The Orlando Magic are targeting Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford in free-agency this summer as new head coach Frank Vogel aims to improve the young team's frontcourt and veteran leadership.
Horford has just finished the final year of his five-year, $60 million contract with the Hawks and is set to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his nine-year career this July. Several NBA clubs are reportedly interested in acquiring his services and according to the Orlando Sentinel, one particular team that is keen on pursuing the 29-year-old big man is the Magic.
Orlando has a lot to gain by snatching Horford from Atlanta as he will instantly become the most experienced player in the young Magic roster, making him the natural leader of the squad both on the court and in the locker room. It is something that coach Vogel is said to be looking for and the four-time NBA All-Star is used to the role as one of the Hawks' team leaders.
Aside from that Horford is a known team player, one who does not hog the spotlight but plays efficiently and with a lot of hustle. The report mentioned that Orlando could put him back at his more comfortable power forward position and "plug him in" with center Nikola Vucevic, which would be an intriguing front court duo.
With a young core composed of Elfrid Payton, Victor Oladipo, Aaron Gordon, and Vucevic, the Magic are obviously in need of veteran talent and it seems like Horford will be the ideal fit for them.
As for Horford, one reason why he may become interested in joining the Magic next season is his ties with the state of Florida as he was a former Florida Gators standout in college.
Meanwhile, Fansided reported that Magic CEO Alex Martins said the team is "ready to make a move in free agency to take that step forward and add those pieces the draft cannot bring".
Orlando is set to pick at 11th overall in the first round and 41st and 47th in the second. With this year's thin crop of available talents, there is not much the Magic could improve via the draft.
"I think we're being very open about the fact that in order to take that next step we have to inject veteran leadership. Our young guys are talented; they're continuing to develop," said Martins.
"But the one thing that virtually none of them has is playoff experience, and you just don't wake up one morning and understand what it takes to get to the playoffs. People have to help you through that, and it's going to be a coach like Frank Vogel, and it's going to be experienced veterans that we would be able to obtain in free agency," he added.