Orlando Magic rumors: Magic unlikely to commit big money to Tobias Harris?

Since dealing guard J.J. Redick to the Milwaukee Bucks for a return that included forward Tobias Harris, Harris has become a huge part of the Magic’s rebuilding process. Now they will have to think about giving him an extension.

"Frye’s contract is frontloaded, and Orlando only has about $15MM in commitments for 2015/16, the first year an extension for Harris would kick in. Still, that figure doesn’t count a slam-dunk team option for Oladipo that’s worth more than $5MM. Rookie scale team options for Harkless, Andrew Nicholson and Evan Fournier total more than $7.5MM, so the Magic will reasonably be looking at about $27.5MM in commitments for 2015/16, and that’s without an extension for Vucevic. I predicted that Vucevic would come away with four years and $48MM, so another $12MM for 2015/16 would bring Orlando to roughly $39.5MM, $27MM beneath the projected salary cap. That’d still give the team the chance to open plenty of cap room next summer, but an eight-figure salary for Harris would challenge the Magic’s ability to afford maximum-salary free agents not only in 2015, but in years ahead, when the rookie deals of Harkless, Fournier, and Oladipo will come to term."

Although most expect Oladipo to eventually become one of the faces of the Magic franchise, as of now, there is an argument that Harris is their best player. Of course, Harkless and the fourth-overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft, Aaron Gordon, could make him expendable.

Harris put up 14.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 46.4% from the field, 25.4% from beyond the arc and 80.7% from the charity stripe. In his career, he’s averaged 10.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 46.1% from the floor, 28.0% from three and 79.1% from the free throw line.

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