The Orlando Magic need to find trade opportunities everywhere, even from their biggest rivals. Who might they target from the Southeast Division?
So far we have identified one player from each team in the Atlantic and Central Divisions that the Orlando Magic could target to help address the offensive weaknesses on the roster.
The Magic front office has big decisions to make this offseason following two straight years of first-round exits in the playoffs. Whether Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic will stay or go, the future of Evan Fournier and whether or not the front office should make use of the trade market are all decisions that need to be made.
If the Magic decide to explore trade options then the offense, particularly the lack of strong shooting on the roster, is something that has to be addressed.
The team had few problems defensively this season, 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 it was a different story on offense. The Magic ranked just 23rd for offensive rating, scoring 107.9 points per 100 possessions. They were 25th in 3-point percentage at 34.3-percent and 22nd in 3-point shots made per game at 11.1. They were also 27th in field goals made per game with 39.3 percent.
Of course, injuries were a factor in the apparent lack of progress the team made but there are also serious issues that must be addressed sooner rather than later.
When it comes to potential trades, strengthening with better shooting, especially at the wing positions, is something that has to be a priority. Evan Fournier once again had a disappointing playoff series despite a strong regular season and it remains unclear as to whether he will take up his player option for next season.
Jonathan Isaac’s injury also leaves head coach Steve Clifford with a problem as he is likely to miss the entire season after re-injuring his knee in the Orlando Bubble.
Moreover, the expiring contracts of D.J. Augustin and Michael Carter-Williams also mean that Markelle Fultz could use some more help at point guard.
Here is one player from each team in the Southeast that Orlando could target to address their weaknesses…
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.
Atlanta Hawks: Kevin Huerter
When it comes to addressing the need for more 3-point shooting on the roster, Kevin Huerter is someone that would make an immediate difference.
The 22-year-old shot 38 percent from three this season, averaging 2.3 per game on six attempts. He is a talented shooter with a natural release and the ability to make shots from very deep.
Huerter did not perhaps develop as much as Hawks fans would have hoped this season. He showed signs of improvement from his first year in the league but still only managed 12.2 points per game on 41.3-percent shooting.
But Orlando would be getting a player with a high ceiling and the potential to be a big scorer. While his 3-point shot is his most potent offensive skill, Huerter can also take the ball inside to score and his 6-foot-7 frame makes him difficult to deal with.
This would make a trade with Atlanta very tricky. The Hawks have a ton of young talent on the roster thanks to a high number of draft picks in recent years and are currently developing them in the hope they can soon make it back into the playoffs.
The team has high hopes for Huerter. He was selected 19th back in 2018 and alongside Trae Young makes up a potentially deadly backcourt with a scary shooting range.
But Huerter has plenty of competition in Atlanta with the likes of De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish. Should they develop and grow at a faster rate, Huerter may find his game time limited somewhat.
This puts the Hawks in a tricky situation. They are eager to compete for the playoffs immediately after Young’s breakout season. And they may still be too young to do so. They could use some veteran presence to get there.
Atlanta Hawks
Evan Fournier would actually make a lot of sense for them. But they are one of the few teams with cap room to go after him straight up. It would make no sense to trade for him. And giving up Hueter is a big ask without getting a major contributor.
Yes, the Hawks have a big weakness on defense. They ranked third-worst for defensive rating in the regular season, giving up 114.4 points per 100 possessions, as well for points given away off turnovers.
For all their offensive talent and potential, there comes a point where the Hawks must address their defensive weaknesses in order to start challenging in the postseason. Huerter is not bad defensively but is not good enough to improve his team’s defense enough to make them considerably better.
Mohamed Bamba and Al-Farouq Aminu are two defensive-minded players that could, however.
Mohamed Bamba could potentially act as a solid backup to Clint Capela, while Al-Farouq Aminu has made his name as a good defender and could help out when John Collins is not on the court. It also presents the team the chance to get rid of Dewayne Dedmon’s hefty contract.
But the thought of getting younger in this way or giving up a prospect for a still unknown Bamba and a player like Aminu coming off injury is probably too much for this team as it looks to steal the Magic’s playoff spot. And Orlando is certainly not going to be interested in helping an up-and-coming team like this.
Other than that, the Magic do not have a great deal to offer Atlanta at the salary Huerter earns except for draft picks. The Hawks are continuing to develop as an exciting young team and will probably want to keep Huerter around unless there is a trade that directly improves the team enough that means it is worth sacrificing one of their bright prospects.
Miami Heat: Kendrick Nunn
Given the success the Miami Heat had this season, it is unlikely that they will want to start trading away their young talent unless it is truly worth it — or helps them clear cap room to go after bigger fish in the 2021 offseason. Especially to their local rivals.
But if Orlando were to target anyone on the Heat’s roster then young guard Kendrick Nunn could make sense.
With the contracts of D.J. Augustin and Michael Carter-Williams expiring, Orlando may find itself in the position where help must be found to support Markelle Fultz at point guard.
It looks likely Orlando could draft a guard this year given how many prospects there are in that position but having someone the team knows is ready to come in and make an impact straight away would be a huge boost.
Nunn surprised many with the season he had. He averaged 15.3 points per game off 43.9-percent shooting and helped his team reach the NBA Finals despite losing his starting spot to Goran Dragic in the postseason.
His 3-point stats are solid but not spectacular at 35 percent and two per game while he also averages 3.3 assists per game. He still has plenty of development to do and has only really shown his ability over one season but would be an exciting prospect alongside Fultz.
But Miami’s roster is filled with young talent on low salaries and Nunn is no different. Much like in the hypothetical Kevin Huerter trade, the Magic do not have much they can offer their rivals.
Offering them the chance to trade up in the draft and take on an exciting prospect like Mohamed Bamba could be intriguing but it is most likely that the Magic do not do any deals with the Heat this offseason.
In the end, if the Heat are willing to move up five spots, it would mean they have a specific player in mind that fits their culture. And like the San Antonio Spurs, always be wary when trading around with them in the NBA Draft. They seem to know something everyone else doesn’t.
It is unlikely that a team that should now view itself as competing for a championship would want to trade a young prospect for a potential project in Bamba unless the goal is merely to open up more cap space to chase free agents in 2021.
Again, that is not something the Magic are likely willing to help the Heat do.
Charlotte Hornets: Terry Rozier
The Charlotte Hornets were once again unable to make the playoffs this season and have reached the postseason just once since reassuming the Hornets name back in 2014. Still, the Hornets surprised many with how they played this season. The team largely predicted to be the worst team in the league finished in 10th place, nearly sneaking into the seeding round games.
The Hornets did some good things and got a stroke of luck in winning the third pick in the 2020 Draft. This is a team that could feel like it is much closer to a playoff breakthrough than everyone believes.
Charlotte is trying to find the right path forward and could be open to trading some of their pieces away to try and make it happen.
Terry Rozier is a very talented guard with excellent shooting range and has also shown he can be an asset on defense this season. The 26-year-old averaged 18.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and a steal per game as well as making 2.7 threes a game at a rate of 40.7-percent in his first season as a Hornet.
Charlotte Hornets
While more suited to the point guard position at 6-foot-2, he has also been utilized as a shooting guard and could be used at both spots for Orlando. The Hornets often played him alongside Devonte’ Graham last season and they became one of the top-scoring backcourt duos in the league.
The Hornets have lacked a natural shooting guard with the height more suited to the position and Evan Fournier would provide that.
He had a very good regular season for the Magic, averaging 18.5 points per game, but once again disappointed in the postseason which has left question marks over whether he can be the starting shooting guard to help the team make it past the first round.
Fournier has a player option for one more season with the Magic so could instead spend that year with Charlotte.
Rozier on the other hand has a longer contract at two more seasons before becoming an unrestricted free agent so the Hornets would need to decide whether they want to keep Rozier around as a key player or free up some cap space to move in a different direction after next season.
Swapping Fournier for Rozier could leave Orlando in a similar predicament to Charlotte currently with limited options at shooting guard and would probably require plenty of rotation at that spot between Rozier, Terrence Ross and Markelle Fultz.
But Rozier still has the potential to get even better after making huge leaps forward this season and could help improve a struggling Orlando offense. Fournier meanwhile could help Charlotte make it back into the playoffs, as he has done for the Magic.
Washington Wizards: Bradley Beal
This huge trade would be wholly dependent on the Washington Wizards deciding to capitalize on Bradley Beal’s enormous trade value to embark on some form of a rebuild.
The Wizards were unable to make the playoffs for a second straight season despite Beal averaging an incredible 30.5 points per game. However, former All-Star point guard John Wall is set to make his return next season which will provide a huge boost for the Wizards who could have one of the deadliest backcourt partnerships in the league. And the Wizards have Beal under contract for two more seasons and a player option in 2023.
The Wizards, in other words, are in no rush to trade him unless they find a deal they want. And there will be plenty of suitors trying to pry him from D.C.
But Beal’s insane scoring record on a team outside of the playoffs has sparked plenty of trade rumors over the past year. He has plenty of teams interested in his services, some which are likely to be more attractive propositions than the Orlando Magic.
Washington Wizards
If the Wizards are going to listen to trade offers for Beal this offseason then the Magic would be silly not to try for him. Nikola Vucevic has been excellent for the Magic these past two seasons but the team desperately needs an offensive star to help him out.
There are of course teams that could offer a more attractive deal for Beal but what Orlando does have to propose is plenty of draft picks. Securing Beal would probably require at least three first-round picks and potentially more, given what the LA Clippers had to give up last offseason to secure Paul George.
That might end up being an asking price too high. The Magic would then have just two years to convince Beal to stay. And one of those seasons would be without centerpiece player Jonathan Isaac. The clock would be ticking immediately not only to make the playoffs but contend for a title.
At this current moment, it is clear where the Wizards must improve. They ranked second-from-the-bottom for defensive rating, giving up 114.7 points per 100 possessions, and also gave up the third most second-chance points per game at 14.4. Defensively they are one of the weakest sides in the league.
Aaron Gordon has shown himself to be a good defender in his time in the NBA. His athleticism helps him guard the league’s better power forwards while he is also a strong rebounder and can make a valuable offensive contribution.
Offering up an exciting defensive prospect in Mo Bamba could also help the Wizards improve as they try to make it back into the playoffs with the returning John Wall. They could then utilise Orlando’s draft picks to try and build a better team.
Securing Beal would be an incredibly difficult thing to do but there will come a point when the franchise needs to attempt a big move to try and push this team forward. This would be their all-in move.
Trading within the division will simply be tough with too much competition coming from below and the other teams eager to do other things that would make swinging a beneficial trade to both sides difficult.