The 2014 NBA free-agency period is just hours away.
Teams may begin contacting free agents at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, but no new free-agent deals can be signed — and no trades can be completed — until July 10.
The Magic are going to need to add veteran players, because their roster became even younger on draft day with the trade of 28-year-old Arron Afflalo for 21-year-old Evan Fournier and the acquisitions of 18-year-old Aaron Gordon, 20-year-old Elfrid Payton and 21-year-old Devyn Marble.
When asked if the Magic need to add some older veterans in free agency, Magic GM Rob Hennigan responded, “I think it’s important. I’m not sure it’s critical. But I think a lot’s going to be based on who we identify as being a good fit and who we’re able to sign.”
The need for experience will become even greater if, as expected, the Magic part ways with 32-year-old Jameer Nelson.
Here are some players the Magic might target, but here’s a caveat: These names are guesses, not the result of inside intel.
Trevor Ariza
Position: Small forward
Current team: Washington Wizards
Age: 29
The Buzz: He’s a solid character guy who defends well and ramped up his 3-point shooting to 40.7 percent last season as the Wizards reached the second round of the playoffs. If he left Washington, he’d be leaving a team that’s on the rise, so it seems unlikely he’d want to return to Orlando, especially since the Magic wouldn’t want to overpay him.
Vince Carter
Position: Shooting guard
Current team: Dallas Mavericks
Age: 37
The Buzz: Don’t laugh. The circumstances are different from when Orlando traded for Carter after the 2009 NBA Finals and then traded him away in Dec. 2010. The Magic aren’t looking for a go-to scorer for the playoffs. The Magic just need a solid veteran, and with Afflalo gone and Nelson likely gone, Orlando is going to need some scoring punch. Carter could provide that. And if his last contract with the Mavs is any indication — three years for $9.3 million — the Daytona Beach native might be an inexpensive addition.
Darren Collison
Position: Point guard
Current team: Los Angeles Clippers
Age: 26
The Buzz: Collison has scored at least 10 points a game every season of his five prior NBA seasons. He averaged just 26 minutes per game last season, but that was as Chris Paul‘s backup. Would he be willing to serve as a mentor to a rookie point guard, especially after he played meaningful minutes for a contender? Probably not.
Ed Davis
Position: Power forward
Current team: Memphis Grizzlies
Age: 25
The Buzz: He’s a solid, hard-nosed defender who isn’t much of a threat on offense. But he has some upside — the kind of upside that could interest the Magic. But as a restricted free agent, the Grizzlies would have the right to match any offer sheet Davis signs.
Luol Deng
Position: Small forward
Current team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Age: 29
The Buzz: Deng is still one of the sport’s top wing defenders and a solid, though unspectacular, contributor on offense. Magic executives like his character and think he’d be a great mentor to the younger players. The Magic would be attractive to Deng because Magic coach Jacque Vaughn wouldn’t play him the high number of minutes that Tom Thibodeau played him. Still, why would Deng want to go to a team that isn’t a contender? He’d probably have to receive a big payday — a payday the Magic probably aren’t willing to make. Plus, the Magic’s timeline to contend probably doesn’t match Deng’s timeline because of his age and the minutes he’s already played throughout his career.
jbrobbins@tribune.com. Read his blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/magicblog and follow him on Twitter at @JoshuaBRobbins.
