The Orlando Magic have the foundations of a good team in place. Keeping Jodie Meeks beyond this summer would add to that significantly.
For the Orlando Magic, it really has become a case of looking to the future in order to get excited about what this team can be.
They've shown modest improvement from within this season and have another high draft pick to look forward to this summer.
In Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon and possibly Elfrid Payton, this team has the bones of a core to build around too.
The fact it took them more than half a decade to get to this point may be concerning, but the point is things are starting to look up.
One player who will be key to how the Magic progress will be shooting guard Jodie Meeks.
In fact, the Magic may have stumbled into one of their biggest assets when they traded a second round pick for him last year.
Although an unrestricted free agent this summer and with a worrying injury record, the team absolutely needs to re-sign him to a new deal.
Jan 2, 2017; New York, NY, USA; Orlando Magic guard Jodie Meeks (20) drives to the basket past New York Knicks guard Courtney Lee (5) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
If general manager Rob Hennigan can do this–assuming he's still in a job by that point–it will represent a can't-mess-it-up move no matter what happens next.
Assuming they can re-sign him for a fair price, the team will have entered into can't-lose territory with Meeks and here is why.
It's not going to cost a ton to sign Meeks. Even paying more than market value may not be the worst idea, but getting him on a fair contract is important for this to work.
If he does, the Magic will have a player that they have spent much of the season without (Meeks has played in 26 games, starting nine), so any production he gives them would be a bonus.
But this team looks a lot smoother offensively since the trade to bring Terrence Ross to town and Meeks would help the team continue to grow in that area.
Wednesday night's home loss to the Charlotte Hornets was one of the more painful ones, but Meeks helped bring a new element to the team.
#Hornets secured season sweep over #Magic last night.
???? #BuzzCity won by a combined 87 pts – largest sweep v any team in franchise history. pic.twitter.com/OZiHhQWksb
— Chris Kroeger (@Kroeger) March 23, 2017
He was consistent from long-range (3-of-4), which you would expect from a career 37.5 percent three-point shooter.
But he also allowed head coach Frank Vogel to experiment with some funky lineups, putting Meeks at the 3, Mario Hezonja at power forward and Bismack Biyombo in the middle.
It didn't totally work, but it created some confusion for the Hornets and represented the ability for the Magic to go smaller across the forward positions if they want to.
magic
Orlando Magic Daily 2dOrlando Magic Rumors: Rob Hennigan's job in jeopardy and some replacements emerge
More headlines around FanSided:
3d - Tanking is the only way forward for the Orlando Magic3d - Energy is the base for Orlando Magic to build culture3d - Orlando Magic Grades: Orlando Magic 112, Philadelphia 76ers 1094d - Magic Wands: Orlando Magic vs. Philadelphia 76ers4d - Orlando Magic made their bet on defense at the wrong time, in wrong wayMore News at Orlando Magic Daily
With the improvement from within and some new faces sure to join the team in the summer, the Magic need all the three-point threats they can get to fill out their roster.
Even better if they provide flexibility, as Meeks does. Also worth noting is his defensive rating of minus-0.9, his best mark since the 2011-12 season.
He's hardly a three-and-D specialist with numbers like that, but right now it's the best the team has.
Having a player like Meeks coming off the bench is exactly the kind of move you want if you're a team with postseason aspirations.
But do you know who also thinks that way? Contending teams and this is the true beauty of re-signing Meeks.
Ahead of the trade deadline next season, teams will panic and talk themselves into making moves.
It happens every year and a contender struggling for outside shooting could do worse than look to Meeks to fill that role.
Imagine if he had joined the Washington Wizards before the deadline (although he is no Bojan Bogdanovic) or even the Los Angeles Clippers.
There's no guarantee he's a hit, but you could see it happening. If the Magic are disappointing again next season (always a possibility), Meeks becomes a prime trade candidate.
They could get at least a second-round pick in return or perhaps another young player that is not getting the minutes on a different team.
Meeks could even be used if the Magic wanted to get involved in any potential three-team blockbusters.
More from Hoops Habit
That worked out pretty nicely last time when the team lost Dwight Howard, but gained Vucevic.
His selling points (as long as he can stay healthy) are what teams in the league want: Outside shooting, at least an effort to defend and good value for the money.
Meeks can be all of these things and his injury history means he is likely to get overlooked by others and probably underpaid by the Magic this summer.
All of this is why Jodie Meeks should be a high priority for the Orlando Magic.
If they can re-sign him, no matter what they do with him afterwards, it will be a good move.
If he can stay healthy and contribute to a playoff push, fantastic. If the team flops and a trade comes up, also a positive.
Even if the team is doing well and an offer comes in, he isn't the type of player fans would be up in arms about losing.
Should he sustain an injury, the team doesn't rely on him anyway (averages 21.5 minutes per game), so they'd get by.
So bringing him back next year is a must and the first step in what the team will hope will be a more successful season.
