Orlando Magic Daily
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The 5 worst Orlando Magic trades of the last 10 years

By Luke Duffy

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)
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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DALLAS, TX – FEBRUARY 26 : Jarred Vanderbilt of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX – FEBRUARY 26 : Jarred Vanderbilt of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) /

4. The Magic drafted Jarred Vanderbilt?

A little bit of revisionist history here, but the fact is the Orlando Magic drafted Jarred Vanderbilt with the 41st pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

That would not have been seen as much of a miss, but context is key here. Vanderbilt was traded to the Denver Nuggets for the pick that became Justin Jackson.

Jackson of course never played for the Magic, although he has played a single game for the Milwaukee Bucks in case that ever comes up at trivia night in your house.

At the time, this felt like a pretty bad giveaway and early mark against Jeff Weltman and his rebuild strategy.

Elfrid Payton was a favorite of former general manager Rob Hennigan but was essentially a four-year starting point guard for the team. He started 234 of 281 games in a Magic uniform. He was not terrible either averaging 11.1 points per game and 6.4 assists per game.

It did not even feel like those stats were simply because he was playing. He still averaged more than 10 points per game for the next three seasons. At the time of this trade, it felt like the Magic should have gotten more than a second-round pick for him.

Even with the player the Magic ultimately used this pick on:

More unforgivable, is the fact the Vanderbilt pick was what the Magic received from the Phoenix Suns for Elfrid Payton. An opportunity to turn a failed lottery pick into a future defensive standout.

You need only look at what he is doing with the Los Angeles Lakers since being traded there at the deadline, to see how much he could have helped this version of the Magic if they stuck with him.

The franchise has drafted players through the years like Devyn Marble (now in Israel) and Wesley Iwundu (in the G-League), with a view to turning them into high-level defensive stoppers.

Neither worked out. Meanwhile, Michael Carter-Williams is on his second stint with the team to fill the role.

Vanderbilt was the one that got away, and although the 2018 version of the Magic were not ready for him, had they held onto him he would have been invaluable to the current roster.

Failing that, he would have grown to have value in the league. An annoying miss.