Lakers Rumors: D'Angelo Russell Eyed by Magic If He Declines $18.7M Contract Option

The Orlando Magic are interested in Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell if he declines $18.7 million player option for the 2024-25 season to become a free agent, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

The 28-year-old Russell just averaged 18.0 points on 45.6 percent shooting (41.5 percent from three), 6.3 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 76 games (69 starts) for the Lakers in his ninth NBA season.

The Magic are on the rise after making the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. They nearly upset the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round before falling to them in seven games.

Orlando could also use more help at guard, and it needs more scoring outside Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, as no other Magic player averaged more than 12.6 PPG last year. So the Magic's reported interest in Russell makes sense as Orlando looks to become a perennial playoff team.

It probably behooves Russell to decline that player option in hopes of landing a more lucrative long-term deal elsewhere.

The Magic make a ton of sense on paper given their scoring needs, and they also have a lot of money to burn, especially with the team having the third-lowest payroll in the NBA in 2024-25 right now. It stands at $85.5 million, and the current projection for the 2024-25 cap is $141 million.

It's no secret that the Magic are looking for scoring guards to help the team. Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic previously reported the team's interest in looming free agent Klay Thompson:

And Orlando is reportedly eyeing Paul George, per ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

"There's two teams that are paying very close attention to Paul George: the Orlando Magic and the Philadelphia 76ers," Shelburne said on the Hoop Collective (17:45 mark). "Because both of them have the money to throw at him and have a need for a wing, just like him, a veteran guy. Every time I watch the Sixers I'm like, 'Oh, they could use Paul George.'"

Ultimately, expect Orlando to be quite active in free agency, and it wouldn't be a surprise whatsoever to see the Magic land a big name or two here.