The Orlando Magic proved this year that sometimes the best offseason addition is hiring the right coach. After inheriting a team that won 25 games in 2017-18, Steve Clifford and Orlando won 42 games and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2012.
The challenge now comes with meeting those same expectations next season.
With Orlando eliminated from the postseason, let's look ahead to the free agency, draft and trade decisions facing this franchise in the offseason.
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The free agency of Nikola Vucevic
When the Magic drafted Mo Bamba last June with the sixth overall pick, the thought around the league was that Bamba would be groomed to be the successor to Nikola Vucevic.
That theory made sense. Vucevic was entering the last year of a four-year, $48 million rookie extension signed in 2014. And although his production was consistent during his six seasons in Orlando (16 PPG, 10 RPG, 50 percent shooting from the field and a starter in 380 games), the center was labeled a good player on a team that consistently missed the playoffs.
Now retaining Vucevic is a priority. Here's why:
The Magic found stability with Steve Clifford
Vucevic became a featured part of the offense
He's in the prime of his career (turns 29 in October) with Orlando on the upswing
He's a future trade asset, and losing him won't create real cap space
Bamba had his fair share of growing pains
While overall cost will certainly impact the decision to retain Vucevic, the Magic front office needs to balance prioritizing its best player while not burying a valuable lottery pick on the bench. The Magic can accomplish both goals by signing Vucevic to a three-year, $75 million contract that would align with the time remaining on Bamba's deal. The per year amount would be comparable to Steven Adams' and Rudy Gobert's. Orlando can stay competitive with Vucevic as the starter without having to accelerate the development of Bamba.
The wild-card scenario will be in play if a team like Sacramento comes in with a four-year, $100 million-plus contract. As the playoffs proved, Vucevic is more of a No. 2 option and paying him max money doesn't justify his production. Of course, the Magic front office might not have a choice.
The sixth man: Terrence Ross
On the surface, the Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis trade to Oklahoma City for Serge Ibaka looked like a disaster for the Magic. Oladipo eventually became an All-Star in Indiana and Sabonis is one of the top young bigs in the league. However, if there is a silver lining, at least Orlando did not compound that mistake by holding on to Ibaka's expiring contract and overpaying him in 2017 free agency.
The Magic flipped Ibaka for Terrence Ross, giving them a Sixth Man of the Year candidate who is headed to free agency. So how much should Orlando's front office value Ross' career season after past underachievement?
Ross has Bird rights and the Magic can sign him without using one of their exceptions, going over the cap. However, because the Magic are right at the salary cap, the team would not get salary relief to replace Ross if he were to leave in free agency. Expect salary projections for Ross to range from four years, $40 million (comparable to the midlevel exception) if he is looking for long-term security to a one-year, $14-15 million contract.
The short-term approach would allow him to enter free agency in 2020 when the cap is expected to rise to $118 million, and more than half of the NBA is projected to have cap space.
Stay the course at point guard
The optics would say that the Magic should explore every option this offseason for a permanent solution at point guard. After all, Orlando has used a career backup in D.J. Augustin as the starter in 81 games, a backup in Isaiah Briscoe who spent last year playing for BC Kalev-Cramo in the Estonian-Latvian league, Jerian Grant and Michael Carter-Williams.
Despite the less than stellar résumé, Orlando is best suited to wait a season before making an overhaul to the position. Here's why:
1. Augustin was consistent this season
He ranked No. 22 in ESPN's real plus-minus (plus-1.25) and No. 17 in win shares (6.24) among all point guards.
Besides his on-court value, Augustin is an inexpensive solution for another year. His $7.2 million cap hit for 2019-20 ranks outside of the top 20 for PGs.
2. The low-risk trade to acquire Markelle Fultz.
The deadline deal proved that Orlando is willing to make an investment in the former No. 1 pick, with the possibility that Fultz that could be a permanent solution at point guard in 2020-21.
While Fultz continues to rehab from thoracic outlet syndrome and has not played in a game since Nov. 19, his potential should buy Orlando some time at the position.
3. Lack of cap flexibility, available free agents and draft-eligible point guards
If Vucevic is brought back, Orlando will only have the $9.2 million midlevel exception to use on a free-agent PG list that consists of players such as Darren Collison, Cory Joseph, Patrick Beverley and T.J. McConnell.
4. Figure it out in 2020-21
Even if the Fultz experiment does not work and Augustin leaves as a free agent in 2020, the team would still be well-positioned to sign a free agent with room. Of course, Orlando could draft a guard in June and groom that player as an eventual starter.
Summer cap breakdown
Until there is a resolution with Vucevic, Orlando is in a holding pattern when it comes to flexibility. Vucevic has a $19.1 million hold that leaves Orlando right at the salary cap despite only having $85 million in guaranteed contracts. Signing the center to a market-friendly $22 million annual contract would leave the Magic with the $9.4 midlevel and $3.6 million bi-annual exception
If Vucevic and Ross do not return, Orlando will have $17 million in room.
Resources available to build the roster
The draft
Own free agents: Vucevic, Ross and Birch
Cap space: if own players do not return
Cap exceptions
Markelle Fultz
Dates to watch
The Magic have to decide by June 30 to extend qualifying offers on Jerian Grant, Jarell Martin and Khem Birch.
• After averaging 20 minutes in the first two months of the season and serving as the backup to Augustin, Grant fell out of the rotation. The guard might be a player without a position -- not a true point guard (5.8 assists and 2.0 turnovers per 36 minute) nor a shooting guard (career 51.7 percent true shooting). The one-year offer for Grant would be $3.7 million.
• Martin went from averaging a career year in minutes (22.7), points (7.7) and rebounds (4.3) in Memphis last season to logging 7.9 MPG in his first year in Orlando. If there is a fair sample of games for the Magic front office to evaluate Martin, it would be the stretch of games in mid-January when starter Aaron Gordon was out. Martin averaged 17 MPG and 10 PPG in two outings. The one-year offer for Martin would be $3.5 million.
• Birch could be the lone player to receive a qualifying offer of this group. Since going undrafted in 2014, the 26-year-old has been a basketball nomad. Birch has appeared in summer league (three times), training camp (three times), the G League and eventually Europe. Considered a developmental project when he signed a two-year contract in 2017, Birch was part of the rotation during the playoffs, averaging 15.5 MPG. The one-year offer for Birch is $1.8 million.
• Besides their own potential restricted free agents, Orlando has a June 29 date to decide to exercise the $1.6 million team option of Wesley Iwundu. Like Birch, Iwundu was part of the playoff rotation, averaging 12 MPG. He should see his team option exercised.
Restrictions and extension candidates
• The Magic received $3 million in cash as part of two separate trades and are restricted to receive no more than $2.2 million before July 1.
• Orlando has four players -- Evan Fournier, Timofey Mozgov, Augustin and Iwundu (if team option is exercised) -- eligible for an extension. Expect the team to pass on a new contract for each player.
The draft assets
After years of missed opportunities (Mario Hezonja and Elfrid Payton) or win-now moves (trading Ibaka for Oladipo), Orlando has built the roster with former top picks.
Including Fultz, Orlando has four top-10 picks either on rookie contracts or value deals (in the case of Gordon).
Here's how ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz have Orlando selecting in the 2019 draft:
No. 16 (own): Tyler Herro | SG | Kentucky
No. 46 (via Brooklyn): Dedric Lawson | PF | Kansas
The Magic own all their future first-round picks.