How the Orlando Magic answered our questions throughout the year

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Evan Fournier took to the role of primary scorer with glee as he attacked and scored efficiently. (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images) /

What will the Orlando Magic do with Evan Fournier

At the midpoint of the season, the Orlando Magic were scuttling on the outskirts of the playoff race. They undoubtedly believed they were a playoff team, but it felt like the team was disappointing.

It was already clear the Magic had to make some changes to push the team forward. The group as constructed had a bit of a ceiling.

And so the trade deadline had a major question attached to it: What do you do with Evan Fournier?

Obviously, the Magic answered that question by sitting tight with him. They could not afford to give up one of their better shooters in the middle of a playoff race for a young, unproven player (like Malik Beasley, a popular player among Orlando Magic fans to chase before he got dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves).

The Magic decided to hang onto Evan Fournier going with what they know over what they do not. It was more of a decision deferred. And we may be going through this question all over again in the offseason and into next year’s deadline.

It was really hard to trade Fournier at the time.

In the first half of the season, he averaged 19.2 points per game and shot 47.1 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent from deep. He was really the only consistent offensive option and shooter every night for the team. With their playoff ambitions, the Magic simply could not afford to lose their top scorer.

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Now, his season averages sit at 18.8 points per game on a 56.4 percent effective field goal percentage, both career highs.

Like Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross last year, he has had a few people criticize him for cashing in on a contract year. That might be true, but he also came into the season coming off a dominant showing at the FIBA World Cup.

So the ball is really in his court to decide what he wants to do.

He can opt-out of his contract this summer and become a free agent. With his production, he could be the best shooting guard on the market. But it is also a summer where few teams have cap room and everyone is expecting a major decrease in the salary cap (even if it is smoothed).

It is looking more likely Fournier will decline that option and return to the team next year.

So then we will be back asking these big questions about Fournier again. It does indeed feel like he is the odd man out. The Magic cannot pay everyone — they have big paydays on the horizon for Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz. And Fournier seems to prefer to play at a slower pace than the Magic need to be successful.

If the Magic are going to shift the roster some and push the team forward, it feels like Fournier — and his $17-million contract for next season — would be the one to move.

And again, with free agency kind of on the back burner for a lot of teams and maybe some teams angling for a bigger free agency class in 2021, Fournier could become a hot trade commodity. Or it could be a dry market again.

It is safe to say, this question about Fournier is still very prescient for the Magic.