8 shooters the Orlando Magic should target at the trade deadline

8 shooters the Orlando Magic should target at the trade deadline

Matisse Thybulle, Portland Trail Blazers

Anfernee Simons is not the only player in Portland who could help Orlando. Matisse Thybulle has been playing some of his best basketball since being traded to the Portland Trail Blazers last season.

The Magic already have a top-5 defense in the NBA so why not continue to add talent to it?

Thybulle is considered one of the best on-ball wing defenders in the game and has been tasked to guard some of the best players throughout his career.

The 6-foot-5 wing has a 6-foot-11 wingspan which is similar to the players president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman has targeted since his arrival in Orlando.

Thybulle would complement the defensive unit off the bench pairing with Jonathan Isaac to build a formidable duo. I am not sure opposing teams would be able to score if Jalen Suggs, Matisse Thybulle and Jonathan Isaac all shared the same court.

Thybulle entered the league without an offensive repertoire. He was a project drafted by Philadelphia to use his quickness, length and effort on the defensive end. The 76ers intentionally hid him in the corner on offense or barely played him.

Now through 48 games in Portland, Thybulle is shooting 40 percent from three on 3.9 attempts per game. That is excellent for a player who has been written off as a shooter in the past.

While he was in Philadelphia, teams would not guard him and play help defense very much like how teams are currently treating Anthony Black and Markelle Fultz.

He has built some confidence as a shooter and has not missed a step on defense. He is only 26 years old and under contract next season with a player option in 2026.

Orlando would only look to bring Matisse Thybulle in if they were moving on from Gary Harris. Harris has been a safety valve for the Magic as one of the only pure shooters on the team. But he has struggled so far this year from deep, going through a prolonged shooting slump in the last 10 games.

Thybulle would fit the mold of what the Magic look for. He has experience playing in the playoffs and has been praised for being a great locker-room guy.

He has 25 playoff games under his belt and would boost Orlando on that front.

Orlando has options to upgrade their roster at the deadline. The Magic have yet to be aggressive with trade acquisitions while Jeff Weltman has been in charge. But now seems like the time to solidify the roster.