3 potential Orlando Magic trade candidates

The Orlando Magic look like an organization that could make a move before the trade deadline. Here are three players they could look to trade.

With the Orlando Magic having gone 6-2 in their last eight games, they have righted the ship as they look to solidify their playoff position. That they have done so without promising forward Jonathan Isaac is even more impressive, although the teams around them are now beginning to return to full strength themselves.

More from Hoops Habit

• 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
• Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
• Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
• Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
• NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers

Currently in seventh place and 20-21 on the year, they can now start looking upwards at trying to catch the Indiana Pacers ahead of them (26-15), as opposed to worrying about what lies below. They are three games into a six-game Western road trip (2-1) that could come to define their season and are playing much better defensively.

So far in 2020, the Magic have by far the best defensive rating in the league (98.4) and they have done this without the help of Jonathan Isaac. Khem Birch, who was so influential off the bench in their postseason run last year, has come into the starting lineup and his hustle on both ends of the court has been important for team’s ability to become a tough out every night.

Despite this cautious optimism, which has arrived a little earlier than last season, the Magic could still be players before the trade deadline. Although Kevin Love and Andre Drummond may ultimately be the biggest names that are moved, there is still plenty that can be done around the edges to make the Magic even better.

This is a risk however, as right now the Magic seem to be working themselves into a bit of form. Even on the offensive end they have shown improvements and the 16th they rank in this category over their last eight games (109.6) is their highest mark over a period of time so far this season.

Aaron Gordon has been an important reason for these improvements and his game-winner against the Sacramento Kings on Monday night was a welcome sight.

Although he may currently have the highest trade value of any player on the Magic’s roster, he has been exempt from this list because they should be looking to build around Gordon, Isaac and Markelle Fultz, who had a triple-double in the Magic’s stunning win over the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on Wednesday.

3. Evan Fournier

This is a tough place to begin, as Evan Fournier is having arguably his best ever season in an Orlando Magic uniform and he is only 27. A summer spent winning a bronze medal with France at the FIBA World Cup has carried over to the regular season so far, as he has posted a career-high 19.2 points per game while shooting 40 percent from deep.

There was a time when Fournier was the Magic’s closer of games out of necessity. Now though, he is the guy they want with the ball in hand when the game is on the line. He is their best offensive player not named Nikola Vucevic and is capable of creating his own shot better than anybody else.

So why then would the Magic trade Fournier? His trade value may never be higher and with next season being the final year of his deal before becoming an unrestricted free agent (he is due $17 million in 2020-21), another organization either on the playoff bubble or looking to solidify their contender status could do worse than take him on for the next season and a half.

This would mean the Magic may not get a ton back for Fournier, but with the roster the way it is currently constructed, taking a step backwards in order to ultimately move forward may not be a bad idea. Fournier is that bit older than the core they hope to keep in place and getting another player back who fits that timeline could help.

Again this would see the team slip in the short term, especially offensively, just as it seems like they are figuring some things out on that end. But the alternative is also a scary proposition. If he remains with the Magic into next season, they face the prospect of having to pay him in the summer of 2021.

They are still at a point where most free agents won’t consider signing with them, but the continued improvements of guys like Markelle Fultz and Aarion Gordon can change that.

With Fournier playing his best basketball currently though, if they re-signed him in 2021 to a big deal, it would hinder their prospects of signing other player, keeping them stuck in the position they are currently in as a playoff bubble team. Probably best for somebody else to have to make that decision.

2. Terrence Ross

If Evan Fournier is an example of trading a player while his value is at a peak, then Terrence Ross represents the opposite side of the coin. Last year was among his best in the league, as he was one of the best sixth men in the league. Offensively he was great off the bench, averaging a career-high 15.1 points per game on 38.3 percent from 3-point range.

This season, however, Ross has just been off, although this is not all on him. He knew his role clearly last season and while it hasn’t changed all that much in theory, the reality is he’s not always the first person off the bench anymore, with injuries to other players being one of the key reasons for that.

Michael Carter-Williams has been a guy head coach Steve Clifford has turned to first for some games, but he has missed time through injury. With Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon and Jonathan Isaac all missing portions of the season (and in Isaac’s case, probably the rest of it), the Magic have had to move players around in order to compete.

Throughout that time however, Ross has never started a game, showing the Orlando Magic believe him to be the perfect option off the bench. He could be exactly that for a contending team as well though, which is why he is on this list. He re-signed for four years, $54 million before the season, but his deal is a team-friendly one.

At 28 and in his prime, like Fournier, the amount of time remaining on the deal that Ross has makes him even more appealing. Other organizations such as the Philadelphia 76ers or Miami Heat may see themselves as a piece away from being true contenders and the skill set of Ross is exactly what is needed for complementary players in the league today.

He moves without the ball, does not need it in his hands a lot, is excellent working around screens and is able to get hot in a hurry. The 103.8 defensive rating that the Magic have when he is on the court is better than the 105.1 that they’ve posted for their season as a whole and really Ross is a capable defender as well.

There is so much to like about his game, it just isn’t happening for him in Orlando at this moment because injuries and lineup changes. Momentum could swing in his favor again though and Ross is a fan favorite regardless. His trade value will remain more consistent than anybody else on this list though, because of what he can do, his age and the longevity of his contract.

1. D.J. Augustin

D.J. Augustin may seem like an odd choice to top the list, but of all the players on the Orlando Magic’s roster, he was the one who was linked with other organizations first. This is tricky though, because his value is likely highest where he is, so any potential deal wouldn’t really benefit the Orlando Magic.

Augustin had a career year last year, but has regressed some so far this season. Nevertheless, he is an excellent mentor for Markelle Fultz and has taken being moved to the bench without any hint of unrest to the media. At 32, though, his most productive days are behind him. Really his best bet of helping is off the bench in spot minutes for a playoff team hoping to make a deep run.

Augustin has also been a good player at essentially every stop in his career to date. In the last decade, he has appeared in the playoffs for the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls and is a 37.6 percent shooter from deep in the postseason. While with the Oklahoma City Thunder, he was a solid backup for Russell Westbrook.

He has had his time as a starter on a playoff team and hit a game-winner in the postseason to add to his legacy. This was something that had not looked likely before Augustin landed in Orlando, when he was seen more as a journeyman. He did find a home and a fan base that loved him.

https://twitter.com/SkySportsNBA/status/1117382262599843840

Now would be a good time for player and team to go in different directions. Augustin is never going to win a championship in Orlando and is coming to the end of his career. Fultz is also the clear starter now and they could explore different backup options for him.

Carter-Williams could be this player for his defensive ability, although his length has seen him slide into various roles on the court and he is not a brilliant creator.

The main sticking point is what they’d get in return. Teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, who have reportedly shown the most interest in Augustin, don’t have a lot they can give in return, even given where the Magic currently are in their own development. A second-rounder might be offered, or an expiring deal, but that doesn’t move the needle.

For now though Augustin remains the most likely player to be moved, because he would not cost a lot, has tons of experience and can lead a second unit. Even defensively, despite being limited because of his size, the Magic have a defensive rating of 101.8 when he is on the court.

For elite defensive teams, of which the Magic sometimes is, he would not be a negative on that end either. Augustin is there for the taking, if the price is right.