Everyone is expecting the Orlando Magic to be active this offseason. They are expecting the Magic to make major changes to improve the offense. They are expecting the team to make some significant moves to the roster.
A lot of the focus has been on whether the Magic would add a big-name player to the roster. Everyone is hunting for the starting point guard the Magic have been desperate for, or the volume shooter that could transform the team's spacing.
Certainly Orlando's big move will set off a domino effect throughout the roster.
But it should also not be the only move the Magic will make. They need better offensive depth after going through an injury-filled season that saw their bench scoring absolutely gutted.
Orlando finished 17th in the league with 35.8 points per game off the bench -- and that was 33.2 points per game and 22nd in the league off the bench after Moe Wagner's ACL injury in late December.
The Orlando Magic's bench went missing in action during the Playoff series with the Boston Celtics, scoring only 18.2 points per game.
Orlando not only needs that playmaking and solid shooting, but the team also needs to increase its production off the bench, especially if it faces the litany of injuries it faced again. More than that, it needs a scorer off the bench it can rely on in the Playoffs.
That will naturally come with Moe Wagner's return -- likely around Christmas or New Year's Day -- and with Anthony Black's natural growth if he remains on the roster. The bench should be stronger.
But like with everything on the roster, the Magic cannot sit and wait for things to happen. Orlando must be proactive to add to this roster.
Whatever big move the Magic might have in mind, they also need to supplement it with key moves on the margins. Moves that will make the team better for the full 48 minutes.
Those ideas are a lot harder to come to in the rumor mill. Everyone focuses on the big names -- for now that fans appear to have settled on Anfernee Simons, Collin Sexton, Coby White and Austin Reaves. Those generate traffic and discussion.
But the right role player -- think the addition of Mickael Pietrus for the 2007-08 season or Ryan Anderson in the Vince Carter/Courtney Lee trade -- can transform a team too.
The perfect role player already seems to be on the market and fishing for the right home. The dots are easily connected.
The PHNX Suns Podcast pitched a pair of trades involving Phoenix Suns players and included one to the Orlando Magic -- putting Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale on the table. Both players would be strong additions to the team.
Allen is known for his shooting. He shot 42.6 percent from three last year after leading the league in 2024 with a 46.1 percent 3-point field goal percentage. He averaged 10.6 points per game and took 5.5 3-point field goal attempts per game last year.
Allen is a bit undersized, but has always been a physical defender. He would fit into the Magic's defensive mentality.
They pitched trading Grayson Allen for Jonathan Isaac straight up -- a deal that would only work after July 1 (other complications might come if the Magic are above the first apron when they make the deal).
The better option is O'Neale.
The 6-foot-4 forward is a little undersized, but has built a reputation in the league as a solid 3-and-D player. He averaged 9.1 points per game and shot 40.6 percent on 5.9 3-point attempts per game. He has never shot worse than 35 percent from three in any season in his career.
These are not starters so it makes sense that their stats might be a bit depressed. But they would both immediately give the Magic legitimate three-point options. Allen would even bring some creation off the dribble to the team, averaging 2.1 assists per game last year.
But they are mostly catch-and-shoot options. Still a skill the Magic desperately need.
On top of all this, the Suns have a reason to try to deal with the Magic. Orlando owns a pick swap right for the 2026 season.
While Phoenix has shown no signs of trying to enter a rebuild, they could be looking to cut salary -- Allen is set to make $16.9 million next year with three years remaining on his deal and O'Neale makes $10.1 million next year with three years remaining. Reclaiming a draft pick while also picking up a cheaper veteran like Gary Harris or even Goga Bitadze might be worth it to them would set them up well to avoid the second apron.
The Suns certainly seem to be looking for size which the Magic have available -- whether it is Goga Bitadze, Jonathan Isaac or even Wendell Carter.
The Magic could also be roped into a bigger deal involving Kevin Durant going to another team. There is plenty of motivation for the Suns to make a deal and try to include the Magic to reclaim some of their draft capital.
The secondary and role players are certainly the second piece of the puzzle for the Magic. Orlando may look to make the big move first and see what dominoes that causes to fall.
But it is easy to connect these dots and see that there could be interest if the Suns are open to trading either role player. Both would be clear fits for the Magic and match the skill set the Magic are looking to fill this offseason.