Orlando Magic Daily
Fansided

Orlando Magic Trade Value Column 2016

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Dec 16, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon (00) gets high fives from teammates forwards Evan Fournier (10) and Channing Frye (8) during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets at Amway Center. The Orlando Magic won 113-98. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 16, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon (00) gets high fives from teammates forwards Evan Fournier (10) and Channing Frye (8) during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets at Amway Center. The Orlando Magic won 113-98. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 10
Next
Evan Fournier, Nikola Vucevic, Orlando Magic, Sacramento Kings
Nov 21, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) calls for a pass from Magic forward Evan Fournier (10) during the second half of a basketball game against the Sacramento Kings at Amway Center. Sacramento won 97-91. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

Category IV — If we have to

7. Tobias Harris, $64 million/4 years

Tobias Harris has been something of a lightning rod for the Orlando Magic and Magic fans through the early part of the season.

He got the big extension and got a lot of responsibility thrust upon him — both on the court as a scorer and off the court as a leader. And there has been some disappointment.

His shooting is down this year to 31.1 percent from beyond the arc and 50.7 percent effective field goal percentage down from 36.4 percent from three and 51.2 percent effective field goal percentage. It has been a down year for his shooting, even if his efficiency with his shot has stayed virtually the same.

His scoring numbers are down. And that contract is awfully large.

The Magic traded Tobias Harris to the Detroit Pistons for Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova on Tuesday.

Clearly the Magic knew they had to free up the ball and get some more playing time to players like Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon. Harris had underperformed and so the Magic moved him for some expiring deals, hoping to free up the cap space they just used on Harris.

More from Orlando Magic News

6. Evan Fournier, $5.6 million/2 years, RFA in 2017

Before the Tobias Harris deal, if there was a candidate to lead the way to get traded, it was likely Evan Fournier.

Fournier was set to become a restricted free agent and has a lot of promise. Whether it would be for a team looking for a sharpshooting rental or a team that views Fournier as part of their long-term future and they want the security of matching his contract, Fournier has some real value.

He has been one of the big surprises of the season. His run of play earlier in the season when he was scoring seemingly at will was magnificent for the team. He had a skill that no one else on the team seemed to have in his shooting.

Fournier has had his ups and downs and remains a bit inconsistent. He will go through long stretches of hot play and then follow it with cold stretches. That is kind of the life of Fournier that the Magic have learned the last two years.

Still his ability to dissect plays in the pick and roll and create his own shot in that situation is valuable in this NBA. Match that with his ability to still be effective off the ball as a spot-up shooter and the Magic have a promising young player that will be one of the big gets in free agency this summer.

That makes him valuable in the trade market. And I am sure the Magic will be fielding a lot of calls about him.

Next: No. 5 Elfrid Payton