When someone asks what the Orlando Magic are doing in the offseason, usually it elicits some laughter from those who follow the team. The Magic do not negotiate or engage in the rumor trading that has become the gristle of offseason news cycles.
When president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman acts, the details are usually at least a little bit of a surprise -- even if the direction and process seem obvious. Generally, the rule has been that if someone is leaking something about the Magic and their plans, then it is not coming from the Magic and should be taken with some grains of salt.
Right now, the noise is a little too loud. And the direction the team is trying to go a little too obvious.
Jake Fischer of Bleacher/Report made that abundantly clear during his NBA Insider Notebook on YouTube.
He reported he is expecting to see some potential activity from the Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic this offseason. He said he has heard more things that he is hoping to confirm about the Magic. But they are clearly making calls and trying to be a factor on the guard market.
Indeed, the Magic seem like they will be front and center to make a major move to transform this team and its offense.
The Magic have a lot of avenues to act this offseason. They can work some trades and make some moves with their current contracts to gain access to the full mid-level exception worth $14 million. They also have several tradeable contract slots that they can use to swap salaries and make several moves.
Fans have long expected the Magic to chase after any number of guards. Many of the names from the trade deadline -- Anfernee Simons, Collin Sexton, Austin Reaves and Coby White, especially -- are still available to them. There is certainly more motivation to try to make those kinds of moves now.
This is not the first bit of reporting to sneak out about the Magic.
Jake Fischer's partner, Marc Stein, reported on his Substack that Orlando could be one of the teams fishing for Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker using the full mid-level exception.
This was reportedly not the first time the Magic chased after Alexander-Walker. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported the Magic tried to make a run at Alexander-Walker at the trade deadline, too.
This is in line with what Weltman said during exit interviews about the team's inactivity at the trade deadline. He said then that Orlando was seeking expiring contracts -- like Alexander-Walker's deal -- but found the price too steep to pay.
That does not mean the Magic were not searching for some relief and answers. And it certainly seems to suggest the Magic are still hunting for that this offseason. There is certainly more urgency to do so and the Magic have put public pressure on themselves to do so now.
At this point, it should be remembered that these are just rumors and the Magic are incredibly tight-lipped. They are not a team that negotiates through the media or strategically leaks things to the press. That is just not how they operate.
What Weltman has admitted publicly is that the team is attacking this offseason with a "win-now lens." It certainly feels as though the Magic are entering a new phase of their rebuild. One where they will meaningfully address their needs.
Guard play is certainly one of those big needs after Jalen Suggs struggled this season with injury, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's 3-pointer disappeared. The Magic finished 27th in offensive rating and last in 3-point field goal percentage. The team's lack of playmaking and creation outside of their two stars, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, was evident throughout the season and especially in the Playoffs.
If Orlando does not address these offensive shortcomings, it would be criminal considering how expensive the team is about to become and how good Banchero and Wagner are set to be. The Magic should sense how open the Eastern Conference is and how quickly they can improve their standing in it.
What the Magic need to do and what they are trying to do this offseason are painfully obvious.
All the signals suggest the Magic are going after a guard. There are now multiple reports suggesting the Magic will be aggressive in doing so.
The team will begin to puts its plan to action in a few weeks.