The Orlando Magic have made the playoffs for the second straight year but were bounced in the first round by the Celtics. They looked like a serious threat when healthy, but injuries and a lack of shooting quickly caught up to them. With their spending increasing rapidly, there is no time to wait. The Magic must upgrade their roster to take the next step.
They tried last offseason when they signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a three-year $66 million contract in free agency, but the veteran struggled to make shots in Orlando. Landing a coveted free agent was significant. Still, the Magic did not address known issues and it haunted them.
If the franchise is going to retool their roster, they must move on from several players. The Magic want to keep their spending in check and will be forced to make difficult decisions. These players are the most likely to have already played their final game with Orlando.
5. Corey Joseph
The Magic’s shot creation problem got so bad that Joseph was starting in the playoffs. He averaged fewer than 12 minutes per game over the last two regular seasons and has never started more than 39 games in a season. With Suggs out, Orlando had nowhere else to turn.
Joseph has a $3.4 million team option for next season. The undersized guard is an inconsistent shooter and fails to standout as a playmaker. Orlando needs a better backup option, especially with Suggs coming off quad surgery.
In his five playoff starts, Joseph averaged 5.0 points, 3.0 assists, and 1.0 steal in 24.8 minutes per game, while shooting 41.7 percent from the field and 31.3 percent on his threes. Those are not the numbers of a starting point guard on a title contender. It is time to move on and completely retool this position.
4. Goga Bitadze
Bitadze is a luxury for the Magic. He began the season as their third string center, but injuries forced him to make 42 starts where he averaged 9.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.8 blocks in 24.9 minutes per game. When coming off the bench, Bitadze played just 13.7 minutes per game and just 11 total minutes in the playoffs. With the 25-year-old set to make $8.3 million next season, this seems like a likely place to subtract.
Several teams are already showing interest in a center, including the Lakers. Orlando should have zero issues finding a trade partner. If they need a reserve big man, the Magic could add a veteran on a minimum contract in free agency.
Bitadze is an underrated player who deserves a consistent nightly role. That won’t happen in Orlando, so it is best for both parties to move on.
3. Gary Harris
Fans were surprised when Harris was re-signed last summer, especially for $15 million over two seasons. The second year is a team option, which should be an easy decision for the Magic after his production cratered. Harris’s 14.8 minutes per game were his lowest since his rookie year, and he shot just 38.3 percent from the field. Those are not the numbers of a key piece of a contending roster.
The 30-year-old had a negative value over replacement player (VORP) as his offensive production slipped. He is a plus-shooter, but Orlando needs a better all-around option in this spot, especially if KCP continues to struggle.
Gary Harris will likely land a minimum contract with a contending team in free agency after the Magic decline his option. They cannot bring him back. It is time to let their young talent grab those minutes to continue their development.
2. Moritz Wagner
This one may hurt. Wagner has a special place in Magic fans' hearts, but it is time to move on. Moe is recovering from a torn ACL, and Orlando has an $11 million team option on his contract. The savings gives the Magic some needed flexibility to make moves.
Wagner was having a career year and is just entering his prime. There is plenty to get excited about, but his shooting was an aberration. It will take him the majority of next season to get back to full strength, and the Magic need to better use that $11 million with his brother’s extension kicking in.
Letting Bitadze and Wagner go creates a hole for the Magic at the five. Jeff Weltman and the front office must find an answer, but the nearly $20 million in savings will allow them to upgrade elsewhere.
1. Cole Anthony
Anthony was the Magic’s third highest-paid player this season, but he didn’t play like it in the playoffs. He averaged 2.2 points, 1.2 assists, and 1.8 turnovers in 10.2 minutes per game over the five contests. The undersized guard saw his regular season playing time dip too, and it is time for the Magic to move on.
Anthony Black and Jalen Suggs are the present and future in the backcourt for the Magic. The front office needs to add a true point guard to this roster. That will leave no minutes for Cole Anthony. The former first-round draft pick can still get buckets, but it is time for Orlando to trade him.
It will be an offseason of transition for the Orlando Magic. Can they retool their roster into a serious title contender? Expect the front office to try. It will mean cutting ties with multiple important pieces of their rebuild, but that is the price of improvement.