The 5 worst Orlando Magic trades of the last 10 years

By Luke Duffy | Mar 14, 2023

PHOENIX, AZ - DECEMBER 09: (R-L) Nikola Vucevic #9, Evan Fournier #10, Elfrid Payton #4 and Victor Oladipo #5 of the Orlando Magic walk to the bench during a break in the final moments of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena on December 9, 2015 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Magic 107-104. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

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With the Orlando Magic now in position to be one of the better young teams in the league for the foreseeable future, it is easy to forget about the decade that preceded this season. Most fans want to forget much of the last decade.

What a time that was for the organization. And that does not even include the “Dwightmare” of 2012. There was plenty of losing, two playoff appearances, and not much else to report.

The franchise eventually found a savior in Nikola Vucevic, and it was the trade that sent him to the Chicago Bulls that netted them two of their young stars in Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter.

A happy ending to that particular story for the organization, but the Orlando Magic were a part of some truly awful trades between 2013-2023. As they continue to dig themselves out, we look at how they got stuck so deep in the hole.

So, as if to remind fans out there of just how far this team has come, we have decided to go back and revisit the five worst trades of this ugly era of Magic basketball.

In truth, it was hard to narrow this list down to just five, as even the seemingly small deals that were made when the Magic were tanking, still usually ended up with the team on the losing side.

Strap yourself in then, if you dare, and take a look back at the worst deals that kept the Magic in the doldrums for much longer than they should have been.