Orlando Magic: Landry Fields Worth A Flyer?

This summer, much of what the Orlando Magic do will have the offseason of 2016 in mind. While in an ideal world it would be great to attract a top-level free agent, a LaMarcus Aldridge or a Marc Gasol, it’s just not going to happen this year.

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With a likely top-five pick in this year’s draft and the cap space to go after some mid-level quality guys however, there’s still creative ways this team can improve. Is Landry Fields one such option?

If you missed it, we’ve already looked at the possibility of trying to add Lance Stephenson to this roster for next season. Yes, he plays the same position as Victor Oladipo, but that doesn’t mean there’s no way he couldn’t fit in with this team. Now, adding Fields would be a more low-key move that going after Stephenson, at least initially.

Fields has had a tough time of it in Toronto with the Raptors, and he’s seen his role diminish slowly since landing there from the New York Knicks. We have to remember though, this guy was All-Rookie first team when he came into the league on what was an up-and-coming Knicks team at the time.

One of the key appeals of getting Fields is simple. His stock has never been so low, and as an unrestricted free agent he’s unlikely to have teams knocking down his front door trying to sign him. Orlando could come in with a three-year, $24 million offer, with the third year being a team option, and it’s hard to see Fields not thinking long and hard about that.

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He’s not a guy you overpay for, but general manager Rob Hennigan isn’t in the business of being foolish with money anyway. The above deal would suit both player and team. It’s not a lot of money to commit to a guy who really has to prove himself again in this league after being off the radar for roughly two years.

For Fields, well that would appear a more than fair amount of money given his low output for his current team. If he was to resurrect his career in Florida, he could also get out after two years as well if he wanted to.

This is also true if the team somehow take a backward step in their development (Which at this point seems unlikely) and Fields doesn’t want to waste any more of his career with a constantly rebuilding team.

Beyond that, the 26-year-old gives this team a player in their main problem position. The backcourt of the future would appear to be set, while Nikola Vucevic is the long-term center for this team. Right now Channing Frye is the starting power forward, but he may be gone sooner rather than later.

I would expect the team to draft a big in this summer’s draft anyway, adding another body to that rotation.

But if Tobias Harris, a restricted free agent, were to leave this team, Fields would be adequate short-term cover. Make no mistake, it would be much better to keep Harris, but fans seem torn on overpaying to keep him around beyond this season. Even if he were to stay, he can also play the four, although small forward is where he works best.

Fields isn’t known for his outstanding defense, but I believe there’s more to come from him on that end. Harris for example has had his best season as a pro, but he’s more of an offensive weapon for this team. Regardless though, adding Fields would appear to be a small risk move that could pay off in a bigger way down the road.

The player’s options might be limited as well, forcing him to really consider Orlando should they make him an offer. The Raptors have often preached continuity and that’s great. Their core has been together a little while now, and I don’t see that changing. But you can’t tell me Fields is a part of that core. He averages 8.3 minutes per game this year. As a rookie, he averaged over 31.

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So it’s hard to imagine Toronto being overly pushed if he leaves. He hasn’t contributed enough or turned enough heads to be picked up by a contending team either, at least in my opinion anyway. Of course there are other up and comers who could be looking to make some smaller moves like the Magic ahead of bigger splashes down the road.

The Utah Jazz and the Milwaukee Bucks are two teams that come to mind right away.

If that were the case and another team showed more interest in Fields, I’d say let him go to that team. He’s certainly not worth getting in a bidding war or overpaying for. But right now, to me anyway, he appears to be rotting on a bench, being generally underused. I still remember some of things he did those two years with the Knicks.

I remember thinking then both he and Iman Shumpert could be great pieces for that Knicks team that made the playoffs and looked primed to take that next step.

So yeah, I’m totally behind making a bit of a push to get this guy. Keep it quiet though, you never know what other teams could be sniffing around as well. He represents a bargain, untapped talent and even represents a short term solution to a potential problem area for this team. Really, what’s not to like here?

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