3 Free agency mistakes the Orlando Magic must avoid making
By Elaine Blum
Free agency is almost here, and the Magic have work to do. This should be the most exciting offseason for the franchise in quite some time.
With core players—Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs—in place and a first playoff run under their belt, the Magic have the opportunity to build a contender. This offseason is a chance to take another step in the right direction.
Since it is such an important summer, the Magic must make the right moves and spend their money on the right players. So, let's look at three free-agency mistakes the Orlando Magic must avoid making.
Mistake #3: Get only one impactful player
The idea of adding a star player to this young team is thrilling. It could accelerate the team's timeline and push them to the top of the Eastern Conference faster than expected. Accelerating a young team's development and going all-in on one player so early during the journey, can be incredibly risky, however.
The Magic have plenty of cap space available this summer—enough to potentially attract some of the biggest names in free agency. This team needs more than just one player, however, and the Magic cannot afford to spend all their money on a single free agent. They also cannot afford to land one solid contributor and then assume that the job is done.
Sure, they should look to add a starting-level talent, but cannot do so at the expense of too much depth. After one short playoff run, the Magic are not just one piece away from competing for a championship. First, they have to establish themselves as a true force in the Eastern Conference and to do that, they will need more than one capable new contributor. With the amount of cap space the Magic have they should be able to get a starting-level player and someone in the mid-level exception range.