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Orlando Magic: 3 trade candidates before the deadline

By Luke Duffy

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 07: Terrence Ross #31 of the Orlando Magic and Evan Fournier #10 celebrate after defeating the Boston Celtics 116-108 at TD Garden on April 07, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 07: Terrence Ross #31 of the Orlando Magic and Evan Fournier #10 celebrate after defeating the Boston Celtics 116-108 at TD Garden on April 07, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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Orlando Magic
NBA trade deadline, Orlando Magic (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images) /

2. Khem Birch

Outside of ESPN’s Zach Lowe, not a lot of people know or care about center Khem Birch. That is on them, however, as in his time with the Magic he has gone from player brought back from the overseas wilderness, to a real cult hero and somebody who has taken minutes away from lottery pick Mohamed Bamba.

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The idea of trading for Birch isn’t exactly a sexy or trendy one, but he could absolutely do a job for pretty much any team in the league. That’s his appeal. The Brooklyn Nets may have brought in Blake Griffin, and could yet add Andre Drummond, to try and shore up the paint with bigger bodies, but Birch would be the perfect player for them.

A guy who runs the floor diligently, sets screens, looks for putbacks and barely ever has his number called, and is absolutely fine with this being his role. The kind of unsung big man that you would want on the end of your bench over the course of a season.

Yes, he would likely see his minutes cut drastically if he were traded to a playoff team, and his offensive game is very limited. But we are seeing a rebirth of the big man in the NBA and although Birch is unable to provide a high level of play on both ends of the court, defensively he is able to battle in the paint with just about anybody in the league.

Birch is making $3 million this year and is also an unrestricted free agent this summer. In the Eastern Conference, other teams could do worse than take a look at Birch as somebody who could wrestle with Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers over a seven-game series in the playoffs. It would also not take a lot for the Magic to part with him either.

This would finally clear the way for Bamba to assume the role of backup center full-time, and quite quickly we would know if this is something he is able to do over the course of a season. Bamba has shown some flashes this season, and Vucevic won’t be around forever. Fans love Birch, and he has been great, but the time to move him to get something in return is now.

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