5 Mid-level free agents the Orlando Magic should pursue

3. Gary Trent Jr., Toronto Raptors

In the summer of 2021, Orlando Magic fans had seemingly one obsession. They wanted Gary Trent Jr. on the team.

He fit a positional need at shooting guard. He was an excellent three-point shooter. And even facing a major pay increase, he seemed affordable. Trent Jr. was one of the big targets for the Magic.

He ended up signing a manageable three-year, $52.1 million contract. The Magic ended up retaining Gary Harris and everyone moved along.

Everyone still had their eyes on Trent Jr. And there is no reason to stop. If he opts out of the final year of his contract (that will pay him $18.6 million), Trent Jr. is one of the best shooters avilable on the market.

He had a down year by his standards last year, averaging only 13.7 points per game. But he still shot 39.3 percent from three on 6.4 attempts per game. He is a career 38.6 percent three-point shooter on 6.4 attempts per game.

Again, so much of this spot the Magic need to fill off their bench is to get some volume shooting and someone who is a constant threat from deep. That is what Trent Jr. would bring immediately.

Still, there are concerns.

Trent Jr. is on the smaller side at 6-foot-5, pigeonholing him into the shooting guard position defensively. He also is not a particularly strong defender. He has had a negative defensive box plus-minus every year except for 2022 and 2023.

Perhaps being on a better defensive team—and playing alongside Anthony Black and Jonathan Isaac in bench lineups—would help hide him defensively so the Magic could get the most of his shooting. At 25 years old, Trent Jr. should have some good basketball ahead of him.

The question is whether Trent Jr. will stick with the Raptors for one more year, understanding he will not make the same amount on the market. Or whether he would be willing to take a bench role on a rising contender like the Magic.