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We are all talking about who to draft, but what about cap space?
Who is available, along with who we draft that might help make the team better?
Do we spend any money this year and go after anyone or do we see what we got
and wait till next year and fill in where we are weak?
What do you guys think? How do we round this team out?

Nobody is worth singing that's why getting a high draft pick was so important this season. Unless bosh and/or Lebron opt out there is nobody worth signing. I guess one could argue Stephenson but I really haven't thought about that possibility.

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I've been thinking the same thing myself. Sure we tanked the last two seasons, but will 2 lottery picks get us back to the playoffs? Yes, I believe so - but to where? 8th seed? 6th seed? I can't see the team jumping much higher with current roster + draft. Given the FA crop this offseason, not a whole lot going around. Rob definitely isn't going to spend just to spend (i.e. Lewis).

But what are the plans for an extension of Vuc and Harris? How much will that affect our FA position next season? I haven't been too close to the numbers to determine that.

Rome wasn't built in a day. I don't think we are going to be a big player in free agency at all. The team is building through the Draft and not through free agency. If this team makes the playoffs next year that would be a great achievement. Look at OKC it took them years before they became a contender. It took us years before we became a contender with Howard. I think Orlando is going to use their cap space to ensure that we retain the players that we want to keep. The other pieces that we need will be obtained via trade.

There is no way we will be able to keep Harkless, O'Quine, AN, Olidipo,Vuc, and 2 lottery picks, Players are going to be traded for other pieces. My bet is that Harkless and AN are on the top of the list to be moved this offseason along with Nelson and AA.

Here is the list of guys this summer:

Won't even look our way:
Anthony, James, Bosh, Dirk, Randolph, Duncan, Gasol, Pierce, Marion, AK47, Wade

Young guys who could help us, but are restricted:
Bledsoe, Monroe, Haywood, Ed Davis

Unrestricted, but will probably get better offers:
Stephenson, Lowry, Gortat

Guys I don't want:
Gay, Okafor, Deng, Hawes, Evan turner, Granger

Guys who might have us on their short list:
Frye, Ariza, Thabo, Avery Bradley, Chalmers, Patty Mills, Steve Blake, PJ Tucker

Of course, the Draft Lottery changes all of this immediately.

magickingdom wrote:We are all talking about who to draft, but what about cap space?
Who is available, along with who we draft that might help make the team better?
Do we spend any money this year and go after anyone or do we see what we got
and wait till next year and fill in where we are weak?
What do you guys think? How do we round this team out?

Yeah free agency isn't great this year. We do have plenty of cap space. We should have about 18 mill and possibly more depending on what we do with Jameer, Maxiel, and Price. There is the penalty if we don't get to the minimum salary level but it isn't that much of a penalty. All it is is that they take the amount we are under it and we then have to disperse that amount of money to the players on the roster.

So not getting to the minimum isn't a big deal. But I think we will look to absorb some money but don't expect too much in the way of long term contracts to free agents. I think we may look for some expiring contracts that we can absorb from a team looking to clear some space for a free agent they like, while also getting some draft picks or other assets. I think we may look for some free agents but mostly cheaper guys. One target I really like is Epke Udoh who would be a good backup C/PF who is young and could continue to develop into something. I wouldn't mind a rotation of Vuc, Udoh, O'Quinn and Harris at PF and Center for next year.

Gordon Hayward

KingRobb02 wrote:Here is the list of guys this summer:

Won't even look our way:
Anthony, James, Bosh, Dirk, Randolph, Duncan, Gasol, Pierce, Marion, AK47, Wade

Young guys who could help us, but are restricted:
Bledsoe, Monroe, Haywood, Ed Davis

Unrestricted, but will probably get better offers:
Stephenson, Lowry, Gortat

Guys I don't want:
Gay, Okafor, Deng, Hawes, Evan turner, Granger

Guys who might have us on their short list:
Frye, Ariza, Thabo, Avery Bradley, Chalmers, Patty Mills, Steve Blake, PJ Tucker

Of course, the Draft Lottery changes all of this immediately.

Why no Deng for you? Too much money?

MellowRose wrote:

KingRobb02 wrote:Here is the list of guys this summer:

Won't even look our way:
Anthony, James, Bosh, Dirk, Randolph, Duncan, Gasol, Pierce, Marion, AK47, Wade

Young guys who could help us, but are restricted:
Bledsoe, Monroe, Haywood, Ed Davis

Unrestricted, but will probably get better offers:
Stephenson, Lowry, Gortat

Guys I don't want:
Gay, Okafor, Deng, Hawes, Evan turner, Granger

Guys who might have us on their short list:
Frye, Ariza, Thabo, Avery Bradley, Chalmers, Patty Mills, Steve Blake, PJ Tucker

Of course, the Draft Lottery changes all of this immediately.

Why no Deng for you? Too much money?

yep. Deng supposedly turned down an 8 figure contract already because he wants more, but in reality he is only worth 6-8 mil.

2015. Kevin Durant. My vote is to save it this year. Probably another Jason Maxiel type signing.

What The Magic do in free agency will likely be determined by what happens in The Draft.

After that, some players might become expendable.

In free agency, The Magic might sign a bench player to fill a need and could also see them signing a point guard.

Kytu wrote:Gordon Hayward

He is a restricted free agent. And If we nab a SF in the draft I don't think we spend big on a guy like Hayward. And I am hesitant to offer that much money to Hayward.

I'm still holding out hope for

Oladipo
Wiggins
Lebron
Harris
Vucevic

Go Magic wrote:2015. Kevin Durant. My vote is to save it this year. Probably another Jason Maxiel type signing.

Durant is a free agent till 2016. so we would have to wait another year. And yeah I don't think we will be spending much in free agency this year. I think we could see a decent deal offered to guys like Epke Udoh or Avery Bradley if we can pry them away from their current teams which I think is possible. Not a huge deal but something bigger than what we gave Maxiel. Something like 4-6 mill per year. We should still have plenty of cap space to make a max offer in 2015 should we choose to do so.

Vučević and Harris are issues here. They can be re-signed or given qualifying offers. Either eats into cap space, but in different ways.

Yeah good news as a story here on realgm said the cap is expected to go up by 7.7%. So that gives us even more flexibility to absorb the extensions of Vuc or Harris ad still be able to spend in free agency if we choose to.

ralphie9898 wrote:

Kytu wrote:Gordon Hayward

He is a restricted free agent. And If we nab a SF in the draft I don't think we spend big on a guy like Hayward. And I am hesitant to offer that much money to Hayward.

I guess you're right if we're drafting Parker of Wiggins other than that Hayward is an upgrade at the 3 if we're ready to win now.

My rough estimate of the Magic's cap space in 2015 - prior to signing the RFA's - is around $22m to $30m.

BUT unless its for a franchise player, it is doubtful the Magic use all of that available cap space. If they use all or most of it, when they resign the RFA's (potentially around $26m) they would be well over the luxury tax threshold. Devos never flinches at this, but I think its more likely they only use a small portion of the cap space (6-13m depending on Afflalo) and keep the young guys.

guaranteed:
Oladipo 5.2
Harkless 3.0
Nicholson 2.4
Rookie 4.5
Rookie 1.8
sub total 16.9

team option:
Dedmon 1.0
Lamb 1.1
sub total 2.1

player option:
Afflalo 7.5
subtotal 0 or 7.5

aprox cap hold on rfa:
Vuc 5.5
Harris 5.5
O'Quinn 2
subtotal 13.0

------------

RFA (resigning estimate):
O'Quinn 5.0
Vuc 12.0
Harris 9.0
Total possible RFA salaries = 26.0

• approximate payroll before resigning rfa's = 32.0 or if Afflalo opts in 39.5

Kytu wrote:

ralphie9898 wrote:

Kytu wrote:Gordon Hayward

He is a restricted free agent. And If we nab a SF in the draft I don't think we spend big on a guy like Hayward. And I am hesitant to offer that much money to Hayward.

I guess you're right if we're drafting Parker of Wiggins other than that Hayward is an upgrade at the 3 if we're ready to win now.

Eve if we don't draft Wiggins or Parker I still don't want to spend the money it would take to acquire Hayward. He is restricted so we would have to outbid the Jazz which would get expensive and could severely cut into our space for 2015 where there are players I would much rather have than Hayward. And I don't think we need to spend big money in order to win now nor do I think adding Hayward makes that big of a difference in our win total. I have no interest in Hayward no matter what(unless he somehow comes really cheap which I don't think is possible).

ezzzp wrote:My rough estimate of the Magic's cap space in 2015 - prior to signing the RFA's - is around $22m to $30m.

BUT unless its for a franchise player, it is doubtful the Magic use all of that available cap space. If they use all or most of it, when they resign the RFA's (potentially around $26m) they would be well over the luxury tax threshold. Devos never flinches at this, but I think its more likely they only use a small portion of the cap space (6-13m depending on Afflalo) and keep the young guys.

guaranteed:
Oladipo 5.2
Harkless 3.0
Nicholson 2.4
Rookie 4.5
Rookie 1.8
sub total 16.9

team option:
Dedmon 1.0
Lamb 1.1
sub total 2.1

player option:
Afflalo 7.5
subtotal 0 or 7.5

aprox cap hold on rfa:
Vuc 5.5
Harris 5.5
O'Quinn 2
subtotal 13.0

------------

RFA (resigning estimate):
O'Quinn 5.0
Vuc 12.0
Harris 9.0
Total possible RFA salaries = 26.0

• approximate payroll before resigning rfa's = 32.0 or if Afflalo opts in 39.5

For right now we are at 11.8 mill in cap space for this summer. That number can be increased by waiving Jameer(6.6 mill), Maxiel(2.5 mill) and Price(1.26 mill) You numbers for 2015 look good(except that Lamb is a restricted free agent and Dedmon isn't signed beyond this season) for now but things will change. We very well could add free agents or guys through trades that impact that number this summer or even up to the trade deadline. But you have to add the cap hold for our first round draft picks that we have next year. So that will change you numbers depending on where we end up drafting.

As for AA I think it is very likely that AA opts out. I think he is going to want to get another multi-year contract in before he starts getting too old. Plus if he can play well again I think he could get roughly the same amount of money per year as he would get if he opted in. But the added years adds security. I don't think he would want to risk a decline in play or an injury that would really drop his value.