5 Free agent guards the Magic should pursue with Malik Monk off the table 

3. Tyus Jones 

Tyus Jones spent the majority of his career as one of the best backup point guards in the league. In 2023-24, after being traded to Washington, he got his chance to start full-time and averaged career-highs all over the board. 

The Wizards were not very good, however, and Jones could look to sign with a more competitive team in free agency. Orlando would be an option if he wants to compete in the Eastern Conference. 

The Magic would benefit from having a capable, traditional point guard like Jones. In his first season as a starter, he averaged 7.3 assists per game. That kind of production would take a huge load off Paolo Banchero as the team's main playmaker. On top of that, the 28-year-old rarely ever turns over the ball. 2023-24 was the first season in his career in which he averaged one turnover per game. 

Jones is also a decent 3-point shooter, averaging 41.4 percent on 3.9 attempts per game with the Wizards, and can put up around 10 points per game. He would not take much away offensively from the Magic's main guys but could organize the offense and get his teammates easy shots. 

Much like most point guards available, Jones does not fit the Magic's brand of tall, capable defenders. That is something the Magic might just have to deal with, however. Most of the players who could improve their offense are not strong defenders. Still, it will be tricky to decide how much they can afford to move away from their defensive identity.