Orlando Magic Trade Value Column 2022: Preparing for the next steps

Orlando Magic Trade Value Column 2022

Category IV — If you keep twisting my arm, I might say maybe

9. Markelle Fultz (3 years, $50 million, Team Option in 2023)

Last Year: 7th

It is hard to get a sense of what to think of Markelle Fultz.

That first overall pick talent is still there. It shows itself every time he steps on the court and starts to drive and find his groove. He plays at his own pace and is able to absorb pressure and contact to get in the paint and finish at the rim. His mid-range jumper looked fluid.

Of course, there are still so many questions.

In five seasons in the NBA, he has really only played one full season. As good as his start to last season was, he was starting to come back down to earth. And now there is the whole question of what happens to him coming off a torn ACL and a major knee injury.

Fultz is still out but appears closer to returning. There is still a lot of hope that he can provide the pace and composure that Orlando needs as the team begins to shed and cycle through veterans.

More than anything, the team needs to see him play again. Just to get a sense of what they can expect as he returns and begins to improve again.

The Magic have made their investment in him. And everyone is curious about Fultz again.

But when Fultz returns to the court, his place in the franchise’s future will have changed drastically. And he has to earn his place all over again.

8. Mo Bamba (1 year, $7.6 million, RFA in 2022)

Last Year: 10th

The Orlando Magic are clear at a decision point for Mo Bamba.

All the promise and potential that are clearly still in a 7-footer with his wingspan are apparent. He is near the top of the league in block rate and he has greatly improved his defensive awareness and understanding how to affect shots with his length alone rather than just chasing blocks and putting himself out of position.

Injuries and the quickly changing circumstances of the Magic from a rebuilding team into a playoff team left him behind. He has had to play catch-up this year and has made important strides.

The bigger question is what value does that have for the Magic? What value does that have for the rest of the league.

Orlando made a big decision to extend Wendell Carter. That immediately crowded the Magic’s frontcourt. And while the team has tried to play Bamba and Carter together, there are still plenty of questions of whether that can last long-term.

If Bamba is destined to come off the bench, how will that affect his continuing development? And how much are the Magic willing to pay for that?

Those are big questions. And Bamba is still young enough to believe in that growth. There is definitely a possibility both sides kick the can down the road and Bamba signs his qualifying offer ($22.7 million!).

There is also the possibility some other team is ready to take that risk and wants his restricted free agent rights.

As with everything else, nobody is quite sure what to make of Bamba and where he goes next.

7. Gary Harris (1 year, $20.5 million)

The goal for Gary Harris this season was to regain his form from his vaunted 2018 season and put years of injuries behind him. That is what a veteran like him needed from a rebuilding team like the Orlando Magic.

It is hard to say that he has not accomplished that so far. Harris is averaging 11.6 points per game and shooting 38.3-percent from beyond the arc. That includes a slow start to the season. Harris has been on a tear his last 14.7 points per game and shooting 41.4-percent from beyond the arc in his last 25 games.

Teams around the league know exactly the kind of defense and shooting he can provide. And that is really valuable. It is hard to imagine Harris not helping some team in their playoff run — even if that ultimately means the Magic buy out the rest of his contract to let him go to the mercenary market.

Harris has successfully reclaimed his career. There are plenty of Magic fans who hope Harris likes it here enough to stay. And if he is willing to take a bit of a pay cut and work with a rebuilding roster, there is no reason the Magic should not hang onto the veteran wing.

He has been a perfect mentor for this young team in addition to his shooting and defense. That is all they could have asked for. And that is what makes them valuable.

6. Terrence Ross (2 years, $24 million)

Last Year: 5th

Terrence Ross has been a fan favorite and such a huge contributor for the Orlando Magic. “The Human Torch” has saved the Magic so many times and been a gravity pull for the team when they have had so few players that make defenses sweat.

They do not experience any of the success they have had without Ross. Even the hint of his getting hot scares teams.

Ross has seen his numbers dip a bit. He has not really clicked with this young team fully. Defenses have been able to lock him out more and more.

But more than that, this is the time to move him. With an extra year left on his deal, he will never have more trade value than he has at this year’s deadline. The security of having both this year and next year will allow the Magic to extract more from teams. They have the leverage to wait.

Orlando cannot simply trade him just to trade him, of course. The team needs to extract value. But he is the guy the Magic should be most aggressively shopping and evaluating offers for.

Ross has been a critical piece for the Magic. But the end is certainly near for these two teams.