NBA Trade Rumors: 10 Teams That Should Trade For Jeff Teague
7. Orlando Magic
On the surface, the Orlando Magic seem to make zero sense as a trade partner for Jeff Teague. They already have the 21-year-old Elfrid Payton at the point, a player they plan on grooming into an excellent two-way guard once he learns how to be a more efficient jump shooter.
Victor Oladipo‘s blend of athleticism, defense and youth (he’s 23) lends to the notion that this team should just allow its youth to develop despite the 4-16 skid to start 2016.
But according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, the Magic have already discussed a deal with Atlanta revolving around Teague and Oladipo.
A league source claims that the Magic and Hawks have discussed a deal involving Victor Oladipo and Jeff Teague.
— Frank Isola (@TheFrankIsola) February 10, 2016
In his third season, Oladipo isn’t exactly having the breakout year many envisioned after he averaged 17.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game last season.
His rebounding numbers and three-point percentage are up (4.6 per game and a career high 34.6 percent, respectively), but his scoring has dropped off to 14.3 points per game and his field goal percentage has dropped to 41.6 percent.
Head coach Scott Skiles moved Oladipo to the bench for 20 games and in those games, Orlando went 13-7 — as opposed to 10-22 otherwise. With Oladipo in a somewhat disappointing season and his place in the rotation having been all over the map, it appears the Magic want a little bit more of a veteran touch.
There's a growing sense among rival executives that Orlando, now 3-15 in 2016, is open to proposals of any kind to get a bit more seasoned.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 8, 2016
For the Hawks, a trade like this would be highway robbery. Oladipo has been disappointing this season, but he’s still young and has the potential to be a dynamic two-way player. In fact, he probably has the highest ceiling of anyone on that young Magic roster.
Dewayne Dedmon would be included to make the salaries match, providing Atlanta with more frontcourt depth in the event of an Al Horford trade (and also in case Tiago Splitter‘s injury is serious).
For the Magic, this rumored swap would make ZERO sense. Unless the team is planning on moving Payton as well, Teague would be redundant, but if Orlando was planning on moving Payton afterward, that might actually be even worse.
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Teague would undoubtedly give the team more experience, but to what end? Is supplanting Payton in the starting lineup so he can learn from Teague really worth jettisoning Oladipo? Would trading Oladipo AND Payton make any sense whatsoever? Has losing in Orlando gotten so intolerable the front office is ready to give up on letting the young guns take their licks and grow together?
This would probably be one of the best possible offers Atlanta could get for Teague, but since it would be an absolutely boneheaded move on Orlando’s part, this is as high as it goes in the top 10.
Next: No. 6