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.
4. Klay Thompson
After over a decade with the Golden State Warriors, it is difficult to picture Klay Thompson playing for another team. This summer, it is a possibility that he will leave, however. The Orlando Magic are one of the teams with enough money to sign him and a significant role available.
It is tough to survive in today's NBA without enough capable three-point shooters available. The Magic experienced that first-hand, and one of the priorities this summer should be to bring in floor spacers.
Klay Thompson might not be the player he once was anymore, but he can still shoot threes. During the last regular season, he shot 38.7 percent from three on nine attempts per game, marking one of the worst shooting percentages of his career. For other players, this would be a great number.
Even as he is declining, teams respect Thompson's ability from beyond the arc, and that alone would allow him to space the floor for the Magic.
On the latest Hoop Collective podcast, Tim MacMahon noted that the Warriors offered Thompson a two-year deal he was not incredibly happy with. Apparently, the shooting guard wants a longer contract, and understandably so. This may very well be his last chance to get a lucrative long-term deal.
Thompson's desire for a long-term contract could cause some problems for anyone who wants to see him in Orlando. Yahoo Sports' Jake Fisher recently commented that the Magic likely won't want to offer more than two years either. Two years seems like the perfect timespan to milk the last of Thompson's productivity while the team's young core continues to develop.
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.
2. Malik Beasley
If the Magic are looking to add a pure shooter and floor spacer to the roster, Malik Beasley would be an interesting option. The majority of Beasley's field goal attempts come from behind the arc, and for good reason. For his career, the 27-year-old is shooting 38.5 percent from three.
The Magic do not have a pure shooter like Beasley right now, and adding him could significantly improve the offense. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner need room to attack the rim while they work to improve their outside shots. Beasley would not get in the way of that. Instead, he would draw his defender out on the perimeter because teams know he is a capable outside shooter.
Other than his outside shooting, Beasley does not provide any incredible production. On a team in desperate need of shooting, that is okay, though. If the Magic went after Beasley, it would be to provide a very specific skill without costing too much. Beasley should be available for the mid-level exception. Unfortunately, the Magic won’t be the only team looking to chase Beasley in free agency. In today’s NBA, you can never have too many capable shooters and there will always be a market for players with good outside shots.
1. Buddy Hield
Buddy Hield's 2023-24 season was a tumultuous one. First, he was traded from the Indiana Pacers to the Philadelphia 76ers. Once there, he struggled to get minutes in the playoffs before putting up 20 points in a last effort to save the 76ers playoffs in Game 6 against the Knicks.
Now, Hield will be a free agent and might be on his way out of Philadelphia. The Magic should consider pursuing him in free agency. Hield may only have one elite skill, but it is exactly what the Magic need.
3-point shooting was a major issue for Orlando, and Hield is one of the best shooters available in free agency. He is a volume shooter that opponents respect and do not want to leave open. Adding him to the Magic would open up the floor some for Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner to go to work.
On the other end of the floor, Hield is not nearly as valuable. The Magic should be able to cover for his defensive shortcomings, however—if they decide it is worth the trouble.
If the Magic are looking for an elite shooter to space the floor, Hield is one of the best options on the market.