This offseason will be exciting for the Orlando Magic and their fans. The Magic’s young core took its first step towards developing into a playoff force in the East and now is the time to build the right supporting cast in Orlando.
Other than a table-setter at the point guard spot, the Magic desperately need shooting. They finished the regular season 24th in three-point percentage and struggled to stretch the floor in the playoffs as well.
So, bringing in some more shooting should be a priority this summer. There are plenty of capable shooters set to hit free agency and the Magic have the money to make significant moves. Maybe they can even steal a few three-point threats away from their playoff competition.
Let’s look at six shooters the Magic could poach from Eastern Conference playoff rivals in free agency. 
6. Patty Mills
Patty Mills is not the flashiest name out there. At 35, he is nearing the final years of his career and is far from a huge difference-maker. If the Magic want someone who won’t cost much, can come off the bench and hit some threes, and provide veteran experience, Mills could get the job done, however.
Mills is a 38.6 percent three-point shooter for his career and shot 40 percent or better in several of his 15 NBA seasons. His best shooting season was in 2021-22 with the Brooklyn Nets. Over 81 games, he averaged 40 percent shooting on seven attempts per game.
While we shouldn’t expect to see quite the same production from Mills, he could still improve the Magic’s shooting and bench scoring at a very low cost. Otherwise, he does not do much, however, and hopefully, there will be some more impactful options available.
5. Danilo Gallinari
After making a blockbuster trade to bring Damian Lillard to town, the Milwaukee Bucks put together a rather disappointing season. Losing to the Indiana Pacers in the first round was not part of the plan when they got Lillard.
Still, they are expected to be in better shape next season and make some more noise in the East. Until then, the Magic could try to poach some of their free agents, though.
One of those free agents is Danilo Gallinari. At 35 and with 15 NBA seasons under his belt, Gallinari is an experienced veteran. He is also a solid three-point shooter, and that is a skill that makes him interesting to the Magic.
Gallinari is a 38.1 percent career three-point shooter, making him a capable floor-spacer at the power forward position. That is not something the Magic have a ton of. Paolo Banchero shot well in the playoffs but struggled from three during the regular season.
Much like Mills, Gallinari alone won’t move the needle much for Orlando. He would be a cheap option to bring in some shooting, however, even if this would be far from a perfect solution. Gallinari just sat out the entire 2022-23 season with a torn ACL, so injuries and age are a concern with him.
4. Alec Burks
When Alec Burks first came to New York at this year’s trade deadline, he struggled to make the expected impact. Then, injuries pushed him into the postseason rotation, and Burks responded with some big playoff performances, scoring double-digits in five straight games. Even though the Knicks eventually fell to the Indiana Pacers, his performances likely earned him a boost for his upcoming free agency.
The Magic should keep an eye on Burks mainly because of his shooting ability. Orlando needs more reliable three-point shooters, and Burks has largely proven himself to be just that. He shot at least 40 percent from long range for several seasons recently but can still be a little streaky at times.
Still, teams respect him from beyond the arc and won’t be able to leave him open to crowd the paint or bother Paolo Banchero. That is something the Magic have struggled with, and while Burks won’t solve the issue all by himself, he could help address it.
Orlando could use a floor-stretching veteran like him, and the Knicks might not be able to keep him around financially—or might simply not want to. Before his breakout in the playoffs, Burks did not play especially well. His recent change in representation has many people thinking he might join the Lakers.
3. Doug McDermott
Doug McDermott returned to the Indiana Pacers for a second stint at this year’s trade deadline and did not impress with his performance. Struggling to hit threes, McDermott finished the season with some of the worst numbers of his career.
Still, there is reason to believe that he will bounce back. The 32-year-old is a 41 percent three-point shooter for his career. That is not usually something that just goes away. If he can return to his usual form, the Magic could use someone like him to boost their bench and stretch the floor. Otherwise, McDermott does not bring much to the table, as he is not a particularly great rebounder, playmaker, or defender. He is a shooting specialist through and through. The Magic could still find a use for that, even though they mostly prefer to bring in two-way players.
McDermott certainly wouldn’t suddenly turn the Magic into a contender, but he could space the floor in short stints off the bench and allow Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner to go to work. Plus, the cost should be manageable, too, after his disappointing stint with the Pacers. In the East, the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers—if Buddy Hield leaves in free agency—might also have their eyes on McDermott.
2. Malik Beasley
Not too long ago, a report from The Athletic suggested that the Orlando Magic were one of the teams monitoring Malik Beasley’s situation in Milwaukee. Over 79 games with the Bucks, the shooting guard shot 41.3 percent from three on 6.9 attempts per game.
That production likely caught the Magic’s attention. They desperately need reliable volume shooters, and Beasley could fill that role. He has a reputation as a three-point threat around the league, so his presence alone would stretch the floor.
With a total of 37 playoff games under his belt, Beasley could offer Orlando some veteran experience as well as much-needed shooting and a scoring punch. If the Magic cannot find a starting-level point guard—even though this should be one of their priorities this summer—Beasley could slide into the starting backcourt next to Jalen Suggs. Otherwise, he would be a solid addition to Orlando’s bench.
He also wouldn’t have to exert himself as much on defense as he did in Milwaukee, as the Magic could put better defenders around him. Suggs will take care of the strongest guard assignment, Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero can hold their own on defense, and the Magic will hopefully have some other good defenders coming off the bench again.
1. Buddy Hield
If we’re talking about sharpshooters in the Eastern Conference, we have to include Buddy Hield. Hield is a proven volume shooter from behind the arc and can stretch the floor around anyone. The Magic could use someone like that, and lucky for them, Hield will enter unrestricted free agency this summer.
Apart from his Game 6 heroics against the New York Knicks, Hield did not impress in his first playoff run. So, the Philadelphia 76ers might not want to bring him back and instead try to get some more proven playoff performers around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. If that is the case, the Magic would still have to compete with several other teams, however. In today’s NBA, you can never have too many capable three-point shooters. Rumor has it that the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Chicago Bulls could have an eye on the sharpshooter as well.
Another issue would be that Hield is not a great defender, and the Magic usually prefer their players to play both ends of the floor. You can’t always have everything you want, though, and sometimes have to find a compromise. The Magic should be a strong defensive team, even with some weaker links, and if it drastically improves their offense, it might be worth it.
