Is Khem Birch Orlando Magic’s most tradable player?

Is Khem Birch actually the player with the most trade value for the Orlando Magic right now?

Although basketball seems secondary at this particular moment in time, the games continue to come thick and fast. For the Orlando Magic, they still look like they could be players ahead of the trade deadline as well. That is despite a season which has so far seen with them sunk below .500, despite getting close to jumping ahead in the wins column a number of times.

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Every time that happens though, another loss drags them back. Despite this, they still have a great chance of making the playoffs. It is clear, however, that the roster as currently constructed can only take them to the first round of the postseason and no further. While that was enough to keep fans happy last season, bringing their core back was supposed to mean improvement from within.

The likely season-ending injury to Jonathan Isaac was a blow, while both Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon have missed time. In an ideal world the Magic would upgrade their offensive options through a trade, but the simple fact is there isn’t a lot to get other organizations excited.

Vucevic makes a lot of money and will continue to do so, while Evan Fournier’s current deal will expire at the end of next season (he’s making $17 million this season and next as well). Gordon has surely attracted attention before now, but it remains to be seen if he will ever take another leap, despite looking a good bet to do so numerous times.

Markelle Fultz is the most exciting young player the team has right now and while no player should be off limits, Fultz is about as close as it gets in Orlando. He has stayed on the court this season and continues to get better, even if his numbers are too pedestrian for some.

There are other guys that could get brought up here, but we’ve reached a point now where center Khem Birch may actually be the Magic’s most movable player. That may sound like quite the statement, but could yet prove to be true.

Although a big man, Birch has quietly built a solid resume over the last 12 months and he is currently in the first season of a two-year, $6 million deal.

That figure is important, because in today’s league it represents fantastic value. The center position may be as undervalued as ever, but team-friendly deals like that entice. Since coming back to the NBA from Europe in 2017, Birch has silently worked extremely hard for his opportunity, first in the G-League and then since coming to the Magic.

With both Vucevic and lottery pick Mo Bamba ahead of him on the depth chart though, it was unclear if he would ever get the chance to prove himself. That opportunity came in the second half of last season, when Bamba went down with a leg fracture, creating space for Birch.

His arrival onto the second unit was a breath of fresh air and coincided with the Magic making a run up the standings and into the postseason for the first time in seven years.

Birch can’t take all the credit for this, but coach Steve Clifford built the rotation around elite defending and Birch obliged. The Magic finished the campaign with a 107.6 defensive rating. This number shrank to 102.7 when Birch was on the court. He didn’t stop there, answering the call when nobody else would for Canada at the FIBA World Cup.

Birch isn’t good enough to put a country on his back, but his effort in trying to do so — in much the same way he has with the Magic — made him the kind of energy guy any team would love to have. Birch has been so important to the Magic this season that he has even found himself starting games next to Vucevic.

Injury to others has made this a necessity and in truth the expansive offensive game of Vucevic is what makes this pairing possible. But what is undeniable is that Birch has now started 21 games for a likely playoff team, having already been central to them getting to the postseason last year. The real issue then is what the Magic could hope to get in return for Birch.

Andre Drummond is in the thick of trade speculation right now; Birch would represent the knock-off version of Drummond, at least on the defensive end. Drummond has started launching 3-pointers in recent times, with Birch not looking like he will ever be that guy. What would represent a fair return then?

Is a first-round pick too much? In today’s league, with how much they are coveted, probably. Rephrase this as a late first-rounder though and that could be getting closer to his worth. Then again, Birch’s introduction has coincided with winning in Orlando and that can’t be overlooked.

First-round draft picks are great and the current front office have done a good job with the players they’ve drafted since taking over.

Even Wesley Iwundu has worked out and he was picked in the second round. We are yet to see Chuma Okeke play, but the potential of what he could one day be excites at least.

In the end having Khem Birch as your most movable asset may not excite like other names do, but nothing the Orlando Magic have done in recent years has been flashy. Whether he stays or goes, Birch will help this team. Just like he always has.