6 early Orlando Magic trade targets from struggling teams
Malcolm Brogdon, Portland Trail Blazers
If part of the rebuild plan for the Portland Trail Blazers was to be bad this season, they are succeeding. The Blazers pulled the trigger on the Damian Lillard deal just before the season started and that left Malcolm Brogdon as something of an odd-man-out as the veteran on a young team.
Banged up at the end of last year, Brogdon is healthy, doing good things for a bad team, and is sure to have some suitors in the trade market. He may be one of the most sought-after players on this year's trade market.
The 31 year old is averaging 16.5 points per game with nearly 6 assists per game, shooting 39 percent from 3 on 5.3 attempts per game.
More than any player on this list, Brogdon can run the offense as a primary guard. He is a patient player who sees the game fast, and as a result, slows it down for those with whom he shares the court.
More than that for the Magic, he has the reputation as a strong defender and is big for his size. He fits the size profile the Magic are looking for for sure.
On top of this, while he is a point guard, he is not a traditional ball-dominant poitn guard. He can play off the ball as a shooter and floor-spacer too. That would keep the ball in the hands of the Magic's two young players while keeping a veteran who can direct traffic and keep players in the right spot.
Brogdon is making $22.5 million next year on the final year of his contract which the Magic can easily make work, currently sitting $38 million under next year's projected cap. They have enough salary to match too if they want to try to make a deal this year.
The question with Brogdon is how much are the Magic willing to give up to get them. Brogdon, along with the next player on this list, will be highly sought-after players in the trade market.