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2016 NBA Trade Deadline Grades For All 30 Teams

By Gerald Bourguet

Nov 30, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Markieff Morris (11) drives to the basket under pressure from Orlando Magic forward Tobias Harris (12) at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 30, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Markieff Morris (11) drives to the basket under pressure from Orlando Magic forward Tobias Harris (12) at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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NBA Trade Deadline
Feb 6, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic forward Tobias Harris (12) and forward Channing Frye (8) get pumped up against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Amway Center. Orlando Magic defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 103-97. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic‘s trade deadline could be explained in three simple letters: WTF. There’s really no other way to describe what the front office did over the last 72 hours.

Look, I get the concerns that came with starting the 2016 calendar on a 4-16 skid. But the whole point of assembling this roster was developing the youth, and instead of fighting through the rough patch, Scott Skiles’ endless tinkering led to Tobias Harris inexplicably being placed on the trade block — the second time a Skiles-coached team traded him for less than his full value.

For a contender, maybe adding a stretch-4 like Ilyasova (36.4 percent from three-point range this season) and a backup point guard like Jennings (expiring contract) would compute. But for a young team that’s still a few years away? This deal makes approximately ZERO sense.

The move was justified as freeing up cap space for this summer’s free agency fest, since Jennings will become an unrestricted free agent this summer and Ilyasova’s $8.4 million salary is non-guaranteed for the 2016-17 season.

But are we sure the allure of nice weather and Disney World can woo the big-name free agents that will be looking for max money AND a competitive team? Especially in a summer where almost every team will have max cap space as the skyrockets to an unprecedented $89 million?

The Magic could have upwards of $40 million in available cap space this summer, but how in God’s green earth did the Orlando front office not secure a first round draft pick for a promising 23-year-old wing signed on for the next three years? And was Harris’ regression — 13.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 31.1 3P% — really so terrible that he had to be moved?

What’s worse is the Magic weren’t even done there. Channing Frye’s season numbers — 5.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 39.7 3P% — aren’t anything special, but his versatility, veteran leadership and stretch-5 capabilities made him far more valuable than a simple salary dump.

Except that’s exactly what the three-team Channing Frye amounted to for the Magic, who dealt him to Cleveland and only received Jared Cunningham and a second round pick from Portland in return.

Cunningham has been a non-factor in Cleveland’s rotation since Kyrie Irving returned, averaging 2.6 points in 8.9 minutes per game this season. He and a second round pick four years from now is a pretty uninspiring return for a player like Frye, who had been bumped from the starting rotation despite the Magic outscoring opponents by 2.6 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor.

There are no explanations for this complete abandonment of Orlando’s ongoing process, even bearing in mind that ownership is eager to make the playoffs again and that Harris was having an underwhelming season. The pressure is definitely on to put all that cap space to good use this summer, but for now there’s really no other grade to give the Magic than a failing mark.

Grade: F

Next: Philadelphia 76ers