It is not time for the Orlando Magic to strike for a star like Kyrie Irving

Fans want the Orlando Magic to get in the running for a star like Kyrie Irving. The timing is not right for them to do so in the current star landscape.

Kyrie Irving made the NBA world shake again this weekend when word leaked he had requested a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers. The NBA is never seemingly settled and even the surest thing can create uncertainty with the smallest mistake.

The Cavaliers are hardly perfect. The whole David Griffin saga, which pulled the Orlando Magic in for a moment, has thrown that front office into some turmoil.

The Cavaliers did not renegotiate a new contract for their general manager, letting his contract lapse all the way until the June 30 deadline all the while they were in negotiations for another star to help the three-time defending Eastern Conference champions compete with the Golden State Warriors. Then they reportedly low-balled their first choice in Chauncey Billups.

This stood in the backdrop of rumors circulating LeBron James might be prepared to leave in free agency, seeking a better chance to unseat the Warriors. And now reportedly Irving was upset with the team’s thoughts of including him in trades enough to ask for a trade himself.

It seems like the Cavaliers are about to become undone. With two years left on his contract, there is an opportunity for a team to take a risk and use a year to convince Irving to re-up with a new team. Even if they are outside his four favored teams — the New York Knicks, Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Every team in the league should at least make the call to the Cavaliers and muster up their best offer. Irving is that good — 25.2 points per game and 5.8 assists per game good. Not to mention he hit that shot in the game where they completed a 3-1 comeback against the 73-win Warriors.

The Magic certainly need that. They need an All Star and a central figure for their franchise. They have been hungering for someone to change the franchise’s fortune and give it a more sure and clear direction.

In five years of a rebuild, the team could not find one despite three straight years of top-five draft picks. The Magic had the sixth pick in a big-time draft this year and feel like they got a potential star in Jonathan Isaac.

Eventually.

It is that eventually that drives people crazy. After five years without a Playoff berth, the longest in franchise history. Magic fans are hungry for a win. And when they see a big name enter the market, they circle.

Even two years of Irving seem like a sweet reprieve after five years with a .322 win percentage (average of 26.4 wins per year). But that is not how anyone builds a championship team. That is not the way to secure a franchise’s long-term future.

Doing this move might get a team to the Playoffs for a few years before throwing it into an uncertain future.

It is still very unclear whether the Cavaliers will accede to Irving’s request. It is not clear what the Cavaliers would want in return for Irving.

At the moment, it is safe to assume Cleveland believes it can keep James (he can become a free agent after the 2018 season). James signaled as much by saying he would not waive his no-trade clause. And with that assumption, the Magic would have to be able to trade the Cavs something that would keep the Cavs in title contention.

Future assets would not get the job done — Orlando is not likely willing to part with those. Aaron Gordon would not get the job done — he is not close enough to stardom to help the Cavaliers immediately compete for the title. No one on this Magic team is.

So a trade in this instance feels far fetched. The Magic simply do not have the assets the Cavaliers are seeking (for now).

But similarly, the Cavaliers are not going to be able to help the Magic accomplish their goals. Irving is not likely to stay in Orlando, especially when the team would have to give up most of its short-term assets to acquire him.

Orlando Magic

Trading for Irving would be a short-sighted move that might create some momentary success. But it would likely be short lived.

The question for the Magic is when is the right time to strike? When is their time to make these big moves and try to cash in for a star?

The truth is the Magic are not there yet. Throughout the league, stars are looking for their way to a championship quickly. They want to land in locations where there is already a core in place. They know there is no time to wait and their chance to win a championship is short.

Irving’s preferred destinations fit that mold. The Spurs are the venerated franchise in the league and would have their culture and Kawhi Leonard waiting for Irving to play with. The Timberwolves have a loaded roster with young players like Karl-Anthony Towns and Jimmy Butler. The Heat have a strong culture with a dominant center in Hassan Whiteside.

And the Knicks . . . Well, that one does not fit the bill. Although they do have Kristaps Porzingis.

All these teams have something to build around. Irving is not about to pack up and go someplace that has an uncertain future. Or even an unproven future. All four of those teams have something to build on when Irving arrives.

The Magic are not quite there yet. They have a lot of unproven pieces and no young player who seems on the cusp of stardom.

Their draft pick, Jonathan Isaac, is likely to be a project who will need a few years to establish his NBA skills. Aaron Gordon has yet to do so even as he enters his contract year.

The Magic do not have that certain future these disgruntled stars want to see before taking the leap.

It would be nice to believe Orlando could get there. And maybe adding a player like Irving would push the team closer to that direction — helping the team attract other stars. But the risk is too great. Even with that extra year to get the work done to persuade him to stay.

Until Orlando can build up enough assets to have something left over after trading for a star, it is not likely the team will engage seriously in these talks to acquire a star. Nor should they.

Gutting the entire franchise to change course to keep a star with little time or little plan is not the way to long-term success. Not at this moment. It is not the risk the Magic should take.

Next: OMD Roundtable: End of the offseason moves

The first step for the Magic is to grow that young star to keep a player like Irving first.