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

The NBA offseason has arrived for everyone in the league now that the Boston Celtics have been crowned champions.

The league is set for another transformational summer. While there are not many big-name free agents and even fewer teams with enough cap room to sign them, the league is never quiet. The trade market will open on draft night (a weak draft at that) and a lot of teams are going to be working to improve after disappointing seasons.

It will be an interesting offseason as the contenders and would-be contenders battle for their places in the league. Everyone has their own self-interest at heart.

For the first time, the Orlando Magic are likely fishing to improve dramatically on the court. For the first time not only are the Magic considered a prime location for some big-name free agent to land but also as a potential player in the trade market.

Orlando is no longer a pushover in the market or in the offseason. The Magic are a team that can be a factor once again.

With their $30-$50 million in cap room, the Magic have a ton of weight to throw around in the next few weeks. Everyone is eagerly waiting to see who they will target.

That is half of the equation. The Magic could be a team that could be aggressive in a way that most people would not expect.

Cap room is not just about free agency after all, it is a tool that teams can use to acquire excess cap. And another purpose of the offseason is for some teams to reshuffle their books. It is an opportunity for teams to tame their tax bills.

And there are some teams who need to do that:

There are a lot of teams who are paying a lot of money. And not getting their money's worth.

That is a place the Magic can operate. They can perhaps poach some quality players or take advantage of the finances other teams are facing.

And these are not the only teams. There are some other teams who are set to pay the tax this year who probably should not. The Magic can help them reduce their payroll by taking back more money than they send out in trades.

This is an opportunity the Magic could use to get players that may not otherwise be available. This is the other side of free agency and another avenue the team has to consider.

So, the place to start is to go through all the teams that will be operating above the tax line as this offseason begins and see if there is a way to create some bargain.

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

5. Klay Thompson & Kevon Looney, Golden State Warriors

No team has made bigger public noise and bigger statements of their intent to be focused on their finances than the Golden State Warriors.

The Warriors paid the largest tax bill in the league last year and owner Joe Lacob has made it clear he is aiming to reduce the payroll.

That is how the Warriors have found themselves in their standoff with Klay Thompson. He is coming off a contract that paid him $43.2 million. He knows he will have to take less to return to Golden State—much like Draymond Green did last summer on a four-year, $100 million deal.

Thompson though played some hard ball. The two sides did not agree to a new deal and the free agent doors have opened. The Orlando Magic have long been involved in those conversations and rumors.

There are a lot of reasons for the Magic to be interested in him too. A lot of them have to do with his shooting and the gravity he would create for the team.

Free agency is certainly a tool the Magic can use to take advantage of tax teams that are hesitant to re-up with their current free agents. The Warriors have a lot of work to do to cut their tax bill.

One of those casulaties may end up being one of their former starters.

There is at least some suggestion the Warriors could outright waive Kevon Looney to help save some cash. Looney's $8 million of non-guaranteed money would give Golden State some relief from their massive tax bill.

It would also turn a solid defender and rebounder onto the free agent market. Looney averaged 4.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while giving up 58.7 percent shooting at the rim according to Second Spectrum (Wendell Carter was at 58.4 percent).

Looney does not have an expansive offensive game beyond putbacks and pick and rolls. He would be a downgrade over Carter. But that could be a good place to seek a backup center or third big man.

The Warriors are in a position where they are looking to shed salary. The Magic already seem to be circling.

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.

3. Paul George & Norman Powell, LA Clippers

That leads up back to the biggest free agent on the market and one the Orlando Magic have had at least had some tangential relationship too.

Paul George is the only All-Star free agent that is expected to move teams (the Philadelphia 76ers are circling him too, although perhaps that interest has waned, and the LA Clippers still have the chance to bring him back). There are a lot of teams lining up for him.

George's free agency ultimately is his decision. The Clippers seem hopeful to sign him to a similar deal that they signed Kawhi Leonard (three-year, $152.4 million extension signed earlier this year). George seems to be hoping for one more big payday if he opts out of his $48.8 million salary for 2025.

The Clippers are facing a lot of tough financial decisions. They are projected to be $7.5 million under the tax line and $18.4 million under the second apron. But that gets eaten up quickly after they re-sign George.

One player they could look to move to ease that burden is Norman Powell. From the Clippers, he is the real player that I would target for the Magic.

Powell is a solid defender and role player who averaged 13.9 points per game and shot 43.5 percent from three. He finishe fourth in Sixth Man of the Year voting in each of the last two years. He would be a solid two-way wing to come off the bench and spot start when needed.

Powell has two years at $39.7 million remaining on his contract. He is someone the Magic could easily acquire and help the Clippers cut some payroll through a trade. He is someone to have on the Magic's target list.

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.

5. Dejounte Murray, Atlanta Hawks

At this point, nobody really knows what the Atlanta Hawks want to do.

They could be a team that looks at their roster spinning its wheels and struggling to get out of the Play-In ringer that uses the No. 1 pick to jumpstart a rebuild. Or is this a team looking to retool with two All-Star level players and some young players to get back into contention.

No one really knows what the Hawks ultimately want to do. And Draft night will provide some illumination on their future plans.

As things stand, the Hawks have $10.7 million under the tax line. They have plenty of room before the second apron. But they are a team that is in clear transition in some direction.

That is why there seems to be so much noise surrounding Dejounte Murray and Trae Young. It is why there is at least some anticipation the Hawks could make a major move. And could be had without giving up a ton in the trade market.

The Magic have been connected by at least trade speculation to both Dejounte Murray and Trae Young. It is impossible not to talk about the Hawks without that consideration.

Atlanta could become a team that is quickly open for business and restocking their treasure chest.

The question is what are the Magic willing to give up to get into this conversation or any of these conversations. And then whether Orlando will pony up to get a deal done.