3 Players the Magic cannot be afraid to trade to build a contender
By Elaine Blum
The Orlando Magic are an intriguing young team. They have a daunting defensive foundation anchored by All-Defensive-level players like Jalen Suggs, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Jonathan Isaac, plenty of room to improve, and a superstar in the making. Orlando seems to have everything it needs to build a contender in the Eastern Conference.
The East may not be as stacked as the Western Conference, but it features incredibly strong teams at the top. The Boston Celtics are still the best team in the league right now and beating them will be no easy feat. Neither will be winning against the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Right now, the Magic are still a tier below those teams. They have a shot at making the playoffs and maybe even securing homecourt advantage, but they are not a contender yet. That is still okay. The Magic are still incredibly young and have some things to figure out before they are in the right place to make an all-in move.
When they get there, they will have to part ways with some players. So, let's look at three players the Magic cannot be afraid to trade to build a true contender.
3. Cole Anthony
Cole Anthony has spent his entire NBA career with the Orlando Magic, producing mixed results. Once he was put in a bench role and acted as the team's sixth man, it seemed that the Magic found a fitting role for him.
His scoring was a big part of the Magic's bench play last season, but Anthony also has his limitations. For one, he is not a 3-point shooter, averaging only 34.3 percent for his career.
Still, he has been an integral part of this Magic team and a great teammate. Good vibes in the locker room are important, but if the Magic want to make a big splash on the trade market, they should not be afraid to move Anthony if necessary, especially if they can land a better 3-point shooter in the deal.
Anthony is only 24 years old and should have solid trade value. For any team looking to add some scoring to its bench, he would be a great addition. With Gary Harris moving to the bench and Anthony Black and Jett Howard waiting in the wings for rotational minutes, the Magic should be able to make up for the loss and still have a productive bench.