The Orlando Magic have already dipped back into a familiar well this summer, and one more reunion could be sitting right there if they want it.
On Wednesday, the Magic got busy as July began, re-signing Jevon Carter and Jonathan Isaac to one-year deals and making their biggest move by bringing Nikola Vucevic back on a one-year, $3.9 million contract. With the team operating under the squeeze of a hefty payroll, the front office had to shop in the smaller lanes.
That financial reality opens the door to a bigger question: would Orlando consider another former Magic guard, Victor Oladipo?
Oladipo has been making his case publicly. On Tuesday, he posted on X about wanting another shot in the NBA, and on Wednesday he followed that up with a message to fans.
"I’m a free agent," Oladipo wrote. "I don’t have an agent right now, just me and my family.
I know I have a lot left, and I genuinely love this game. I’d rather show you I’m ready than spend my time trying to explain why or flood you with analytics to prove it.
"If you’re about winning, value mentorship, and think there could be a fit, you can reach me directly," he continued. "I’m open to every opportunity right now-I just want to make sure I weigh each one carefully. I can’t wait to share my story."
He then added:
"To all the people/fans, thank you for your love and support," Oladipo wrote. "Without you, there are no sports.
Your belief, your energy, and your loyalty have meant more than words can express. This journey is just as much yours as it is mine and my family’s.
We appreciate you every step of the way. Keep shining."
Oladipo has not been on an NBA roster since 2022-23. He was drafted by Orlando with the No. 2 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft out of Indiana, and he spent his first three NBA seasons with the Magic. In 224 games from 2013-2016, he averaged 15.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and four assists.
After the 2015-16 season, Orlando sent him to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Serge Ibaka trade. He spent one season there before another move sent him to the Indiana Pacers, where his career took off. In 2017-18, Oladipo played 75 games and put up a career-high 23.1 points per game.
That Pacers team pushed the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers to Game 7 in the first round of the playoffs before falling in the deciding game.
Oladipo stayed in Indiana until 2021, but injuries started to pile up. On Jan. 16, 2021, he was dealt to the Houston Rockets in the multi-team trade that sent James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets. He finished that season in Houston, then signed with the Miami Heat and remained there until July 2023, when he was traded back to Oklahoma City, then moved to Houston again and later to the Memphis Grizzlies, who waived him.
At 34, with plenty of mileage and a long injury history, there’s obvious reason to question how much he has left. Still, for a young Orlando team, a veteran presence like Oladipo could be a worthwhile gamble.
In Other News...
Nikola Vuevi Chose Orlando Again And Magic Fans Will Love Why
Nikola Vuevi is headed back to Orlando, and the reunion makes sense on a few levels for a Magic team that knows exactly what it is getting. The veteran center spent nearly nine seasons with the franchise before moving on, and now he returns on a one-year deal that brings back a familiar face, a reliable rebounder and a big man who can still space the floor.
For Orlando, the appeal goes beyond nostalgia. Vuevi should slot in as a bench presence who gives the frontcourt steady minutes and helps fill the production gap left by Moe Wagners move to Brooklyn. The Magic also get the benefit of his familiarity with the organization, which is part of what makes the return feel like more than just another summer signing. [Read more 🡒]
Magic Just Lost A Familiar Frontcourt Piece They Still Needed
Moritz Wagners time in Orlando has closed after six seasons, and the move hits a little harder because he was still part of the Magics frontcourt equation even while working back from a torn ACL. Brooklyn is bringing him in to help shore up its own depth, a sign the Nets see value in a veteran big who knows how to fit into a rotation and give a team some stability inside.
For the Magic, the departure trims a familiar layer from a frontcourt that already leaned on Wendell Carter Jr. and Goga Bitadze ahead of him, which is why Wagners exit leaves a real hole in the depth chart. There was also a stretch last season when he looked like more than just a spare piece, making the loss sting a bit more for a team that has tried to build with continuity and size around its core. [Read more 🡒]
Grizzlies Could Be Ready For Another Major Reset Decision
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is back in the rumor mill after a one-year stop in Memphis, where the Grizzlies are working toward a younger roster and may be looking to reset the veteran wings place on the team. The former Magic guard was traded to the Grizzlies last summer after his lone season in Orlando, and he put up 8.4 points per game in 51 outings before his year was derailed by a February surgery to address a misalignment in his right pinky finger.
For Memphis, the next step appears tied to Caldwell-Popes expiring deal and the roster flexibility it could create as the team keeps leaning into its youth movement. There is also a familiar landing spot lurking in the background, with the Lakers reportedly checking on wing defense while working with limited cap space, which could make this a situation worth watching closely as the market sorts itself out. [Read more 🡒]