The Orlando Magic are making headlines during Summer League for all the wrong reasons, with millions of Filipino fans clamoring for the team to put their beloved compatriot, Kai Sotto, on the court. But do not let that distract from the fact that the Magic are building a nice young core that should be competitive for the years to come.
With Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner in town, the Magic have two of the best young talents in the entire association leading the way. They also have some promising young guys to round out the roster, with Markelle Fultz, Wendell Carter Jr., Cole Anthony, and Jalen Suggs continuing to improve.
Thus, the Magic didn't need to make any groundbreaking moves in free agency. All they needed was to pick up a few veteran pieces to perhaps fill an area of need or two, and that's exactly what they did. They picked up Joe Ingles in free agency, signing him to a two-year, $22 million deal, and they also brought Moritz Wagner back on a two-year, $16 million deal.
Those moves won't move the needle too much for the Magic. But that's not to say that these moves won't be of any importance to the Magic's quest to take the next step in their return to playoff contention.
With that said, here are grades for the Magic's under-the-radar signings in free agency.
Magic free agency grades
Signing Joe Ingles to a two-year, $22 million deal: B
Joe Ingles was one of the unknowns in free agency last year, as he was still recovering from the torn ACL he suffered back in January 2022. Still, Ingles' body of work over the past few years made him a target for teams in need of more depth on the wing, and the Milwaukee Bucks took a punt on him, signing him to a one-year, $6.48 million deal.
Ingles did not make his season debut until December 2022, when he went scoreless in 15 minutes against the New Orleans Pelicans. But things just went up from there for the 35-year old forward. He ended up being one of the Bucks' more reliable floor spacers, making 83 of his 203 attempts from deep, which was good for an outstanding 40.9 percent.
Thus, it wasn't too big of a surprise to see that Joe Ingles became one of the more sought-after free agents during the 2023 offseason. And the Magic clearly believed that Ingles could help the team immensely as they signed him to a two-year, $22 million deal, which may have been a tad above his market value.
One of the more pressing areas of need for the Magic was outside shooting, and Ingles certainly helps address that need. Last season, Orlando ranked 24th in the league in made threes per contest and 25th in three-point percentage. They needed more high-volume marksmen from deep, as they did not have a single player who attempted more than five threes per game last season.
Joe Ingles is also more than an outside shooter, as he can run pick-and-rolls in a pinch and he is a very patient playmaker.
But there's clearly a downside for the Magic when it comes to the contract Ingles signed. He will be turning 36 before the season starts, so it's fair to wonder how much longer the veteran can keep up his level of production. His game has never relied on athleticism, for sure, but still, a drop-off in that regard could render him unplayable on the defensive end.
The good news for the Magic is that they're only on the hook for one guaranteed year, as they have can decide whether or not to keep Ingles with a team option for the 2024-25 season. So in case things go south, the Magic won't have to swallow a huge burden on their books.
Re-signing Moritz Wagner to a two-year, $16 million deal: B+
Moritz Wagner's play during the 2022-23 season played a strong part in Bol Bol's exit from the team. When Wagner was healthy, he was heads and shoulders a better option for the Magic to rely on than Bol, as the Franz's brother was a more mobile option on defense, was a more disciplined player on offense, and, overall, was the more impactful player.
Only 26 years old, Wagner should be right in the middle of his prime, providing quality minutes off the bench behind Wendell Carter Jr. Carter is also a bit injury-prone, so Wagner is also valuable as an insurance policy for the team, making him worth every penny of the contract he signed.
Wagner averaged 10.5 points and 4.5 rebounds on 50 percent shooting from the field last season; expect him to average similar numbers (or perhaps even better) as the Magic's young core continues to improve alongside him.
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