At last year's NBA trade deadline, the Orlando Magic could feel they were on the cusp of something. It was in such an incubation stage though, they were rightly afraid to touch things. It needed time to blossom.
The Magic were 28-24 and tied for seventh in the Eastern Conference. They did not know which way the season would turn after they struggled in January with a 6-10 record. It seemed like the season was heading south.
The Magic stood pat at the trade deadline and were one of the few teams that did. They knew they had a softer part in the schedule. They trusted the team would come together and get them to the playoffs.
Orlando did that, winning 19 of their remaining 30 games and earning the 5-seed in the playoffs. The Magic had seemingly arrived.
The team saw that trip to the Playoffs and believed they were prepared to take the next step as a group. They took the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games and gave their two young star forwards another offseason to improve.
Orlando used its free agency to invest in its own roster and add a veteran they hoped would elevate the team.
The Magic hoped to see the team take another step forward.
Injuries derailed some of those plans. But even with the injuries, the Magic did not seem to have taken such a clear step forward. The injuries only highlighted the team's weaknesses and perhaps the urgency to make a deal happen sooner rather than later.
The Magic must assess their roster and what comes next. They must begin making the roster they want.
It will not come to them through the draft or internal development alone. Orlando must stop betting on what could be and start thinking about making more immediate roster improvements.
That process starts with assessing the players on the roster and trying to evaluate them.
The Magic should be aggressive and have the assets to acquire any number of players, from bigger names like De'Aaron Fox (who has since been traded to the San Antonio Spurs) to quality role players like Cameron Johnson, Collin Sexton, or Anfernee Simons. The question is who the Magic want to or can part with and what they can afford to lose.
That is where we come in with our annual trade value column, looking at how we would rank the players on the roster based on their trade value. This takes after Bill Simmons' column idea and considers contract value in addition to how the player has played. Essentially the rankings are you would trade player 2 for player 1 straight up but not vice versa.
This allows us to see how the Magic value players on the roster—especially in the middle where the Magic are likely making their deals this season.
How the Magic value their own players goes a long way to determining what they will do at the trade deadline.
Category 1 - Not sure what to do with them
17. Mac McClung (Two-Way)
I have no reason or understanding why Mac McClung has not gotten his opportunity with the Orlando Magic. He was not even with the team while they faced all the injuries they faced during the last month. It made zero sense, especially since there was a string of games where the Magic did not have enough healthy point guards.
It is a shame. While McClung will wear an Orlando Magic jersey for the Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend, it does not feel like he is a part of this team.
McClung has grown as a scorer, shooter and playmaker to deserve a more serious NBA look. But the Magic appear to have him to help sell tickets in Kissimmee rather than help him on his NBA journey.
16. Cory Joseph (2-years, $6.8 million, team option in 2026)
The Orlando Magic signed Cory Joseph to fill the final roster spot and be a veteran in the locker room. Anything they got from him on the court was going to be a bonus—or a sign that things went wrong that he needed to play.
Both things have happened. Joseph has done about as well as the team could hope. But his role is to be a locker room leader (and he has been good at that).
No one is seeking out a player like Joseph. And the Magic may not bring him back next year. But Joseph has done all the Magic asked of him.
15. Caleb Houstan (2-years, $4.2 million, team option in 2026) - Last Year: 13th
In theory, Caleb Houstan is the kind of high-volume shooter the Orlando Magic desperately need. He has had a few games where he hit a ton of threes and showed the vision of what this team could be like with a volume shooter.
Houstan just has not been that player consistently enough. And this far into his career, it is frustrating to see what Houstan could be and compare it to what he is. With a team option for next year, it feels like Houstan's time is starting to run out.
14. Trevelin Queen (Two-Way) - Last Year: 15th
Trevelin Queen has proven himself a valuable player every time he is pressed into duty. He plays with loads of energy and defends at a high level. His athleticism around the basket leads to his share of highlights.
But Queen is the perfect two-way player. He plays like he needs to prove something without doing more than the team needs of him.
Queen has improved as a shooter. But he still has a long way to go.
The Magic have some bigger goals to make at the trade deadline. But one of their smaller goals should be to clear a roster spot to give Queen a full contract. He has earned it.
Category 2 - The Magic's trade offer
13. Gary Harris (2-years, $15 million, team option in 2026) - Last Year: 14th
On one hand, the Orlando Magic need shooting. And turning down a player who is a career 36.9 percent 3-point shooter is not a wise decision. On the other hand, he needs to play and add something to the team.
Harris has increasingly proven to be someone who cannot stay healthy—he has played in only 22 games this year entering Monday's game against the Golden State Warriors—and someone who cannot get involved offensively.
Harris, despite his reputation as a 3-point shooter, is taking only 3.5 field goal attempts per game this year (a career low) and that came off him struggling mightily in the Playoffs.
The theme for this group of players is that a player like Harris is good in theory. The Magic just need a better version of what they are getting in Gary Harris (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope might be that answer, but even that has not been a smooth fit offensively).
At this point with a team option for next year and a decent salary, Harris is salary fodder to move in trades. Orlando would love to swap him for a player they can get more use out of.
12. Jett Howard (3-years, $18.1 million, team optionin 2027) - Last Year: 10th
Jett Howard is essentially a rookie this year. He spent his true rookie year playing mostly with the Osceola Magic in the G-League. But he has the promise of adding shooting to the team. Howard is certainly eager to shoot when he gets in the game.
Howard though has struggled to establish himself in the rotation. That has kept him from finding his rhythm. There is still something there to explore. But Howard's defense and playmaking potential have not coalesced yet.
That could make Howard a good young player throw-in to whatever deal the Magic might make. Or he could be the player Orlando tries to open up playing time for the rest of the season.
Either way, it feels like Howard has been squeezed out since he has not earned his place in the lineup even with the injuries the Magic faced this season.
11. Cole Anthony (3-years, $39.1 million, team option in 2027) - Last Year: 7th
Cole Anthony is an enigma.
He is a dynamic, sparkplug scorer who can have bursty games. The Orlando Magic won their 25-point comeback over the Miami Heat on the back of his 35 points. And even if he is struggling all game, he can catch fire in the fourth quarter and be completely unafraid of the moment.
But he is also a small guard. He can drive and get into the paint, but does not have the size or shot-making to get himself out of it. He started the year so poorly, he fell out of the rotation.
Anthony is out of those woods. With how few attackers and scorers the Magic have, they need Anthony with all of his shortcomings included.
The reality is that the idea of what Anthony is has become a necessity for the Magic. They just need to upgrade him as a player. And that is why Anthony is the most likely player to be involved in a trade offer.
10. Wendell Carter (5-years, $81.5 million, team option in 2029) - Last Year: 5th
The downfall of Wendell Carter is perhaps the season's most disappointing development.
Carter entered the year vowing to be healthy and make it through the season after struggling with a hand injury and looked noticeably off throughout the season. Orlando bet that was a momentary blip. They needed the salary slot and knew how difficult it would be to find a center, they gave him his max extension—one that will not kick in for another season.
Carter injured his leg early in the season. He suffered a bout of plantar fasciitis and missed an extended period. His dream of staying healthy disappeared. And he has lost his lift and his jumper in the process. A lot of what made him valuable.
It would seem the Magic will have to pay to part with Carter now considering his production and the length and price of his contract (although with the expected rise in the cap, it may not be as painful as it looks today).
Orlando has to hope Carter can recoup some value. The Magic do not have a decision to make today on it though because Carter is not trade-eligible until after the trade deadline.
Category 3 - Staying Invested
9. Tristan da Silva (4-years, $17.6 million, team option in 2027 and 2028)
The Orlando Magic drafted Tristan da Silva as an older rookie who could slide into the lineup when the team needed him. They probably did not anticipate needing to play him so much in his rookie year.
Even a 23-year-old rookie is still a rookie. And da Silva has looked like a rookie in a lot of ways—he needs to put on weight to take the pounding on defense. But he has also been exactly as advertised for this team.
He cuts well and does not try to impose himself on the game. He hits threes at a decent clip—but could still stand to improve his perimeter shooting. And he is rarely out of position. The Magic have expanded his playmaking responsibilities.
Da Silva still needs time to develop. But he has given the Magic a lot more than they could have hoped for from a rookie in his position. There is plenty to stay invested in.
8. Anthony Black (3-years, $25.7 million, team option in 2027) - Last Year: 6th
It is always hard to know what to think about rookies. On one hand, they still have so much room to grow in front of them. On the other, they need to contribute consistently.
Anthony Black is probably the most variable player on this list.
Some nights, he looks like a future starter with his hounding defense and ability to get downhill and finish at the rim. Other nights, he looks like he is floating on the perimeter and unsure of what he is doing on either end.
The Orlando Magic put a lot of investment in him when they let Markelle Fultz walk in free agency without signing a replacement backup point guard. He has been inconsistent in filling that role. And that has only become a bigger highlight with all the injuries.
Black has greatly improved from last year. But there also feels like he has not been what the team needed from him. And on a winning team, that becomes more glaring.
The Magic are likely not giving up on Black. But they need to make some conclusions on him sooner than later to build this roster out. And so if there is a deal that makes sense to this team and Black gets them over the finish line, do not be surprised if they part ways with the former sixth pick.
7. Moe Wagner (2-years, $22 million, team option in 2026) - Last Year: 8th
The Moe Wagner story is one of the great success stories of Jeff Weltman's tenure.
He was signed on a 10-day contract and slowly made his impact and improved year over year. Now he feels indispensable. The Magic's bench has fallen apart with him out and the Magic lack his edge and bravado.
When Wagner called into practice after his ACL surgery and said he could give the team buckets, he was not lying. That is the attitude the Magic need more of.
Wagner was having another career season and feels essential for the Magic. The hope has to be that when he recovers from his torn ACL next year (likely near Christmas), he can resume being the team's backup center.
Of course, that is assuming he is still with the team. It seems like a long shot the Magic would either trade him or decline his team option—although they could decline his team option to sign him to another long-term deal. The Magic should stay invested in his recovery and him as a player.
Unfortunately, Wagner's future is uncertain.
6. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (3-years, $66 million, player option in 2027)
The Orlando Magic signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to try to bolster their 3-point shooting. He was the perfect 3-and-D player. And even as a slight overpay (his contract is front-loaded for what it is worth), he was the kind of veteran with championship experience the Magic needed.
On one hand, Caldwell-Pope has been a perfect addition. He has fit in perfectly to give the Magic one of the most terrifying defensive backcourts in the entire league. When Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jalen Suggs are on the floor together, the Magic have a 106.8 offensive rating.
But, Caldwell-Pope has not delivered the shooting the Magic hoped for.
Caldwell-Pope is shooting just 31.1 percent from three, his worst mark since 2016. It does not help anybody that he has a career-high 59.0 percent 2-point field goal percentage or that he has shot 36.4 percent from three since the calendar flipped to 2025.
Orlando probably is not going to give up on the Caldwell-Pope/Suggs pairing after only one year. But if the Magic are thinking something big and looking to trade a player into their starting lineup, they should not be afraid to let Caldwell-Pope go.
It has been a good culture fit. Caldwell-Pope just has not performed.
5. Jonathan Isaac (5-years, $84 million, non-guaranteed in 2027, 2028, 2029) - Last Year: 4th
Jonathan Isaac still has the potential to be a game-changing defensive player. He still grades out as one of the best defensive players in the league and on a per-minute basis.
The hope was that putting on more weight would make him more resistant to injury—it largely has, he has played in 44 of 50 games entering Monday's game against the Golden State Warriors. The question has been what effect that has had on the rest of his game.
Isaac has looked a bit off defensively—opponents are shooting 49.2 percent against him at the rim, which is very much like him. But he has been well off offensively with his 3-point shooting dropping to 25.7 percent from three.
Isaac has started to learn how to throw his weight around on the offensive glass. It feels like the Magic are on a multi-year journey to turn him into the player they want. They invested in him with the unique renegotiate-and-extend deal that includes non-guarantees in his final three years.
That is what makes Isaac still so valuable. He can remain an impactful and unique defensive player and right now he is a $25 million player who drops to $15 million next year. That could be valuable if the Magic want to part with him. It does not appear the team is at that point yet.
Category 4 - Goga Bitadze
4. Goga Bitadze (3-years, $25 million) - Last Year: 12th
Goga Bitadze is the other home run signing by the Orlando Magic and one of their best development stories. Getting him on a front-loaded $25 million deal also seems like a steal considering how vital he has become.
Bitadze has grown tremendously in the last year, turning into an offensive-rebounding and putback machine along with a solid pivot in the middle of the lane and the high post. Players run off his screens well and he is a better passer than everyone credits him for.
On top of that, Bitadze is one of the best shot blockers in the league. He is 10th in the league in blocks per game. Bitadze has earned his way from 10-day signee to starting center for the Magic. Orlando should feel comfortable with him starting moving forward.
His insanely affordable contract with the salary cap rising only adds to his value.
Category 5 - The core 3
3. Jalen Suggs (6-Years, $159.7 million) - Last Year: 3rd
Jalen Suggs is still figuring out who he is as a player on offense. The Orlando Magic are trying to find the right role for him on that end. He has not had enough time to be a pure spot-up shooter like he was in the first five games of the season before all the injuries. He struggled to find consistency as the team's lead player.
Suggs is a perfect third player on offense.
But he is essential on defense. And that is ultimately this team's identity. Suggs is not going anywhere any time soon.
Suggs is this team's heartbeat. And so while his stats do not scream someone who is untouchable, the Magic probably would not entertain trading Suggs at this point.
Just look at how the team has played since he strained his back Jan. 3 against the Toronto Raptors. The Magic have struggled to recover and even find their defense. Suggs is essential to everything the Magic do.
Suggs is not going anywhere anytime soon. And the only way they trade him is to add that final piece to get them over the top.
2. Franz Wagner (6-years, $231.2 million) - Last Year: 2nd
When the Orlando Magic signed Franz Wagner to a max contract extension this summer, the collective NBA world questioned the signing.
It was not that Wagner could not be a max player, it was that they had to ask and that made it seem like he was an iffy case. The Magic doing is so quickly had everyone puzzled—especially after the bad taste left in their mouth from Game 7.
Those questions were fair. Wagner had not proven himself as the main engine for the team. He did not scream a max player at all.
The Magic quickly discovered this year they had another star in their midst and their investment of a max contract in Wagner was the right one. When Paolo Banchero went down to an injury, Franz Wagner elevated his game. If not for his injury, he would have been an All-Star this year.
Lately, there has been plenty of manufactured debate about who is more important or better between the Magic's two stars. This is not going to help in that conversation.
What is most important is the Magic have two clear max-level players to build around for the next five years.
1. Paolo Banchero (2-years, $27.5 million) - Last Year: 1st
The NBA is about star power. A team goes as far as its stars will take them. And Paolo Banchero is a star.
Forget his All-Star bid last year. Forget the dynamic and stunning playoff series he had last year. Remember those first five games before his torn oblique and how Banchero dominated every moment he was in with his dazzling scoring and shotmaking, powerful moves to the basket and playmaking.
The optimism and majesty of his 50-point game on Oct. 29 against the Indiana Pacers feels like a memory. Banchero is noticeably, frustratingly and understandably struggling to get himself back from two months out with a torn oblique.
Banchero will get back and get back to being the best player on this team. The kind of player who can win the Magic a playoff series and multiple playoff series.
His max extension coming to him this offseason is deserved.