8 shooters the Orlando Magic should target at the trade deadline
The Orlando Magic just had two tough losses to the Boston Celtics last weekend. The team struggled with spacing and this led to contested shots and bad passes.
Boston employs lineups of four shooters at a minimum and Orlando fans were witness to a well-orchestrated offense with ball movement and open shots.
Orlando knows offensive efficiency is a weakness with a rookie point guard starting a majority of the season. Anthony Black has had highlights as an on-ball defender and off-ball cutter. But he is not ready to orchestrate this Magic team to make the playoffs.
Markelle Fultz looks to be inching closer from injury to return to the hardwood, but his much-needed welcome back is not the primary remedy Orlando needs.
Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero have shown they can score in isolation among the league's best, but this is difficult to do when they are double-teamed with much of their required space being taken away from secondary defenders.
They have still done an excellent job finding their offense with such little help on that side of the court with an exception of Jalen Suggs' improved shooting numbers.
Fultz has been at his best when he has the basketball in his hands creating for others. He averaged 14.0 points per game last year with 5.7 assists per game. Those were both career highs for Fultz as he had the third-highest usage rate on the team.
Now that coach Jamahl Mosely is increasing Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner's usage rates, this will prove to make Markelle Fultz's life difficult on offense. Without the possibility to shoot in an off-ball position, Fultz looks to be a piece that doesn't fit into Orlando's puzzle moving forward.
This is something the Magic will have to consider as they look ahead to the Feb. 7 trade deadline. Now squarely in the playoff chase, Orlando has to think about how to build the best team for the playoffs and what will ultimately help the team win.
This is not a rebuilding team anymore.
Orlando can be active at the deadline to bring in off-ball and tertiary creators who can also shoot the basketball. There are not many spots in the rotation that are vacant. But if the Magic can find guards that can stretch the floor it will provide some major relief.
With the trade deadline starting to come into focus, there are plenty of shooters and ball-handlers they can find to fit this need.