4 teams the Orlando Magic could target for draft day trade
Orlando Magic Trade Targets
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are very clearly trying to move around in this draft. There are at least some reports they are shopping around Myles Turner, with a rumor involving the Charlotte Hornets gaining some traction.
How real is it? Who knows? That will develop Thursday.
Why would the Pacers want to trade one of the best defensive centers in the league? That is uncertain too.
Turner has been inconsistent throughout his career and is not super reliable offensively, despite a solid mid-range jumper that can extend out to the 3-point line. He has struggled to stay healthy too. But there is at least something to intrigue.
Indiana Pacers
Turner averaged 12.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting 47.7-percent from the floor and 33.5-percent from deep. Turner has plenty of flaws offensively as a player despite some promise on that end. But he also led the league with 3.4 blocks per game, the second time he has done that in his career.
If the Pacers are interested in a swap to move up to No. 11 with the Hornets, why not jump up to No. 8 too?
Most of these deals have the Magic keeping an eye on the long-term picture and maintaining some cap flexibility. These moves are not focused on the here and now. Thinking about the possibility of adding Turner and shoring up the center position even at the cost of moving down to No. 13 in the Draft does not seem like a terrible idea.
This kind of a deal would give the Magic a starting center who solidifies the position for the near future — he has two more years at $18 million per year remaining on his deal — and firmly establishes their defensive identity, something that is already pretty clear from the remaining roster, the Magic’s draft history and coach Jamahl Mosley’s reputation around the league.
What would it cost? Giving up the eighth pick is already a pretty high bar.
The team might have to add a player like Wendell Carter or Mohamed Bamba and Dwayne Bacon (his contract is partially guaranteed for the 2022 season) to make it work and fit Myles Turner under their cap.
Or it could end up being Terrence Ross and No. 8 for Myles Turner and the No. 13 pick. From there, Orlando could hope to land someone like Ziaire Williams a bit closer to where the media has him projected to land in the draft.
Orlando has reportedly expressed a ton of interest in the Stanford forward, bringing him in for a second workout late last week. However, picking him at No. 8 seems like a bit of a reach under current outsider projections.
This would be a bold move that would be much more than laying the foundations for a rebuild. It would signal the Magic believe they are further along and could be thinking of sneaking into the playoffs or being ready to compete sooner than expected.