By: Dustin Chapman

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• Selected Courtney Lee 22nd overall.

Coming into the draft, Lee was pegged by many as a virtual lock to go 22 to Orlando, and Otis Smith got his wish. Lee is an NBA-ready guy that can come in and give the Magic a lift on both ends right away, and at pick #22, what more can you ask for?

Grade: B

Tim Povtak of the Orlando Sentinel reports that Magic center Adonal Foyle is expected to opt out of his contract this month, making him an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

The urgency this summer to secure more help in the frontcourt will intensify this week when Orlando Magic backup center Adonal Foyle opts out of his contract to become an unrestricted free agent.

Foyle, 33, is expected to exercise his option, leaving behind the $1.26 million that the Magic would have paid him next season under the original two-year contract he signed on Aug. 24, 2007.

His opt-out and probable departure — which is a surprise — would add to the Magic’s summertime list of things to accomplish and further emphasize the need to strengthen their defense and rebounding around star center Dwight Howard.

Foyle, who did not return phone messages left for him at his home in California, must notify the Magic by June 15.

“I can only speculate at this point, but I would anticipate him opting out now,” Magic General Manager Otis Smith said. “He’s playing behind the best [Howard], and he may want to see what other opportunities are out there.”

Povtak also mentions the rest of Orlando’s expired contracts:

Guard Keith Bogans, who also has an opt-out clause in his contract, is not expected to exercise his option. Bogans, who served as the backup shooting guard, will be paid $2.9 million next season.

Guards Maurice Evans, Keyon Dooling and Carlos Arroyo will become unrestricted free agents on July 1, along with forward Pat Garrity. Little-used power forward James Augustine will become a restricted free agent.

Back to Foyle: You’d think that a player of his caliber (see: aging, knocking on the door of towel boy) would play it safe and collect all of the guaranteed dollars he can before teams decide that he’s nothing more or less than excess size at the end of the bench for insurance purposes. Which, by the way, Stan Van Gundy realized in the second half of this past season.

Should Foyle go elsewhere (or back home, depending on how skilled his agent may be), Magic fans should not worry about Orlando’s frontcourt depth next season. Tony Battie, who missed the entire 2007-2008 season with a torn left rotator cuff, is set to hit the hardwood once again. In addition, the Magic own the rights to the 22nd overall pick in this month’s draft, in which they’ll be able to add extra help up front.

Should Orlando’s bigs manage to keep healthy in 2008-2009, the Magic should be much better served at the four and five spots than they have been over the past couple of years.

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Posted By: Dustin Chapman