Ranking the Orlando Magic's bigs for future

This offseason is pivotal for the Orlando Magic. They poached Sean Sweeney away from the San Antonio Spurs, but they have plenty of questions to answer regarding their player personnel this summer. How do each of their bigs factor into their future? Let's examine!

4. Goga Bitadze

Skinny: We aren't going to factor Colin Castleton, who played this year on a two-way contract, into this equation. With Bitadze, he factors into the Magic's ability to create even more flexibility ... but not much else.

Upon Moe Wagner's return from injury in mid-January, he fell out of the Magic's rotation until the team's final 21 games (including postseason). He averaged 6.6 points and 5.7 boards over the team's final 14 regular season games, but wasn't very impactful in the postseason averaging just 2.8 points and 4.0 rebounds.

Most importantly, the 26-year-old big, a salary dump candidate ahead of the deadline, will be a $7.6 million expiring in 2026-27. Orlando could create nearly $12 million in flexibility by waiving and stretching Jonathan Isaac's $8 million, but look for Bitadze to be another prime candidate to consolidate if they need to create more room -- whether it's in the offseason or at the deadline.

3. Another free agent or draft pick?

Skinny: This one is a wild card. I could be dead wrong, but I think there's a non-zero chance that new blood enters the Magic's big man room this summer, even though the options aren't deep.

This isn't sourced, but among those under possible consideration could include Jaxson Hayes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Jericho Sims. They could also dip their toe by drafting a big No. 46 overall, although the options may be limited with several early entrant withdrawals.

2. Moe Wagner (free agent)

Skinny: Although he only played 66 combined games the last two years due to a torn ACL, I view Wagner as a more likely candidate to be brought back -- for anywhere between the vet. minimum to the taxpayer MLE -- between he and Bitadze.

Wagner, a fan favorite because of his infectious injury, averaged 6.9 points and 3.2 rebounds after posting 11-5 on 65.5 percent true shooting over his previous three seasons. Let's hope he's closer to what he was from 2022-25, should he be brought back.

1. Wendell Carter Jr.

Skinny: Carter is the clear No. 1 option here.

He's fairly underrated among the consensus, averaging 11.8 points and 7.4 rebounds on 51.2 percent shooting and a 61.7 percent true shooting last season. While his long-range shooting was quite inconsistent, Carter's a great screener, good rebounder and has continued to improve as a versatile defender.

He's also important because the Magic could use his salary as a filler if Orlando decides to swing for the fences for a big trade. Carter enters the first year of a $59 million extension, where he'll be on the books for $18.1M, $19.6M and $21.0M (club option) over the next three seasons, respectively.

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