The Orlando Magic made a 13-win improvement and snapped a three-year playoff drought this season. They are a young team on the rise but need upgrades to take the next step. Orlando projects to have cap space this summer and has rumored interest in several guards.
With Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner on rookie contracts, now is the time to upgrade.
Wagner is extension-eligible before the season and will get a massive raise in 2025. The pressure is on for the franchise to find their missing pieces. Adding in free agency will help, but the Magic also must explore the trade market.
Orlando has all of their future draft picks plus a 2025 first-rounder from the Nuggets to use in acquiring upgrades. There will be no shortage of activity on the market this summer. But the Magic must give to get.
These players are the most likely to be moved if the franchise finds the right deal.
5. Jett Howard
The 11th overall pick in 2023 barely played as a rookie. He averaged just 3.7 minutes per game and never appeared in more than three consecutive contests (he spent the majority of his season in the G-League). The 20-year-old was not NBA-ready, but finding a 6-foot-8 wing capable of blossoming into a plus shooter is not easy.
If the Orlando Magic are going to trade for an upgrade, the opposing team is likely searching for young talent and draft picks. The Magic are not trading Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner or Jalen Suggs. That leaves just young talent and salary matching to part with in any deal.
Getting a 20-year-old former lottery pick feels like a worthy gamble for a rebuilding team.
Jett Howard profiles as a floor-spacing role player. He must improve his defense and prove he can consistently knock down long-range jumpers.
Franchises that liked him in the 2023 Draft may still have interest. Most will ask for this young talent before Howard.