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5 Mid-level free agents the Orlando Magic should pursue

The Orlando Magic have the money to go after a major free agent. But that is not the only new player they should be looking to add to the roster. What mid-level free agents are out there for Orlando?

By Philip Rossman-Reich

The Orlando Magic were rumored to chase Gary Trent Jr. in 2021 before he re-signed with the Toronto Raptors. They may be in a position to chase him again this offseason.
The Orlando Magic were rumored to chase Gary Trent Jr. in 2021 before he re-signed with the Toronto Raptors. They may be in a position to chase him again this offseason. / John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
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4. Buddy Hield, Philadelphia 76ers

For a time, Orlando Magic fans had their eyes on Buddy Hield as the big free agent acquisition of this offseason.

Everyone was salivating over the opportunity to bring in a bursty shooter who would just fire threes. Hield felt like one of the more gettable free-agent targets to complete the Magic's lineup.

The heat on Hield has cooled considerably after he had a rough start to the year with the Indiana Pacers (he reportedly requested a trade that took time to satisfy) and then really struggled to crack the rotation with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Hield averaged 12.1 points per game for the entire season, shooting 38.6 percent from three. That was down from 16.8 points per game and 42.5 percent from three.

Hield is a volume three-point shooter, shooting 40.0 percent from three on 7.6 attempts per game for his career. Even entering his age 32 season, Hield is still a capable three-point shooter. Even for as bad as he appeared to play with the 76ers after his trade there this season, he still made 38.9 percent of his 6.6 three-point attempts per game.

The Magic would probably take that considering their shooting deficit—not only from a percentage standpoint (where they finished 24th in the league) but from a volume standpoint (they were 29th in the league in attempts).

The playoff performance is concerning though. Hield is not getting any younger and seemed unplayable for stretches.

He averaged only 12.8 minutes per game and appeared in only four games for the Philadelphia 76ers in their series with the New York Knicks. He averaged only 5.5 points per game but he shot 6 for 13 from three. When he got his chance in Game 6, he scored 20 points on 6-for-9 shooting from deep.

This was Hield's first time in the playoffs. Everyone struggles in their first playoffs. But that he struggled even to carve out a consistent role on an injury-depleted Sixers team in need of shooting is at least mildly concerning.

Hield has gone from a sure $ 20-million-per-year player to taking only a piece of the mid-level exception. That could benefit the Magic, especially if he wants a prove-it deal and to recycle back into free agency.

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