Roster turnover is one of the necessary evils of managing an NBA franchise.
There are only 15 spots on any given roster and any franchise worth their salt is constantly looking at which players are actively able to contribute to the roster at any given point of the season — including the offseason.
Players come and go — a maxim Orlando Magic fans have become experienced in over the past six months. President of basketball operations Jeff Weltman has undertaken a grand experiment of sorts and has completely reshaped the roster in what we assume is his grand vision of the future of the Orlando Magic.
While the trade deadline deals were a brash expression of the new direction of the Magic’s player acquisition philosophy, it is clear that the work is not over.
The Orlando Magic’s work on their roster is far from over. As the team looks to reshape the roster, there are several players who are likely on their way out this offseason.
This offseason, it is imperative for Weltman and his staff build a roster that can accentuate the Magic’s new core while preparing for the next few years of decision making and roster building.
With that in mind, we will be taking a look at players the Magic will likely not bring back next season.
A note: this list is just a prediction of players that may not return next season due to current roster needs and projections on the values of some players.
Gary Harris
Gary Harris may be a surprising name to find on this list for several reasons. Before there are clamors for my firing and particularly strongly worded comments fill this article, it is important to see how Harris would be a greater value to the Magic if he were traded.
Orlando Magic
Harris is a relatively young (26) and highly regarded player in the Orlando Magic locker room. Harris is an adept defensive player who is capable of guarding high-level players at both guard positions and small forwards.
When Harris is able to shoot efficiently, he provides value as a 3-and-D ace who can be inserted with the starting lineup in critical situations.
But Harris is on an expiring deal. He is owed more than $20 million dollars next season and his role within the Orlando Magic’s overcrowded backcourt rotation is already under fire before the NBA Draft.
If the Magic happen to draft yet another guard (which is entirely possible given the likelihood of the Magic getting the first overall pick), Harris becomes the elder statesman among the backcourt rotation.
These two factors could be the catalyst for Weltman to begin looking for a trade partner that is looking for a relatively young player capable of serving a valuable role on defense.
Now, if this sounds like a player that every team is looking for, that is because it is. Most teams would give up a luxury for a player of Harris’s caliber and if I were Weltman, I would seriously consider finding just how much of luxury he is worth.
The Magic certainly need veteran players in the locker room. But the combination of Harris’ recent arrival to the team and his expiring contract makes him a powerful trade chip as the Magic look to build their next phase.
Terrence Ross
Another casualty of the Orlando Magic’s current roster construction. Terrence Ross is the longest-tenured Magic player currently on the roster — the last player remaining originally acquired by Rob Hennigan.
His legacy on the Magic should be noted.
Ross quickly established himself as the second unit flamethrower for the Magic — averaging about 15 points per game in the last three seasons off the bench. Ross has often (unfairly) been burdened with attempting to single-handedly shoot the Magic out of particularly abysmal offensive performances in the past — a symbol of the lack of perimeter scoring that has plagued Orlando for years.
Ross excels in his role as a bench scorer and it is no surprise the Magic have been hesitant to move him due to his value on a team bereft of offensive production.
Like Gary Harris, Terrence Ross is on a contract that will become increasingly team-friendly over the remaining years of the deal (he has two years and $24 million left on his contract). Also like Harris, Ross will be on a roster whose timeline does not fit his own.
In addition to the return of Jonathan Isaac, the forward rotation will change dramatically based on the Magic’s three draft selections this year. Should the Magic select at least one more forward, there may be a push to give these young players the playing time over established veterans like Ross.
There were several rumors during the trade deadline that Ross could be moved and with his contract only becoming more valuable, all signs should be pointing towards the Magic flipping Ross to an offensively starved team in exchange for greater draft positioning.
Otto Porter, Sindarius Thornwell, Chasson Randle
Otto Porter was brought in with Wendell Carter in the Nikola Vucevic trade. Porter has only played three games for the Magic this season and was not particularly dominant in the brief time he was on the court.
He had a good showing in one of those games against the Los Angeles Lakers. But a knee injury kept him from playing longer. He was a buyout candidate the moment he arrived in Orlando. While that did not materialize, it does not seem likely the Orlando Magic have much interest in keeping him on the roster.
At 28 years old and unsigned at the end of this season, Porter looks like a long shot to make the Magic roster this season given the potential glut of younger, more cost-effective options at the small forward position.
Sindarius Thornwell was signed to the roster on a two-way contract in May and played seven games for the Magic toward the end of the season. Thornwell had modest production for the Magic, never scoring in double digits. He was often inserted into the lineup toward the end of games when a comeback was out of the hands of the Magic.
Thornwell is still young (26) yet with the possible inclusion of new backcourt players in the offseason and the lack of a guaranteed deal from the Magic, this will likely only be a brief stop in what hopefully will be a long and prosperous career for the guard out of South Carolina.
Chasson Randle was signed to the Magic in February and played as a backup point guard to both Cole Anthony and R.J. Hampton.
Randle averaged 6.5 points, 2.0 assists and 1.0 rebounds per game and was praised by Steve Clifford for his leadership and his role in the locker room. But Randle was always an emergency option and not someone the Magic really relied on. His playing time was more a product of the team’s massive injuries.
Like Thornwell, Randle’s status on the team is precarious due to the wealth of backcourt options the Magic already have at their disposal prior to the offseason.
Like Thornwell, Randle will likely only be a half-season addition for Randle as he attempts to find a permanent home in the NBA.