The Orlando Magic didn’t do anything major during the offseason, but they signed a couple of key pieces to bolster their roster. Before making any moves, they waived reserve point guard C.J. Watson to create roster space.
The four key moves of the offseason
The first move the Magic made was the signing of Shelvin Mack, who will essentially take C.J. Watson’s spot as the third point guard on the team. Mack is a solid reserve who can score and ball handle. He is capable of playing major minutes as well, which he has done a few times in his career when he’s had to step in as a starter.
However, the most important addition to the team this summer was Jonathon Simmons. It’s not just that the Magic were able to lure the athletic wing away from the San Antonio Spurs, it’s the fact that they signed him to a bargain deal, giving him $18 million over three years. Simmons showed major offensive improvement last season in San Antonio. He wasn’t just a slasher, but a much improved outside shooter, and he developed the ability to create offense for himself.
Joining the young corps in Orlando, Simmons will be an excellent fit, whether off the bench or as a starter. His athleticism, defensive ability, energy, and hustle should satisfy the Magic.
In addition to Simmons, Orlando signed veteran wing Arron Afflalo as well.
Afflalo, 31, played for the Magic from 2012-2014. He is a productive bench player that provides outside shooting and solid perimeter defense.
Finally, the Magic also signed veteran big man Marreese Speights. After winning a ring in Golden State, Speights spent last season with the Los Angeles Clippers and became a resourceful back-up big man.
Speights mainly provides scoring off the bench, adequately spacing the floor and hitting outside shots.
The 2017 NBA draft
The Magic used their lottery pick on forward Jonathan Isaac, who is a versatile big man that can space the floor. The Magic also selected Wesley Iwundu with the 33rd overall pick. However, they traded their 25th and 35th overall picks for future draft picks to the Philadelphia 76ers and Memphis Grizzlies, respectively.
Although they did not make any splashes during the offseason, the Magic did quite well for themselves. They may not have improved the roster drastically, but they added quite a few nice pieces to the puzzle.
Roster outlook
- PG: Elfrid Payton/D.J. Augustin/Shelvin Mack
- SG: Evan Fournier/Arron Afflalo/Wesley Iwundu
- SF: Terrence Ross/Jonathon Simmons/Mario Hezonja
- PF: Aaron Gordon/Jonathan Isaac/Khem Birch
- C: Nikola Vucevic/Bismack Biyombo/Marreese Speights
- Coach: Frank Vogel
Offseason Grade: C+
