Trade candidates for the Orlando Magic
Magic Acquire a reliable Big Man and a Shooter
Why the Orlando Magic do this:
The Orlando Magic simply need more shooting.
The most recent example was the loss to the Philadelphia 76ers this past Wednesday. The Magic played great defense, holding the 76ers to only 105 points. However, they shot 6 for 38 from 3-point range (15.8 percent). As Coach Jamahl Mosley said after the game, “We couldn’t throw the ball into the ocean tonight.”
Nights like those are the reasons the Magic need a guy like Gary Trent Jr. and why the Magic are connected to him not only for the trade deadline this week but also for free agencys in July.
The Magic need a guy who can be a threat from the perimeter. It will do wonders for guys like Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Markelle Fultz, all of whom like to get the ball downhill going to the rim.
The 24-year-old Trent is averaging a career-high 18.9 points per game this season on nearly 38 percent from 3-point range on 7.2 attempts per game. He is someone opposing teams respect a ton defensively. He has also shown improvement on the defensive end. He is averaging a career-high 3.0 deflections this season.
He is also only 24, fitting the timeline of this team perfectly.
The Magic can potentially have $41 to $54 million dollars this summer in cap space depending on what they do with Gary Harris. Some of that money can be used to re-sign Trent. The Magic would get Trent’s Bird Rights as well if they acquire him prior to the trade deadline.
Trent would fill a clear need for this team. But Orlando have other needs to improve the team’s depth.
There were reports the Magic were interested in Isaiah Hartenstein this past offseason. He eventually chose the New York Knicks. But things have not worked out for him. His numbers are down across the board and the entire league recognizes the Knicks are not using him the same way he found success last year with the LA Clippers.
Hartenstein is a do-it-all big man. He rebounds the ball very well. He sets screens very well. He is a great rim runner and has a very nice touch around the rim, can finish with both hands.
He has a defended field goal percentage of 59.2 percent within 6 feet, which would make him sixth amongst big men in the NBA. His rebounding would do wonders for Orlando, as they have struggled at that this season.
Why the Toronto Raptors do this:
This trade all comes down to how the Toronto Raptors’ front office sees Gary Trent Jr. in their team’s future outlook. And then what the Raptors ultimately do with their roster ahead of the deadline.
Trent has an $18.6 million player option this summer, he will undoubtedly decline that player option and seek a long-term deal with a higher salary annually.
There have been numerous reports suggesting he is seeking a contract in the mid-$20 million per year ballpark, similar to what Tyler Herro and Jordan Poole received.
If the Raptors’ front office sees themselves paying that and keeping Trent, then this trade will not happen. However, if the Raptors plan to let Trent walk this summer, then this is a perfect trade. They get a first-round pick for a guy they do not envision being on the team next year. That is maximizing value at its finest.
It could help reset their roster in a major way too. That is part of the Raptors’ goal this deadline.
There have been a ton of reports of the Raptors having a firesale and trading away their core guys in OG Anunoby, Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr. and Pascal Siakam. The entire league is waiting on Toronto’s decision of what to do with their roster.
The Raptors also get Mo Bamba and R.J. Hampton, both of whom are not really promising players. But, they have shown flashes and there is none better than Nick Nurse who can somewhat unlock their skills.
Hampton has shown flashes with his shooting from downtown. Meanwhile, Bamba has shown the ability to protect the rim and space the floor.
Why the New York Knicks do this:
With the New York Knicks re-signing Mitchell Robinson and the emergence of young big man Jericho Sims, Isaiah Hartenstein’s role once Mitchell Robinson is healthy again would diminish. The Knicks need more help scoring on the wing as they are heavily reliant on Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle.
Terrence Ross can certainly help in that regard. He would benefit from the open looks he would get from the star duo tandem in the Big Apple.
Outside of those two, the Knicks are heavily reliant on Quentin Grimes to spark some offense, which can be tough to do on a nightly basis for a young player like Grimes.