Orlando Magic: 2016 Offseason Grades
Adding Augustin
As if it wasn’t already obvious in the wake of the midseason Tobias Harris trade, the Ibaka trade made it clear the Magic were retooling for a playoff run in 2017. Their second move of the offseason, bringing on D.J. Augustin to be the team’s backup point guard, was yet another misstep in getting them there.
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By handing out a four-year, $29 million contract to Augustin, general manager Rob Hennigan established what would become a pattern of irresponsible spending that only made his team marginally better over the summer.
An eight-year NBA veteran, there’s no question the 28-year-old Augustin is a useful backup floor general. He may have fallen out of favor with head coach Billy Donovan in OKC, but upon being traded to Denver, he was terrific for a young Nuggets team, averaging 11.6 points and 4.7 assists per game in his 28-game stint there.
With Elfrid Payton manning the starting spot, Augustin is a steady veteran hand who can teach him a thing or two while also serving as an upgrade from C.J. Watson. In the event of injury, Augustin can step in as the starter, and as a career 37.4 percent shooter from downtown, he can also spread the floor for a Magic team that needs perimeter shooting.
That being said, paying $7.3 million a season for Augustin, even under the new cap, feels like an excessive amount, especially over the course of a four-year contract. This wasn’t a terrible acquisition, but it was a slightly overpriced one — and, more importantly, a troubling sign of the direction Orlando’s offseason splurge would soon take.
Grade: C-
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