How every NBA trade deadline deal affects the Orlando Magic – Late Edition

How every NBA trade deadline deal affects the Orlando Magic

The second-round bonanza

The theme for much of the trade deadline was how freely second-round picks went throughout the trade deadline. Teams really motivated to make moves to help them win now ended up swapping copious amounts of second-round picks.

It is almost to the point that Orlando Magic fans are kind of frustrated they only ended up with one second-round pick in their pawning off of Mo Bamba to the Los Angeles Lakers for Patrick Beverley (again, he will likely get bought out).

Because second-round picks got passed around. None more than in the Brooklyn Nets funneling Jae Crowder to the Milwaukee Bucks for five future second-round picks.

The Bucks are a contending team, they probably have no use for second-round picks. Their concern was adding another wing defender to help them in their title quest. That is ultimately what mattered more for them in this deal.

But that deal, and the other deals that were stocked full of second-round picks, shows how much those assets can grease the wheels for a deal.

That is what the Los Angeles Lakers did to send Thomas Bryant out to the Denver Nuggets too — later flipping one of the seconds they acquired to the Orlando Magic in the Mo Bamba/Patrick Beverley swap.

The most shocking move was that the Denver Nuggets shuttled off Bones Hyland to the LA Clippers for just two second-round draft picks. It feels like a young player should have gotten more. But Hyland had clearly become a bit disgruntled with his role and the Nuggets may have been more focused on just getting him out.

The Clippers needed a backup point guard and to give up minimal value for him was a big win for them. One of these second-round picks given the Nuggets ended up with the Magic. That will convey in 2024.

The San Antonio Spurs ended up adding to their second-round collection too in their trade to acquire Devonte’ Graham from the New Orleans Pelicans, sending out defensive-minded wing Josh Richardson to the playoff-hungry Pelicans.

Again, these seem like absurd numbers of second-round picks flying around.

The only other deal involving shooting is one I really do not have much to say about. But I said every deal. . . so here it is:

Why are teams finding so much value in these picks? That is hard to say.

Some teams just do not value second-round picks. They are just easy to throw around and include. They are essentially crap shoots that rarely turn into something valuable.

Then again, the league is preparing for the double draft. The league is expected to get rid of its one-and-done rule when they approve the new CBA in the summer of 2024. That could mean there will be a big draft class coming in 2025 and 2026. Suddenly a second-round pick could net you a first-round talent.

So it is a good time to assess what picks the Magic have. They first have all of their first-round picks plus the top-4 protected 2023 Chicago Bulls pick and a likely 2025 Denver Nuggets first.

In terms of second-round picks, the Orlando Magic own all of their own second-round picks plus the less favorable 2025 second-round pick from the Boston Celtics or Memphis Grizzlies, 2026 second-round picks from the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks, a 2027 second-round pick from the Celtics and a 2028 second-round pick from the Celtics and a more favorable 2029 second-round pick between the Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Wizards.

The second-round pick the Magic acquired from the Lakers with Patrick Beverley is believed to be the same one the Lakers acquired in the Davon Reed/Thomas Bryant swap from Thursday too.

The only pick the Magic owe is a top-55 protected 2023 second-round pick to the Celtics. That is not conveying.

Orlando has a ton of draft picks in their coffers. And if second-round picks remain this valuable moving forward, the Magic should be able to remain active at the deadline to improve their roster when they are ready.