Phoenix Suns: 10 potential Eric Bledsoe trades
5. Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic have been trying to decide whether Elfrid Payton is their point guard of the future for the last three years. Meanwhile, Mario Hezonja has shown only the briefest of flashes off the bench in his first two seasons and Bismack Biyombo is making far too much money to play 15 minutes a night off the bench.
Suffice it to say this team needs a point guard and has multiple assets it’s unsure of what to do with. The Magic’s 3-1 start to the season makes this the perfect time to offer someone like Bledsoe who could help bolster a potential playoff run for a franchise that’s been craving a return to postseason action since Dwight Howard left.
The trick would be finding the right combination of assets and deciding whether Payton is a point guard the Suns could get behind. If not, a deal for Biyombo and Hezonja would work straight up.
That return is fairly lackluster, however. In a worst-case scenario, Biyombo is an overpaid backup big who steals minutes from Len/Dragan Bender/Marquese Chriss, while Hezonja proves to be a draft bust. That’s not nearly enough of a return for a point guard of Bledsoe’s stature.
Since Orlando would have less use for Payton if it traded for Bledsoe, swapping Payton in for Hezonja is another potential option:
Payton still can’t shoot, but he’s crafty defensively and has a well-rounded game otherwise. The Suns would be taking a flier here, and it could prove to be a costly risk if he didn’t prove his game beyond all reasonable doubt before hitting restricted free agency next summer.
With that being said, the Suns could get even more adventurous and play the odds of one of those two boom-or-bust targets panning out. Throwing Troy Daniels into the pot in a deal for Payton, Hezonja and experienced backup point guard D.J. Augustin might be the best option.
Can the Suns do better? Probably. Are the Magic ready to give up on Payton? That remains to be seen. But for a team that is actively searching for up-and-coming players to groom, Orlando has the right combination of young talent and the potential interest in letting them go.