The Magic pass on Jett Howard's option, signaling an early end to his tenure and opening the door for his unrestricted free agency.
In the midst of their road trip, the Orlando Magic received surprising news that could mark the end of a former first-round pick’s tenure with the team. On Wednesday morning, Orlando Sentinel’s Jason Beede revealed that the Magic will not exercise Jett Howard’s fourth-year rookie club option.
“The #Magic are declining guard-forward Jett Howard’s fourth-year rookie club option worth $7.3 million in 2026-27,” Beede wrote. “A league source told the Orlando Sentinel Howard will be an unrestricted free agent in the upcoming offseason. The deadline to make a decision was Oct. 31.”
This decision doesn’t come as a major surprise given Jett Howard’s underwhelming tenure in Orlando. Over two seasons, he has struggled to find consistent minutes and has averaged just 3.8 points and one rebound per game. With the Magic shifting toward a championship-minded roster, Howard no longer appears to fit their long-term vision.
Prior to the season Howard met with reporters for media day and expressed he wants to remain consistenr in his preparation to begin the season.
“I approached it pretty well last season,”Howard said. “My preparation was strong, so I’m not really going to change much. It’s just about sustaining that throughout the year. I had a good training camp last season, so for me it’s about staying locked in, focusing on the main thing, watching film, and spending time with coaches. That’s going to help a lot.”
Despite another slow start this season, averaging just 1.5 points in 6.5 minutes, Howard expressed confidence that he had improved in every aspect heading into the year. Now, he’ll have the chance to prove it and boost his value ahead of the offseason as a potential free agent if they don’t re-negotiate at the end of the season, or possibly before the midseason trade deadline.
“I feel like I focused on my mind most importantly,” Howard said. “Getting my mental sharp, helping my IQ both defensively and offensively. I don’t think there was any one area in particular. I just feel like I got better as a whole. Spending time away from the facility and working every day as hard as I can. I think I improved in pretty much every area.
“I’ve got big expectations,” Howard added. “I think I can impact the game on both sides. It’s just a matter of doing it now.”
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