Orlando Magic (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
The Orlando Magic have yet to make any major moves in free agency, but they have worked around the outside of their roster in the ways most expected.
If there’s one thing that Orlando Magic fans are used to, even during uncertain times such as this, it is an offseason filled with modest chatter, and little actual action to back that up. That has been the case since the beginning of trade season, despite there being a small window between last season and the upcoming one.
Talks of a move for Russell Westbrook were never serious to begin with, but they have died down in recent days. Something that was explored, however, albeit briefly, was a move that would have seen Aaron Gordon head to the Portland Trail Blazers. A deal long talked about on social media platforms as one that would suit all parties.
The Trail Blazers quickly moved on, and at this point have had one of the best offseasons of any organization. The Magic, on the other hand, are back in their familiar spot, as a team that looks ripe for a couple of trades to take them in a new direction, without actually making any major moves.
The fringes of the squad is where the most action has taken place, and while that can be tedious to watch unfold year after year, the Magic did at least go and get a legitimately exciting backcourt player in Cole Anthony in the recent NBA Draft. The kind of individual who has given the front office some breathing room with the fans.
The Magic were never going to return everybody from last season though, and while the core is back (for now), some popular guys have moved on. Two-way contracts, of which the Magic have also been involved, will not be looked at here as it remains to be seen what, if any, impact they will have ahead of the new season.
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<p>The Trail Blazers quickly moved on, and at this point have had one of the best offseasons of any organization. The Magic, on the other hand, are back in their familiar spot, as a team that looks ripe for a couple of trades to take them in a new direction, without actually making any major moves.</p>
<p>The fringes of the squad is where the most action has taken place, and while that can be tedious to watch unfold year after year, the Magic did at least go and get a <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/27/orlando-magic-grading-free-agency/"https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/19/orlando-magic-cole-anthony-nba-draft/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">legitimately exciting</a> backcourt player in Cole Anthony in the recent NBA Draft. The kind of individual who has given the front office some breathing room with the fans.</p>
<p>The Magic were never going to return everybody from last season though, and while the core is back (for now), some popular guys have moved on. Two-way contracts, of which the <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/27/orlando-magic-grading-free-agency/"https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2020/11/jordan-bone-agrees-to-two-way-deal-with-magic.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Magic have also been involved</a>, will not be looked at here as it remains to be seen what, if any, impact they will have ahead of the new season.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/27/orlando-magic-grading-free-agency/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> D.J. Augustin </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-406934" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/27/orlando-magic-grading-free-agency/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1103,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1264578900.jpeg" alt="Orlando Magic" width="1600" height="1103" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1264578900.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1264578900-768x529.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Orlando Magic (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>D.J. Augustin</h2>
<p>With the Magic drafting Anthony the writing appeared to be on the wall, and late last week it was confirmed that point guard <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/27/orlando-magic-grading-free-agency/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/augusdj01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">D.J. Augustin</a> was departing for the Milwaukee Bucks. This is one of the rare occasions where everybody wins, and as already <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/27/orlando-magic-grading-free-agency/"https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/06/orlando-magic-buy-sell-free-agents/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">talked about here</a>, it was the right time for Augustin to leave the franchise.</p>
<p>He departs as somebody who will always be remembered fondly by fans. In years to come there may even be a D.J. Augustin night, and if he comes back to watch a game or two you better believe he will be shown multiple times on the big screen and have footage of him in a Magic jersey pumped around the arena.</p>
<p>As a starter, and then as a backup to Markelle Fultz, Augustin did everything asked of him for the Magic. He steadied the ship and was the best player they had had at that position since franchise icon Jameer Nelson, going as far as to hit that shot against the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 playoffs.</p>
<p>Now he gets to leave on great terms, instead of sticking around for three more seasons and deteriorating in front of fan’s eyes, all while blocking the progress of Fultz and Anthony. They are clearly the future, and Augustin was the perfect choice to be in control in the interim, to hand over the reigns to Fultz while still being on the roster.</p>
<p>With the Bucks, Augustin will get to compete for championships, which he deserves. He is not a great defender and is undersized even for the point guard position, but being around Giannis Antetokounmpo hides so much of other player’s inefficiencies.</p>
<p>Augustin will be a great addition off their bench for a period, although at 32 signing him for three years may be a season too long. It is also ideal that the Magic didn’t have to consider having him stick around for that long. A career 37.9 percent 3-point shooter, his shooting will be missed in Orlando, and used gladly in Milwaukee. This was the perfect time for Augustin to move on.</p>
<h2><em><strong>Grade: A</strong></em></h2>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/27/orlando-magic-grading-free-agency/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Gary Clark </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-416170" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/27/orlando-magic-grading-free-agency/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2268,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1193939527.jpeg" alt="Orlando Magic" width="3200" height="2268" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1193939527.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1193939527-768x544.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Orlando Magic (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Gary Clark</h2>
<p><a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/27/orlando-magic-grading-free-agency/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/clarkga01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Gary Clark</a> was picked up by the Magic last season after some time spent with the Houston Rockets, and he found a home and a role for himself in Orlando. Heading into this offseason it was unclear if he would be brought back, but two years at just over $4 million is more than fair for the organization, and represents value and a potential trade candidate down the line.</p>
<p>At 25, Clark was late arriving to the league, and plays with that steady and veteran mindset that working extremely hard to maximize and opportunity like this brings. There’s also something about seeing him wear number 12 that Dwight Howard used to don, that just feels right. Clark being a completely different player to Howard.</p>
<p>He doesn’t figure to get a ton of minutes but will be a nice guy to have when Gordon inevitably goes down with an injury that costs him a handful of games. Jonathan Isaac is also lost for the year, while it remains to be seen how Al-Farouq Aminu will settle back into the rotation now that he is healthy again. He was finding his stride before a meniscus tear last season.</p>
<p>Clark shot 35 percent from deep for the Magic last year, so his shooting will be a welcome addition when on the court. With Augustin now gone, as well as another guy we have yet to get to, spreading the floor on a roster that isn’t exactly overflowing with shooters will put even more of a premium on what Clark brings.</p>
<p>Defensively he’s the kind of guy head coach Steve Clifford likes. Gritty, with no problem getting in the face of opponents. He won’t see a lot of the ball, and the averages of 3.6 points in under 15 minutes of action aren’t likely to change a lot either. Clark isn’t a breakout candidate, even on this roster, but he has been signed for a clear role which he will carry out dutifully.</p>
<h2><em><strong>Grade: B-</strong></em></h2>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/27/orlando-magic-grading-free-agency/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Dwayne Bacon </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-416171" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/27/orlando-magic-grading-free-agency/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1203861053.jpeg" alt="Orlando Magic" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1203861053.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1203861053-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Orlando Magic (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>Dwayne Bacon</h3>
<p>The Magic’s one notable free agency signing is, not exactly a splashy one. But there is a method to bringing in <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/27/orlando-magic-grading-free-agency/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bacondw01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Dwayne Bacon</a>, formerly of the Charlotte Hornets. One that doesn’t even take into account that franchise spending Nicolas Batum money on a guy who could yet be <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/27/orlando-magic-grading-free-agency/"https://www.theringer.com/2020/11/21/21588928/gordon-hayward-charlotte-hornets-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the next Nicolas Batum</a>.</p>
<p>Bacon has played under coach Clifford before, so he will know what is required of him on the defensive end. His is also a shooting guard who will be comfortable playing off the ball. This is important because Fultz is somebody who will have it in his hands a lot as he looks to find teammates.</p>
<p>Even if Bacon ends up playing on a second unit alongside Anthony, he will still be better served spotting up. That’s not to say that’s all he can do, but initially it looks to be the best fit for him. Bacon was not good from deep last season, he shot 28.4 percent, but the season before that it was a scorching 43.7 percent.</p>
<p>The good news? Bacon took more 3-pointers per game (two) when his percentage was well above average than he did last season (1.7) when he struggled. So there is form to suggest that he can come in somewhere in the middle of both of those numbers to help the Magic. It will also be interesting to see what that means for Terrence Ross.</p>
<p>He is among the best trade candidates the Magic have, and they could get something real back for him from a contender. If this happens, and the hope is that it doesn’t because he is a fan favorite, then Bacon would be a cheap stopgap off the bench for them. Even if that doesn’t happen, the backcourt needed filling out and Orlando isn’t a free agent destination right now. Coach Clifford getting somebody he has worked with before makes sense, even if it isn’t flashy.</p>
<h2><em><strong>Grade: B-</strong></em></h2>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/27/orlando-magic-grading-free-agency/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Wesley Iwundu </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-416172" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/27/orlando-magic-grading-free-agency/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1197412836.jpeg" alt="Orlando Magic" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1197412836.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1197412836-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Orlando Magic (Photo by Harry Aaron/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Wesley Iwundu</h2>
<p>We have reached the point where the Magic’s free agency went from expected and a positive because of the Bacon and Clark signings to fill out the roster, to a straight negative with the loss of <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/27/orlando-magic-grading-free-agency/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/i/iwundwe01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Wesley Iwundu</a>. It is unclear why the Magic didn’t extend an offer to him to bring him back, but it could come back to haunt them.</p>
<p>Second round picks don’t always work out, and to be sure Iwundu struggled initially with the Magic. But by the middle of last season he was really beginning to turn into something for the organization. A great guy off the bench who defended diligently and was figuring out how to knock down 3-pointers with more consistency.</p>
<p>That “3-and-D” role is not only sought after the league over, but it is also a role that Iwundu had made his own with the Magic. Right now it is unclear who will replace him in that regard, with Bacon again the best guess here. But if you’re keeping score, he’s not going to be able to bring everything both Ross and Iwnudu did, even if he works out better than hoped.</p>
<p>It is telling that Iwundu was immediately snapped up by the Dallas Mavericks as well. Even if he never gets any better, which doesn’t look likely given the strides he made last year, he will still be a guy who has no problems coming off the bench and playing hard for a playoff outfit. He won’t see his number called often, won’t care and will take whatever modest shots he can.</p>
<p>In other words, all of the things that the Magic could have used. They are trying to build out a young core and that takes time and these young guys having the ball in their hands while they make mistakes. Iwundu would have been brilliant alongside them, and had shown a willingness to defend within the defensive framework coach Clifford had put in place.</p>
<p>Letting Iwundu walk was a bad move by the Orlando Magic, because they can’t replace everything that he brought right away. Not wanting to pay him probably factored into the deal, but if you ask Magic fans that would have brought him back over signing Bacon or Clark. Bad business.</p>
<h2><em><strong>Grade: D</strong></em></h2>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/27/orlando-magic-grading-free-agency/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Michael Carter-Williams </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-416298" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/27/orlando-magic-grading-free-agency/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1202986094.jpeg" alt="Orlando Magic" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1202986094.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1202986094-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Orlando Magic (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Michael Carter-Williams</h2>
<p>While letting Iwundu walk was bad, bringing back <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/27/orlando-magic-grading-free-agency/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cartemi01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Michael Carter-Williams</a> made a lot of sense and it was great that the Magic did so. The two year deal, with exact figures still unclear, doesn’t include an option in the second year for player or team, but that will suit both down to the ground.</p>
<p>Carter-Williams was able to rebuild his tattered reputation in Orlando, and has more value on this roster than anywhere else in the league. He will continue to come off the bench and never be a lead ball-handler, instead defending opponents of all shapes and sizes. That’s the key to the games of Carter-Williams and how it fits with the Magic, that versatility.</p>
<p>Offensively he is still a negative, but the improvement of Fultz and addition of Anthony and Bacon can offset some of that. The money used to bring him back will most certainly have been team friendly, and if Carter-Williams continues to be the spark off the bench that he has been for the Magic to this point, he may even see his trade value increase in time as well.</p>
<p>Fultz is going to go through ups and downs next season, assuming he remains healthy the entire time. Ditto Anthony, who will hit the rookie wall that everybody does. With Augustin gone, somebody needs to be the veteran guard who has been around the organization and can guide the younger players.</p>
<p>Carter-Williams is that guy, even if he isn’t technically thought of as a point guard anymore. It is unclear what he is, but whatever that may be, it has been beneficial for the Magic to this point. As part of a second unit alongside Clark and Khem Birch, they will make life difficult for opponents. Like most Orlando Magic moves so far this offseason it is not sexy, but what did you expect?</p>
<h2><em><strong>Grade: B-</strong></em></h2>
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