Free agency is just around the corner and the Orlando Magic seem to be players. With a new head coach in Frank Vogel, the team seems poised to go into win-now mode. The Magic already have young talent across the board. But the need for established veterans in order to take the next step is there.
Enter a trio of former Florida Gators who could return to the state they called home during their college years. According to Sean Deveney of Sporting News, the Magic will be pursuing Al Horford, Joakim Noah, and Chandler Parsons come July.
Noah is probably the most likely candidate to leave his current team. It does not appear as though the Chiacgo Bulls center fits the longterm outlook of the team. He has already been linked to New York and Washington. There will be plenty more suitors despite the fact that he poses a bit of a risk as a player who has steadily declined due to injuries and age.
Horford may be in a similar situation. The Hawks seem to be moving into a rebuild as evidenced by trading away Jeff Teague. However, there are reports that they are doing anything possible to keep Horford on the team. A center who can both protect the rim and shoot threes, Horford could be a great fit in Orlando. Much like Noah, however, his age and some decline (especially in the rebounding department) could be scary, considering he is almost certainly going to get a max deal.
Parsons, meanwhile, fits the Magic a bit better as a younger potential addition to the team. His shooting is sorely missed in Orlando and that alone could make him a huge positive effect. Nevertheless, he has injury concerns of his own and a max deal for the small forward is not out of the realm of possibilities.
There are many options for the Orlando Magic in free agency and any one of them could be the key to contention. But every single one of the players they are rumored to pursue have their flaws and are risky endeavors.
The Orlando Magic will be one of the most interesting teams to watch in free agency. It appears they are willing and ready to make a splash.
