During a recent appearance on The Zach Lowe Show, Bill Simmons proposed a trade that would ese the Orlando Magic send Franz Wagner to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Paul George and the No. 3 overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft. And thus, a wild offseason officially began for Orlando.
It's an intriguing option to consider, as a top-three pick will always be valued in NBA circles, but the Magic must ultimately decide to steer clear of this potential trade.
Orlando is coming off of a season during which it overcame extensive injuries to go 41-41 and win a game against the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. It may not have been the outcome Magic fans were hoping for, but it was a confirmation of the team's ability to play through adversity.
Despite that success, Simmons has proposed a deal that would effectively swap Wagner for a veteran and a future building block.
It's an admittedly intriguing possibility, as George is a proven commodity and the No. 3 pick would enable Orlando to find a high-level talent to develop into a franchise cornerstone. Unfortunately, the cost of doing business would be one of the most promising young players in the NBA.
That causes the question to be posed: Would it be worth moving Wagner for the No. 3 pick if Orlando truly loves one of the players on the board?
The appeal of the Magic trading up to No. 3
It's easy to be intrigued by the opportunity to trade into the top five, let alone have one of the first three picks at the 2025 NBA Draft. It's a class that's believed to have multiple potential All-Stars, with Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper unanimously pegged as the top two picks.
In this scenario, Orlando would have a chance to select a promising prospect such as Ace Bailey, V.J. Edgecomb, or Tre Johnson.
Bailey is widely regarded as a player with obscene potential as a 6'10" wing who can easily shoot over the average forward and put points on the board at a remarkable rate. Edgecomb, meanwhile, is the epitome of a two-way prospect, boasting All-Defense potential with his tenacity and elite athleticism, and showcasing intriguing upside on offense.
As for Johnson, he's a pure scorer who plays against tight defense as though it isn't there—an appealing skill to any team, let alone a Magic squad that would benefit from improved guard play.
Furthermore, George is a respected veteran who ranks among the best defenders of his generation. He's also an excellent shooter, boasting a career mark of 38.3 percent from beyond the arc, which would certainly help a Magic team that ranked dead last in three-point field goal percentage in 2024-25.
For as intriguing as that all may be, Orlando can't afford to move Wagner for an unproven commodity and an aging and injury-plagued wing.
Intriguing as trade may be, the Magic must prioritize Franz Wagner
Perhaps a trade with the 76ers would enable Orlando to draft Bailey, who could become the ultimate mismatch at either forward position. In that same scenario, George could be reinvigorated by a move to a playoff team that can allow him to pick his spots due to Banchero's individual dominance.
The harsh reality of this trade idea, however, is that the Magic would need to avoid any adversity at all to justify moving Wagner for two unproven commodities.
Wagner is coming off of a season during which he averaged 24.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per game—at just 23 years of age. Orlando went 30-18 when he scored at least 20 points, including a 10-4 record when he finished with 30-plus.
Wagner also finished the 2025 NBA Playoffs averaging 25.8 points and 5.6 assists per game against the defending champion Boston Celtics.
Furthermore, Orlando went 33-27 when Wagner played and 8-14 when he didn't in 2024-25. It also ranked in the 72nd percentile in net rating when Wagner and Paolo Banchero shared the court, ranking in the 93rd percentile in defensive rating during that time.
For as appealing as the No. 3 pick and George may be, blowing up a potentially dominant duo for an uncertain return simply can't be justified.