2023 Orlando Magic Trade Value Column: A future to plan for

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Wendell Carter and the Orlando Magic are making some significant and proven leaps as they continue to learn to win. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports /

2023 Orlando Magic Trade Value Column

3. Wendell Carter (4-years, $50 million)

Last Year: 2nd

Like Markelle Fultz and even Gary Harris, Wendell Carter’s value usually comes in unseen ways. He is an excellent screener — actually ranking 4.4 screen assists per game, ninth in the league.

That just hints at his hidden value as an offensive hub that just greases the wheel.

That goes for his defense too.

He is an excellent positional defender, a big who can get out on the perimeter and switch onto guards and forwards and defend the paint, even if he is not a shot blocker.

Carter is a solid offensive player too. His jumper has taken some incredible strides and he is smart at picking when to shoot from deep and when to attack off the dribble or when to post up. There are just a few big men with his ability to work on the perimeter and even dish the ball. Carter works as a hub offensively.

There is just so much the team can do working around him.

And he is doing it all right now while dealing with a plantar fascia strain that is clearly slowing him down. If anybody needs an All-Star break to recover and get set for the stretch run, it is Carter. He needs to get his foot right to move with the same explosiveness that makes him such an interesting player.

At this point, Carter may not be spectacular, but he gives the team maturity and stability. He will make the right decisions and spring free his teammates to get downhill and toward the basket. That is the team’s identity.

Carter’s extremely team-friendly deal — his contract is completely front-loaded and ends at $10.9 million in the 2026 season. That is going to become valuable as the team looks to add more players to its team and hands out big contracts to its draft picks. It could also make him attractive as a future trade asset — especially if the Magic do make that all-in trade eventually.

For now, Carter is the solid big man that anchors their defense. He fits the switching mentality the Magic want to play with. He is the perfect fit as the big man for this stage of the rebuild and can be interchangeable for whatever the Magic look like next.