The Orlando Magic handed out a copy of their roster before media day began a few weeks ago.
Toward the bottom of that sheet of paper was a list that read "How They Were Built," which listed how the Magic acquired every player on the roster. There were, of course, a lot of players drafted -- eight to be exact. And their share of free agents.
But in an NBA ecosphere that seems to value trades as a way to reshape the roster more, it is notable how few of the Magic's players were acquired by trade.
The answer is three -- Desmond Bane, in the blockbuster deal from this summer; Wendell Carter, the last remnant of the Nikola Vucevic trade in 2021; and Noah Penda, acquired in a draft night deal with the Boston Celtics.
The Bane trade itself was a rarity. It marked the first time the Magic acquired a player in a trade they actually intended to keep since getting Bol Bol in 2022 (there have been a few minor trades like the Mo Bamba salary dump that netted them Patrick Beverley, whom they waived, and a few other draft night deals in the second round).
The Magic have a reputation for not making trades -- so much so that everyone took at face value a report that they did not make calls around the league (that proved to be untrue).
But Orlando has entered a new phase of its build. It has decided it is ready to compete for a championship and something bigger. The only way to improve the team is to keep trading. The way the Magic are building must change and match this new reality.
It is far too early in the season to think about trades. The Magic want to see how their roster looks first.
But this is the NBA, the next trade rumor is always right around the corner. And already, people are coming up with their lists of players who could be on the block when February comes around.
The Magic certainly have their candidates -- their glut at center makes Goga Bitadze a potential trade candidate and Anthony Black's uncertain contract situation might put him on the block by February.
That should be the ultimate lesson now that the Magic are trying to contend. Nothing is ever completely static. And every window to improve the team is one the Magic must take.
No sitting and waiting
The lesson of this past offseason was a simple one: The Orlando Magic could not wait anymore.
The Magic had to engage in the trade market for the simple reason as their options to add and improve the team were suddenly limited.
Orlando played free agency in the summer of 2024. That was widely considered the last time the team would have significant money to spend. That was because of the incoming extensions for Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs. The team was about to be boxed in.
When Orlando assessed its 2025 season, even accounting for the injuries, it knew that internal development was not going to get the job done. The Magic needed to address their shooting and playmaking issues. That was clear.
That is why the Magic aggressively pursued Desmond Bane. It was the necessary kind of splash for the Magic to leap into contention.
And, to be clear, that is what the Magic feel they can accomplish.
It is this kind of aggression that the Magic need to keep as they continue to evolve their roster. Orlando should always be thinking of ways to improve the roster and attacking those weaknesses. And the team should be proactive about addressing where they can.
That is what championship teams do.
This offseason, the Denver Nuggets swapped Michael Porter Jr. for Cameron Johnson and re-acquired Bruce Brown. The Atlanta Hawks put their chips in for Kristaps Porzingis and acquired Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard with their free agent space.
Last summer, the Oklahoma City Thunder, knowing they needed help at center, acquired Isaiah Hartenstein. He played a big role in their championship hunt.
Good teams do not sit still or stay satisfied. The Magic will have to use whatever resources they can to keep improving their team. And they must be ruthless in doing so when it calls for.
That is the step the Magic took this offseason. And while there is not likely a big move like the Bane trade in the offing considering how much the Magic spent already, there are still moves to make.
What do the Magic need?
The question will be then: What will the Orlando Magic need?
The answer to that question is as hidden now as is asking what the Magic have to offer. The Magic still do not know what will define their team and where its weaknesses might be. It would be premature to plan out an exact trade deadline strategy.
The only thing the Magic should be doing is trying to continue to improve the roster, whatever that looks like.
How aggressively they would pursue that in February would come down to how close the Magic are to winning a title and whether they need some immediate addition to get there. It really will come down to how close they are to their ambitions and how aggressively they want to pursue them.
Or it could come down to cutting payroll because the Magic are not as good as they thought and need to regain flexibility and nimbleness to improve.
Still, some additions are obvious even now.
The Magic will always need more shooting. The team may still need another two-way guard or point guard off the bench. The needs are not completely hidden.
But the Magic will still be patient and wait to see what this team looks like before plotting their next strategy.
But this is the curse of a contending team. Change is always in the background. There is no being satisfied with where you are at. Not until you are on top of the mountain.
As the season begins, the Magic are obviously excited for what they can accomplish this season. But there is still work to do in the front office to get the team to its ultimate goal.
Trading has not been part of the Magic's m.o. But it is their only way to take the next step, whatever that may be.