After re-signing Aaron Gordon to his four-year, $76MM deal, using part of their mid-level exception to reach agreements with rookies Melvin Frazier and Isaiah Briscoe, and adding a reliable backup point guard in Jerian Grant to spell incumbent starting point guard D.J. Augustin, the Magic are likely finished adding players to their roster through free agency this summer, reports Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.
“We’re in a pretty good place with our financial flexibility, all things considered, but the roster is done as we sit here today,” Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman says. “We don’t feel like there are any holes that we need to shore up. We can always get better, and we’ll always be on the lookout for ways to get better. At this point, that would come probably more in the form of a trade if we were to do anything for the remainder of the summer.”
The Magic are currently projected to have a team salary around $110.9MM, assuming the team retains the services of backup guard Rodney Purvis, whose $1.4MM salary is non-guaranteed. Per Robbins, Orlando will also look to fill its open slots for two-way contracts and could bring in additional players on training camp deals.
The statement from Weltman all but puts to rest the speculation surrounding Isaiah Thomas, who was reported to be “negotiating a possible deal” with the Magic last week. Per Robbins, Orlando considered Thomas, but negotiations never took place, as the club believes Augustin is fully capable of leading this year’s squad.
“We’re always looking for ways to improve our roster at every position, but we are in capable hands with D.J.,” Weltman said. “D.J. is a very good player and he’s coming off the best year of his career under trying circumstances. D.J. represents what we want to be about: a professional who prepares, who plays for his teammates and who always brings the same personality to the team irrespective of the highs and lows of the season.”
Weltman also added that newly-acquired center Timofey Mozgov is not currently a candidate to be bought out, despite likely being buried on the depth chart behind Nikola Vucevic and heralded rookie Mohamed Bamba. Rather, the team hopes Mozgov will impact the team off the court through his experience and professionalism.
Should the Magic change their mind and decide to re-enter the free-agent fray, they still have nearly $7MM of their mid-level exception remaining after signing both Frazier and Briscoe to deals exceeding two seasons.
IT would be a good fit for them. Better than DJ or Grant
Anyone else read the Headline and think they were talking about Magic Johnson?
Not with that picture of two Orlando players beside the headline. But I can see how it would. But remember Magic Johnson is trying to build a championship team. He’s never done.
Picture? I’m viewing on desktop, how am I not seeing any pictures? That would make a huge difference ha.
And exactly, I couldn’t imagine that Magic was done.
I feel for the fans in certain cities that really, their teams don’t look to win the championship. They just look to become good.
The magic say they have 7 million left to spend but probably won’t. That’s awful.
I’m sure the value of the team has doubled, the owners are wealthy because of that, or wealthier, and there’s no all-stars on the team.
Thank goodness for owners that go for it, do all they can to put out a best possible team.
I don’t read any headline saying the Magic are going after LeBron or Rumblings of CP3 to Orlando…etc.
It’s called being realistic
Then the Magic have been realistic for an entire Decade!! I live in Orlando, the team is run awful..
They have a brand new front office
Some teams have to cut players after camp. Orlando will have money to sign a good player.
Man burn down the arena and sell the team. The devos family can care less about the team.
In a depressed money market for Players like the present one, is really frustrating for Orlando fans to hear that the Chief Hondo having a surplus of $7 Million still available, lacks desire to use it when the team is in such an urgent need of Shooters. Weak Decision, to say the least !!
Augustin seems to be alternating good and bad years, and last year was pretty good. IT would have been a boost.
They do have a lot of young players on the roster. No reason to take up their development time by signing another veteran
Jerian Grant? Fournier & Ross? 25 & 27. Simmons 28: peak ages. Augustin 30. All they have young is at the 4 & 5.
The players could learn from IT; the Lakers did, the Cavs could have but balked.
IT is way better than DJ, I mean he can be one of the worst starting PG’s in the league, if you add Grant as one of the worst back ups… man that really sucks. At least one good thing for Orlando is that they got rid of Biyombo, Mozgov at least can play basketball, which makes him a lot better, so that is an upgrade, just hope they can give him minutes, so he can play a bit, but is not looking good for him, as of now, cannot see Bamba even starting ahead of Vucevic, so I think they need to trade Vucevic so Bamba can start, they should get a nice return for Vucevic, he was very very good last year despite injuries.