The trade deadline is interesting for rebuilding teams.
The Orlando Magic are too far from playoff contention to be buyers, but find themselves with too many talented prospects to be complete sellers. It is a tough spot.
Sure, the team is likely to shop veterans Gary Harris (and his expiring contract) and Terrence Ross. The team could also look at Mo Bamba’s market as he prepares to enter restricted free agency. But with a ton of cap room for next year, the Magic have the ability to still be aggressive as they map out the next step of their rebuild.
With the deadline just more than a month away, rumors have begun to swirl, mostly with the Magic on the outside looking in. This year’s deadline will likely take place on the fringes for the Magic as they move to set the team up for their future.
In other words, do not expect the same fireworks as last year.
It is unlikely the Magic are going to be in the market for disgruntled Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons or Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook or even Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal. And that is OK.
This deadline will likely be the exact opposite of last year’s, where the Magic found themselves at the center of multiple big moves.
The Orlando Magic are not likely to be big players at this year’s trade deadline. But the team should not sit by and should continue to look for ways to improve their roster.
However, both of the franchise’s veteran guards have found their names floated around the league.
Ross has been on a tear as of late, including a 33-point outburst versus the Boston Celtics. Many have stated that teams in playoff contention, like the Los Angeles Lakers or New York Knicks, will be vying for the sharp-shooters services.
Harris, along with his coveted expiring contract, could draw interest from teams looking to bolster their defense while staying financially flexible. Coming in as part of the deal with the Denver Nuggets last deadline, Harris has been serviceable for the Magic.
It is likely he or Ross will be moved to clear up time for younger guards in the rotation.
Even big man Bamba, who may be the odd man out in the Magic frontcourt, has also been mentioned as a target for other franchises.
As it stands now, the young core will remain intact and the team will be looking to gain future draft capital with these potential trade assets.
The goal for a rebuilding team is to gain draft picks and young players to develop and remain competitive. But ultimately they want to find themselves in a good spot in the NBA Draft Lottery with something to grow after that draft pick lands.
The Magic are also far enough away from contention to be able to trade for some supportive pieces and still not mess up this draft position.
There are several trades that could net the team a valuable asset, all while continuing on with the timeline. These may not move the needle right away, but they are the type of supporting moves that prove valuable once the young core begins to flourish.
3 player types for the Orlando Magic to target
Shooting wing: Cam Reddish
We all know the Orlando Magic need more shooters.
In this league, you can never have enough shooting. But the Magic really do not have enough.
They currently are a bottom-five team in 3-point percentage and middle of the pack in 3-pointers made.
This deadline could be the time to address that issue and there are really two ways the Magic could go about it.
They could make a deal for a dependable, veteran shooter — the type of wing that you see throughout the league, think Eric Gordon or Wayne Ellington. There is nothing wrong with this type of move. The Magic would not need to give up much and would have a serviceable shooter to play alongside their young point guards.
The problem with this strategy is they already have this type of player in Terrence Ross and Gary Harris and even in the past with Evan Fournier.
What the Magic really need to do to address shooting is to attack it with youth and upside. This is where a player like Cam Reddish comes in.
Reddish is young — he is only 22-years-old in his third NBA season. He has playmaking upside, as shown in the playoffs last season and in spurts this year. And best of all, he is seemingly available.
It sounds like the Atlanta Hawks may be willing to trade Reddish in exchange for some players who are more readily available and ready to contribute to a winning team. The Hawks are going to be desperate to stay in the playoff race and make a late-season push as they did last year. A player like Harris would almost certainly fit that bill as would a player like Ross.
Reddish, for his part, is averaging 12.7 points per game and shooting 38.2-percent from beyond the arc this season. Reddish has one more year left on his rookie contract before becoming a restricted free agent in 2023.
In a move like this, the Magic would be banking on Reddish’s continuing development and two-way potential moving forward.
They would likely need to give up a little more than just a player or two, but it’s this type of high-risk, high-reward move that has helped shaped some of the contending teams you see around the league.
3 player types for the Orlando Magic to target
Versatile, veteran forward: Kyle Anderson
Before Franz Wagner burst onto the scene this season, the Orlando Magic were in desperate need of a forward with some playmaking ability. It looks like Wagner is the answer to all of these problems, but you can never have enough versatility.
A move like this would address one of the other glaring holes on the Magic roster — veteran presence.
The Magic are one of the youngest teams in the NBA. In a league where experience wins, there are nights where this really hurts the team.
A move for Kyle Anderson, or a player like him, could begin to add some structure to the roster. Especially if the plan is to shop and eventually move both Gary Harris and Terrence Ross. Orlando needs to replace some of that veteran presence before the start of next season.
Anderson, best known for his methodical offensive game and the nickname that spawned in “Slo-Mo”, has been providing this type support for the Memphis Grizzlies since 2018, and in San Antonio for four years before that.
Only in his eighth year, Anderson is still relatively young as far as veterans go, but he competes every night, plays defense, and does not try to do too much on offense. The Grizzlies have such a deep roster that they would be willing to part ways with Anderson if the deal was right.
Anderson is averaging 8.1 points per game and grabbing 5.3 rebounds per game. He is shooting a 48.1-percent effective field goal percentage, his worst since 2017.
Anderson would become a free agent this offseason, which would likely not make him as attractive of a trade option for the team’s long-term prospects.
For Orlando, Anderson could take some of the playmaking burden off of the young guards and provide just the right amount of experience the Magic need.
3 player types for the Orlando Magic to target
“Change of scenery” flyer: Myles Turner
Trading for Myles Turner, or a player of his caliber, would be on the bigger end of the spectrum for deals. Trading for a dissatisfied talent is something the Orlando Magic are no stranger to.
Two of their rotation players, Markelle Fultz and Wendell Carter, came to Orlando in similar fashion as a second chance and change of scenery for them to break out. Both Fultz and Carter were unhappy in their current situations and needed a fresh start. They have begun to revitalize their careers in Orlando.
And with cap room to spare next year — not to mention still a $17-million trade exception — the Magic are the kind of team that could be willing to take on more salary.
There are a couple different options around the league if the Magic were to take a flyer on a “change of scenery” guy.
There is Ben Simmons, but he is too expensive. There is Collin Sexton, but he does not really fit with the current backcourt. There is even Buddy Hield, but the Magic likely could not outbid other suitors.
The best situation to monitor, and potentially attack, is happening right now in Indiana. The Indiana Pacers will likely be selling off their assets, similar to what the Orlando Magic did last year, in an attempt to begin a rebuild.
Caris LeVert and Domantas Sabonis are both tempting, but the Pacers would likely have too high of an asking price for them.
This is where Myles Turner comes in.
The Pacers would be willing to ship Turner off for much less than Sabonis. Turner could come in and immediately help the Magic on the defensive end. Although the fit is a little sticky with Wendell Carter, the Magic could look into playing them together as they both can knock down perimeter shots and have quick feet on defense.
In his seventh season, Turner should be in his prime. But he is sightly underperforming for his more than $17 million per year contract.
Turner is averaging 13.2 points per game, 7.3 rebounds per game and a league-leading 2.8 blocks per game. He is still a factor defensively, even as he hungers for a bigger offensive role. He is not playing poorly at all, but still somehow seems like a disappointment.
This could just be misuse in Indiana and maybe Orlando could capitalize on Turner’s potential.
It is tough to know for sure, but buying low on a player with Turner’s potential is the name of the game for the trade deadline.