2019 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far
Al-Farouq Aminu: 3 years, $29 million (Orlando Magic)
Free agent Al-Farouq Aminu has agreed to a three-year, $29M deal with the Orlando Magic, league sources tell ESPN. Player option on third year.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2019
In a crowded frontcourt that already includes Aaron Gordon, Nikola Vucevic, Jonathan Isaac, Mohamed Bamba and Khem Birch, it appears the Orlando Magic will mostly use Al-Farouq Aminu as a more traditional 3, rather than a small-ball 4.
While Aminu is a great two-way player in his own right, it’s a bit odd to see the Magic go this route when point guard is such a glaring position of need. No offense to D.J. Augustin, but he shouldn’t be starting if the goal is to improve on last year’s five-game appearance in the first round of the playoffs.
Markelle Fultz could be the answer in time, but he’s nowhere near ready and no one even knows what to expect from him next season. Aminu is a terrific multi-positional defender, but his floor-spacing (34.3 percent from 3 last year) leaves something to be desired. This is a great value signing in a vacuum, but Orlando’s needs at the point are somehow overlooked, and with minimal space to make further moves, their pickings will be slim.
Grade: C+