NBA Trade Rumors: Trade Ideas For Tobias Harris And Orlando Magic
By Josh Eberley
Why do the Warriors do this?
Crazy talk right? The Warriors might be the best team ever and they make a trade mid-season? Hear me out, Barnes and Ezeli are both pending free agents, Harris is on a four-year deal. The Warriors avoid a potential headache in the offseason. Barnes will command a larger deal with the rising cap than Harris has now. On top of the free agency avoidance the Warriors get the bigger and arguably better player.
| Rk | Player | Season | Age | MP | FG% | 3P% | 2P% | eFG% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harrison Barnes | 2015-16 | 23 | 29.4 | .469 | .394 | .502 | .530 | .824 | 4.4 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 12.1 |
| 2 | Tobias Harris | 2015-16 | 23 | 32.9 | .464 | .311 | .523 | .507 | .784 | 7.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 13.7 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 2/8/2016.
The Warriors get a comparable player on a cheaper deal. It’s ambitious but the best chess players are always two moves ahead.
Why do the Magic do this?
They keep building up on the pile of youth they’ve already collected. Ezeli gives them a rim protector, something they’ve sorely lacked this season. Barnes gives them a suitable replacement for Harris. The Magic would have Barnes’ Bird rights and would have the rest of the year to weigh the pros and cons of signing him long term. It’s a lateral move but it gives them more options.
Next: Boston Celtics & Orlando Magic