Orlando Magic Daily Mailbag Volume 4: Coaching questions
@OMagicDaily do you think the magic will be active in the trade market this season? And if so, who do you think is most likely to go?
— Justin Lanman (@JLanman4) December 28, 2014
The short answer is the Magic are always going to be active at the trade deadline. They have assets and they want to collect assets. So there is always the chance to make a trade. As Rob Hennigan says, the team always has to evaluate everything. And the Magic are not in a position to turn down any phone calls.
Now, do the Magic have anything to trade? I am going to be coming out with a trade value column before Thursday’s deadline (I hope). But the biggest piece the Magic are likely to move is Tobias Harris. His restricted free agency presents something of a problem. The Magic, and the league, are not quite sure what his value is and Hennigan has made it known the Magic will match just about any offer.
A team would have to take a poison pill to sign him away from Orlando at this point. And to acquire him? A team would have to really have a good idea of what they think his value would be in the open market. And the Magic would have to feel they got a good return on investment.
It gets really complicated.
Having said that . . .
@OMagicDaily @FanSidedNBA chances the #magic actually trade Harris?
— Sam (@ldf_dsjlo_45098) February 9, 2015
It is really 50/50.
The Magic are not going to trade Tobias just to trade him. There has to be purpose behind it and they have to get something valuable in return.
That is, unless the Magic come to realize that he is going to get more than they are willing to pay in free agency. Nobody seems certain if Harris will get that much. Orlando opted to let the market set Harris’ price rather than spend too much on an extension. Harris has probably not done enough to escape the area the Magic will match.
Unless Orlando gets an offer the team really likes, the team likely holds onto Harris through the deadline.
Next: Who is better: Horford or Vucevic?