Report: Magic turned down offers that would have returned 1st-round pick for Afflalo
Before sending Arron Afflalo back to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Evan Fournier and the 56th overall pick in Thursday's draft, the Orlando Magic fielded offers that would have returned a future first-round pick, according to Zach Lowe of Grantland.
Trading Afflalo created nearly $6 million in cap space for the Magic, and Lowe speculates that the immediate production Fournier provides was more appealing than what they could have received from a future pick.
The Magic have enough rookies. Fournier has an interesting skill set, he can shoot 3s, and he'll get the consistent rotation spot in Orlando he could never nail down on Denver’s deeper roster. The Nuggets also had a trade exception to absorb Afflalo's salary, meaning they didn't have to send any matching money back to Orlando - a key consideration for a Magic team hoarding cap space like a squirrel in winter. The Magic already had avenues to max-level cap room, but more is always better. You never know what opportunities might come up, and they may want to guarantee the full amount of Jameer Nelson's contract to retain his locker-room leadership.
Afflalo averaged a career-high 18.2 points per game last season while shooting 46 percent from the field and 43 percent from the three-point line. He is due $7.5 million in 2014-15, with a player option the following season.
Fournier, the 20th overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft, will earn approximately $1.5 million next season.