The Magic will soon attempt to try and extend GM Rob Hennigan‘s contract beyond the 2015/16 season, according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. Robbins cited an industry source with knowledge of the team’s plans in his story. Contract talks between the team and Hennigan or his agent will likely occur when the season ends, Robbins reports.
The DeVos family, which owns the team, and CEO Alex Martins are “pleased” with the job Hennigan has done since the 33-year-old was hired in June 2012, Robbins added. According to Robbins, Martins believes it’s dangerous to have such an important executive be a lame-duck because uncertainty about job status can lead to risky decisions for short-term gains. When the team originally hired Hennigan, it signed him to a three-year deal with a team option for a fourth year. The team exercised its option for the 2015/16 season last May.
In his first big move, Hennigan shipped superstar Dwight Howard to the Lakers in a four-team deal that netted the Magic Nikola Vucevic, Maurice Harkless and Arron Afflalo, Al Harrington, Josh McRoberts, a first-round draft pick in 2014 and conditional future draft picks. An important aspect of the trade was who the Magic actually didn’t get in return. Hennigan declined an offer that would have included Andrew Bynum, a player with a long injury history. The decision to pass on Bynum proved to be wise, as Robbins wrote in the aforementioned story.
During the 2014 Draft, Hennigan pulled the trigger on a trade that brought in exceptional rookie point guard Elfrid Payton. The GM would have his hands full this summer because the team is in need of a head coach after firing Jacque Vaughn. Making things more interesting for the rebuilding franchise that won’t make the playoffs is that emerging star Tobias Harris could become a restricted free agent this summer. Either way, the Magic also seem likely to be active in free agency, Robbins reports. If the team doesn’t keep Ben Gordon, Willie Green and Luke Ridnour, and if the salary cap for next season is set at $68MM, the Magic would have almost $17MM in cap space if it receives the fifth overall pick, Robbins noted.