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5 Orlando Magic offseason targets from teams looking to get under the tax

The NBA offseason is getting ready to begin with the NBA Draft next week. Teams are finalizing their plans. Not every move though is about what happens on the court. And that is something the Orlando Magic are uniquely positioned to take advantage of.

By Philip Rossman-Reich

The Golden State Warriors appear to be working to reduce their payroll and get under the luxury tax this offseason. That is an opportunity for the Orlando Magic to strike and use their cap room as a weapon.
The Golden State Warriors appear to be working to reduce their payroll and get under the luxury tax this offseason. That is an opportunity for the Orlando Magic to strike and use their cap room as a weapon. / John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
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4. The other free agent targets

The biggest downstream effect of teams needing to cut salary is perhaps hesitation in retaining free agents. They are less likely to pay the salary increases or hit the numbers that teams are looking for on the open market.

That is one of the reasons the Orlando Magic are such a dangerous team to a lot of cash-strapped teams. They have money to throw around and perhaps a willingness to outbid their stingier counterparts. That is the advantage the Magic have.

So like with Klay Thompson, the Magic's willingness to pay more than the Warriors might because they are not worried about the tax gives them an advantage in signing him, if that is what the team ultimately wants to do. The Magic still have control over who they target.

There are a lot of options of free agents, the Magic could easily out bid their incumbent teams on.

The big one is D'Angelo Russell of the Los Angeles Lakers. He is expected to decline an $18.7 million player option to hit free agency. He certainly should believe that he will get some more money than that on the open market after averaging 18.0 points per game and 6.3 assists per game last year.

The Magic have long been connected to the Lakers guard—with ESPN even calling him the perfect target for the Magic this offseason. There is at least some skepticism that the Magic are interested. And even some skepticism the Magic would offer significantly more than the player option he is declining.

But the Lakers are slightly above the first apron. Increasing Russell's salary puts them further in the hole. And while the Lakers probably want to retain Russell to ensure they do not take another step back, they are not going to break the bank to retain him.

That is the similar dilemma a lot of teams are facing.

The Denver Nuggets are still contenders and could be the favorites to win the Western Conference nxt year. But they have a major decision to make with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Caldwell-Pope is expected to decline his $15.4 million player option and seems to be seeking a deal worth at least $20 million.

The Nuggets are currently a tax team and would need to dip further into the tax to retain him (which they should with their championship window open).

Caldwell-Pope would be a very hard player for the Nuggets to replace. He is a high-level 3-and-D who would fit a lot of needs for the Magic, even with an expensive price tag.

The cheaper option is Milwaukee Bucks wing Malik Beasley, another player the Magic have been rumored connected to.

Beasley signed a minimum contract with the Bucks last year and became a key starter who averaged 11.3 point sper game and shot 41.3 percent from three. Beasley is probably looking at a deal clear to the mid-level exception between $8-12 million. That is not likely something the cash-strapped Bucks can afford.

Milwaukee is projected to be $8.9 million above the first apron and slightly below the second apron. With any of their free agent signings, they will likely become a second apron team.

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