Orlando Magic trade rumors and possibilities: Wings edition
Rudy Gay
Whether it is DeMarcus Cousins, Willie Cauley-Stein, Omri Casspi or Rudy Gay, trade rumors about Sacramento Kings players have popped up just about every day since before preseason even tipped off — many involving the Magic.
But getting the Sacramento front office to strike a deal might be more complicated than it seems.
The Kings’ season thus far has not exactly been a walk in the park. Predictably, the franchise has had problems involving the temper and discontent of superstar DeMarcus Cousins. But they currently sit in the eighth seed of the Western Conference.
Not only are they on track to make the playoffs, but there is no Western Conference rival who seems clear-cut to eventually unseat them. The Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans, Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks have all struggled mightily. These would-be contenders have not shown too many signs of breaking through.
If the Kings brass believes this team has a shot to make the playoffs, something the franchise has not accomplished in 10 seasons, they might not see a reason to sell off a superstar like Cousins, or an important member of his supporting cast like Rudy Gay.
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That said, this team clearly has work to do before it can be genuinely considered a contender. They may be an 8-seed right now, but they are not close to being even a legitimate .500 team.
If Vlade Divac and Vivek Ranadive understand the team needs to rebuild, Sacramento could be a perfect destination for a Magic prospect that needs regular playing time to develop, like Mario Hezonja.
The Magic may have to throw in another asset to get a deal done, but whether or not you agree with the front office’s decision to win now, sacrificing a prospect in exchange for a veteran scorer would help the team reach its goals for 2017.
Gay would provide the Magic with, well, more points. He is not the most efficient scorer or best defender in the world, but his 3-point shooting and points per game averages are generally respectable. He mostly plays small forward but can also play small-ball 4.
His biggest strength is his ability to attack the rim and finish in transition, in which he currently sits in the league’s 63rd percentile. The Magic could definitely use help here as they are close to the bottom of the league in efficiency in transition.
To make the money work on both ends, the deal could expand to include other players like Willie Cauley-Stein and Nikola Vucevic. That would also allow Sacramento, if it decides to sell and rebuild, to look like they are still trying to win now rather than tank.
The Magic’s roster could become more balanced, allowing them to play more versatile scorers more consistently instead of worrying about a frontcourt logjam or developing prospects in a win-now season.
If Sacramento decides to make a deal before the trade deadline, Gay or Cauley-Stein might be more likely than Cousins to be moved. The new CBA makes a contract extension for Cousins both easy to reach and profitable for everyone involved, incentivizing the two parties to stay together a long time for better or for worse.
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Adding Gay might not be the best way to turn the Magic into a playoff team. But given the circumstances they remain a likely destination.