Trade deadline won’t solve Orlando Magic’s biggest problems

The Orlando Magic are in playoff position but still have an eye on their long-term future. The trade deadline won’t be the time to resolves those issues.

When the Orlando Magic made the playoffs last year, everything changed for the team.

The young team was no longer about simply making the field and getting into the postseason. The team had to want to do more. Nobody wants to get stuck in the middle.

The realities of the Magic offseason meant that for Orlando to keep its spot, it had to use its available resources to keep key players like Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross. Whether Orlando was right to spend its mid-level exception on Al-Farouq Aminu is a debate to be had.

The Magic’s main way to get better and improve their standing was through the development of Aaron Gordon, Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz. That was always their path forward. And having a path forward is always the key for teams in the Magic’s position.

But something else is off. Something else is not quite right. The team’s inability to use familiarity to drive the team into the upper reaches of the Eastern Conference — or at least its suburbs — has left something to be desired.

Orlando could very well turn things around still. The Magic could go on a tear and get themselves back into the conversation. But that does not feel likely. The team still feels limited by the same problems that presented themselves most clearly in last year’s playoff series.

It feels inevitable Orlando has a ceiling with this current roster and that some changes are needed to get the team to the next level. The core group is good enough to make the playoffs. The question remains whether they are good enough to do more.

The jury may still be out. But the early signs are not looking good. Inevitably, a trade — a major trade at that — will have to occur.

But that does not mean it has to occur now or before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. The foundational problems that plague the Magic are better solved in the offseason than at the trade deadline. In fact, major change at the deadline could potentially derail the team’s short-term goals.

Orlando can still accomplish its goals for the season with the current roster.

The trade season is now officially open. The collective bargaining agreement designates Dec. 15 as the day contracts signed in the offseason become eligible for trades. It is easy to get trapped by the possibilities.

But all early indications are this will not be a particularly active trade deadline. With so many free agents last summer — nearly 40-percent of the league entered the market — and few teams with cap room this offseason, there is less motivation to deal than normal. Teams are not necessarily looking to clear cap room.

Things change quickly though. it is still early enough in the season that most teams believe they have a chance to make the playoffs. The teams who are buyers and sellers are not clear.

The Magic find themselves at this juncture in the midst of the playoff race. They are still a young team looking for ways to improve. And with these seemingly fundamental problems, the Magic should be thinking big for their next goal.

But the short-term picture deserves consideration too.

The main goal regardless of anything else was to get back into the playoffs this season. That would confirm last year was no fluke and allow the team to start plotting a path forward — getting a better understanding of the team’s weaknesses and holes it has to fill.

Certainly, the results early in the season have left something to be desired. Orlando is holding onto the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference for the moment. Injuries — especially to Nikola Vucevic, who made his return Sunday after an 11-game absence — knocked the team off rhythm.

But the team has not taken that massive leap forward. Orlando has had impressive performances from Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz to feed hope for the future. Evan Fournier has played at an All-Star level with Nikola Vucevic out with an injury. Aaron Gordon has seemingly stagnated.

As a team, the Magic’s defense has been fine for the most part. But it has not been the dominant presence it was last year. Something has felt a bit off all year. The Magic are still trying to get their footing.

The familiarity that was supposed to drive this team early on has not taken hold. The Magic are a better team. The fact they are hovering around .500 despite these clear struggles and the injuries they have faced is proof the team has gained some poise and composure.

Orlando is not likely to need a 22-9 run to make the playoffs again. And, if the Magic hold serve, they should have the opportunity to go on a run late in the season to improve or solidify their position.

There is no immediate rush to make the team better to achieve their ultimate goal this season. Orlando is already in a position to do so. The team just needs to keep coming together and build some wins.

There is still enough time for management to evaluate the limits of this team. They might be somewhat clear but the team is not falling short of its goals to this point. There is no rush to make the big moves that might be necessary to propel this team forward. The Magic can afford to wait and see how things play out.

Orlando could do something minor to bolster the offense. D.J. Augustin and Wesley Iwundu are on expiring contracts and seem to be on the edges of the rotation. Orlando could look to turn them into a rotation-level player to bolster the bench and add some necessary shooting.

The Magic should not stand pat. And they should already be seeking out targets and ways to make the team better in the long term, even if the trade deadline is not the time to pull the trigger on that move.

The reality is the Magic are still accomplishing their goals. They are in playoff position and they have seen growth from key young players like Jonathan Isaac, Markelle Fultz and Mohamed Bamba. It is still a process of watching them improve.

And the Magic are still on that process. They are still right to wait things out and be patient to let this team grow.

Things can change between now and February. But to make the major changes the Magic will need to make, they are likely and right to wait for the offseason.