Joe Ingles should be cut loose
Joe Ingles was the only player over the age of 30 on this season’s Magic roster. His veteran leadership and experience were important. Someone needs to teach the young guys how things work, and you can’t always rely on the coaches to do that. In that way, Ingles had a huge impact on the team.
On the court that looked quite different. Ingles played rotational minutes in 68 regular season games. That alone is impressive at age 36, but he did not produce nearly enough to justify having him out there a lot.
Averaging only 4.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 3 assists, he put together his worst statistical season since 2015-16. This season, the Magic were able to surprise opponents. No one really expected them to make the playoffs as the fifth seed in the East.
In the future, that will be different. Teams have taken notice of the Magic’s talent and will bring their A-Game to face them every night. So, they need veterans who can actually have an impact on the games being played on the court. Ingles does not seem to be that kind of player anymore.
While it would not be the worst thing to bring him back for another season, declining his team option could free up some cap space the Magic could use to bring in some more productive players.