In the pursuit of a big forward to complement center Nik Vucevic, the Magic should be on Al Horford’s crowded doorstep the minute free agency opens July 1. The line will be long.
They might also need to express their love for 3-point shooting forwards Ryan Anderson and Chandler Parsons. The Magic figure to have a better shot at signing either one of them over Horford.
Horford, Anderson and Parsons all have one thing in common that could benefit the Magic: The club won’t have to sell them on the virtues of Florida.
Horford and Parsons played in Gainesville, Fla., for the Gators – and in fact, Parsons is from Casselberry, Fla., and a Lake Howell grad. Anderson played for the Magic for three seasons, named the league’s Most Improved Player in 2011-12.
The Hawks can offer Horford - who turned 30 on Friday - the most money (a five-year, $150 million max deal.) The question is whether they find it financially feasible and they might not. Atlanta reportedly is talking with Philadelphia about dealing Jeff Teague for Nerlens Noel, who could replace Horford.
Like other suitors, the Magic could pay Horford around $110 million. They’d surely jump at the chance to land an All-Star anchor next to Vucevic after failing to pry Horford’s teammate, Paul Millsap, out of Atlanta last summer.
Free agents prefer to sign with winners, and that’s still the weakest part of the Magic’s recruiting pitch.
They can make runs at “stretch” forwards Anderson, 6-foot-10, 240 pounds, or Parsons, 6-10, 230. If it feels as if the Magic have traveled this road, it is because they have.
Anderson became collateral damage during the Dwight Howard rebuild, dealt by GM Rob Hennigan in a four-year, $36 million sign-and-trade to New Orleans. This time around, Anderson will perhaps command twice as much money.
In the summer of 2014, Hennigan’s biggest free-agent signing was Channing Frye – supposedly the epitome of a stretch four. But Frye never quite fit and he was traded him to Cleveland this season to create more cap space.
Hennigan had cap room in mind, too, when he dealt Tobias Harris, who also spent time at both forward spots.
At least Anderson, 28, and Parsons, 27, are younger than Frye, now 33. True, they’ve each had some significant injuries: Anderson had neck surgery in 2014 and Parsons is recovering from the second surgery on his right knee. But the Magic also signed Frye two years after he missed a season with a heart condition.
The Magic have only two players on their depth chart who fit the job description at the 4: Ersan Ilyasova and Andrew Nicholson. And they can both become free agents on July 1.
Nicholson is looking for his first big payday. It’s doubtful the Magic will invest significant money, if any, in a player who has made just eight starts the past three seasons.
Ilyasova has a contract at $8.4 million for next season, but it’s not guaranteed. The Magic would have to pay only $400,000 of it if they decide to let Ilyasova walk.
The Magic have a vacancy sign on their starting power-forward spot. Whether they fill it in the June draft, during free agency or by making a trade, they need to make a move.