Orlando Magic: 3 cheap options to boost team’s scoring

2. Ben McLemore

There was a period not long ago when the Orlando Magic could have gotten Ben McLemore from the Sacramento Kings for nothing. Instead he found his way to the Houston Rockets, where he has gone through a rejuvenation of sorts next to James Harden and Russell Westbrook. McLemore has done exactly what he is supposed to with the Rockets.

That is defined as McLemore spreading the floor and hitting as many 3-pointers as possible. He is averaging a nice 37.8 percent from deep so far this season, with that number jumping to an elite 44.8 percent in the month of January.

This is important, because Harden is going through his worst stint since landing in Houston and playing alongside Westbrook requires not always seeing the ball each trip down (to be fair to Westbrook, his willingness to change his style has helped he and Harden blend well this season).

Yet McLemore is still showing up and knocking down shots even when guys around him are struggling. He wouldn’t be the first player to struggle early in his career with the Kings and while his time with the Memphis Grizzlies was forgettable as well, McLemore is showing in Houston that he could actually be ready to take on a bigger load offensively.

No two players grow at the same rate and the McLemore redemption has been a nice storyline that has flown under the radar. Why then would the Rockets want to part with a reclamation project that they have helped to build back up again, and who can do everything that they need him to on the court?

There’s every chance they don’t, but in Harden and Westbrook they have two players who desperately want to win now. Do the Magic have anybody who could help to push them over the top? It is difficult, but if Fournier was paired next to Harden and Westbrook that would form a formidable trio.

It would also get the Magic out from under the possibility of bringing Fournier back in 2021 once he hits unrestricted free agency and the numbers that would potentially cost. They would have to take on other players to make the deal work and this much work simply to get McLemore is a lot.

Still, they need to make changes and McLemore represents an under-the-radar move that could pay off, all while helping the Magic move on from a player in Fournier who is having a career year, but never seems to be too far away from his next run of poor games. Fans’ opinions on him are divisive and that is putting it lightly.