The NBA trade deadline is on March 25, and once again, multiple Orlando Magic players find themselves in rumors.
Aaron Gordon, Evan Fournier and Khem Birch are the players who repeatedly get mentioned as realistic potential trade candidates. In a season where the Magic are facing multiple injuries, the league as a whole is still unsure of what the Magic plan to do.
There are always going to be trade packages mentioned, but it is more about the type of package the Magic could net in return for each player respectively.
Orlando is expected to be at the center of the trade deadline discussions. And teams are clearly aiming to get the Magic to sell and hit the reset. This is probably something the Magic need to do.
But outside the expiring contracts for Fournier and Birch, Orlando’s front office should still be careful and purposeful in their negotiations. The team should know exactly what it wants to get out of these deals and pursue them wholeheartedly.
But the Magic should not be afraid to sit out on certain players — like Aaron Gordon or even Terrence Ross or Nikola Vucevic — until better deals come around.
The Magic should not make a deal just to make a deal or show some level of activity.
The Orlando Magic are at the center of several trade rumors and are expected to be active this deadline. But in most cases, they should understand they hold the cards and should pursue the right deals rather than any deal.
Since the offseason, Fournier has been listed in trade rumors and seems like the most likely to be moved at the deadline. The biggest reason for this is his contract as he is an expiring deal and will be a free agent this summer.
At 28 years old, this may be the final big payday of Fournier’s career, which would eliminate any idea of taking a pay cut, especially since Fournier is playing very well this year.
The Magic may be inclined to move Fournier to get something in return instead of losing him for nothing during the summer. A return could look like the deal Orlando made to get Evan Fournier back in 2014, which was Arron Afflalo (on an expiring deal ) for Fournier.
Essentially it was a solid player who could help a competing team for a younger guy with potential.
Khem Birch is another expiring deal who could be moved or kept cheaply. But another part of the Khem Birch situation is Mohamed Bamba’s development.
Bamba’s career has gone up and down due to injuries. Once Mohamed Bamba was finally healthy, Khem Birch came out playing great and put coach Steve Clifford in a tough position. Birch played well in Bamba’s absence and did not lose his spot in the rotation. A trade would force the Magic’s hand to see what they have in the young center.
Orlando Magic
A lot of playoff teams are going to look at Birch as a solid backup center who is not going to cost a lot to get a deal done. The Magic are going to look at another expiring deal plus maybe a second-round pick to put Bamba in a position to get the backup spot for the rest of the season.
Gordon is in another situation completely as he is not an expiring deal.
Gordon is not a free agent until the 2022 offseason, so Orlando has more time to decide on Gordon. There is still a debate to be had on whether or not Orlando should trade Gordon.
But if the Magic are going to trade Gordon, then it should be a player that’s of Gordon’s caliber that is going to help the team or at least a veteran and a young player who can fit into the rotation moving forward.
Orlando should have an eye on impacting the team’s future with any deal the team makes. There is no reason to trade Gordon just to make a trade.
It is important to remember that no trade is better than a bad trade.
The Magic would likely expect a somewhat protected first-rounder with a younger player.
Another option is someone who is playing at a high level. The Magic were reportedly in discussions to acquire Caris LeVert before the Brooklyn Nets included him in their James Harden trade. That might be a more difficult swing unless Gordon has a strong finish to the season.
Overall the Magic should be looking at all of their options but should not force a trade that would not make sense.
This includes a trade involving Fournier and Birch, as they are expiring deals. They should not move them, just to get something back in return if it puts them in a hole.
Gordon is another matter entirely as he still has another year on his deal, so there is no rush to force a deal. There are opportunities to make a move this deadline, but even though they should keep their options open, they should not make a trade just to make a deal.
But Orlando has to know it must make a move and that the group as composed is not likely to take a step up. The team has to put its future in focus and take a gamble that pushes the team forward.