3 possible trade targets to accelerate the Orlando Magic’s rebuild

3 players to speed up the Orlando Magic’s rebuild

Caris LeVert

The Indiana Pacers are headed toward a rebuild, according to the Athletic’s Shams Charania, with the team reportedly willing to listen to offers for Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner and Caris LeVert.

LeVert has had a difficult year.

After being traded to Indiana as part of the blockbuster James Harden deal last year, a cancerous tumor was discovered in his medicals. He had to undergo kidney surgery.

But the shooting guard would return last season to average 20.7 points per game across 35 games for the Pacers as the team narrowly missed out on the postseason.

LeVert at his best is a multi-level scorer that can punish teams from the perimeter, or use his quickness and athleticism to blow past opposition defenders to get to the rim and finish.

But LeVert has not been at his best this season.

After shooting a career-high 36.4 percent from three during the 2019-20 season, his shooting has regressed considerably and he is currently making just 30.2 percent of his threes this season — a worrying decline – while scoring only 15.7 points per game.

Still, LeVert would give the Magic a capable wing scorer and shooter, someone who can space the floor and go off for a big game. That is something the Magic are missing as a central piece to support growth.

LeVert may not be the best player to build a team around. But he would be a good stabilizing veteran for a young team as other players grow into bigger roles.

It was not all that long ago that LeVert was being dubbed as a possible third star behind Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn, long before James Harden’s arrival. LeVert showed exactly what he is capable of in the Orlando Bubble when afforded plenty of opportunity due to injuries on the Nets’ roster.

He averaged 25 points in the bubble including a 37-point game against the Portland Trail Blazers and thrived with the increased number of shots and touches he was given.

And while inconsistency has proven a problem this season, some of his more recent performances have suggested LeVert could be getting back to his previous levels.

The Magic rank third from the bottom for offensive rating this season — scoring 102.5 points per 100 possessions. Even when injured players come back, there just does not appear to be enough offensive creation on the roster or the type of isolation scorer you need during difficult moments, like against the Lakers.

His shooting is a big concern. But LeVert has proven before he can handle the responsibility as the main scoring option and would get plenty of opportunity in Orlando.

He would not come cheap. Orlando would be the buyers in this situation and have to expend some of their young capital. LeVert too has an additional year at $18.8 million so he would not break the bank.

The Magic could use the Pacers’ desire to get younger and look to the future to move off some of the young players and extra picks the franchise has accumulated in recent years to get a more established veteran and proven contributor on offense.

This would be a move the Magic would make i they feel they can take a sizable leap next year. Something they may not be ready to say right now without a full evaluation of their roster.