4 trade directions Orlando Magic can go on Draft Night
4 Directions the Orlando Magic can go with trades on draft night
More Bench Shooting
Detroit Pistons
The Orlando Magic already have several positions within the depth chart that seem like a lock, but the bench can retool and add more pieces.
Bol Bol began last season on a tear and a potential nominee for Most Improved Player. But his hot streak started to fizzle toward the end of the season. He was exposed as a weak defender lacking the strength to guard his position and his shot stopped falling.
Bol’s contract is fully non-guaranteed next season, so if the Detroit Pistons made this deal they could open a roster spot. The Pistons have money to spend with only one player making more than $13 million per year, so if they want to create space for younger players they can do so with this trade.
They certainly could be a spot where Bol could play and make mistakes while he continues to learn.
Detroit would be moving on from Isaiah Livers not so much to acquire Bol Bol, but for another draft pick this year. The 36th overall selection has value at the top of the second round, and if the Pistons see players they like at that position this deal doesn’t ask for too much to give up.
Livers, a 42nd overall selection, has made a name for himself in his first two years with the Pistons.
He shot 36.5 percent from three this year and is a career 37.8 percent shooter. He is strong at 230 pounds and can play either forward position on defense.
The Magic would be getting a shooter who plays hard and is set to turn 25 this summer. He would be another former Michigan Wolverine to add to this Orlando team and would be a low-risk acquisition.
If Livers were to play well for Orlando he would be a restricted free agent the following season the team would have the option to re-sign.
Indiana Pacers
The Orlando Magic would be making a similar deal as the one above with the Detroit Pistons to acquire a bench shooter at the forward position.
Jordan Nwora was excellent for the Indiana Pacers after they acquired him from the Milwaukee Bucks at last season’s trade deadline.
In his 24 games with Indiana, he shot 42.2 percent from the 3-point line. He is 6-foot-8 and has a quick release that he can get off over smaller defenders and prefers to shoot from the corners. Nwora would be an excellent acquisition to be the eighth or ninth man for this Magic roster.
Nwora is an unrestricted free agent next summer so Orlando would take on a flight risk. But the team also will have plenty of cap space to retain a player like Jordan at the roster’s current state.
The Magic would also be taking on Daniel Theis’s $9.1 million contract for this season. Theis would probably not see many minutes, but the 31-year-old has contributed on playoff teams and has a club option the following season. If he is healthy, he would help solve some of the Magic’s backup center issues.
Cap space flexibility is essential in the NBA and having the option to clear $9.5 million off their books after one year with Theis has value.
Orlando would also be moving up 10 selections from their current 36th overall pick to find another first-round selection to grow within the organization.
The team would give up two players out of the rotation, but the Pacers would not agree to this deal based on the acquisition of Chuma Okeke and Bol Bol.
According to sources, Indiana has been rumored this offseason in acquiring a high-caliber veteran forward to pair with their young backcourt of star Tyrese Haliburton and first-team rookie selection Bennedict Mathurin.
If the Pacers want to clear some cap space by giving up a late first-rounder and Nwora to free themselves of Theis’s contract then this would not be a bad deal for them.
The Indiana front office has five selections in this year’s draft to upgrade their roster so a deal on draft night seems likely.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Orlando Magic would be moving back one position to acquire the veteran shooter Kenrich Williams. Williams just re-signed with the Thunder on a four-year, $27.1 million deal through the 2027 season.
Williams has earned the extension while being a vital bench player for the Oklahoma City Thunder for the last three seasons. He is 6-foot-6 but mostly plays stretch-4 for the Thunder.
He is not much of a playmaker or defender, but he shot 37.3 percent from three in 22.8 minutes per game last season. The Magic could use his shooting like most of the other players acquired in this article.
The Magic would be willing to move back one selection if they believe the Thunder are drafting a different player than who they want. They would bring in a veteran who is used to playing for a rebuilding team and the Magic would not lose much value.