The NBA trade deadline is just a day away. The Orlando Magic are still figuring out their roster and their assets. Let’s sort through what they have.
Everyone is ready to see change with the Orlando Magic as the NBA’s trade deadline quickly approaches. There has probably not been as much pressure or as much anticipation to see the team do something at the deadline as there is this year.
After six years out of the Playoffs and new management coming in, everyone wants to see the remnants of the Rob Hennigan era swept away and the contours of a new era begin gaining some definition.
Jeff Weltman’s first chance to make some real change will come at the February 8 trade deadline. There, the Magic could change their fortunes in a major way.
Or they could sit still and wait for the offseason to do the heavy lifting everyone knows is coming. After falling to the worst record in the league and staring down a likely high draft pick, the Magic clearly need to make some changes to their main core. They clearly need to move in a new direction.
Everyone is trying to anticipate what that new direction is.
Of course, actually changing the roster is very difficult. Otherwise, that process would have likely started in the summer.
The reality is the Magic still have a lot of big contracts they will find tough to move. From Evan Fournier to Bismack Biyombo, there are big deals that teams are going to find it hard to take. Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross are on more manageable short-term deals, but they are both injured.
The Magic have a few young players on rookie contracts that might get some nibbles. But otherwise, this is a team that does not have a lot to offer. Unless a deal seemingly blows the Magic away or delivers them an interesting player they might be willing to integrate into their core, they may be better off waiting.
No one seems particularly sure what the trade deadline holds in store. The only thing that seems for sure is the team needs some change. And they need to make a trade at some level.
As we have done at Orlando Magic Daily, it is time to take some stock of what the Magic have with our annual trade value column.
Based off the popular Bill Simmons column, here is our ranking of the Magic’s trade assets. The idea here is, based on the player’s skill, production, upside and contract, who is the most valuable player on the team?
The pickings seem fairly slim when push comes to shove. But the Magic can still fish for a deal.
Category I — Sure, you can have them
16. Arron Afflalo (1 year, $1.5 million)
When the Orlando Magic signed Arron Afflalo, there was a wave of nostalgia. Here was a veteran who wanted to be back in Orlando and understood his role was to impart wisdom to the young players. Any contribution he gave would be a bit of an added bonus.
But the thought was he could still contribute something on the floor. After all, last year was a down year for Afflalo but still not a bad one. He averaged 8.4 points per game and shot 41.1 percent from beyond the arc. The Magic thought they could count on him for at least that.
Instead, Afflalo has struggled more than any other player on the roster. His big highlight this year was a punch he threw at Minnesota Timberwolves forward Nemanja Bjelica. There have not been a ton of offensive fireworks, that is for sure.
Afflalo has shot just 38.1 percent from floor, although a respectable 36.4 percent from beyond the arc. It still feels like the Magic have needed more from him. He has not been the reliable veteran the Magic hoped for.
And after the trade deadline, it will be harder to justify playing him. Especially at the expense of younger players.
Orlando Magic
15. Jamel Artis (2-way contract)
The Orlando Magic have not used Jamel Artis a ton this season. He has appeared in just five games, playing a total of 55 minutes. It is hard to get too much of a feel for him. He should still have plenty of days left on his two-way contract. And, at a certain point, the Magic should call him up and try to get him in the rotation. At least so they have a good understanding of what to expect from him for Summer League.
Artis has played well in the G-League for the Lakeland Magic. He is averaging 19.6 points per game and shooting 45.9 percent from the floor. He is a good defender and a developing shooter. The Magic are clearly impressed with him. Enough to invest a two-way deal.
It is just very tough to move them. There is no trade for a two-way contract. Artis has value because of his youth. But really, the Magic are going to see what he can do in the last 20 games of the season — or after the G-League season ends in March — and then probably give him a look in Summer League.
14. Marreese Speights (1 year, $1.5 million)
Whenever anyone asks coach Frank Vogel about Marreese Speights, he kind of smirks. Speights is what he is. That is the best way to describe him.
Put him in the game, and he will not be shy about letting it fly from deep or taking as many shots. The hope is that enough of them will go in to change the game and swing it in the team’s favor. That has happened enough times for the Magic this year that Vogel seems a bit afraid to take him out of the rotation.
Speights has that ability to get hot and change the game with his shooting. And at center, that remains very valuable. The Magic have tried to use it to the best of their abilities. He runs hot and cold. And even though he has a decent basketball IQ, his defensive desire and execution are not always up to snuff.
Still, other teams certainly could value what Speights does. And it would not be surprising if a team were interested in bringing in the veteran big man. the magic would probably be willing to throw him into a trade.
But, on a minimum contract, that is about all Speights could be. A throw into a larger deal. It would be hard to make him the center of a deal. And it does not seem anyone would go out of their way for him unless he got bought out first.
Category II — Let me think about it
13. Khem Birch (2 years, $2.2 million)
It seemed like the Orlando Magic signed Khem Birch on a whim. Most people were asking who this guy was when the team signed him. The next question was probably how the Magic would play him considering he was a center on a roster already loaded with centers.
Birch has struggled to find minutes. He did not enter the rotation fully until Nikola Vucevic went down with an injury and then Marreese Speights had to miss a game. He shined in that game and pushed his way into the rotation on his sheer effort.
That is what Birch brings, particularly on the defensive end. He might already be the Magic’s best interior defender and rim protector. Orlando has to find a way to get Birch minutes. Other teams are sure to see his value.
By some estimates, Birch was the best NBA prospect in Euroleague. If the Magic were to make him available or cut him loose, other teams would surely line up to sign him. He has proven that even in his short stint of meaningful playing time.
His minimum contract will make it more difficult to move him for anything meaningful.
12. Bismack Biyombo (3 years, $51 million)
There is no talking about Bismack Biyombo in the trade market without talking about his contract. Biyombo remains the highest paid player on the team and certainly falls short of making his mark.
He is getting more playing time now thanks to the injury to Vucevic. And there are plenty of moments where he looks like a big difference defensively. But the numbers suggest otherwise. The Magic have a 111.1 defensive rating with Biyombo on the floor, the worst mark among all the Magic’s bigs. And the team posts a team-worst 98.8 offensive rating with Biyombo on the floor.
It is clear that whatever benefits Biyombo gives the team, he drags the team down offensively. Quite simply, this is not a team built for success with Biyombo. They lack the spacing and shooting to get the job done on that end and take advantage of the backstop Biyombo provides.
That contract is huge. Perhaps one of the worst in the league — not the worst in the league, by any means though. And the Magic are going to have to wear that contract for some time. At least until it becomes an expiring deal. Then maybe *maybe* a team might be willing to take it on.
Just for the cap space, of course.
11. Shelvin Mack (2 years, $12 million)
There was a time when Shelvin Mack’s contract seemed like a bit of an albatross. He was not getting a ton of playing time and seemed like he did not fit the team as constructed. Mack was a professional, he came in did what he could. But his impact was somewhat muted.
Ultimately, Mack was a low risk. His contract was a two-year deal with the second year under a modest guarantee — a mere $1 million. That could make him attractive to a team looking for a quality backup point guard and a salary they could easily spin off.
Mack has really stepped his game up in recent weeks. In his last eight games entering Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Mack is averaging 9.8 points per game and 3.4 assists per game in 20.4 minutes per game. All this while shooting 63.0 percent from the floor.
Mack has always just been solid. He knows his role and how to play it. And he just does his job. Some team would surely find that valuable.
Especially now that he is making shots and scoring consistently. Mack has increased his value. And his contract looks incredibly valuable these days.
Category III — Is that what you are offering? OK, I guess
10. Wesley Iwundu (2 years, $3 million)
The Orlando Magic were not angling for much at the end of the first round. They traded away their second first-round pick and one of their two second-round picks. President of basketball operations Jeff Weltman uttered his infamous “the draft flattened out” line.
Maybe the Magic did not want to commit to a long-term contract that a first-round pick entails. Judging by the team’s comments about Kyle Kuzma when the Los Angeles Lakers were in town, the Orlando Magic really liked him, bringing him in for three workouts. Perhaps they were hoping he would be available when they drafted early in the second round and got beat. Those are answers we may never fully know.
But the Magic did get a decent player with their second-round pick. Wesley Iwundu has turned out to be a solid contributor to the team. He is a good defender with solid basketball intelligence. His offensive game still needs continued development and refinement. But that was a known weakness when the team drafted him in the first place.
Iwundu is on a second-round pick’s contract. That makes him extremely cost controlled. And therefore somewhat difficult to deal. You are not going to get a lot for a player who is only making $1 million. And Iwundu still has a lot of growth to go. He likely tops off as a rotational player off the bench.
9. Mario Hezonja (1 year, $4.1 million)
Before the season began, the Orlando Magic were trying to move Mario Hezonja. Literally, they were trying to give him away essentially for free. The team just wanted to be rid of his contract and give him the chance to start over fresh. The former fifth overall pick had disappointed in just about every way.
Last year, he made just 29.9 percent of his 3-pointers. It was a mix of a lack of playing time — that he struggled to earn with his poor play — and a bothersome knee injury that sapped much of his athleticism throughout the year. He never really could figure it out and never could get quite right.
The Magic ended up declining his team option when they could not find a deal for him.
The good news might be that Hezonja has played himself into some value with a stellar run of late as the Magic have been hit with injuries. Entering Wednesday’s game, he is averaging 7.8 points per game and hitting a comfortable 36.1 percent from beyond the arc. At the very least, Hezonja has turned into a decent rotation player. One that should get some more time to develop.
The question is how much will someone pay him? And then are his Bird Rights worth acquiring in a trade or should a team just go after him in free agency? Those are bigger questions. But Hezonja has at least regained some inherent value again.
Category IV — If you keep twisting my arm, I might say maybe
8. D.J. Augustin (3 years, $21.8 million)
When the Orlando Magic signed D.J. Augustin to a four-year deal, there were a lot of questions being raised. Augustin had rarely put together two good seasons back to back. The Magic seemingly did a bit of an overpay to get him.
And last season was not a good one for Augustin. He averaged just 7.9 points per game while shooting 34.7 percent from beyond the arc. It was not a good showing for him. It felt like the Magic were already regretting their backup point guard choice.
Like clockwork, Augustin has turned in a good season this year. He is averaging 8.6 points per game, but shooting a career-best 54.3 percent effective field goal percentage. The Magic’s 8-4 start came largely with D.J. Augustin starting at point guard for an injured Elfrid Payton.
This sure seems like a time to sell high on him, right?
His contract may still be tough to deal. But Augustin is a valuable backup point guard. He understands his role and can hit an open 3-pointer. He plays well off the ball too. His value quickly seems to be rising.
7. Terrence Ross (2 years, $21 million)
Terrence Ross has quickly become a forgotten player. That is what happens when you have not played since late November. And even then Ross was not playing particularly well. He averaged only 9.0 points per game and shot 32.9 percent from beyond the arc. The threat of his 3-pointer was more important than his actual 3-pointer.
It got to the point Ross asked to pull himself from the starting lineup. He was trying to find a rhythm. Maybe he would have found it if it were not for the injury. He is only now starting to run again.
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Ross may not play the rest of this season. That would be unfortunate because Ross is a smart player. He was one of the best defenders on the team. This is a team that has been poor defensively overall. Ross would be a huge benefit.
Despite Ross’ poor offensive production this year, he should still be viewed as a solid contributor overall. And his contract is extremely team friendly. Put him in the right situation where he can produce, and he will make good returns. The fact his contract is nearly expiring could make him very attractive once he is healthy again.
6. Elfrid Payton (1 year, $3.3 million)
Elfrid Payton is the great mystery of the Orlando Magic. He was the hill Rob Hennigan seemed willing to die on and the player who clearly produces a lot of counting stats, yet also seems to be the player that is holding the Magic back.
Payton has had a career year this season. He is averaging 13.0 points per game and dishing out 6.3 assists per game. All while shooting a career-best 52.0 percent from the floor and 37.3 percent from beyond the arc. Looking strictly at the numbers, it would seem Payton is having his breakout and becoming the player everyone imagined.
Then, of course, you look at the team’s record. You watch a little more tape on him and his flaws become far more glaring.
The bottom line, Payton is a four-year starter and his team has not gotten much better. It is not entirely clear if the Magic are better with him on the floor.
He is clearly very talented and can put up numbers. But that is not everything in this league. The team has struggled with him on the floor overall. The team’s record is not a complete reflection of his play, but it says something.
The reality is most teams probably do not consider Payton a starting point guard. But even more confusing for him is how to value him as a restricted free agent. Just how much is a team willing to pay for him this offseason?
That is the question everyone is surely asking if they are thinking of acquiring him. Payton is a flawed player. One who can produce. But maybe not at the high level the Magic have asked of him. Just how much is that worth overall?
5. Jonathon Simmons (3 years, $18 million)
Jonathon Simmons was a tough player to figure out when the Orlando Magic first signed him.
Initially, they thought they were getting a budding star already established defensively. The question was whether he could truly expand his role or whether this was just a player who showed a strong flash in the Playoffs. The Magic had a bad experience paying a player for Playoff performance before.
Simmons was intriguing with his time with the San Antonio Spurs. He was a good defender, where he cut his teeth and earned Gregg Popovich’s trust. And when given the chance, a great driver and someone who put pressure on the defense. He came in saying he felt constricted in Popovich’s offense. He wanted the freedom and the opportunity the Magic would give him.
It has been an up-and-down season for him. Simmons started off on fire, working mainly off the bench. He was averaging close to 16 points per game as the Magic zoomed up the standings. He has struggled at times to find his shot though. Simmons is still not the best shooter on the team.
But his second wind of late has him contributing at a high level. His 34-point performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday is a reminder of what this talented player can do.
The perception around the league appears to remain that Simmons is a lock-down defender and potential sixth man scorer. It seems everyone wants to write off his struggles as part and parcel of playing with a Magic team going nowhere. They want to believe games like Tuesday are his ceiling. And his floor is what he was last year with the Spurs.
Everyone considers that contract a bargain too. A front-loaded deal that is already a relatively low $6.3 million. The Magic got Simmons at a good price and are getting fantastic production for the value.
Other teams see that value and if the Magic put him on the market, would likely have a lot of suitors.
It does not seem likely Orlando is ready to move on. Jeff Weltman signed him this summer and was the prized free agent of his first offseason. It is safe to assume the team views him as part of the team’s future.
But for the right deal, every player has to be considered. And Simmons might be the most valuable of any veteran on the roster.
4. Nikola Vucevic (2 years, $25 million)
Nikola Vucevic is a player full of shortcomings. The Orlando Magic have learned these shortcomings in the course of his six seasons with the Magic. He has struggled with his defense and he tends to rely too heavily on his mid-range jumper.
Vucevic can produce. He has been a solid and consistent scorer throughout his career. And he is active enough around the basket to get rebounds. This year has seen him bounce back to average 17.4 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game. It is largely translateable production, whether he starts or comes off the bench.
The one thing anyone can say about Vucevic for sure is that he is consistent. He will get his numbers and be an overall solid contributor. And, honestly, he is a better defender than he often gets credit for.
Vucevic would be a surefire player to get moved at this deadline. The Magic are clearly ready to move in a new direction. Despite Vucevic’s best efforts, the Magic still fall short on the defensive end with him on the floor.
His contract is still extremely team friendly. Everyone knows he is a solid contributor who can help stretch the floor. Put him in a role off the bench and a team would have a strong scorer that could come in handy in the Playoffs.
If it were not for his hand injury, Vucevic might be one of the most sought-after players at the deadline. The guarantee of having him an extra year might actually be even more of an enticement.
Vucevic has taken more heat than he should in Orlando. He is a good player. Perhaps, like so many other players on the team, miscast in a role that was beyond his talent.
It is still unclear what the Magic could get for Vucevic. He does not seem to be a player the Magic want to give away. Like many of the players in this section, they are still productive players. They are players who can contribute on NBA teams, just not in the role the Magic are playing them.
It is clear Vucevic’s time with the Magic is nearing an end. And as his contract gets set to expire, someone will surely take a bite.
3. Jonathan Isaac (4 years, $22.3 million)
No one is quite sure what kinds of players Jeff Weltman wants for his Orlando Magic team. The Magic had little maneuverability this summer to make major changes to the roster — a product of little cap room and a lot of big contracts still on the books. The draft was Weltman’s biggest fingerprint.
And he went with the versatile and raw Jonathan Isaac over perhaps some more proven players.
What is worse is no one has seen much of Jonathan Isaac this year. He has played in only 15 games this season, including just three since Nov. 11. It has been a frustrating year for Isaac. After his false start returning from a sprained ankle, the Magic decided to shut him down to completely rehab the ankle. The hope is he will be back sometime after the All-Star Break.
At this point, Isaac can still trade on his potential. He is still a player who has an incredible amount of upside and could turn into a very nice player in the league.
In his short stint on the court, he showed himself to be a better defender than almost everyone else on the team. He is just 19 years old.
Isaac has great defensive instincts. It is partially coincidence the team fell apart defensively when he got hurt — he was still playing reserve minutes, so it is hard to say it is all on him.
Offensively, he still has a lot of work to go. He has to improve his shot and rework his form some to get his shot off consistently. But when he gets confident, he can be an effective scorer. Isaac is good playing within himself and doing what his team needs.
At this point, Isaac is about as untouchable as any player on the roster. The Magic want to grow and develop him. In many ways, he is the original Weltman player. It would take a lot to get him free from the Magic.
But, for now, he can trade on his potential more than his production. Teams would be happy to take him if the Magic made him available. They probably will not.
2. Evan Fournier (4 years, $68 million)
The Orlando Magic’s biggest players and biggest contracts they want to deal are in a weird spot overall.
They are typically in players who still have several years left on their deals and so would require a team to commit to them long term. But they are also still in players who are producing. and that production is undeniable.
Evan Fournier is the perfect example of this. He is averaging a more than respectable 17.8 points per game. His 3-point shooting has bounced back to 38.7 percent from beyond the arc and a 53.6 percent effective field goal percentage. Those are good numbers. Fournier is not some salary dump, he is a player capable of contributing whether as a starter or off the bench.
The Magic have likely relied on Fournier a bit too much for creation off the dribble and for scoring. He should probably not be the team’s primary offensive option. And he definitely tries to take control of games too often. And not always in a positive way. But the Magic often need him to do it.
Fournier is probably the Magic’s most consistent scorer. It would be tough to lose him for nothing and still expect to compete. Even with several players who are seemingly ready to grow into the role. If they are ever called on.
The question for Fournier in this trade market is who will take on that contract and what exactly could the Magic get for him in return? Orlando would have to give something else up to convince someone to take on that Fournier contract. It is rare for a team to be willing to take on a three-year deal at the trade deadline. Teams are not willing to commit that long to a player they do not know. Especially considering Fournier is paid a hefty amount.
The reality might be the Magic are better off waiting for the summer to move Fournier. There might be a better market then.
1. Aaron Gordon (1 year, $5.5 million)
Entering the season, no one was really sure how to value Aaron Gordon. Through three injury-filled or hampered years, he had shown flashes of what he could do but never put all the pieces together. He was clearly a power forward — despite the Orlando Magic’s failed experiment last year — but how to use him or deploy him was difficult to decipher.
This year, all the pieces came together. If not for the Magic’s record, you would have to consider Gordon for the All-Star Game. He is averaging 18.4 points per game while shooting 44.7 percent from the floor. Those shooting numbers are going down lately, but a lot of that is because Gordon is experimenting with his game. He is trying to expand his game.
It is clear Gordon can do that. Another summer working on his skills and what he struggled with as the star on the team will surely produce results. Gordon has gotten better every summer he has had the opportunity to put his work in. And Gordon knows he has to get better.
Still, the Magic are not in a position to overlook any trade opportunity. It was both surprising and unsurprising to hear they were exploring trade options for him. The Magic are not quite in the position to commit to a max contract. Not with new management still getting to know their roster.
Orlando will have to commit a max contract to Gordon this summer in all likelihood. His restricted free agency is going to be tough and someone will force the Magic to take that risk. But the Magic should take that risk.
Next: Joanthon Simmons plays on Orlando Magic's growing trust
To get Gordon from the Magic, it will cost a proven All-Star. That is how Orlando should view its top player asset. There is no getting around it. Gordon and his development is the most important thing for the Magic the rest of this season.