Getty Isaiah Thomas is headed to the Orlando Magic.
According to ESPN 580’s Scot Anez, the Orlando Magic are on the verge of adding former All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas to their roster. After the initial report (2 year, $23 million), Anez followed up with a tweet noting the deal is not official, but is expected to get done soon.
I’m hearing from sources that things are progressing with IT right now. No unofficial agreement in place with Magic. BUT I do believe something gets done here soon.
“I feel confident a deal with Isaiah Thomas will get done tonight or by tomorrow,” Anez reported on his 580 ESPN Orlando radio show.
Let’s take a look at the projected Magic starting lineup and updated roster if Thomas does end up on the Magic.
Orlando Magic Roster & Starting Lineup With Isaiah Thomas for 2018-19
C- Mo Bamba, Nikola Vucevic, Bismack Biyombo
PF- Aaron Gordon, Jonathan Isaac, Khem Birch, Justin Jackson
SF- Terrence Ross, Melvin Frazier
SG- Evan Fournier, Jonathon Simmons, Rodney Purvis, Wesley Iwundu
PG- Isaiah Thomas, D.J. Augustin, Isaiah Briscoe
The big thing Magic fans will be watching in Vegas is how polished Mo Bamba and Jonathan Isaac look in summer league play. The Magic would love to start Bamba, Gordon and Isaac together, the three most promising players on their roster. Gordon has already proven he needs to be at the four, not the three. Isaac needs to show he is capable of playing the majority of his minutes on the perimeter for him to earn the starting small forward position.
If it comes to fruition, Thomas would fill an immediate need for the Magic, who have lacked a starting-caliber point guard for some time. Thomas also gives the Magic a primary creator on offense, something the team has been missing.
If true, the second year team-option is a big win for the Magic as it allows them to keep Thomas on a bargain deal if he performs to the level we have seen him play at in recent years. It also gives the Magic freedom to part ways with Thomas after this season if the relationship is not working, and address the point guard position again through the draft or free agency next summer.
The Magic’s new front office has shown a propensity to draft players with size, length and overwhelming wingspans. Thomas has none of these characteristics, but the length of the Magic’s frontcourt could help Thomas on the defensive end as teams look to target him based on his size.
For the development of Gordon, Bamba and Isaac, the Magic desperately need to solidify the point guard position. The Magic would be taking on a player who is coming off a significant hip injury, and did not look to be in his prior form last season. That said, if the contract is a short-term deal for the mid-level exception there is no reason for the Magic not to take the risk.
Bamba showed enough in college to feel confident he can slide into the starting position over Nikola Vucevic. If Isaac shows progression this summer, he is a candidate to start over Terrence Ross at small forward.
Thomas averaged 15.2 points, 4.8 assists and 2.1 rebounds last season. Prior to injury, Thomas had the best season of his career during the 2016-17 season while averaging 28.9 points, 5.9 assists and shooting 37.9 percent from the three-point line. The last time the Magic had a point guard who averaged more than 20 points a game was when Steve Francis was in Orlando.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on The Woj Podcast that teams have viewed Thomas’ medical records as promising. Thomas does have a history of responding well when his back is against the wall. Thomas was the final pick of the 2011 draft, and has been traded four times in his NBA career. Thomas did not look like the player of old with the Cavs or Lakers last season. Thomas also only played in 32 games, and the hope would be he would enter the 2018-19 season rested. Thomas would also be fighting to prove he deserves a long-term deal.