The trade deadline on February 6 at 3 p.m. ET is slowly but surely approaching. It is time for every team in the NBA to consider its next move. Do they need upgrades? Are there players they should move on from? Or, is the roster well-prepared to achieve the organization’s goals for the season?
The Orlando Magic have a history of not making significant moves lightly, especially not during the season. They built their current roster primarily through the draft with few exceptions. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, for example, came over from Denver during the summer, and Wendell Carter Jr. was acquired in the trade that sent Nikola Vucevic to the Chicago Bulls.
Still, the Magic should have plenty of reasons to consider making a significant move ahead of this season’s trade deadline. The team has some glaring needs and could use a boost for the playoffs. Unfortunately, the thing they need most right now is something they cannot find on the trade market.
The Magic desperately need to get healthy. With several key players out, the Magic have lost four straight games and fell to eighth place in the Eastern Conference. They had to play their most recent game with only nine available players—Paolo Banchero, Tristan da Silva, Wendell Carter Jr., Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Anthony Black, Jonathan Isaac, Cory Joseph, Trevelin Queen, and Caleb Houstan—and also lost Isaac after just five minutes. Getting Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, and Goga Bitadze back would make a huge difference for the Magic.
But even when healthy, the Magic have some needs they must address sooner or later.
The Magic’s biggest need is 3-point shooting
Orlando has one glaring need at the moment, and it is no secret: 3-point shooting. The Magic currently average the fourteenth most threes per game across the league but rank last in 3-point percentage, converting only 30.3 percent of their attempts. Seven Magic players currently average at least three 3-point attempts per game. None of them are shooting more than 35.8 percent.
The Magic’s lack of shooting and spacing hurt them in last year’s playoffs. It will again this season, and the Magic should definitely look into trades for better 3-point shooters. Cameron Johnson and Luke Kennard might be available if the Magic are looking for more of a role player.
If the Magic want to go bigger and make a more significant change, they should also look into high-scoring, offensive-minded guards who can space the floor. The Magic currently have the second-worst offensive rating in the NBA. A part of that is due to all the injuries and barely seeing Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner on the court together. Even when healthy, the Magic could use an offensive punch, though.
Adding someone who can reliably knock down threes is the first step to improving the Magic’s offense. It could be enough for now. But, for the long term, it seems that the Magic need to add another offensive creator and go-to scorer to ensure significant playoff success.