Orlando Free Agent Destinations
As we see more and more people opt out of the Orlando restart, the big question is who are those teams going to sign to fill the hole on their roster. In reality, one could even simply ask which free agents fit best on what teams. In my eyes, there are only a few super valuable free agents left on the market - DeMarcus Cousins, Isaiah Thomas, Allonzo Trier, and possibly Iman Shumpert. All of these guys bring valuable talents to the table.
You may ask why people like JR Smith, Jamal Crawford, and Gerald Green aren’t on this list. For JR, I don’t think I could ever trust him in a clutch situation after a couple years ago. Jamal is just very old, and while he probably is still a bucket, it’s just not what teams are looking for in my opinion. Then with Green… I actually think he’d be a great fit for a lot of teams, so I’ll include him in with Iman Shumpert when I’m discussing him because to me they play similar roles.
DeMarcus Cousins - Miami Heat
I’m pretty sure there have been some rumors going around that the Heat were interested in bringing in Boogie, and it honestly seems like a decent fit. Outside of Bam, Miami doesn’t really have many true big men. I consider Olynyk and Leonard more like stretch fours rather than traditional big men. Cousins isn’t known for his defense, but I think he’d be a better defender off the bench than either of the two bigs I mentioned. The only possible issue is Boogie conforming to the system they use in South Beach, because Coach Spo and them are not one to go light on a guy like Cousins. We’ll see if Boogie ends up with Miami, or anywhere at all.
Isaiah Thomas - Orlando Magic
The Magic are one of the better defensive teams in the league, but their offense ranks on the opposite end of the spectrum. Adding a guy like IT, who has proved that he can be an absolute bucket, would help them out a lot. Even this past season on the Wizards he was solid, and I think that success could easily continue with the Magic. Their current backup point guard is DJ Augustin, with MCW playing more of a SG/PG role. Thomas could fit right in and get the Magic a bucket when they need it most.
Allonzo Trier - Memphis Grizzlies
Not only would Trier provide buckets off the bench for Memphis, but he fits into their current timeline of success very well. Being only 24 years old, Trier is around the same age as the young core the Grizzlies are slowly growing. Ranked in the bottom 10 offenses in the league, the Grizzlies could use a guy who is as efficient as Trier has been throughout his short career. I think he could play the sixth/seventh man role perfectly. He’s a guy that can make his shots and create his own, that’s a valuable skill set to have on your roster.
Iman Shumpert/Gerald Green - Los Angeles Lakers
I wish I could be more creative with this one, but these are the kind of guys the Lakers desperately need right now. After losing one of their better perimeter defenders in Avery Bradley, bringing in a guy who can play solid defense and hit their threes is vital for LA. JR’s name has been thrown around, but I would have some real trust issues still if I were LeBron. Both Green and Shumpert are solid NBA defenders, and have proven that they can be solid when needed to be. Out of both of them, I might choose the veteran leadership of Green, but Shumpert is just as good of a player in my opinion.
So I know some of the teams I’ve picked may not be realistic because they don’t have open roster spots, but I just picked a team where I thought the free agent would fit best. Let me know if you think a different free agent belongs on this list, and who you think all the top guys should end up with in Orlando!
