With the NBA trade deadline looming, the Orlando Magic find themselves in the unfamiliar position of actually being at the center of a lot of potential deals that could yet go down. This is far cry from the usual approach by the front office, which in years gone by has been to sit tight and hope for improvement from within.
Yet fans would do well to remember that the last time the organization did get involved in some deadline deals, it was to bring in point guard Markelle Fultz. To that end, that deal so far has been a resounding success, even if Fultz will still be gone for some time as a result of an ACL tear.
Chatter around the availability of Magic players began to heat up just before the All-Star break when franchise cornerstone Nikola Vucevic was brought up in a deal that could have seen him land with the Boston Celtics as a result of the large trade exception they currently have. Nothing happened, and the Vucevic talk died down, likely because of the asking price by the Magic.
As the NBA trade deadline nears, this is the year some big deals will go down for the Orlando Magic
A large section of Magic fans have wanted significant roster change for some time now, and with Aaron Gordon having formally asked to be traded back in February, it now looks like it is going to happen. He is not the only player who may be on the move though, although he seems like the most likely candidate at this point.
Evan Fournier’s name is coming up more frequently as the hours tick by because his current deal expires at the end of the year and he has the kind of offensive game that a franchise who knows they are going to make the playoffs could use. It seems likely the Magic are going to be sellers of talent as they look to move into a new era around their young guys, so here are three deals to consider.
Aaron Gordon to the Houston Rockets?
Since losing James Harden earlier in the season to the Brooklyn Nets, the Houston Rockets have not been having a good time of it. Right now they have a core that is centered around point guard John Wall, former All-Star Victor Oladipo and a young standout in Christian Wood. At this point, a deal that would land Gordon in Houston would see Oladipo go the other way.
Gordon and Wood are not a bad place to start, two wings that can have an impact on both ends of the floor. Wall is going to give that team something for some time yet as well, his return from injury having had some positive moments so far. The irony of swapping Oladipo for Gordon would not be lost on anybody though.
Oladipo of course began his career in Orlando, a second overall pick who for three-plus years looked on some nights like he could the solution, and then on others was more like the problem. Kind of like how Gordon is viewed by Magic fans now, the lack of consistency to his game is what has hindered his progress.
For the Magic, now under a different front office than the one that gave Oladipo away for a Serge Ibaka rental and then watched him blossom into an All-Star, making this move would hurt just too much. Imagine going on this merry-go-round of trading young players such as Oladipo (and Mario Hezonja, Elfrid Payton, even Tobias Harris), to end up right back where they started.
This time though, Oladipo would be returning having suffered a devastating injury which caused him to miss extensive time, one which he is still not 100 percent back from. Even from an optics point of view, to say nothing of the return itself, this is a trade that the Magic should avoid. There have to be better deals out there, right?
The only potential reason to explore this would be if a third team got involved and took on Oladipo. It is unclear right now who that could be, but if it meant the Magic got a younger, fitter player in return from elsewhere, that would be worth looking into. If the deal was centered around Oladipo and Gordon however, and knowing Oladipo would likely bounce when he could anyway, it’s a no.
The Verdict: Pass
Evan Fournier to the New York Knicks?
This is a potential deal that has only picked up traction recently, but it makes a lot of sense for both teams. From the Magic’s perspective, they get off making the decision about Fournier in the offseason. As frustrating as he can be on the court, there is also no escaping that nobody can create something offensively and bail out a bad possession on the roster like Fournier can.
This has been evident when he has been out injured, but having already signed him to a long deal once before, doing so again really would just be bringing back most of what is already in place for another run. It feels like we’ve seen that movie before, even if it did have a couple of nice moments. Trading Fournier takes that decision away from the organization.
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It also forces them to go in a different direction, which is what they’re going for anyway by making Fournier and Gordon available. From the perspective of the Knicks, this has been a season that nobody saw coming. They will make the playoffs, and have done so thanks to some stellar play from first time All-Star Julius Randle.
Something good is clearly happening in The Big Apple, and adding Fournier for a postseason push as a rental wouldn’t be the worst idea. He would diversify their offensive game and give the Knicks a different kind of creative wing/guard to run plays. If it worked really well they could re-sign him, or else use this time to show other free agents the Knicks are back and let Fournier walk.
As long as the Magic are realistic about the return on offer here, this is a deal they should definitely look into. The Knicks have drafted pretty well recently (words we never thought we’d see written anywhere), and in some ways have a surplus of young talent right now. What the Magic could also do with is some more guard depth, as a result of some terrible injury luck.
To that end Frank Ntilikina could be available, Dennis Smith Jr. surely is although it is not clear why the Magic would want him. Obi Toppin (12 minutes a night) and Kevin Knox (14 minutes) should at least be enquired about. Maybe even Austin Rivers, to bring him back to the state where he made his name. The Magic want to get younger and build, and the Knicks may be willing to let some guys go.
The Verdict: Pursue
Aaron Gordon to the Boston Celtics?
Let’s not overcomplicate things here. If the offer of two first-round picks, as well as Marcus Smart, is on the table, you take it. Two firsts are as much as the Magic are going to get for Gordon, and they must clearly know that because it is rumored to be what the Rockets are willing to part with if Oladipo didn’t end up going back to Florida.
These wouldn’t be lottery picks coming from the Celtics, but when you look at what is already in place, they could be hugely helpful. The current front office has drafted Jonathan Isaac and Mohamed Bamba (both lottery), Cole Anthony (15th) and even took Wesley Iwundu in the second round. As a whole, that is not dreadful drafting.
There is a potential top 5 pick coming after this season too, and when you add that to Fultz, Isaac, Anthony, Bamba and Chuma Okeke, you are in a good place moving forward. Two more firsts over the next few years would be brilliant to add to that, especially if Bamba runs out of chances and is moved on, or injuries continue to hamper the development of Isaac.
Smart would be the cherry on top, even if he doesn’t quite fit the timeline here. He is a player the Orlando Magic should have drafted when they had the chance, can you imagine his defensive presence and ability if it was harnessed by head coach Steve Clifford? Alongside Isaac and Fultz, it would be over for lots of teams.
At 27 though, Smart would want to win, and soon. If it didn’t work out though, he is the kind of player that plenty of organizations would love to have, and so would be moved easily. He’d be so sought after in fact, that it is kind of hard to see the Celtics parting with him in this potential deal.
They have a number of young players who may not have performed as well as some of those guys who play for the Knicks, but who are worth taking a flier on. Really what is most important is that two first-round picks are secured. Smart would enhance the culture and defensive reputation, whereas some young players could raise the ceiling. Either way, it’s not going to get any better.