Last season, the Orlando Magic took a major leap under coach Jamahl Mosley, improving their win total from 34 to 47 while reaching the NBA Playoffs. But being eliminated in the first round isn’t where the Magic want to be.
Now Orlando’s front office, led by president Jeff Weltman, must find a way to supplement the Magic’s young, rising core with players who can help take this team to the next level of their development. The good news is that the Magic are in the perfect position to do exactly that, boasting just under $49 million in cap space heading into free agency.
But which players are on Orlando’s radar? According to NBA insider Marc Stein, there are two All-Stars who continue being linked to Orlando, beginning with Paul George and Klay Thompson.
“Orlando continues to be mentioned by various league observers as a natural suitor for George as well as Golden State’s Klay Thompson. The Clippers certainly hope to retain George in free agency, but they’ve made it clear by letting negotiations drag out to this point that they want to do it at their price.”
Marc Stein’s latest Orlando Magic rumors
The Los Angeles Clippers still want to retain George, but the feeling is if they were truly serious about meeting his asking price, they’d already have a deal done. Their inability to get George under contract thus far has led to rumors of others, such as the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers eyeing the nine-time All-Star too.
While this isn’t the first time Orlando has been linked to signing George this offseason, it is simply the latest example of the Magic’s intent to be aggressive once NBA free agency tips off on June 30.
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