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Orlando Magic: NBA trade deadline winners and losers

By Luke Duffy

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 01: Aaron Gordon #50 of the Denver Nuggets is introduced ahead of the game against the Denver Nuggets at Staples Center on April 01, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 01: Aaron Gordon #50 of the Denver Nuggets is introduced ahead of the game against the Denver Nuggets at Staples Center on April 01, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) /
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Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic, NBA trade deadline (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) /

Orland Magic NBA trade deadline winner: The Magic’s future

The one clear mistake the Magic made back in 2012 when they hit reset was not leaning into it hard enough. The highest draft pick they ever got during that period was second overall, when they took Victor Oladipo. We know that that didn’t exactly work out, while the other lottery misfires have already been spoken about.

Now though, you could make the case that by this time next year, the Magic may have the brightest future of any up and coming team in the league. ACL tears are obviously no joke, and as recently as 10 years ago they ruined the Hall of Fame career of Derrick Rose. This is the injury that Okeke has had, and that Fultz and Isaac are recovering from.

There are no guarantees all three will stay healthy for long enough to be foundational building blocks here, but the play of Okeke has been really promising. Isaac will surely be an All-Defensive candidate one day, while Fultz was the second best player (after Vucevic) for the Magic in a playoff series last year. That is worth talking about.

Carter Jr. has hit the ground running, and Cole Anthony has had a nice rookie season so far. He has that chip on his shoulder that has been sorely lacking on Magic rosters in recent years. R.J. Hampton is the sleeper here, because at this stage he is insurance if one of Anthony or Fultz don’t happen to work out. He is also only 20, and was born a mere weeks before this.

Feel old yet? That’s the kind of youth we’re talking about with the Magic right now, and it is exciting. That is without taking the various first round draft picks into account in the coming years, and the two received from the Bulls for Vucevic could certainly have real significance. Not to mention the Magic’s own first rounder this summer as well.

Obviously all of these young guys, and we can include Bamba here too, aren’t going to be around for the long haul, but that is part of the reason to be excited. Not only do the organization have some real young players who could define their future, they also have likely trade candidates for when the next disgruntled star becomes available. A common occurrence in today’s NBA.

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