Orlando Magic offseason improvements will start with their own free agents

What the Orlando Magic will do with their free agents

Chuma Okeke

Chuma Okeke has primarily been on the bench this season, appearing in 35 games. He was called upon to be a large part of the rotation due to injuries in the middle of the season, and he performed admirably.

Okeke has great size for a wing at 6-foot-6 with a 7-foot wingspan. He can guard the 2 through 4. He has become primarily a spot-up shooter at this stage in his career. As a 32 percent career shooter from three, that does not bode well for his future.

Okeke was tasked in the first two seasons to handle a lot of the offensive scoring because the Magic could barely put a team together. But that has changed and Okeke has fallend behind. Injuries slowed him down and he never quite fully recovered from the ACL injury that had him defer his true rookie year in 2020.

The Magic dutifully picked up each option year in his rookie contract, but he is not likely going to get even a qualifying offer for free agency. He has failed to live up to his potential.

Chuma Okeke has had difficulty cracking the rotation since coach Jamahl Mosley took over because Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner play his position. They have become the future cornerstones of the franchise. Chuma Okeke no longer has a path to playing time with Jonathan Isaac returning to eat up minutes too.

He will be 27 at the start of next season and will be looking for a prove-it deal to showcase what he can do if given the opportunity. Teams will covet bench help like Okeke based on his age, size and draft pedigree as a former first-round pick.

Okeke can blossom into a solid NBA player. He has had knee, hip and ankle injuries that have limited his ability to establish himself.

Okeke will find himself another NBA contract, but unfortunately it will not be the the Magic.