Orlando Magic can pick their development speed at the trade deadline
Orlando Magic can pick their development speed at the trade deadline
Scenario #1: Trade for a star
The least likely however still a very possible scenario is the Orlando Magic trade for a star at the deadline.
The Magic would be a perfect supporting cast for a superstar player, and one of the league's best players might also push them over the edge and make them a top team in the East.
They have two all-star caliber players already, a sixth man of the year candidate and possibly the best backup center in basketball, along with elite defenders in Jalen Suggs, Jonathan Isaac and Wendell Carter. Despite their shooting problems, they have capable shooters in Joe Ingles, Gary Harris and Caleb Houstan.
This is everything a proven star would need to succeed.
If the Magic truly think they can contend or that they are one piece away from winning a title this year or next, then another star might be necessary to bring in.
Nowadays teams must have two to three All-Star caliber players to contend and adding another elite player would make them a top contender in the East.
Most Magic fans reading this are probably disgusted at this thought and do not want to stunt the growth of their two young stars.
Nonetheless, that is not the case at all, adding another star player will not hurt Banchero and Wagner's growth, it will make their lives a lot easier, assuming he is a playmaker and can play off the forward duo.
As alluded to earlier, teams in today's game can have two or three 20-point-per-game scorers or at least three people all scoring 18-plus. Adding a star player and pushing Banchero to the second option and Wagner to the third will make the Magic's offense one of the most feared in the league.
Banchero will not have all the pressure and focus on him and he will probably get a lot more open shots and he will be able to get to his spots easier, same with Wagner.
A proven star will also be able to pick up the slack through Wagner and Banchero's learning curves since they are both still young, and a star would also be able to teach them how to continue their paths to stardom.
As seen in basketball history, future stars learning from current stars goes a long way. Kobe Bryant was second fiddle to Shaquille O'Neal and then eventually led his team to back-to-back championships without O'Neal. Kyrie Irving played as the top option for the Cleveland Cavaliers, then played with LeBron James to win his title before going back to being a top option.
Jayson Tatum, a close comparison for Paolo Banchero, played alongside veteran stars like Kyrie Irving, Isaiah Thomas and Kemba Walker early in his career before he took over as the team's superstar.
Learning to play with other elite talent is an underrated skill that all great players need to learn to succeed. Learning and watching one of the league's best could be a valuable experience for Banchero and Wagner while also putting them in a position to win now.
All these hypotheticals are great, but let's talk about specifics. Who is out there for them to get?
Normally trading for a star is hard and it is hard to find a team willing to give away a star. Also having assets to give away for a star is another factor that stops teams from acquiring stars. Luckily this season there are plenty of stars that could be on the go and the Magic have plenty of assets.
Let's start with who can they get.
The most realistic options are probably either Zach LaVine or DeMar DeRozan. The Bulls' experiment with LaVine and DeRozan seems to be coming to an end. The Bulls could be blowing it up at the deadline and the Magic could be buyers.
Lavine is averiging 21/4.9/3.4 and DeRozan is averiging 22.3/3.7/5.4. Both veterans are elite scorers who can elevate the Magic and teach their young stars.
But they are both limited. LaVine has never really impacted winning -- although he could be a complementary player to Bancher and Wagner if the magic want to push all in on offense -- and he is not considered a good defender.
DeRozan is a poor floor spacer and might cost too much considering his age and experience level.
Another option could be Donovan Mitchell. There are rumors of him wanting to leave Cleveland and the Magic could be a perfect landing spot. Of course, those rumors also widely assume Mitchell wants to end up with one of the two New York teams, so he may be an extended rental.
A few other "star" options would be Dejounte Murray, Anfernee Simons, and Pascal Siakam.
A new face of the Magic might mean a few fan favorites being shipped off, but if the Magic can compete for a banner while developing their young core then Magic fans are in for a treat for the next decade.
The question is whether they feel Banchero or Wagner need this kind of player with them on the floor and whether these two players canc ontinue growing and developing in this kind of scenario.