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NBA free agency 2014: Orlando Magic "leaning towards" retaining Jameer Nelson, according to report

Coming off his 10th season in Orlando, the veteran point guard's status with the Magic remains uncertain.

Jameer Nelson and Kevin Scott
Jameer Nelson and Kevin Scott
David Manning-USA TODAY Sports

Though the Orlando Magic still have time to decide on Jameer Nelson's future with the team, a sourced report Friday by WESH's Larry Ridley indicates the Magic are "leaning towards" bringing the veteran point guard back for the 2014/15 season.

According to ShamSports' NBA salary database, only $2 million of Nelson's $8 million salary for the 2014/15 campaign is guaranteed. The Magic could let him leave as a free agent and only owe him $2 million, or they could keep him and owe him the full balance of his contract. Nelson has spent his entire 10-year NBA career with the Magic and ranks as the team's all-time assists leader.

As Ridley suggests, the Magic's haul in the 2014 NBA Draft will go a long way toward determining Nelson's future. If Orlando lands a young point guard via the Draft--and Magic fans certainly have their eyes on Australia's Dante Exum and Syracuse's Tyler Ennis, among other playmakers--then it might more easily opt to let Nelson leave.

In the 2013/14 season, Nelson posted per-game averages of 12.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and seven assists on 39.4 percent shooting from the floor. He appeared in 68 contests.

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