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Magic Off To Aggressive Start This Offseason

Dan Savage
Director of Digital News

By John Denton
June 29, 2016

ORLANDO – Flush with salary-cap flexibility, the Orlando Magic fully expected this summer to be a busy one what the planned additions of several difference-making players via free agency.

However, the Magic have jumped the gun on the often volatile free-agency courting period and have been especially aggressive via the trade route.

Having already acquired shot-swatting power forward Serge Ibaka on draft night last Thursday, the Magic moved to fortify their spotty outside shooting on Wednesday by acquiring Jodie Meeks from the Detroit Pistons.

Grabbing the 28-year-old 3-point marksman cost the Magic very little as they only had to surrender a conditional second-round draft choice in 2019. They will simply give the Pistons the worst of their two second-round picks in 2019.

``Jodie adds perimeter shooting and is another veteran presence,’’ said Magic GM Rob Hennigan, who also swung the draft-night deal for Ibaka last week. ``He adds depth to our backcourt and we look forward to his contributions.’’

The trade for Meeks came on a day when the Magic executed transactions that could lead them to retaining free agents Evan Fournier and Dewayne Dedmon and they also filled out the remainder of the coaching staff. Fournier, who averaged a career-best 15.4 points a game last season while shooting a robust 40 percent from 3-point range, becomes a restricted free agent after receiving a qualifying offer. He will be free to sign an offer sheet with any other team on July 1, but the Magic have the right to match any deal and retain the 6-foot-7 guard. Hennigan said the Magic are near locks to do just that so that they don’t lose Fournier, one of the team’s most treasured assets.

Dedmon, who has worked his way toward finally earning some NBA stability after years of bouncing around the league, will also be a restricted free agent after getting a qualifying offer from the Magic.

Andrew Nicholson, the longest-tenured Magic player since June of 2012, has yet to be tendered a qualifying offer and could become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Orlando could potentially have as much as $37 million to spend on free agents when the courting period begins on July 1. Free agents can’t officially sign with teams until July 6.

Orlando ranked 16th in the NBA in 3-point percentage last season and it ranked a pedestrian 22nd in 3-pointers attempted a game. The acquisition of Meeks – a career 37.3 percent shooter from deep – could help shore up some of Orlando’s woes from the 3-point arc.

Meeks signed a lucrative three-year contract with the Pistons in July of 2014, but injuries derailed much of his impact in Detroit. His best game as a Piston came on Dec. 30, 2014 against the Magic when he drilled nine 3-pointers and scored 34 points at the Amway Center.

This past season, Meeks missed all but three regular-season games because of a fractured bone in his right foot. He returned to play in the regular-season finale for the Pistons and appeared in one playoff game as Detroit was swept out of the first round by the eventual World Champion Cleveland Cavaliers.

Meeks, a former college star from the University of Kentucky, has played for the Milwaukee Bucks (2009-10), Philadelphia 76ers (2010-12), Los Angeles Lakers (2012-14) and Detroit (2014-16). Meeks once scored 42 points while a member of the Lakers, 31 while with the 76ers and the 34 with the Pistons against Orlando. He shot a career-best 40.1 percent from 3-point range in 2013-14, accuracy that earned him the three-year free-agent deal with the Pistons.

At 6-foot-4 and 208 pounds, Meeks can play either shooting guard or small forward. He’ll share time with Fournier and Mario Hezonja at shooting guard and Aaron Gordon at small forward.

Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors.