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Orlando Magic Rumors: Magic Reportedly Eyeing Journeyman Sharpshooter If He Declines His $18.7 Player Option This Summer

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Jordan Samar | Last updated 5/23/24

Kelly Iko of The Athletic reported recently that the Orlando Magic are monitoring D’Angelo Russell’s situation. The Los Angeles Lakers point guard has a $18.7 million player option for the 2024-25 season, but if he declines, he will become a free agent this summer.

According to reports, D’Angelo Russell is expected to do so to test the open market. The one-time NBA All-Star is coming off a solid 2023-24 campaign for the Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 18.0 points, 6.3 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game on 45.6 percent shooting from the field and 41.5 percent from three-point range in 76 regular-season games.

The Orlando Magic are fresh from making the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 Disney Bubble, and they nearly defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round before losing to them in seven games.

It’s no secret that they could use more help in the guard position to add more scoring outside Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, as no other Orlando Magic player averaged more than 12.6 points per game this season and they were 24th in regular season three-point percentage at 35.2 percent.

How the Orlando Magic can get D’Angelo Russell

The Orlando Magic are among the rare NBA teams with money to burn because they have the third-lowest payroll at $85.5 million, and the current projection cap for next season is $141 million.

According to Shams Charania earlier this month, the Orlando Magic can “open an excess of $60 million” in cap space this offseason. And because D’Angelo Russell wants a huge payday, going to Florida makes sense to both parties.

The Orlando Magic have also earmarked Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson as one of their targets, while they’ve also put themselves in a potential Paul George sweepstakes.