Ever since rumors of discontent started bubbling up in Atlanta, there have been rumor mongers, trade posts and generally NBA people trying to connect the dots and move Trae Young to the Orlando Magic.
Even in the last week, there were still those who thought, "Hey, the Magic still need a point guard, Trae Young would be perfect, and they have the defense to cover for him!" And there were even some truly heinous trade ideas from national pundits who should know better.
It seemed like a perfect fit for several offseasons.
The Magic needed offense and shooting. They needed a point guard. And Young fit the bill, giving the team a third star to galvanize and bring the team together.
Those rumors have lived together for a very long time. Enough ink has been spilled on this site (or power drawn from my laptop, what is the appropriate analogy now?) about the potential of a Magic-Young team-up.
We can finally put that to bed. And good riddance. The Magic rightfully resisted those calls for a trade for the high-profile guard.
The Hawks are now out of the Young business. They reportedly completed the trade that would send Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert (another potential Magic trade target, perhaps). The Young rumors will quiet, for at least the rest of this season.
The Magic can breathe some sigh of relief. But there are still some big decisions ahead.
A move that made no sense
There was a certain logic at one point to the idea of acquiring a player like Trae Young.
Two years ago, Jalen Suggs was still an unnknown quantity, particularly on offense. The Orlando Magic had two young players who were hinting at stardom, but it was not clear whether either was going to emerge as that top guy.
Orlando was hunting for a decade for the kind of star they could build around. Young was that kind of player -- and always was as the Magic and newly minted president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman brought Young in for multiple workouts before he went with the No. 5 pick, leaving the Magic with Mo Bamba at No. 6.
Young is still an elite playmaker and scorer, averaging 19.3 points and 8.9 assists per game even in a down year this season. The threat of his three-point shooting still scares everyone around the league.
But the question has always been his ultimate impact on winning. Can he play with other stars?
The Atlanta Hawks never quite found the right mix for him. After reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in the COVID-shortened 2021 season, the Hawks never won another playoff series and became play-in fodder.
Young never quite shed the label of being more than just a player who could put up numbers. He never could fit in with the team.
Despite the Magic's need for reliable outside shooting and playmaking, the Magic were always more of a partner of convenience rather than an actual good fit.
With two budding stars in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, the Magic were hunting for more complementary players. They did not need a heliocentric star.
On top of that, the Magic were building a team centered on defense. And it was always going to be difficult to build a functioning, elite defense with Young at the head of the snake. The Hawks were constantly trying to hide him, especially in the Playoffs.
Young was simply eye candy and headlines for the contending teams and their fans. He was not an actual solution that would help the Magic get closer to a title.
As every transaction window passed, the Magic got connected to Young and they ultimately passed on him.
Still a time of concern
It was not that acquiring Trae Young would have been a panic move.
There were legitimate arguments for chasing after him and pushing the chips in for him. He has a lot of skills that fit the Magic.
After all, the Magic ended up sending a seeming king's ransom for Desmond Bane. Orlando is not above pushing the chips in and taking a big swing. It was clear Jeff Weltman was waiting for the right player to make that big swing.
And the right moment too.
Orlando was still developing and growing. The team seemingly did not want to get in the way of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner's development. Acquiring a player like Young would have fundamentally changed the Magic.
Young is the system, not just a player in it. That is why he will work to raise the Washington Wizards' floor adn give them a player for their young players to orbit around. That is a perfect spot for him.
The Magic are still very confident in their project and likely did not feel the need to make a major shift. They wanted to let things grow. And they have to a comfortable point.
But this has become a bit of a dangerous time because the Magic have championship ambitions.
Orlando made its big move and has not seen immediate results. Fans are agitating for a coaching change because the roster is so difficult to shift. Nobody is thrilled by a 21-17 start to the season that has the Magic in a logjam in the middle of the Eastern Conference.
This is easily a time that a less disciplined front office would make a panic move and drastically change things.
Easily, the biggest acquisition the Magic can make right now is a healthy Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs. Both are expected back relatively soon, and there is plenty of season left for the Magic to meet their expectations.
It is indeed a dangerous time and what the Magic do -- or do not do -- will determine whether this team reaches its potential this year and moving forward.
Orlando is likely to continue being patient at this year's trade deadline -- the team's goal is likely to shave roughly $6 million to get under the luxury tax and avoid starting the repeater clock. No big moves are coming, most likely.
With Trae Young off the table, a big temptation is gone. And the Magic should be thankful for it.