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3 veterans the Orlando Magic should watch in trade deadline plans

The Orlando Magic head into the trade deadline not projecting to be huge buyers. That being said, there are a few veteran players they could target as help alongside Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

By Brandon Daniels

The Orlando Magic need shooting and could look to a few Sacramento Kings players to help boost their offense at the trade deadline.
The Orlando Magic need shooting and could look to a few Sacramento Kings players to help boost their offense at the trade deadline. / Thearon W. Henderson/GettyImages
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3 veterans the Orlando Magic should watch at the trade deadline

Harrison Barnes - F, Sacramento Kings (3 years/$54 million)

Starting with a veteran with a championship pedigree, Harrison Barnes fills some important roles if Orlando could swing a trade. The Kings have begun to evaluate the trade value for a couple of veterans, including the 2015 champion wing.

The plan heading into this season was to use both Gary Harris and new acquisition Joe Ingles as key bench pieces to plug and play for outside scoring and a calming presence down the stretch in games. They, however, rank seventh and 12th in minutes respectively, and ninth and 12th in scoring.

Not amazing, but there is a potential for Harris to be moved at the deadline for a player such as Barnes.

Barnes is a player Orlando could use on the offensive end. And like with Ingles and his composure and calm with the second unit, Barnes gives the team a veteran with championship experience that can help impart wisdom to the team while still contributing regularly on the floor.

As a full-time starter this year, he is not scoring a super high clip behind De'Aaron Fox, Keegan Murray, Domantas Sabonis and Malik Monk. Barnes is averaging 10.9 points per game, his lowest point total since 2015. But he is still shooting 47.7 percent from the floor and 41.3 percent from beyond the arc, the highest clip of his career.

He is super efficient when he gets shots up.

On defense, he is the perfect quick-footed defender with the ability to switch on to bigger forwards and smaller guards, as well. He is one of the few thankless vets who, because of his smaller role on offense, does not get the constant respect as a defender and spot scorer.

Fitting into the Magic roster, though should be seamless. He would project to come off the bench behind Franz Wagner and be a perfect second-unit fit and plug-and-play wing if injuries continue to pile up.

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