3 Orlando Magic takeaways from the trade deadline
3. The market for Mo Bamba was exactly what we thought it was
Despite the fact many fans did not seem happy with the Orlando Magic trading Mo Bamba at the 11th hour, and to the Los Angeles Lakers of all places, the reality is he fetched exactly the kind of return you would expect.
The deal actually ended up being a more complicated four-team affair, with the Magic acquiring Beverley, those sweet, sweet cash considerations that the organization have so often ended up with, and a second round pick from the Denver Nuggets.
So in reality then, a whole lot of nothing. Beverley is most likely going to be bought out, and cash considerations are not able to score the basketball.
That second round pick could be something, especially as moving five of them in one go suddenly became the trendy thing to do at the deadline. And Orlando has a lot of second-round picks in its coffers.
But facts are facts, and Bamba has played only 17 minutes per game this year, and slipped behind Wendell Carter, Moe Wagner, Bol Bol and Jonathan Isaac in the depth chart. His 7.3 points per game are his lowest in three seasons, although he is shooting a touch less than 40 percent from deep.
Ironically the last thing he ever did in a Magic jersey, getting into it with Austin Rivers, is the thing he will be remembered for the most.
Had Bamba shown that fight on the court earlier, he could have been a bigger piece to the puzzle the Magic are building. He has a chance to be a success in his role with the Lakers, but the return for his services reflects how the league feels about him.