NBA Rumors: 3 players that the Orlando Magic are currently targeting
The 2018-19 season marked the first time that the Orlando Magic reached the playoffs since 2012. Entering the season, the Magic were amidst one of the NBA's longest postseason droughts, although the team's promising young core finally produced on the court to cement a first playoff appearance since Dwight Howard left to join the Lakers.
The Magic went on to lose in the first round of the playoffs to the Toronto Raptors, however, after years of struggle - the future finally looks promising for the franchise.
Nevertheless, the Magic will want to build on a promising campaign this summer, and improvements to the roster are likely. So, as we head towards the offseason, here are three players being linked with a move to Orlando:
#3 Rodney Hood
Back in February, the Portland Trail Blazers acquired Rodney Hood from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Wade Baldwin IV, Nik Stauskas and two future second-round draft picks. However, the 26-year-old will hit free agency later this month, and Dan Favale of Bleacher Report believes the Magic could be interested in completing a deal:
Carrying free-agent holds for Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross leaves the Magic to function over the cap. They'll most likely have the non-taxpayer's mid-level exception, but that changes if it costs big bucks to re-sign the other two.
And that's just as well. The Magic aren't secure enough in their Eastern Conference standing to throw lucrative contracts at free agents.
Rodney Hood is a low-end solution to their shot-creation deficit. He put down 36 percent of his pull-up threes during the regular season and came up huge for the Blazers in the playoffs as both a situational attacker and spot-up sniper.
Hood made an immediate impact in Portland, averaging 9.6 points and shooting 45% from the field during the regular season. He also played a key role in the Trail Blazers' trip to the West Finals.