The Magic are not expected to tender a qualifying offer to center Mo Bamba and he will enter free agency, according to the Orlando Sentinel’s Khobi Price. The team has until Wednesday to make the offer and free agency is set to start Thursday at 6 p.m. ET.
Despite this, the team is still interested in bringing him back, per the report, and will look to work out a new deal with him as a free agent. It’s also possible that Orlando signs and trades Bamba to another squad interested in his services. The Raptors, Knicks, Lakers, Bulls, Rockets, Heat and Timberwolves are all expected to be interested in Bamba.
Bamba was taken with the No. 6 pick in the 2018 draft and is coming off his best year in the NBA after averaging career-highs in points (10.6), rebounds (8.1), assists (1.2) and blocks (1.7).
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The report comes less than a week after Orlando selected Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. Not only is Banchero another addition to the Magic’s already well-staffed front court, but he took Bamba’s No. 5 jersey. The writing may already be all over the wall for Bamba.
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