The Orlando Magic enter the trade deadline with a lot of questions to answer about their future. We take stock of the trade assets they have today.
Every year at the trade deadline, there is a feeling of hope and opportunity.
This decision point forces action for many teams as they try to make their last push for the Playoffs or prepare for a summer of changing to get there. Nothing forces movement like a deadline.
With all the usual drama around the NBA, the chatter gets pretty loud. Everyone is trying to climb their way closer to the top. Or the future they want to have. It is easy to let speculation and Trade Machine dreaming get out of hand.
These are real decisions every team has to make though. The things they do that set up the final 30-or-so games of the season have far-reaching consequences.
Already the NBA has seen some pretty seismic shifts.
The New York Knicks traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks to pair him with Luka Doncic for what they think is the long-term. The LA Clippers prepped for their own run at massive free agents this summer by moving Tobias Harris to the Philadelphia 76ers, picking up Landry Shamet and a couple of first-round picks for their troubles.
Wednesday night, the Washington Wizards traded Otto Porter to the Chicago Bulls and then the Dallas Mavericks traded Harrison Barnes to the Sacramento Kings, both the Wizards and Mavericks clearing
And Anthony Davis‘ trade request and the ransom the New Orleans Pelicans are demanding from the Los Angeles Lakers looms over all of that.
There are big stories to play out before Thursday’s trade deadline.
The Orlando Magic have their own questions to answer.
The team is in a better spot than it was last year at 22-32. The team can at least pretend it is still in the Playoff race just four games behind the Miami Heat for the final spot.
But they are also still trying to rebuild so they can be a consistent Playoff team. That is clearly what they are not now even if they are playing a whole lot better.
The Magic still have a lot of work to do to flip over their roster and improve. And with two key players set to become unrestricted free agents in Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross they have some big decisions to set up their long-term future.
The Magic do not project to have any cap room this summer — especially if they decide to keep Nikola Vucevic or Terrence Ross this offseason — and so their ability to get better feels limited. Perhaps limited to the internal improvement of their young players or trading in some players on long-term deals.
That might mean getting worse in the short-term. And that activity might start at the trade deadline.
Of course, the Magic also want to win. There is no denying this has been a long slog to rebuild and the franchise organizationally is hungry to take a step forward. Even if it is superficial.
Orlando is surely already pretty deep into the waters with trade discussions with the deadline approaching soon. They have already likely taken stock of what they have to offer and where their priorities lie.
It is our turn to do that too.
As I have done for the last few years, I am stealing a page from Bill Simmons’ book and ranking the Magic’s trade assets. Like his list, the premise of the following list is that you would trade Player 2 for Player 1 straight up and so on down the line, taking into consideration contract, player age and production.
You can reference last year’s list here. And even if the Magic make a move and this list feels old, it should still be a handy guide as the Magic approach the next trading period at the Draft.