Channing Frye is apparently a hot commodity.
According to the Sporting News’ Sean Deveney, interest in the Orlando Magic’s 32-year-old stretch big is high:
Now, league sources tell Sporting News, changes could be coming to the Magic’s promising young roster ahead of this month’s trading deadline. Already, the team has received multiple inquiries on big man Channing Frye, who despite being 32 years old and having two years and $15.2 million left on his contract, still is considered a commodity around the league because of his combination of size, defense and perimeter shooting.
“He’s one of the names I think you hear a lot and you will hear a lot more about before the deadline,” one NBA executive told Sporting News. “His contract is not that bad and he could help a contender, and it looks like they’re moving on from him. There’s a lot of interest there.”
Um, Washington Wizards general manager Ernie Grunfeld, is that you?
Including this season, Frye’s cap hit is just $23.4 million through 2017-18. That’s already one hell of a bargain for an impact player, and it will look even better as the salary cap rises in 2016 and then again in 2017.
It looks better still with Frye draining 41.1 percent of his three-point attempts. He is even more accurate when firing off the catch, according to NBA.com, putting 42.6 percent of his spot-up triples. He is someone who can put a playoff and/or championship contender over the top.
But it remains to be seen what the Magic actually want for him, if they’re willing to move him at all. They are supposed to be making a playoff push of their own and could look to package him alongside some other parts as part of a bigger deal.
If they decide just to deal him so they can open up more minutes for Aaron Gordon, Frye’s value, while fairly high, probably won’t net them a first-round pick. Maybe some late-round postseason squad rolls the dice and forfeits a bottom-five selection, but the going rate for 30-somethings who don’t defend particularly well, even if they shoot the lights out, isn’t especially lucrative.
