Our series of looking at who the Orlando Magic could target for a trade in each division continues with the Northwest Division.
So far we have selected one player from each team in the Atlantic, Central and Southeast Divisions that might help improve the Orlando Magic. We now move on to the divisions that make up the Western Conference.
It is uncertain what Orlando will do this offseason. The franchise must decide whether they want to shake things up and trade away key players like Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon to try and push past the first round of the playoffs or instead make few changes and target internal improvement.
What is clear though is the team needs to shoot better if improvements are to be made. It was another season of frustration on offense with the team ranking just 23rd for offensive rating, scoring 107.9 points per 100 possessions.
They were also 25th in 3-point percentage at 34.3 percent and 22nd in 3-point shots made per game at 11.1. The roster has a real lack of strong shooters which is holding the team back from progressing further in the East.
If the front office is to look to the trade market this offseason — and without much cap room, they probably must if they are looking to make any changes — then the lack of offensive talent and strong shooters is something that must be addressed. Despite Evan Fournier’s good performance in the regular season, he once again struggled in the playoffs and his future with the team remains unclear.
Strengthening at the wing positions is important if the team wants to move forward, particularly with the injury to starting small forward Jonathan Isaac which looks set to keep him out for all of next season.
Orlando could also use some depth at point guard to help out Markelle Fultz, depending on whether D.J. Augustin and Michael Carter-Williams re-sign with the team.
Here is who the Magic could look to target in the Northwest Division to try and improve next season.
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.
Utah Jazz: Bojan Bogdanovic
The Orlando Magic need better wing shooting and that is exactly what Bojan Bogdanovic would bring.
He shot 41.4-percent from three this season, averaging a career-best 20.2 points per game while shooting 44.7-percent from the field as he helped the Utah Jazz make the playoffs. While the Utah Jazz still went up 3-1 on the Denver Nuggets in their playoff series, they dearly missed Bogdanovic and his floor spacing to help close that series out.
Not only has he proven himself as an excellent perimeter scorer, but he can also take the ball inside to finish. He is not the quickest player and lacks the explosiveness to blow past his man but has tremendous shooting range which makes him difficult to stop.
At 31, Bogdanovic is in the latter stages of his career. He entered the league very late but has become an excellent scorer and could inject some life into an Orlando offense which is lacking.
But with three years left on his current contract, which he is set to earn $19.6 million from in the final year of his deal, it would be a big commitment for the front office to make.
The franchise has put an emphasis on developing youngsters like Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac so to take on a player who will be in his mid-30s by the end of his deal would certainly be a move that is more about the now than the future.
He has also had problems with injuries recently and did not travel to the Orlando Bubble after having surgery on his wrist. He would also not provide much perimeter defense for the team which would be a big change at small forward from Jonathan Isaac.
Evan Fournier is Orlando’s best 3-point shooter and a had a great regular season but again disappointed in the playoffs. He has a player option in his current contract for next season so could benefit a team like Utah straight away while not being a long-term commitment.
But Bogdanovic’s scoring record this season makes this trade a difficult one to pull off. The Jazz have high hopes for the future with Donovan Mitchell reportedly set to sign a new contract and have the core of a team that is capable of challenging in the playoffs for at least next season.
Denver Nuggets: Michael Porter Jr
The Orlando Magic could have drafted Michael Porter Jr. back in the 2018 draft but instead opted to use the sixth pick to select center Mohamed Bamba. The questions about Porter’s back were very real and it scared a lot of teams away despite his prodigious talent.
Porter instead went 14th to Denver and has shown glimpses of being a very exciting prospect with a high ceiling.
But he has found his chances limited somewhat on a Nuggets team with the tremendous star power of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. He has instead been restricted to minutes off the bench, averaging 16.4 minutes per game which, in fairness, is not uncommon for someone in his rookie year.
He also fell in the draft somewhat due to his injury history and required back surgery before being drafted, missing the entire 2019 season. But since returning, Porter has looked healthy and managed 55 games this year.
In the game time he has had, Porter has proven himself to be an excellent shooter. He shot 42.2-percent from three and 50.9-percent from the field while scoring 9.3 points per game. All of these stats suggest he could be a big player if given more game time.
His comments in the postseason caused some controversy too. After a Game 4 loss to the LA Clippers, Porter told the media his team needed to “get more players involved”, indicating he was not happy at the amount of time he had with the ball in his hands.
Denver Nuggets
Porter would get plenty of opportunities in Orlando. At 22, he has lots of time to develop his game and could become the offensive talent that the team desperately needs to push forward.
This means the Magic would have to give up a lot to get him. With Paul Millsap and Mason Plumlee’s contracts both expiring this offseason, Denver could use another power forward and center so offering up Aaron Gordon and Mo Bamba could make the most sense in this scenario.
For Orlando, it would be a case of sacrificing some defense for more offense which Steve Clifford may be reluctant to do. However, the Magic have to gamble sooner or later and what Porter has shown so far offers enormous encouragement for the future.
At this point, it does not seem likely the Nuggets would trade Porter. They view him as a key part of their development as they try to get into the group of title contenders. And as the Magic know all too well, finding and developing potential star players from late-Lottery draft picks is vital to any successful rebuild from the middle.
The Nuggets though are still a fairly likely trade partner even if they cannot get the big fish like Porter. The Nuggets still have a glut of wings they could look to shed.
Gary Harris, who had a disappointing 2020 season averaging 10.4 points per game on a 48.4-percent effective field goal percentage, seems ripe for a trade.
Especially with the Nuggets trying to reach that championship group, they could look to move a player like Gary Harris or Will Barton to solidify their rotation. A team like the Magic who needs either of those players’ shooting and to consolidate some players on their own could be a feasible partner.
Even if Porter is unattainable, there is still a framework for a deal for a lot of these reasons.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Dennis Schroder
Dennis Schroder has established himself as an important offensive player for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He averaged 18.9 points per game this season while shooting 46.9-percent from the field and 38.5-percent from three.
At 6-foot-1 he is more suited to the point guard position but he can also be used at shooting guard. He brings plenty of energy, is a capable passer and can go either inside or score from the perimeter.
There were serious question marks over his defense in previous seasons but he has steadily improved. Schroder cannot be depended on for his defense but he is no longer as much of a liability as he has been in previous seasons.
Oklahoma City surprised many this past season and finished fifth in the Western Conference. But with a phenomenal amount of draft picks coming up thanks to the Paul George trade with the LA Clippers, it is likely the franchise will start to rebuild soon meaning their team could change considerably.
Their decision to part ways with coach Billy Donovan and the uncertain contract status of Chris Paul after his reclamation season has Oklahoma City asking a lot of questions right now.
Orlando could look to capitalize on that by going for Schroder. He only has one year left on his contract anyway, like Fournier if he takes up his player option, but would provide some freshness and energy in the backcourt for Orlando while Oklahoma City would also be getting a good offensive player for a year in return.
Schroder showed what he could do as a primary offensive option with the Atlanta Hawks. He topped off there at 19.4 points per game in 2018. But questions abounded about his leadership in his final season in Atlanta.
Schroder might be a better option as a reserve or secondary scorer rather than a primary one. He might get that opportunity with the Magic with a more balanced scoring attack around him.
The Magic would be losing their starting shooting guard but could implement plenty of rotation at the position between Markelle Fultz, Dennis Schroder and Terrence Ross. It would be an interesting change in the backcourt and could help boost an offense which is lacking, though with Chris Paul’s future still unclear it might be Oklahoma City soon wants Schroder as its starting point guard.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Jake Layman
There are very few options on the Minnesota Timberwolves roster who could come in and improve the Orlando Magic apart from D’Angelo Russell and Karl Anthony-Towns, both of whom Minnesota plans to build around.
But an interesting project for the Magic could be forward Jake Layman. The 26-year-old missed most of this past season due to a toe injury but averaged 9.1 points per game off 45.3-percent shooting when he did manage to play.
He is capable of making threes but is not a dependable 3-point shooter, going 33.3-percent from beyond the arc. Layman has shown steady improvement since his days with the Portland Trail Blazers, who actually bought the Orlando Magic’s pick to draft him, and showed signs of being an important role-player for the Minnesota Timberwolves this season.
Layman still has plenty of time to improve and could be a decent offensive option for Orlando. With the Wolves having the number one pick this year and targeting a run in the postseason sooner rather than later, Layman could possibly find himself out of favor.
He is a strong off-the-ball player with the ability to get open and causes problems for defenses with his spacing. Orlando needs good team players on offense and Layman is just that.
The Timberwolves ranked low in many defensive categories so a player like James Ennis could help them improve in that area while Orlando would be getting a versatile forward and good offensive option.
Portland Trail Blazers: CJ McCollum
CJ McCollum has made his name as a strong shooter and superb offensive talent. Since his breakout 2016 season, he has averaged more than 20 points per game in each season including 22.2 this year.
He is one of the league’s very best mid-range scorers and is also accomplished from beyond the arc, making 2.8 threes a game this season off 37.9 percent shooting. McCollum is exactly the sort of offensive player that the Magic are calling out for.
He is also versatile and could add some much-needed shooting at both point guard and shooting guard spots if needed. With four years left on his contract, the Magic would be getting one of the league’s best scoring guards for the long-term.
But alongside Damian Lillard in Portland, CJ McCollum is part of one of the league’s deadliest backcourts. He is valued very highly in the northwest and there is a strong chance a trade for him would not be possible.
Portland seems comfortable with where they are at in the Western Conference pecking order and it would take a haul that clearly makes them better to move off this core piece. As much as some pundits think the Blazers have topped off and should break up their high-scoring duo the Blazers as a small market are not likely giving up a duo that has experienced this much success until they have to.
This might be the year that happens, however.
Portland only managed to scrape eighth in the Western Conference. They have plenty of scoring power but have considerable weaknesses on defense and ranked 27th for defensive rating, giving up 114.3 points per 100 possessions.
The Trail Blazers have one of the league’s top 10 players in Damian Lillard but their defensive struggles are holding the team back. There may come a point where they must give up some of their offensive power for better defense.
Aaron Gordon has shown he is a more than capable defender during his time in the league, while Mohamed Bamba has the potential to be one of the league’s elite shot blockers if he can develop. Both could help improve Portland’s defense.
Both the Magic and the Blazers finished eighth in their respective conferences but have very different weaknesses. It would take a lot for Portland to give up McCollum but this trade could help both teams improve where they need to, while the Trail Blazers would also be getting the chance to develop a new prospect from this year’s draft.