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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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2. Anfernee Simons & Malcolm Brodgon, Portland Trail Blazers

The big move a lot of Orlando Magic fans want to see happen—and even some national writers— is the Magic to go for Edgewater High School alum and Altamonte Springs-native Anfernee Simons.

Simons to a lot of people is a budding young star who just needs the opportunity to play the appropriate role and be in a better, winning environment.

He averaged 22.6 points per game and 5.5 assists per game while shooting 38.5 percent from three. He has been asked to be the star for the Portland Trail Blazers at various times but he has shown the ability to go off for big games.

It is easy to see why the Magic would be interested in a player like Simons. Or at least why fans are interested in him.

Orlando also should be interested in Malcolm Brogdon. The veteran guard struggled iwth injuries last year, but averaged 15.7 points per game and 5.5 assists per game. He shot 41.2 percent from three and is a career 39.1 percent 3-point shooter.

He would be a solid table setter as Paolo Banchero has said the Magic need. Brogdon would be a lower level player to chase, but would be a big boost for the team.

Getting either of these players are going to be less of a challenge than anyone else.

The Blazers are the ones in a pickle and the chase for a player like Simons is as much about how easy it might be to attain him because the Blazers' main goal this offseason is probably more about collecting draft assets than getting equal value.

Portland is only $10 million from the tax line. The Blazers are practically $50 million over the salary cap, according to Spotrac—as currently constructed they have $159.4 million in guaranteed salary (not including cap holds for free agents or draft picks).

This is one of the worst teams in the league and likely to be one of the worst teams in the league once again. The Blazers should not be above the salary cap line. And so Portland could be open to moving any number of players for a minimal return to ease that financial burden.

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