Just a couple of days have passed since the Orlando Magic made a big splash and traded for Desmond Bane. Since finalizing that move, Orlando has quickly made subsequent roster decisions that were necessary for their big acquisition work. It was reported on Monday that the Magic have officially declined club options for both Gary Harris and Cory Joseph, which will end up saving them nearly $11 million for next season.
Although the trade for Bane was obviously the big headline, these margin moves may prove to be nearly as impactful in the big picture. Clearing that space was always going to be necessary for Orlando to optimize their rotation and salary cap space moving forward.
Harris had of course been a steady veteran for the Magic since joining the squad back in 2021. His perimeter defense and catch-and-shoot ability were useful, but his limitations offensively were always going to make him a prime candidate to be on the outside looking in if Orlando were to make a move like the one they just pulled off.
Just In: The Orlando Magic have declined team options for Gary Harris ($7.5 million) and Cory Joseph ($3.47 million) for the 2025-26 season as part of the Desmond Bane trade, league sources told @hoopshype. pic.twitter.com/DmmUnPt3ai
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 17, 2025
Harris and Joseph will not be back with the Magic
With Harris and Joseph now both off the books, it's also an indicator that the Magic are further leaning into prioritizing the youth of their roster. Veteran presence is always going to be helpful at some level, but they're clearly not putting that over younger guys who have more growth potential.
And of course, financial flexibility is also the name of the game here. The Indiana Pacers are currently in the NBA Finals with one of the league's lowest payrolls. There's nothing that says you have to be a high-spending team to put yourself in an excellent position to win.
Desmond Bane's contract is considerable — Orlando is going to owe him over $163 million over the course of the next four seasons. Taking on a player earning those kind of dollars means cutting costs elsewhere, no exceptions. And what better way to do it than by staying true to your vision and continuing the youth movement?
The vision of Jeff Weltman and the front office is clear. The Magic aren't content with just being a middle-of-the-road playoff team in the Eastern Conference, they're ready to level up. How you take that next step is by taking a swing, as Orlando is clearly doing. You might have to trade away a plethora of draft picks and take a risk, but it's a necessary evil in this case. And making these kinds of following moves is the right resulting action as well.