Grant on a low-risk deal while swapping out two players on the same contract.
It is these kinds of moves and deals Orlando should continue to be on the lookout for.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported on his latest episode of the Woj Pod the Magic had some interest in trading Evan Fournier earlier in the summer. But nothing came of it. So they sat and waited.
Orlando Magic
Despite the frustration over the team’s extended Playoff drought, Orlando has shown no signs of rushing things. As Weltman promised they would not. And so they will wait for the right deal or the right opportunity whenever it might arise.
For all anyone knows, the Magic tried to make major changes to the roster and shopped around the players they are ready to part with but found nothing of value in return. Or nothing of more value. They may have assessed the team could draw more value than anything in front of them at a later date. Like at the trade deadline.
Orlando’s goals are clearly more long-term than short-term. Their decision to pass on Thomas again showed they are not looking to create a quick fix or a momentary boost to the team. They want to build a team that has something sustainable for it. The moves they make will benefit the team both this year and in future years. That has driven every decision the front office has made.
Maybe the Magic will still add a veteran’s minimum guy for that added boost and depth. The summer is far from over and there is still time to get things done if the Magic want to.
Just because they have professed their summer is over does not mean they will not pick up the phone when an opportunity comes about. It does not mean everyone will go on vacation (although August is the quietest time on the NBA calendar). The work continues always.
But stuck with little maneuverability and a roster that still has a lot to prove, the Magic opted to stay patient and wait.
Next: Orlando Magic signing Troy Caupain to two-way deal
For better or for worse, the Magic are waiting for their chances to strike to come around.