Orlando Magic 2023 Free Agency Day Power Rankings

Orlando Magic 2023 Free Agency Power Rankings

Dark Horse Options

Keita Bates-Diop is not a household name by any means. But he quietly might be one of the more intriguing free-agent prospects in this year’s Draft. He averaged 9.7 points per game and shot 39.4 percent from beyond the arc. He has good size and is a decent defender. Someone taking a shot at him could be rewarded. And championship-level teams like the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns appear interested in the forward.

Chimezie Metu has not gotten consistent playing time throughout his career. But he has shown some promise as a shot blocker and even a bit of a floor spacer in the time he has gotten. He averaged only 10.4 minutes per game in 66 games last year. He averaged 4.9 points per game and 3.9 rebounds per game.

If the Magic are down to just minimum contracts or small deals, Metu could be an interesting investment for his potential. But the Magic kind of have that player already in Goga Bitadze.

We picked out Troy Brown Jr. as a potential shooting option the Orlando Magic could pursue if they wanted to bolster their backcourt rotation. Brown is known as a shooter and had a solid shooting season last year. But he did not play in the Playoffs. And his size is a concern.

If the Orlando Magic are still looking for shooting, but do not want to spend or keep with their young kick then they might want to look at Cam Reddish.

Reddish has not lived up to expectations. He scored 11.0 points per game after getting traded to the Portland Trail Blazers and shot just 31.8 percent from beyond the arc. The bottom line is that he is a shooter who has struggled to shoot — 32.2 percent career 3-point shooter.

But there is someone who wants to make a reclamation project of a player like this.

The Orlando Magic need shooting. So Kelly Oubre Jr. would seemingly make a lot of sense for them. He averaged 20.3 points per game and shot 31.9 percent from beyond the arc.

Oubre has been a shooter and has often worked best in a secondary role rather than a primary scorer as he needed to be with the Charlotte Hornets. But he has often been characterized by poor shot choices and being a bit of a gunner. Maybe the Magic need a volume shooter like him. But this probably is not the option.

Seth Curry lives up to his family name in a lot of ways. He averaged 9.2 points per game and shot 40.5 percent from deep. He would give the Orlando Magic some veteran know-how and outside shooting even if he is a bit undersized.

Curry is in line for a contract below the nontaxpayer mid-level exception. So there will be a lot of suitors — the Chicago Bulls are getting connected to him a lot for his outside shooting. I am not sure the Magic are going to be willing to compete hard for him.

The Orlando Magic do not really need many guards. And Coby White’s restricted free agency market is going to be interesting. The Chicago Bulls seem willing to retain most of their roster — the same one that finished 10th in the Eastern Conference by the way — and letting go of a young player does not make too much sense.

He will be hard to get. And he had a solid year even while averaging a career-low 9.7 points per game and shooting 37.2 percent from deep. At 6-foot-5, he has good size and defensive ability for a point guard.

I doubt the Magic are looking for a guard again and White will need a strong offer sheet to pry him out of Chicago.

Torrey Craig is not a hugely notable name. He is a solid role player who defends his position well. The concern with him has always centered on his shooting. He made 39.5 percent of his 3-pointers last year. That is a good place for him to start and grow as he is coming off a strong season and a good postseason.

The Orlando Magic are not going to be able to chase after big fish after they guaranteed Gary Harris and Markelle Fultz’s contracts. Khris Middleton would have been a solid veteran to chase even if he is nearing the end of his career. It sounds like he will get a big offer to stay in Milwaukee or an enticement from the Houston Rockets. This just is a pipe dream at this moment.

Ready for my sneaky pick for the Orlando Magic to chase if they are looking for an end-of-the-bench veteran? How about former MVP Derrick Rose?

The Orlando Magic likely do not have the roster space to use on a player like this unless they make trades elsewhere. But this team needs a veteran in the locker room. Rose got buried on the bench in New York. That same thing might happen in Orlando with all the guards. But this team needs a veteran voice still.

The Orlando Magic have historically been linked to D’Angelo Russell dating back to his All-Star appearance with the Brooklyn Nets and then again before he got traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

That interest, if it ever really existed, has likely waned with the team’s logjam at guard and the general slowdown in his play — he averaged 17.8 points per game with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers, but saw his playing time dramatically decrease in the Playoffs.

Russell should not be a target for the Magic despite his solid self-creation and scoring ability.

T.J. Warren has had a rough run since returning from the injury he suffered in the Bubble in 2020. Last year, he averaged 77.5 points per game and struggled to fit in with his return to the Phoenix Suns. He shot 32.8 percent overall from beyond the arc. Can he recapture the magic from the Bubble? Who is investing in him to do that?

Free agency begins at 6 p.m. ET on June 30. Follow @OMagicDaily for all the latest on free agency for the Orlando Magic.