ORLANDO — The Orlando Magic have a couple of key decisions to make by June 29.
Among them is deciding on Joe Ingles’ team option for the upcoming season. The 6-foot-9 forward stands to make $11 million next season if the Magic keep him, or he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
With that deadline looming, Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer reported that Orlando’s decision on Ingles’ future will come down to how much it plans to spend in free agency and where talks go with Jalen Suggs, who is due for a rookie-scale extension this offseason.
“Orlando could very well exercise the 2024-25 option on Ingles’ deal, sources said, depending on how much room the Magic will need to operate through its overall offseason — with the knowledge that Jalen Suggs is in line for a significant payday before his fourth season,” Fischer said.
Orlando also has to decide on Moe Wagner’s team option. He is scheduled to make $8 million next year.
While Ingles’ veteran presence was a boon for the league’s fifth-youngest team, it could be tough to keep him at $11 million when the Magic may have their sights on bigger free agents such as Klay Thompson, Paul George and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
NBA teams can begin negotiating with free agents at 6 p.m. on June 30.