Orlando Magic Daily 2023 Mock Draft 2.7: Imagining trade possibilities
Orlando Magic Daily 2023 NBA Mock Draft 2.7
The Rest of the Lottery
player. 149. . G/F. Oklahoma City Thunder. Bilal Coulibaly. 12
Trade Chance: Timing isn’t right
It is really hard for teams that are in the same developmental stage to make trades. The contracts do not align and teams are usually not looking to help each other. They still need buyers and sellers.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are not ready trade partners — unless the Orlando Magic really want Aleksej Pokusevski or to give Ousmane Dieng a second draft opportunity.
The Thunder have a boatload of picks to offer. But are they looking to spend a ton of them to move up one spot? Are the Magic really looking for a ton more picks right now?
Jordan Hawkins. 13. player. 81. . G/F. Toronto Raptors
Trade Chance: Strange Bedfellows
There is something here if the Toronto Raptors wanted to be aggressive and move up two picks. Chris Boucher is an interesting backup big options, although he is coming off a poor season and still has a few years left on his contract. They could offer some other bit players too in Precious Achiuwa or Malachi Flynn. But there is not a lot that moves the needle and could get the Magic off their pick.
The other part of this equation is the Toronto Raptors likely know the Orlando Magic are among the teams that would chase after their free agents in Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. If they have any hope of keeping those players, maybe trading players away to clog up their cap sheet is a viable strategy (they should know what is going to happen with both by then).
It does not seem like these are likely partners for a trade. Especially if the magic can get what they want at 11 without giving up anything else.
New Orleans Pelicans. Kobe Bufkin. 14. player. 69. . G
I honestly cannot come up with a deal that makes sense for either team here. A swap of Jonas Valanciunas and Wendell Carter might make sense for both teams — giving the New Orleans Pelicans a starting center that can spread the floor and pass rather than a paint-bound one.
But that is the problem. Carter is probably a more valuable player and asset. So why would the Magic trade him and the more favorable pick? Right?
The point of this exercise was to show how difficult trades can be in this league. And to show that it takes a good framework. There are definitely some targets and teams that the Magic can target to move around.
But it ultimately comes down to who the Magic want to grab in this draft and what they are willing to spend to get there. Really the big complication for Orlando on the trade market is that the team is not likely ready to commit any of its players to trades quite yet. The Magic are not ready to give up on a lot of players — they want to see just how good they are.
That will only add to the intrigue of this year’s draft.
Here is the rest of my updated first round:
SG. Atlanta Hawks. Keyonte George. 15. player. 125.
16. player. 118. . SG. Utah Jazz. Nick Smith Jr.
20. . C. Los Angeles Lakers. Dereck Lively II. 17. player
player. 110. . G. Miami Heat. Jalen Hood-Schofino. 18
41. . PF. Golden State Warriors. Leonard Miller. 19. player
Dariq Whitehead. 20. player. 169. . SG. Houston Rockets
Noah Clowney. 21. player. 147. . PF. Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn Nets. Brandin Podziemski. 22. player. 147. . SG
PF. Portland Trail Blazers. Kris Murray. 23. player. 34.
. C. Sacramento Kings. James Nnaji. 24. player. 84
. SG. Memphis Grizzlies. Jett Howard. 25. player. 211
player. 100. . PF. Indiana Pacers. Tristan Vukcevic. 26
PF. Charlotte Hornets. G.G. Jackson. 27. player. 170.
28. player. 118. . SF. Utah Jazz. Brice Sensabaugh
player. 100. . G. Indiana Pacers. Marcus Sasser. 29
77. . SG. Los Angeles Clippers. Colby Jones. 30. player
Next. Draft Preview: Bilal Coulibaly is rising to the top. dark
We will be back with a final mock draft next week ahead of the NBA Draft. Stay tuned for more draft profiles as we head to the final stretch of the draft process.