Joe Ingles made his return to the court in the middle of the 2022-23 season after rehabbing for nearly a full calendar year following a torn ACL that ended his tenure with the Utah Jazz. After signing with the Bucks last offseason, Ingles returned to being a reliable catch-and-shoot threat, knocking down 40.3 percent of his threes in Milwaukee while averaging 6.9 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game in 46 appearances in the regular season.
Ingles returned to the free agent market this summer having shown he still can provide value as a shooter and secondary ball-handler, albeit one with some defensive deficiencies at this point in his career. Still, for teams seeking out veteran help, Ingles figured to have legitimate interest from a number of hopeful contenders around the league, as well as a potential return to Milwaukee. In the end, though, Ingles was able to command a substantial investment from the Orlando Magic and he agreed to a two-year deal for $22 million.
Free agent F Joe Ingles has agreed on a two-year, $22 million contract with the Orlando Magic, his agent Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN. An accomplished role player and presence for a young Magic roster. pic.twitter.com/LdYzJdGbcF
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2023
As noted by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Ingles will bring experience to a young Magic team, and he is also an established high-end shooter. While Orlando invested a lottery pick in Jett Howard, the Magic need ready-made floor spacing for the upcoming season, and Ingles has also acted as a secondary creator in the past.
The Magic appear to be seeking a tangible step forward for the 2023-24 season around budding standouts in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Ingles may not change the entire dynamic for Orlando, but he does check several boxes for a team trying to improve.
