After being mired to the bottom of the Eastern Conference over the past couple of years, the Orlando Magic have taken a much-needed step forward this year. With 34 wins from 79 games, they’ve added more than ten wins to each of their totals from the past two seasons, and more important than that, have seen the development of numerous players who have plenty more room for growth going forward.
With Markelle Fultz coming on and finally beginning to fulfil his potential, number one draft pick Paolo Banchero putting together a Rookie of the Year worthy season and Franz Wagner continuing to grow, they’ve built a solid foundation for the future, and what’s more they have plenty of cap space to boot. As with any young side, however, they have gaps to fill. These three free agency targets could help them do just that.
Fred VanVleet
Fred VanVleet has been linked to the Magic for a number of months, after a report by The Athletic in January put them in the mix for him alongside the Phoenix Suns. VanVleet has a player option next season, but given that the Toronto Raptors have gone from a championship contender to a team battling to make the play-in tournament, and he may be looking to explore his options elsewhere.
At 28, VanVleet is an experienced point guard but one with plenty of good basketball still ahead of him. This has been the worst shooting season of his career from long range, but over his career he hits 37.4% of his long-range attempts, and the 7.2 assists he is averaging in 2022-23 is the highest number of his career. He is a capable creator and solid all-round scorer, and would provide a handy backcourt partner to Fultz.
Currently, Gary Harris is filling that role, and though his defense is valuable he averages under ten points per game and is playing less than 25 minutes this season. VanVleet would be a significant upgrade, and his presence could improve this Magic team significantly.
Gary Trent Jr
Sticking with the Raptors, Gary Trent Jr is another member of Toronto’s backcourt who has a player option next year which he may very well decline. That player option would see him paid $18.8 million and he’ll likely be after more if he declines it, but for a team with plenty of cap space like the Magic he may just be worth it.
One of the Magic’s major issues this season has been shooting from long-range. The Magic take the fourth least three-point attempts per game but sit 24th in the league for three-point percentage. Markelle Fultz and Paolo Banchero both shoot below 30% from three in their respective NBA careers to-date, Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr are both reasonable without being spectacular at around 36%. Gary Harris is their go-to shooter, hitting a career-high 43% this season, but that’s en route to just 8.1 points per game.
Gary Trent Jr is a career 38.4% shooter from deep with an ability to make tough buckets and hit the mid-range, too. He would add significantly more offensively than Harris does, and his defense is stingy enough that slotting him in at the shooting guard position wouldn’t detract too much from the Magic’s performance at that end of the floor. With Trent Jr in the backcourt alongside Fultz, and Banchero, Wagner and Carter Jr rounding out the starting five, the Magic would look like a very solid team.
Josh Hart
Josh Hart is another with a player option for next year, and is an interesting potential target for the Magic. Currently earning a little under $13 million, his acquisition certainly wouldn’t break the bank, and he would add plenty of value to either their starting lineup or their bench.
Hart is the quintessential Swiss Army knife. A high IQ player, he won’t necessarily set the world alight with his scoring, but he is the kind of player who plugs whatever hole needs to be plugged. This season, across the Portland Trail Blazers and the New York Knicks, the 28-year-old has averaged around ten points on over 50% shooting, while hitting 38% from long-range. But he brings more than just that. Hart is also snaring 7.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists this year, and on multiple occasions has flirted with a triple-double, typically when his more ball-dominant teammates have been absent.
Hart could fill a couple of roles for the Magic. He could replace Gary Harris as a starter, and while he wouldn’t change a lot from a floor-spacing or scoring perspective, he would offer more in other areas than the Magic’s current shooting guard. Alternatively, he could come off the bench and be a level head with their young second unit, potentially playing late-game minutes in that scenario too. Hart is no superstar, but he adds value to every team he plays for, and would be a handy addition to the Magic’s roster.
Orlando have taken a significant step forward this year, and a young roster means that next year they may well do the same again. With an intelligent move or two in the offseason, they could very easily become a playoff contender within a year, and the above names are three they would be wise to target this summer.
Follow Us
Subscribe