The Orlando Magic are at an important point of their rebuild.
Tearing everything down is easy. Selling off parts for whatever you can get and trying to maximize value on the way down is not so hard. Sometimes the choices are easy and the moves are obvious. Other times they take nuance.
The Magic were not able to get a star in return for Dwight Howard in 2012, but everyone seemed to agree Rob Hennigan did about as well as he could in the deal acquiring young players, creating cap space and accumulating draft picks. Everyone seemed to believe the Magic were starting their rebuild on the right foot.
Things obviously did not finish that way.
It is easy in hindsight to see all the mistakes that were made and the way the team did not put the right infrastructure in place for such a large rebuild project.
It is really easy to compare the project Jeff Weltman is trying to put together and try to see and avoid the same pitfalls that Rob Hennigan fell into.
The Orlando Magic are past the teardown phase of their rebuild. And this year’s trade deadline will be important in plotting the next steps for the franchise.
That means every move Orlando makes moving forward will have ripple effects throughout the rebuild. One more leads to the next and leads to an effect in the next season and so on and so on.
A wrong move could be difficult to get out of or delay the team’s growth. The right move — both in the draft or in a trade — could be the thing that helps the team climb back to relevancy quicker.
It is simpler to say that much of what the Magic are trying to build relies on internal development (especially of rookies Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner along with young players like Cole Anthony and Wendell Carter), drafting well (the Magic are in line for the top odds in the NBA Draft Lottery for a second straight year) and injury luck (Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz are not yet on the court).
But the trade deadline will have major effects for the Magic too.
Orlando has found some success of late as their growth and progress have taken on tangible signs. But they also have assets and players to manage as they map out their future. And they would be foolish not to explore the trade markets for veteran players who may not fit the team’s timeline or could net them interesting young prospects.
Of course, one of the mistakes of the Hennigan rebuild was trading away veterans too quickly and not having them as part of the team’s growth.
This is all at the center of the Magic’s trade deadline thought process. They seem ripe to move veterans Terrence Ross and Gary Harris to teams in contention and hope they have enough leadership and veteran know-how to continue their positive growth. And then that they can find it.
They have to seek opportunities still to add to their young team and find long-term pieces.
With all the cap room they have scheduled for this offseason too, the Magic are also in a position to try to add someone to their roster and take on some more salary this offseason.
The place to start though is what the Magic have to offer and how they evaluate their current roster.
This is certainly not a time to make any conclusions on many of the team’s long-term players — outside of the contract decision waiting for Mo Bamba this offseason. But the team has to start shaping itself toward some final product in the next year.
This is a trade deadline full of intrigue.
As we have done for the past several seasons, we are going to take a page out of Bill Simmons’ book and put together our annual trade value column. The rankings that follow are an evaluation of each player on the roster based on their production and contract value.
Orlando Magic Trade Value Column 2022
Category 1 — Sure, you can have them
18. Ignas Brazdeikis (Two-way contract)
Every team probably has that one end-of-the-bench player who gets a few too many minutes and annoys fans with his excessive playing time. There is always that question of what they are doing on the roster.
Ignas Brazdeikis, to be fair to him, is not technically on the roster full-time (nor is he eligible to be traded) because of his two-way contract. But the Orlando Magic have definitely leaned on him too much. And fans hoping the Magic would have taken a chance on a younger player with their two-way contract slot.
Brazdeikis, to his credit, has been a really good G-League player. He is averaging 19.5 points per game in his two games for Lakeland. He has spent most of his time with the parent club, making 24 appearances for the Magic.
The reality is, Brazdeikis probably falls into the weird nexus of too good for the G-League, but not good enough for the NBA.
17. Janis Timma (G-League Contract/2nd Round Rights)
Orlando Magic fans fell in love with Janis Timma during Summer League. It was not merely his look, social media account or bravado. He actually backed it up with his play. Many fans were upset the team did not bring him in for training camp or for one of the two-way slots.
The reality is a bit more complicated than that.
Orlando likely did not have readymade playing time for him — something he reportedly was looking for at his age and experience level to make the leap to the NBA. The Magic were not likely to burn his second-round rights just to cut him at the end of training camp — or to bring him up on one of those emergency 10-day contracts.
Timma was in limbo until a few weeks ago when he signed on to join the Lakeland Magic. He has delivered for them, averaging 12.3 points per game in his three appearances so far in the G-League.
There is at least the possibility the Magic plan to graduate him to the main roster if a spot opens up. There might also be the possibility being in the G-League will make him enticing enough to be involved in a trade using his draft rights.
16. Admiral Schofield (Two-Way Contract)
The Orlando Magic swapped out two-way contracts a few weeks ago to bring in Admiral Schofield. This was a more proper move with a two-way contract and made sure to keep a player who was killing it in the G-League.
Schofield is averaging 29.5 points per game in his two appearances with the Lakeland Magic. The forward has good size to defend and is at least confident enough to shoot when he is open. He is young enough that there still seems like a ceiling for him to reach.
His time with the parent club has been solid too. Schofield is averaging 3.4 points per game in his 20 appearances with the Magic. When he gets sustained playing time, he usually produces. He at least knows where he is supposed to be. That can be half the battle.
Orlando Magic Trade Value Column 2022
Category II — If they weren’t injured, maybe
15. Michael Carter-Williams ($3.3 million, 1 year)
Last Year: 12th
The Orlando Magic still have to have a soft spot for Michael Carter-Williams.
He was such a key part to boosting the team to the end of the 2019 season and helping them break that playoff drought. He was a good instigator and gave the team an edge they needed. He and coach Steve Clifford just meshed so well.
The disappointing part of Carter-Williams’ tenure with the Magic has been all the injuries he has suffered keeping him from getting on the floor. Whether it was a shoulder injury or just nagging injuries throughout the year, Carter-Williams never could stay on the court. That has been the story of his career.
This year might be the end for him, unfortunately.
Carter-Williams suffered an ankle injury last last season that cost him the final month or so of the season. He opted to have surgery on his ankle very late in the offseason. And Orlando has not seen him at all this season.
The Magic, notorious for not giving injury updates, have not given any injury updates on Carter-Williams and it is not clear at all how close he is to returning — he was shooting around with the team at least when they were in Charlotte a few weeks ago.
For sure, the team could have used his edge on the court to help carve out the defensive identity they want.
Instead, Carter-Williams has been relegated to good locker room presence. At the very least, he has been good at that. His leadership was always far more valuable than his contributions on the court for this young team.
It is disappointing that his time in Orlando is coming to such a quiet end.
14. E’Twaun Moore ($1.7 million, one year)
Like Michael Carter-Williams, E’Twaun Moore has been relegated to good veteran in the locker room. And again, to his credit, he has been a good voice. After practices, you can see E’Twaun Moore working with Markelle Fultz in two-on-two and three-on-three drills (all controlled) or talking with Jalen Suggs and coach Jamahl Mosley.
The Magic likely signed Moore as an injury replacement for Carter-Williams once he opted for surgery, needing the veteran presence and ball-handling on the floor. Of course, Moore suffered his own knee issue in training camp and has yet to play this season.
His absence has also been frustrating, continuing some division between the front office and the fan base over players returning from injury. It is not that Moore would drastically change the team, but his presence would certainly help.
13. Moritz Wagner ($3.6 million, 2 years, 2022 non-guaranteed)
In that sense then, thank goodness the Orlando Magic added Moritz Wagner. The team needed someone who would mix things up and needle their opponents if Michael Carter-Williams was going to be otherwise unavailable. Wagner has fit the bill completely.
But more than that, Wagner has surprised everyone with his level of play. He has come in and played his role perfectly throughout the season. Barring any free-agent additions at his position, the Magic might well bring him back next year.
That is about as high a praise as the team can give to a player of his type and ilk.
Wagner has proven himself to be a solid shooter and a decent defender on the low block. Like so many things this year, the Magic have likely relied on him a bit too much because of their lack of depth. But Wagner has been all the Magic could have hoped for and more so far.
Orlando Magic Trade Value Column 2022
Category III — We’ll take the call
12. R.J. Hampton ($8.9 million, 3 years, Team option in 2023)
With so many young players on the roster and only so much playing time to hand out in a 48-minute game, it was inevitable some young player was going to get squeezed out.
Even with the injuries the Orlando Magic have faced, no player on the roster has faced the same kind of pressure for his playing time and role quite like R.J. Hampton.
This was all pretty predictable, unfortunately for Hampton.
His skills were the most ill-defined and he lost a rookie season to COVID and the fact he was a raw prospect playing on a team with championship aspirations. His breakout after the Denver Nuggets traded him to the Orlando Magic was needed and showed off his potential.
There have only been flashes of that potential this season as Hampton has often played out of control and struggled to balance the good moments with excessive turnovers.
The only thing that is certain at this point is that Hampton is not a point guard or decisionmaker. Not yet at least.
The game still needs to slow down for Hampton. And slowly his potential will need to meet his actual production. The Magic probably should not give up on him, but there are only so many minutes to go around with so many young players on the roster and more draft picks coming up on the horizon.
A consolidation trade for the Magic, if it happens, would likely need to include Hampton.
11. Robin Lopez (1 year, $5 million)
Typically the veteran bench warmer would not be ahead of the young, promising player. And Robin Lopez has been really comfortable living the life in Orlando, playing games with STUFF and occasionally dropping a few hook shots over unsuspecting defenders.
Lopez has been surprisingly very good this year for the Magic when they have called on him, averaging 8.2 points per game in 17.8 minutes per game. That is far more than anyone expected when the team signed him and he has embraced being the team’s relief pitcher, sprinkled in whenever Jamahl Mosley has needed him.
He is a veteran big though. And those are in short supply. And Lopez has played well enough that there at least seems to be passing interest around the league in adding him. According to Marc Stein (subscription required), at least, says there are a few teams registering interest in him.
That is pretty impressive for him to move from also-ran on the bench to someone that has created some demand.
10. Chuma Okeke (3 years, $12 million, Team Option in 2023)
Last Year: 9th
Everyone is still trying to get an idea of who or what Chuma Okeke is.
The story of his career to this point has been more about his injuries and when he has not been on the floor. The torn ACL that cost him his first year after the draft. The knee and ankle injuries that slowed him throughout his rookie year. And now the hip bruise that cost him a lot of early-season rhythm and training in his second season.
There are moments where Okeke looks like everything the Magic could hope for. He hits 3-pointers and defends at a really high level. He was instrumental in keeping Luka Doncic from getting a game-winning shot in their win over the Dallas Mavericks. His good moments are fantastic.
But there have been long stretches where his shot will not go down at all. And he has at times felt like an odd fit for the Magic’s more read-and-react offense. The Magic have only recently started setting him up for his favored corner 3s and his strong post-game from last year has been almost non-existent.
What Okeke needs is a healthy offseason and a full training camp to get himself acclimated quicker. He is still really valuable for his defense at the very least. There is still a lot of areas where Okeke can grow.
But like Hampton, there are only so many minutes for young players. And Okeke is going to have to fight for his place in the team’s rotation beyond this season.
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.
Orlando Magic Trade Value Column 2022
5. Cole Anthony (3 years, $12.6 million, Team Option for 2023)
Last Year: 8th
Nobody knew what to make of Cole Anthony when he entered the league last year.
Injuries sapped him of his usual athleticism and burst at North Carolina in a disappointing year. It was easy to try to define Anthony for what he was not and whatever preconceived notions one might have for a player of his type. Anthony heard a lot of the stories.
His rookie year with the Orlando Magic did not do much to answer or dispel those questions and concerns. He got thrown right into the fire and then faced an injury. Then the team completely changed around him.
Anthony had a stunning finish to the season with the ball in his hands a whole lot more. But it was for a team that was losing and did not have much of a chance to win each night.
Then Anthony burst out of the gates to start this season. He put up All-Star-caliber numbers to star the year and got everyone excited.
More than that, Anthony embraced the city and embraced his teammates. He seemed like a great teammate, always in their corner. He gave the young team some bravado and confidence. The wins were not coming, but Anthony was someone the team could trust.
He has cooled off considerably since then. He is averaging 17.7 points per game, but his effective field goal percentage is down to 45.9-percent. In his last 17 games, he is averaging just 14.5 points per game and shooting 34.0-percent from the floor and 26.1-percent from deep.
This prolonged cold streak coming off an ankle injury that has bothered him since December, raises a lot of the same questions Anthony faced entering the league.
He is still averaging 6.0 assists per game showing improvement as a playmaker and passer. There is a lot of hope and belief he will get better. And Anthony has carved a place for the Magic in its near future, at least.
Orlando Magic Trade Value Column 2022
4. Jonathan Isaac (4 years, $69.6 million)
Last Year: 2nd
Last year in our trade value column, we named Jonathan Isaac the top player in terms of trade value — the team’s first-round pick was the No. 1 item on our list, we are foregoing that statement this time around.
Even coming off a torn ACL and missing the entire 2021 season, Isaac represented everything that was possible for the Magic. He probably remains the only player on the roster with a clearly elite-level skill.
Isaac was a sprawling defender that flirted with the All-Defensive team. He could not only lock guys down on the perimeter, but would defend the rim and make the paint a no-fly zone.
It is easy to forget he could do all that at such a high level because it has been so long since h last played.
Just as it is easy to forget how he was improving as an offensive player with his 3-point percentage especially. The big mystery for Isaac remains whether he will show the necessary aggression to take the reigns of an offense and be the primary scorer.
Recovery from a torn ACL is not supposed to take that away. But the impatience waiting for his return is starting to wear on everyone.
Isaac first injured his knee in January 2020. He returned in the bubble in August 2020 only to tear his ACL in the team’s second seeding round game (his third since returning). Isaac had surgery a few weeks later. There has been very few peeps about his recovery or when he might return since then.
The 18 months Isaac has been out have been frustrating. Everyone wants to see him play and begin growing again. The wait and the lack of information has been the worst part.
Add to that there remains the question and uncertainty of his vaccination status. Isaac is one of the few players in the league who remains unvaccinated. Rightly or wrongly, that only adds to the complications of his return and his value around the league.
Everyone just needs to see him play so he can put a lot of these questions to rest and get rid of the information vacuum that has surrounded him.
It is easy to forget just how good Isaac was before the injury. And he just needs to be back on the floor.
Orlando Magic Trade Value Column 2022
3. Jalen Suggs (4 years, $30 million, Team Options in 2023 and 2024)
When the Orlando Magic fell to the fifth pick in last year’s NBA Draft Lottery, the fan base was desponded. A year of losing seemed to bring the team no reward. They lost the lottery and lost their chance to start the rebuild. Especially in what many people considered a four-player draft.
That mood changed on draft night when the Toronto Raptors surprisingly took Scottie Barnes with the fourth pick. That is no knock on Barnes, who has turned into a fantastic player so far in his rookie year.
But the elation the fan base felt in getting Suggs was very real. It was easy to say the Magic had just drafted the most talented guard the team has taken in the draft since Anfernee Hardaway. He was certainly the one to give the team the most hope.
Suggs has not been all of that so far. He has struggled to adjust to life in the NBA offensively. His ability to get to the basket has been great, but he has struggled to finish. The game is still slowing down for him.
But all the flashes are there. He has that explosion to get to the basket. And his defense has been pretty advanced for a rookie.
The Magic have promised patience all year and they are not about to abandon their prized rookie. Not when he is still clearly making strides. Even if they are a bit more under the surface.
That star potential does not go away either. One bad season might damper those expectations and change how the franchise and the league view him. But Suggs still has a very high ceiling. And he is going to work hard to improve on the areas where he is still a bit weak.
This has not been the rookie the Magic hoped for from him for sure. He has not had the breakthrough game that really shows his star potential. And even if it is not consistent yet, teams typically have a sense of a player’s ceiling at this point.
Suggs has a lot of work in front of him. But that potential is all still there.
Orlando Magic Trade Value Column 2022
2. Wendell Carter (5 years, $56.9 million)
The Orlando Magic made it known to everyone else around the league how much they were betting on Wendell Carter before the extension deadline. Carter became the first long-term contract the Magic handed out after their big moves last offseason.
In many ways, Carter was the first piece really put in place for this rebuild. He joins extensions handed out to Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz from the year before (before the team initiated the rebuild) as the pillars for the Magic. But he is probably the one with the fewest amount of questions.
Carter has been undoubtedly solid in his first full year with the Magic.
He has been a tenacious rebounder, a solid defender and a bone-crushing screen setter. The Magic’s offense does not operate nearly as well without him — 104.4 with him on the floor (trailing only Cole Anthony among rotation players) and 100.7 with him off the floor (trailing only Cole Anthony and Franz Wagner).
There still seem to be areas where Carter’s game can grow and mature too.
He is expanding his game out to the 3-point line and starting to shoot it more confidently. He will even be the first to admit that his intensity level still needs to be the same. A big admission considering the criticisms he faced in Chicago from that seeming lack of intensity and his hesitance to shoot.
Carter needed a new environment and a fresh start to become the player everyone believed he could be from the draft process. He has fully taken advantage of that.
Carter is not trade eligible at this deadline because he just signed his extension. But it still feels like the Magic got him on a bargain. According to Spotrac too, the Magic front-loaded Carter’s contract, paying him $14.2 million next year and $10.9 million in the final year of his deal in 2026.
If Carter keeps up the kind of production he has this year, that will be an incredible bargain for a starting-level big man. The Magic established a solid foundation with a versatile big who can anchor their defense in the near future.
Orlando Magic Trade Value Column 2022
1. Franz Wagner (4 years, $22.8 million, Team Options in 2023 and 2024)
When the Orlando Magic selected Franz Wagner with the eighth pick, nobody was really sure what to make of it.
Wagner was always viewed as a solid player who would fit in any role a team gave him. But it hardly felt like the home run swing the young Magic needed. Even after getting Jalen Suggs (viewed as a potential star), everyone wanted to see the team get a second bite at the star apple. Other flashier names were favored in the fan base and the offseason was spent debating the Wagner pick.
The narrative has change dramatically now.
Wagner is the one viewed as a potential star with limitless areas his game can seemingly grow. He has put himself squarely in the Rookie of the Year conversation. And Magic fans are even upset he is not more invovled and imposing himself on the game a whole lot.
Pick your favorite nickname for Franz Wagner — the “Franz-chise,” “Only Franz,” “The Big Franz-damental” (OK, I just made that last one up) — there are plenty to choose from. And he has earned all the accolades.
If there is one positive thing coming out of this season it is Wagner’s emergence and development. The sky really does seem like the limit.
Wagner is among the top rookies in almost every major counting stat, averaging 15.7 points per game and shooting a 51.3-percent effective field goal percentage.
The smoothness and pace that he plays at has been far advanced for a rookie. He knows how to control his speed, accelerating and decelerating to keep defensive off balance, and then is improving dramtically at his ability to finish at the rim after he gets through the lane.
There is just not very much that does not impress about Wagner and the season he is putting together. And there are still so many areas he is going to continue to grow.
The Magic’s biggest problem remains their lack of star power. The jumbled nature of this list — and, yes, it is certainly something up for debate because a lot of these guys are really close and still proving themselves — shows how the team lacks a central figure to align itself with.
In theory, the Magic’s first round pick is again the most valuable trade asset the Magic have. Although this year’s upcoming draft is not nearly as celebrated as last year’s class.
The team is still trying to create and form its future. That part is still very much a work in progress.
More than any other player, Wagner has cemented his part in that future. The team will be eager to see where he progresses next. And right now, he is about the only player who might be completely untouchable as the team examines its next steps to rebuild.