There are a number of players the Orlando Magic could look to target for a trade this offseason should the front office decide to shake things up.
The Orlando Magic face an uncertain offseason with several decisions needing to be made on the futures of key players, such as Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic.
The Orlando Magic ended a six-year spell outside the playoffs in the 2019 season but exited in the first round against the Toronto Raptors, something they repeated this past season by losing in five to the Milwaukee Bucks.
This season again emphasized the need for more offensive talent on the roster. Defensively the Magic were sound, ranking tied for 10th in the league in defensive rating, giving up 109.2 points per 100 possessions, and ranked eighth for both steals and blocks.
But when it came to offensive rating, Steve Clifford’s team was just 23rd, scoring 107.9 points per 100 possessions. Shooting was also a huge cause for concern, ranking 25th for 3-point percentage at 34.3-percent and 22nd for 3-point shots made per game at 11.1. They were also 27th in field goals made per game which at 39.3
Simply put, something has to be done to improve offensively especially when it comes to three-point shooting. If the Magic are to use the trade market in the offseason they need to add more scoring with the ability to knock down threes at a consistent and steady rate.
The wing positions are huge in today’s NBA and are somewhere Orlando must strengthen. The wait to see whether Evan Fournier will take up his player option remains, while the injury to starting small forward Jonathan Isaac leaves a gaping hole in next season’s starting five.
With the contracts of D.J. Augustin and Michael Carter-Williams expiring this offseason, Orlando could also use some more depth at point guard to back up Markelle Fultz depending on whether Augustin and Carter-Williams stay or move on.
If Evan Fournier does re-sign, the front office has him, Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon as potentially attractive trade pieces to move should they decide to make big changes to the roster, as well as younger players like Mohamed Bamba.
If the Magic do decide to be active in the trade market, here is one player from each Atlantic Division team that the front office could target…
Eds. Note: The deals proposed here are for instances and examples of what it might take to acquire these players. They do not reflect any actual reporting or indication either team is interested in such a deal.
Boston Celtics: Gordon Hayward
Trading with the Boston Celtics will be difficult for any team this offseason. Brad Stevens’ team could still win an NBA Championship and have many young, talented players who could make Boston contenders for years to come.
Trades for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown would be near impossible. But if the Orlando Magic were to target a Boston Celtics player, Gordon Hayward is someone that could provide a boost to Steve Clifford’s team with his shooting and scoring ability.
This deal would be dependent on Hayward taking up his player option with the Celtics for next season. If he does, Orlando could look to use Aaron Gordon in a straight swap for the former All Star, with perhaps some draft considerations exchanged to make the financial hit less for Orlando or to make up for Hayward’s star potential.
Gordon has been a good player for the Magic over the years but is yet to reach the heights many would have hoped for when he first entered the league in 2014. He is strong defensively and a decent scorer, averaging 14.4 points per game last season, so would help Boston out right away. At 25, he is experienced in the league but also has plenty of time left to develop.
Boston Celtics
For Orlando, this would go at least some way to addressing their weaknesses. Hayward made 38.3 percent of his three-point attempts and also averaged 17.5 points per game in the regular season and could potentially score more in a team without Tatum and Brown and where he would likely get more shots.
With Jonathan Isaac out for next season after re-injuring his left knee during the season restart, Hayward would be able to step into his spot at small forward. The 30-year-old is tremendously efficient, shooting 50 percent from the field over the regular season, and has the experience to help the team’s younger players on and off the court.
But his history with injuries recently is a concern. Hayward played in 72 games last year as he recovered from a horrific leg injury and struggled to find his rhythm. This season, he found it, but still appeared in only 52 of the Celtics’ 72 regular-season games. He missed all but Game 1 of the first-round series and Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals with an ankle injury.
He is a former All-Star and good offensive talent in the league. He would undoubtedly improve the Magic’s offense but his hefty salary of $34 million next season means the Magic would really have to be sold on him to take it on.
Depending on what happens with Boston this season, they could decide to keep Hayward around for another year to go for a title should he activate his option. It would also depend on how they feel about Gordon as a player but should they be a fan, they would have him for at least two more years.
There just may not be this kind of a major deal. But if Orlando is looking to go all-in for a star-caliber player, Hayward may be the kind of level of player they would be chasing to make things work.
Brooklyn Nets: Caris LeVert
Caris LeVert has continued to develop during his time with the Brooklyn Nets and had his best-ever season this year, averaging 18.7 points per game.
As part of a depleted Nets squad that went to the Orlando Bubble and made it to the postseason, LeVert showcased his tremendous ability. He hit 37 points in the loss to the Portland Trail Blazers and 35 in the Game 4 loss to the Toronto Raptors in the playoffs.
He averaged 27.4 points per game in March before the season was postponed thanks somewhat to a monster 51-point game against the Boston Celtics where he went from 5 for 10 from three.
At 26, the shooting guard still has plenty of time to keep getting better and could yet become a big-time scorer. His three-point shooting this season was his best yet at 36.4 percent while his field goal percentage stood at 42.5.
The Nets made two huge moves last offseason, bringing in Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. It leaves new head coach Steve Nash with an abundance of good options at both guard spots and at small forward.
Caris LeVert will also have to compete with the likes of Spencer Dinwiddie, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Joe Harris, if the latter decides to re-sign with the franchise. Even if he gets ahead of these, will he really want to be the third option on a team where his number of shots will also be limited?
His offensive ability could help the Magic enormously. He has a contract with Brooklyn until 2023 worth a total $52.5 million which could prove to be good value if he continues to get better.
It is clear the Nets rate him highly and just giving up a player like Gordon would be unlikely to get the deal done. The Magic would probably have to sacrifice a good draft pick and even that might still not be enough.
One thing that would work in the Magic’s favor however is Brooklyn could certainly use another power forward on the roster. Durant is most effective at small forward and a competent defensive player and an athletic threat like Gordon could help them to contend for a title.
But Orlando should not take losing Gordon lightly. He still has room to develop and has been an important player behind breaking the six-year spell outside of the playoffs. The front office would need to be confident that LeVert can continue on an upward trajectory.
New York Knicks: Wayne Ellington
The New York Knicks have long been in rebuild mode as they try to find a way out of their continued slump. The franchise was unable to attract a superstar last summer but has some good young talent to work with while the front office tries to improve the roster. And they remain in a position to attack free agency in both 2020 and 2021.
Unfortunately, it means they have very little to offer the Magic that would improve the team. RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson are by far the most attractive prospects on the team but are on rookie contracts and the franchise would be very unlikely to want to lose them.
Someone who could provide Orlando with some depth is wing Wayne Ellington. Steve Clifford’s team could use some more options in that position following Jonathan Isaac’s injury while Ellington could also help address a lack of three-point shooting, going 37.8 percent from beyond the arc in his career.
He is not the big-name Magic fans perhaps want but he could offer some valuable minutes off the bench and some depth in a position the roster needs.
Al-Farouq Aminu has struggled to make an impact in Orlando largely due to injuries and could help the Knicks out defensively if he stays healthy. It would also clear some cap space for the Magic for 2022, opening up more possibilities in free agency.
But the Knicks are also looking to maintain cap space. They could use this opportunity to try to trade away Tampa-born Kevin Knox and shed his salary. He struggled this season, scoring only 6.4 points per game. He fell out of the Knicks’ rotation even with the season they had.
But there are not a lot of opportunities to deal with the Knicks. Knox would be an interesting reclamation project. But that is about it.
Philadelphia 76ers: Furkan Korkmaz
Furkan Korkmaz may have had a disastrous postseason in the series loss to the Boston Celtics, scoring just three points across four games which all came from the free-throw line, but his regular-season play showed plenty of promise.
The Philadelphia 76ers are looking for a way to start competing again following a hugely disappointing first-round exit against the Boston Celtics and could be tempted to move some pieces around, especially after the exit of head coach Brett Brown.
Korkmaz had his third season with the franchise after being drafted 26th back in 2016. He has seen his minutes continue to increase and he has developed as a player, averaging 9.8 points per game this season.
The 23-year-old is a good three-point shooter, averaging two per game in the 2020 season and made 40.2-percent of his attempts. The Magic’s future at shooting guard is uncertain and the team needs more deep shooting which Korkmaz would help out with.
His playoff form was concerning but there is plenty of upside to his game. His $1.7 million a year deal runs until the end of next season so he could be a good option off the bench for Orlando.
The Magic do not have a lot of player assets to tempt the 76ers with at that price level. Melvin Frazier Jr. does not have the proven record of contributing as much as Furkan Korkmaz but still has the potential to improve given he is just 24.
Should Orlando activate their team option for Frazier, they could then move him on for a more proven bench scorer with good shooting range. Unfortunately, the front office would likely need to give up more, perhaps a second-round pick or two.
Toronto Raptors: Norman Powell
Norman Powell played a part in the Toronto Raptors winning the NBA Championship in 2019 and despite Nick Nurse’s team being unable to do the same this year, Powell’s role in the team has grown.
He averaged 28.4 minutes and 16.0 points per game, making 49.5-percent of his shots and 39.3-percent of his threes. Powell had his best season to date and the Orlando Magic could look to capitalize by trying to tempt the Toronto Raptors into a trade.
Powell is a danger offensively and is another player who could help address the lack of consistent shooting currently on the roster.
He hit 23 points in his team’s Game 6 win over the Boston Celtics to keep the Toronto Raptors’ hopes alive. He recorded a career-high 37 points against the Golden State Warriors in March before action was postponed at a time when he was playing his best basketball of the season.
His transition game is strong which would suit the Magic’s style of play and he is effective at driving to the basket for layups and dunks. Powell possesses good strength and speed which could appeal to Magic head coach Steve Clifford.
The 27-year-old’s contract runs for another two seasons yet meaning Orlando could get a big contribution from him as they look for a way forward. He would be a valuable addition at shooting guard while Toronto may want to make the most of his trade value being at an all-time high.
Evan Fournier struggled in the postseason against the Milwaukee Bucks but had a very good regular season, averaging 18.5 points per game. Should he take up his player option, it could then be time for both to part ways after a six-year spell with the franchise and Toronto would be getting a proven scorer.
The Raptors have a few important players out of contract this summer and may start moving in a new direction after failing to retain their NBA Championship. Fournier would provide some solid scoring alongside Kyle Lowry in the backcourt, whose current contract with the franchise is only for next season.
Fournier could help keep Nick Nurse’s team in playoff contention before the franchise undergoes a bigger rebuild in the future, also allowing them to have more cap space after the end of next season.
Orlando would be getting themselves a good scorer for two years who would inject some freshness at a position that has stayed the same for quite some time.
The one thing that is clear is that to get a player of value will cost the Magic someone they value too. And that finding a deal with teams in the Atlantic Division will prove tough to fit the needs the Magic have.