Sacramento Kings fans should be elated to hear that fan favorite Malik Monk is staying with the team. There are not many players as electric as Monk, and the Kings would have struggled to replace his production. A win for one team is a loss for another, however. Monk was reportedly one of the Orlando Magic's preferred free-agency targets.
Monk could have given the Magic a much-needed scoring punch along with good playmaking. Now, Orlando will have to find other players to spend their cap space on. So, let's look at five guards the Magic can still pursue in free agency with Monk off the table.
5. D'Angelo Russell
D'Angelo Russell has a $18.7 million player option for the 2024-25 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. If he declines and becomes a free agent, the Magic should definitely look into signing him.
Russell is one of the possibly available guards with an extremely similar skill set to what Monk would have offered the Magic. The former no. 2 draft pick is a bucket-getter, who can easily put up between 15 and 20 points every game. Orlando needs a scoring punch like that, and on top of that, Russell can also space the floor. In 2023-24, he shot 41.5 percent from long range on 7.2 attempts per game.
Scoring is not all Russell does, however. He is also a solid playmaker, averaging 6.3 assists per game this past season.
His defense would be concerning for the Magic, however. Orlando has long preferred long, switchable defenders. Russell is not that, but the Magic might just have to compromise and rely on their defensive-minded players to pick up the slack.
No player will check every box for the Magic. Russell at least covers the playmaking and scoring needs the team has. Another—perhaps bigger—concern is that the 28-year-old has a reputation for disappointing in the playoffs. The Magic want to compete and need players they can trust to contribute in the most important moments.