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.
8 shooters the Orlando Magic should target at the trade deadline
Jevon Carter, Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls look to be major sellers by the trade deadline and teams have already been calling. Alex Caruso would be an ideal candidate, but it looks like the Bulls have shut down trade conversations with opposing teams interested in Caruso.
The Bulls have another guard who can contribute for Orlando on both ends of the court in Jevon Carter.
A product of West Virginia, or "Press Virginia," Carter has proved to be one of the better on-ball defenders in the league.
Carter has bounced around the league, playing on five teams in six seasons. But he has done well considering. He has career averages of 5.3 points per game through 331 career games.
But what is most exciting is he has a career average of 39.2% from beyond the three-point line.
His ability to stretch the floor and handle the basketball would help Orlando. He might not get a lot of playing time, but he could be a cheap addition that would provide even more bench depth to the team.
Carter had a career season with the Milwaukee Bucks last year, averaging 8.0 points per game and shooting 42.1 percent from three in 81 games. That percentage from three was the 12th best in the NBA.
Mosley can find minutes for a player of that caliber.
He has dipped in his shooting this season, but his averages would still be sixth-best on the Magic roster. Carter has two more years after this season, averaging $6.5 million per season. That can prove to be miniscule for such a talent off the bench.
8 shooters the Orlando Magic should target at the trade deadline
Alec Burks, Detroit Pistons
Alec Burks is another player who would be a good fit for a shot-starved Magic team. The 13-year veteran has played for seven different teams with a career average of 10.8 points per game.
At 6-foot-6 he is a perfect implant to any lineup as he can play shooting guard or small forward. He can score in bunches and does not need much space to get his shot off.
He is a career 38.2-percent shooter from distance and has 22 playoff games under his belt. Burks could be a veteran presence and alleviate offensive stagnation when the Magic are having difficulty scoring.
The only hiccup to acquiring him is that he is in the final year of his deal with Detroit. Orlando is not a team in need of a veteran rental and would need to feel confident they want to retain Burks in the offseason.
Detroit is one of the worst teams in the NBA and can shop some of their veteran players to hit the reset button on some of the roster this offseason. Burks can be a guy they move on from, and since he is on an expiring contract, could be cheap.
8 shooters the Orlando Magic should target at the trade deadline
Tyus Jones, Washington Wizards
Tyus Jones is getting his first chance to be a full-time starter for an NBA team. He is playing in his ninth season but is still only 27 years old.
The Washington Wizards have been almost as bad as the Detroit Pistons this season and are in the first year of a rebuild. They are going to continue to add draft capital and trade older players for any value.
Tyus Jones was an afterthought in the Kristaps Porzingis trade, but he is playing well this season with averages of 11.6 points per game and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 37.3 percent from deep.
The best part of his game is his ability to handle the basketball and control offensive flow. He is leading the league in assist-to-turnover ratio and doing so with some of the worst scoring options in the NBA.
He is creating offense and finding space for open jump shots and floaters in the lane. He has arguably been the best player on the Wizards and has an expiring contract.
This would be a similar situation to Alec Burks and Orlando would need confidence that Tyus Jones would want to stay with the Magic after this season.
Orlando has tons of cap room next season too and the team could just target him in free agency this summer. The Magic would need to feel the urgency to grab him now.
It would be a gamble on a player with little starting experience, but Washington is not expected to have a high asking price.
Delon Wright, Washington Wizards
If the asking price is too high for Tyus Jones, the Orlando Magic could pivot to another Washington Wizard at the deadline.
Delon Wright has only been able to play in eight games this season, but he has 469 career games under his belt to prove that he can play in the NBA.
He is another tall guard at 6-foot-5 who can play either point guard or shooting guard. He is a career 35.3 percent shooter from deep and is averaging 4.4 assists in his eight games this season -- remember the Wizards play a supercharged offensive game.
Wright would provide depth at guard and has an expiring contract this offseason. He would cost little in value to return to the Wizards and could find a home in Orlando.
Wright has played in 37 career playoff games. Most recently with the Atlanta Hawks two seasons ago he averaged 8.2 points while shooting 38.5 percent from deep. He has seen the playoffs before unlike most of the Magic's current roster.
8 shooters the Orlando Magic should target at the trade deadline
Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz
There are not many scorers like Jordan Clarkson. He has been a double-digit scorer since he was drafted. He can single-handedly carry offenses and would fit perfectly with the Orlando Magic.
Clarkson would fit in any lineup in Orlando and instantly improve the team's offense. And he could either start or come off the bench.
The Utah Jazz have reportedly been interested in parting ways with the 31-year-old after signing an extension this offseason. The Jazz are currently 12th in the Western Conference and are still transitioning into a rebuilding phase after trading Donovon Mitchell and Rudy Gobert one year ago.
The Jazz look to garner some value for their veterans as they would prefer to let younger players, like Keyonte George, develop more as a scorer. Orlando could bring a one-man offense like Clarkson to in for an immediate surge in scoring.
Orlando has identified itself as a defensive-first roster and could easily hide Clarkson on defense while utilizing his scoring prowess.
Not only is Clarkson the second-leading scorer on the Jazz, but is also second in assists per game. He is creating for others and playing on a similar team to the Magic. Utah has a young team with no players older than 30 years old besides Clarkson.
Jordan Clarkson would reunite with Joe Ingles from their time together in Utah and give coach Jamahl Mosley several more offensive options to work with.
The sweetener of this acquisition is his playoff experience (there is a trend here). In his last 24 playoff games, Clarkson is averaging 17.3 points per game as a scoring assassin off the bench. The 2021 Sixth Man of the Year has been unbelievable in his time with the Jazz.
Clarkson would be under contract for the next two years if Orlando acquired him. It might be a risk to pay him $14.3 million in his age-33 season, but if he can improve the Magic's offense he could be well worth it.
8 shooters the Orlando Magic should target at the trade deadline
D'Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers
The idea that the Orlando Magic could do a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers would be predicated on a third team being involved. The Magic do not currently have talent they would be willing to move that equates to D'Angelo Russell. And the Lakers are certainly not in salary dump mode as they try to keep their title hopes alive.
The Lakers would be looking to bring in a star and need to part with Russell to make the salaries match. Orlando could take full advantage and use some of the team's draft capital and veterans to bring in the former All-Star.
D'Angelo Russell would be a complement to Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero as he is comfortable playing with high-usage players from his days with the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers.
He is a bona-fide scorer. From his age 22-26 seasons, he averaged 19.9 points per game. He has seen a dip in his scoring this season. But he also plays with All-Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Russell has the most decorated resume so far on this list. And at 27 years old, he still has plenty of solid basketball ahead of him.
He opted into the final year of his deal this offseason so will be looking for a significant contract this offseason. The Magic have the cap space to keep him around.
Orlando has not had a point guard of this caliber since Jameer Nelson and the addition would be welcomed. Russell can be ball-dominant at times. But he thrives in that role as he did with the Brooklyn Nets.
Anthony Black was drafted to be the next stud point guard for Orlando, but acquiring a player like D'Angelo Russell will give time for Black to develop an NBA skill set.
Russell has limited his turnovers on offense and averaging 6.3 assists so far for the Lakers. Russell would probably be third in usage rate for the Magic similar to what he is now.
D'Angelo Russell would be the largest acquisition the team has made since trading for Serge Ibaka in 2016 and Magic fans would hope that Russell thrives in Central Florida and gives the team another dynamic scorer.
8 shooters the Orlando Magic should target at the trade deadline
Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers
The idea to bring Anfernee Simons home to Orlando is not a new one. There has been a buzz surrounding the fit between Simons and the Orlando Magic since he was drafted in 2018.
Simons is the perfect player to complete the starting unit for the Magic. He is 24 years old, has two more years remaining on his contract, and is a star in the making.
So far this season, he has only been able to play in seven games for the rebuilding Portland Trail Blazers. But he is averaging a blistering 25.7 points per contest. He is 14th in the NBA in scoring per game.
He is leading the Trail Blazers in scoring and proving he is one of the most talented guards in the world. The former 24th overall selection is 6-foot-3 and primarily plays the shooting guard position. In the last three seasons, he has developed his playmaking ability and is leading the Blazers in assists.
There are not many players who are 24 or younger who can score, pass and handle the basketball like Simons. He would fit in Orlando like a glove.
He would compete with Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero for shots, but that is the beauty of the Magic's young stars. They are unselfish and care more about winning basketball games than their own accolades. Both players are active distributors looking to make the correct play.
Simons plays similarly. He distributes the ball but also is aggressive looking for his shot. He is entering his sixth NBA season and has had the tutelage of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Simons is a basketball player and not a stats-padder.
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.