ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic have exercised its team option on center Goga Bitazde for the 2023-24 season, the Sentinel learned via league sources Thursday.
The Magic declined options on Admiral Schofield and Michael Carter-Williams, league sources also told the Orlando Sentinel.
Schofield and Carter-Williams will become unrestricted free agents — meaning they can sign with any team — when free agency starts at 6 p.m. Friday.
While Schofield and Carter-Williams can start negotiating with other NBA teams starting Friday evening, they can’t officially sign until 12:01 p.m. ET on July 6.
By declining to pick up the team options on Schofield and Carter-Williams, the Magic open two more roster spots and $1.99 million and $3.05 million in cap space.
Those moves increase the team’s projected cap space to nearly $27 million.
Schofield and Carter-Williams join center Moe Wagner as the Magic’s three players to become free agents.
Bitazde, who played in 38 combined games with one start last season with Indiana and Orlando, is set to earn $2.06 million next season.
The 6-foot-11 big man was waived by Indiana on Feb. 9, then signed as a free agent by Orlando on Feb. 13. Bitazde averaged 5.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 15 minutes (17 games) with the Magic.
Carter-Williams returned to the Magic in late February following a season away from the team. In his second stint here, he averaged 4.3 points, 1.8 assists and 1.3 rebounds in 11 minutes during 4 games.
The 6-5 veteran guard played for the Philadelphia 76ers (2013-15), Milwaukee Bucks (2015-16), Chicago Bulls (2016-17), Charlotte Hornets (2017-18), Houston Rockets (2018-19) and Magic in his NBA career.
Schofield was with the organization for more than 1 1/2 years before becoming a full-time Magic player in February when his two-way contract was converted to a standard NBA contract.
