Anthony Black made some headlines this weekend.
A fan commented on a photo he posted on his personal Instagram account, asking him to stay as the contract extension deadline approached. Black simply responded that it was not up to him.
That was not the way the Orlando Magic operated for much of this rebuild. They freely gave contracts to their drafted players, dating back to Cole Anthony and moving on to the bigger-name players like Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Paolo Banchero.
President of basketball operations Jeff Weltman has been clear about taking care of his own players and the players he drafted.
He was also clear that at some point the team would have to pay the bill for all those extensions. The finances would get tighter in a league that is now defined by its strict salary cap rules.
At some point somebody would be left holding the bag.
That player appears to be Anthony Black.
The team did not reach an agreement on an extension with Black, according to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel, leaving him open to potential restricted free agency during the summer.
It does not mean that Black will not return to the Magic beyond this season. Orlando would retain the right to match any contract he is offered after presenting him a qualifying offer. But it is the first time the Magic have faced a stiff financial reality.
This is an expensive team. A team that is just below the second apron and set to remain expensive moving forward.
The Magic kept their roster mostly the same this offseason. But they did so knowing full well that the team cannot keep spending this much. Certainly not on a team that is not advancing deeper into the Playoffs.
Black not receiving a contract extension is a clear sign of the reality the Magic are openly admitting.
"When you get to the playoffs, margins are everything, and they go from here to here," Weltman said during media day, demonstrating how narrow the margins get in the playoffs. "Obviously, you are well aware, we are going to have to make some changes. This team will not be able to maintain this level of continuity next season. How that looks? I don't know. We're all going to find out together."
The Magic need Black. A separation is not imminent. But the team's margin for error has decreased dramatically. The team needs to see results.
But one way or another, the Magic are primed to be a team that the league is looking at for some change. It is already being speculated about openly. And the Magic are acknowledging that this is on the horizon one way or another.
This is a big season for the Magic. Everyone can feel that this is the last chance. Change is coming one way or another.
It starts with this decision on Black.
Black was the first cost
That started with the decision not to extend Anthony Black. Perhaps even in the way the Orlando Magic went about their negotiations.
It has been widely reported by Jake Fischer of The Stein Line that the Magic and Black never engaged meaningfully in contract negotiations. It is not clear exactly where negotiations stood.
The reports were at least a signal that the Magic were aware of this dance they were doing around the apron. It suggested the Magic did not want to commit more money long-term without first seeing where this team was at.
Black was worthy of an extension. He had a true breakout season last year, averaging 15.0 points per game and carrying the team through some rough spots in December. He is expected to contribute much of the same as a sixth man this season.
If Black hits restricted free agency, the Magic would still have the right to match any offers he receives. That proved to be a huge weapon this summer for several key restricted free agents. They can still agree to a new deal when the offseason begins.
But Black still has plenty of questions to answer on the court. The Magic were not crazy to ask for a confirmation season after he struggled to break out in his first two seasons.
Black still has a lot of promise as a versatile defender and growing offensive player. But he struggled in the playoffs -- coming off a late-season injury. And the Magic did not feel his impact on the floor.
The starting five last year with Anthony Black instead of Jalen Suggs, the player he is often pitted against, had a -4.7 net rating. That is not exactly a ringing endorsement for handing him the keys.
The Magic want to see more from Black. They want to see more from the rest of the team this season.
The puzzle ahead
What the Orlando Magic do not know is how all the puzzle pieces fit together.
They have seen enough bits and pieces of this team in the last three years to remain invested in them. They saw Paolo Banchero play like an All-Star and Franz Wagner do the same. Desmond Bane was a wild success. Jalen Suggs is an energize.
Yes, Anthony Black has a major part to play. He is as key to what the Magic hpoe to do this season and beyond.
But Orlando must figure out how to keep improving too. Internal development matters. And the expectation is for Black to be among the players who take a step this year.
That does not change the team's financial reality. They will still have to make some decisions on how to move forward.
The Magic still want to see what this team looks like together before deciding what to sacrifice and how to move forward.
"You always hope for some level of consistency, first and foremost, with health," Weltman said at Media Day. "If you get that, it gives you a better read of what do you got. The stuff that these guys have accomplished is worth finding out. Then I don't know. That's the value of keeping the continuity and being able to continually evaluate the same team because you want to build a track record of understanding how things work together."
Those are the clear stakes for this season.
Black's extension became a sacrifice to this financial reality. He will play the year without knowing his future.
The Magic are playing this season to figure out their future.
What should be clear is that one way or another, change is coming for Orlando. Everyone can recognize and acknowledge it.
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