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It's December 15th, a big day in NBA circles, as most free agents who signed contracts over the summer of 2013 are now eligible for trade; Larry Coon explains more in the 93rd question of his comprehensive NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement FAQ page.
For the Orlando Magic, this date signifies that the team is free to deal free-agent signees Jason Maxiell and Ronnie Price.
Further reading
Maxiell, a veteran big man, signed on July 18th. According to ShamSports' authoritative salary database, Maxiell's contract is for two years and $5 million, though the second year is not guaranteed until July 10th, 2014. He's averaging 4.4 points and 2.7 rebounds for Orlando in 19 appearances, including 11 starts.
Price, a veteran point guard, signed a minimum-salary contract with Orlando on July 25th. Like Maxiell's, the second year of Price's contract is not guaranteed until July 10th, 2014. In limited duty, Price has averaged two points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game with Orlando.
Neither Maxiell nor Price figures to draw much interest in the trade market on their own, but the Magic can use their salaries as ballast to facilitate larger deals. Maxiell's contract is particularly interesting because it's the only non-rookie deal on Orlando's books in its salary range.
The NBA's trade season will certainly pick up now that most of the 2013 free-agent class is trade-eligible. The NBA trading deadline is February 20th, 2014, at 3 PM Eastern.
