The Orlando Magic made it clear they wanted to compete for a playoff spot this season. The plan failed and the Magic recouped value for Serge Ibaka instead of letting him walk in free agency.
The Orlando Magic had playoff aspirations this season. But this season has been a forgettable one as they have suffered embarrassing defeats, the latest one against the lottery-bound Dallas Mavericks on Saturday by 32 points.
A shuffle in the roster was needed, and that is exactly what general manager Rob Hennigan did as he traded Serge Ibaka for Terrence Ross and a 2017 first round pick Tuesday.
The Magic get a proven scorer and shooter in Terrence Ross, who is known for his great athleticism in addition to a first round pick in a very good upcoming 2017 NBA Draft.
Trading Ibaka is something that simply had to be done. He performed very well for the Magic, averaging a career-high in nearly every statistical category. But the Magic’s season went south and they simply had to recoup some value or lose Ibaka in free agency.
Ross signed a three-year, $33-million extension with the Toronto Raptors last season. The first year of that deal kicked in this season, as Ross was on his rookie-scale contract last season. He will make $10.5 million each of the next two seasons.
What does this trade mean for the Magic’s future? The Magic’s future changed vastly with this move.
Expect Aaron Gordon to play the 4 spot, after the “Gordon-at-the-3” experiment had mixed results. Gordon showed he can guard the perimeter very well. He is by far the Magic’s best defender. But his offensive limitations from the perimeter limit his success on that end.
With Ibaka leaving a vacancy at the 4, Aaron Gordon seems the smart choice to fill that for now with Ross sliding in on the perimeter, creating better spacing on the floor. That lack of shooting is a big reason Ross became attractive.
Gordon’s lack shooting certainly did not help the Magic’s case as they have one of the worst offenses in the league this season. Now, with Ross on the perimeter, this should create ample amount of opportunities for Nikola Vucevic and Gordon down low in the post.
Gordon’s post defense will be tested. He has shown glimpses he can guard the opponent’s big men. But now assumedly as the primary power forward, his ability to guard big men in the post will truly be showcased.
Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo‘s arrival affected Nikola Vucevic’s game most. He averaged 18.2 points per game last season and is averaging 13.9 this season. His field goal attempts per game went down, he averaged 16.1 field goal attempts per game last season and is averaging 13.0 this season. Vucevic’s production should trend upwards with this deal.
Incoming in the deal is Ross. He will bring an immediate impact to the Magic. Ross may only be 26 years old, but, he has winning experience after last year’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals. He brings a “young veteran” mentality.
His scoring is another plus for the Magic. Ross can drive the ball and create opportunities for others, or he can isolate and shoot jumpers all the way from the 3-point line.
He is averaging 10.4 points per game this season in 22.4 minutes per game. Ross has not been able to get much playing time due to the presence of DeMarre Carroll, the emergence of Norman Powell and All Star DeMar DeRozan.
Ross’ per-36 minutes stats tell a better tale of what he can do when given an extended run. He averages 16.7 points per 36 minutes. Ross could be in line for a major minutes increase with the Magic the rest of this season.
This also creates more opportunity for Mario Hezonja. The Magic went with big lineups early in the season. Mario Hezonja was behind Aaron Gordon and Jeff Green on the depth chart. But the Magic have been implementing small-ball lineups as of late and Hezonja has been Gordon’s primary backup at the 3.
Hezonja’s most recent performance was a welcome sight for Magic fans. He poured in 11 points in 16 minutes, including three 3-pointers. Now, Hezonja will most likely be a primary backup behind Terrence Ross.
Certainly, there is disappointment that the gamble to bring in Ibaka did not work out.
The Magic get the Raptors’ 2017 first round pick. The Magic in the past have been criticized for not acquiring a first round pick for their players, such as the Tobias Harris trade last trade deadline. The Raptors pick may not be that high, but, it is still a first round pick nevertheless.
This trade reaps many benefits for the Magic. They get a much-needed scorer. All while the Magic go with the current trend in the NBA of “small ball.”
Next: Rob Hennigan, Orlando Magic must provide hope for future
It will be seen if the Magic are done making trades or they have something else stored in the bag.