The most important stretch of the season is still ahead of the Orlando Magic. They still have to compete in the Play-In Tournament, aiming to secure a playoff spot. Nevertheless, much of the discourse around the Magic is already focused on what the front office should do in the offseason. The answer to that question is almost always that they must add an offensive boost—someone other than Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero to create offense and carry some of the scoring load.
The Magic have been linked to pretty much any guard who can score at a high level, ranging from Anfernee Simons to four-time All-Star Trae Young. Lately, Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball has frequently been linked to the Magic.
Theoretically, adding someone with LaMelo Ball’s ability to score and make plays to the roster could turn the Magic into one of the best two-way teams in the league. After all, how would teams defend Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, and LaMelo Ball when they’re all on the same team? The Magic’s current lack of offense seems to be the one thing keeping the team from becoming a legitimate force in the playoffs.
The Magic also have the assets it would take to bring Ball to Orlando, as they have a healthy mixture of draft picks and role players available.
While trading for LaMelo Ball has a lot of potential, it could also backfire quickly.
The Magic might quickly regret their decision if they traded for LaMelo Ball
Making a big trade is always risky. Things can always go wrong. Adding another star to a team does not guarantee immediate success. It might turn out after a few weeks that the fit or chemistry just is not there. With Ball, there are other risks as well.
One major concern is his injury history. Ball has only played a total of 231 games over six seasons so far, missing significant time between 2022 and 2024. The Magic might end up trading for Ball only to see him get injured and spend too much time on the bench rather than helping the team find playoff success. If this season has proven anything, it is how difficult injuries to key players are to deal with, and the Magic do not want to give up some of their best assets only to find themselves right back where they started.
Moreover, the Magic might discover that trading for Ball will hurt their identity. The Magic have built all of their recent success on their defensive foundation and value their identity as a tough, physical team that can keep opponents from scoring. Ball is not the type of player the Magic would usually go for. He does not have a reputation as a great or dedicated defender.
In a recent mock trade, Bleacher Report suggested that the Magic trade Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Anthony Black, and two first-round picks for Ball. The Magic would be sending out two of their best perimeter defenders without getting much defense in return. They would get a lot of offensive firepower back, however, and the trade definitely has potential. Nevertheless, there are things to consider. For example, an absolute nightmare scenario for the Magic (other than Ball being injured) would be if they traded for Ball, gave up great defenders, and lost their defensive identity on the way to becoming a better offensive team.
However, defensive concerns will likely be an issue with any offensive-minded guard the Magic could trade for over the summer. The key will be to find a way to balance offensive improvement with maintaining the defense. Trading for Ball is in no way guaranteed to backfire—if everything goes right, he could be just the right addition to improve the Magic’s offense. Just one thing is for certain: The Magic cannot continue to rely on defense alone. And, who knows, joining a defensive-minded team may be just what some players need to improve on that end of the floor.