Despite being one of the worst teams in the NBA over the past few seasons, the Orlando Magic aren’t strangers when it comes to completing trades. At the 2021 NBA Trade Deadline, Orlando decided to undergo a full-scale rebuild by trading franchise cornerstones Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon, and Evan Fournier for young players and future draft picks. Since Orlando traded Vucevic, Gordon, and Fournier in March of 2021, the Magic has posted a combined record of 28-82, and finished 14th and 15th in the Eastern Conference Standings, respectively. In spite of these regular-season struggles, Orlando’s future has looked brighter than ever due to their decision to sacrifice the present. With the Magic being nowhere near as a top contender in the Eastern Conference, trading these three veterans would set Orlando up for future success as they continue their rebuild throughout the 2022-2023 NBA Season.
Trade No. 1: Orlando Trades Markelle Fultz to Phoenix in order to acquire Future Cap and Roster Space
Orlando Receives: Jae Crowder, Torrey Craig, 2024 First Round Pick (Via Phoenix)
Phoenix Receives: Markelle Fultz, 2025 Second Round Pick (Via Boston or Memphis)
Despite remaining as the frontrunners to land Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant in a blockbuster trade, talks between Brooklyn and Phoenix have seemed to stall, and it looks like Phoenix may just want to “run it back” with their current roster. As shown by their decision to resign Devin Booker (four years, $224 Million) and Deandre Ayton (four years, $132 Million), along with signing Damion Lee, Jock Landale, and Josh Okogie to team-friendly contracts, Phoenix seems determined to avenge their embarrassing exit in the 2022 playoffs. At first glance, it doesn’t seem like Phoneix’s roster can be upgraded, but the Suns may want to add another ball-handling guard to mitigate the decline of Chris Paul.
At just 24 years old, Fultz’s playmaking skills would pair nicely with the three-level scoring of Booker and the paint-play of Ayton. Since being drafted No. 1 overall by Philadelphia in the 2017 NBA Draft, Fultz has showcased his solid offensive skillset, averaging 10.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG, and 4.8 APG while shooting 45.0% from the field and 70.8% from the free-throw line. Despite enduring multiple injuries throughout his young career, Fultz looked as good as ever in his 18-game stint following his thirteen-month rehabilitation process from a Torn ACL. In those 18 games, Fultz averaged 10.8 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 5.5 APG, and 1.1 SPG while shooting 47.4% from the field and 80.6% from the charity. Fultz’s lack of a three-point shot is clearly concerning, but he likely won’t have to take many three-point shots with Booker, Paul, and Mikal Bridges in the fold.
It may be surprising to see the Magic move on from Fultz just 20 months after signing him to a three-year, $50 Million Contract, but Fultz’s future in Orlando seems cloudy at best. Since signing Fultz after acquiring him from Philadelphia, Orlando drafted Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs with first-round picks in consecutive years, while trading for Hampton, another former first-round pick. Additionally, Banchero’s ability to play the “point-forward” role makes Fultz and his playmaking expendable. With Fultz under contract for two more seasons, his value may not be higher than now, so Orlando should capitalize while they can.
Initially, the return Orlando receives for Fultz may seem underwhelming, but Crowder and Craig are both on expiring contracts and will enter Unrestricted Free Agency in 2023. Between Crowder’s $10.1 Million and Craig’s $5.1 Million, the Magic will clear an additional $15 Million in Salary Cap Space and two roster spaces. Likewise, Orlando also receives Phoenix’s 2024 first-round pick, which should carry immense value if Phoenix falls apart and blows up their core of Paul, Booker, Bridges, Johnson, and Ayton within the next two seasons.
Trade No. 2: Orlando Part Ways with Garry Harris to Take a Chance on Los Angeles’ Talen Horton-Tucker
Orlando Receives: Talen Horton-Tucker, 2025 Second Round Pick (Via Los Angeles), Mason Jones*
Los Angeles Receives: Gary Harris, 2027 Second Round Pick (Via Boston)
While Harris’ services were appreciated in Orlando, Harris just doesn’t fit into the Magic’s current timeline. Simply put, Orlando is still at the beginning of its rebuild, and is nowhere near contending for the top of the Eastern Conference. With this said, trading Harris for Horton-Tucker and a 2025 second-round pick would be quite ideal for the Magic. At just 21 years old, Horton-Tucker would be able to receive ample playing time in Orlando to reach his potential. Despite playing alongside LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook, Horton-Tucker still had a solid year in Los Angeles this season, averaging a career-high 10.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 1.0 SPG while shooting 41.6% from the field and 80.0% from the free-throw line.
Orlando needs to be aware of Horton-Tucker’s lackluster three-point shooting, as the former No. 46 pick in the 2019 Draft made just 26.9% of his attempts from behind the arc. Likewise, Horton-Tucker hasn’t shot over 31.0% from three-point range throughout his three-year career, which is concerning for a score-first guard like Horton-Tucker. Despite these shooting concerns, acquiring Horton-Tucker and seeing what he can do in an expanded role wouldn’t be the worst idea for Orlando. Financially, Horton-Tucker’s three-year, $30.7 Million Contract he signed with the Lakers in August of 2021 matches up quite well with Harris’ two-year, $26 Million Contract. It’s also worth noting that Horton-Tucker has just one guaranteed year left on his deal, as he has an $11.0 Million Player Option for the 2023-2024 season.
From the Lakers’ standpoint, sending Horton-Tucker to Orlando in exchange for Harris is the win-now move Los Angeles needed to make this offseason in order to contend for the 2023 NBA Championship. First off, Harris would provide valuable veteran leadership and steady scoring for the Lakers, areas in which Los Angeles failed to address this offseason. In 468 career games with Denver (2015-2021) and Orlando (2021-present), Harris has averaged 11.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.1 APG, and 1.2 SPG while shooting 44.8% from the field, 38.4% from three-point range, and 81.2% from the free-throw line. At 27 years old, Harris is still playing the best basketball of his career, and hasn’t shown signs of declining.
Furthermore, Harris’ two-year, $26 Million Contract Extension he signed with Orlando this offseason would give Los Angeles plenty of financial flexibility in the future. Since Harris signed a contract extension with Orlando, rather than a new contract, the second year (2023-2024) of Harris’ deal is non-guaranteed, meaning whichever team has Harris at that point can easily trade or cut him to free up future cap space. As it currently stands, the Lakers will have just seven players under contract during the 2023-2024 season, and recently signed James to a two-year $97 Million Contract Extension.
*For this trade to work, Los Angeles would have to trade a minimum salary to Orlando to make the finances work, which is why Jones is included in the trade.
Trade No. 3: Magic Send Terrence Ross to Washington in Exchange for Rui Hachimura and a First Round Pick
Orlando Receives: Rui Hachimura, 2026 First Round Pick (Via Washington), Justin Robinson**
Washington Receives: Terrence Ross, 2024 Second Round Pick, 2026 Second Round Pick (Via Orlando)
Similar to the aforementioned trade of Harris to Los Angeles, Orlando decides to (finally) move on from Ross after years of trade rumors and speculation. When the Magic traded Vucevic, Gordon, and Fournier at the 2021 NBA Trade Deadline, many thought that Ross would be the next player to switch teams. As it turns out, Ross has remained in Orlando, even with the additions of Wendell Carter Jr., Franz Wagner, Banchero, and Caleb Houstan in the frontcourt. With Ross set to earn $11.5 Million in the final year of his four-year, $84 Million Contract he signed in 2019-2020, Orlando should look to acquire young players and draft capital in return for Ross’ services.
One team that should be interested in acquiring Ross from Orlando is Washington. As shown by their decision to sign Superstar Bradley Beal to a five-year, $251 Million Contract Extension this offseason, the Wizards aren’t planning on rebuilding, but rather retooling. Before signing Beal to his Max Contract, Washington decided to trade Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith to Denver in exchange for Monte Morris and Will Barton. In doing so, Washington acquired a pair of reliable rotation players who will give their bench a much-needed scoring boost for the 2022-2023 season. While both of Washington’s aforementioned offseason moves are steps in the right direction, trading for Ross would be the icing on the cake for the Wizards.
Despite rostering Beal (23.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 6.6 APG; 45.1/30.0/83.3%) and two-way forward Kristaps Porziņģis (22.1 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.9 APG; 47.5/36.7/87.1%), Washington recorded just 108.6 PPG (ninth-worst in NBA), while posting a 111.1 Offensive Rating (ninth-worst in NBA), and shot 34.2% from downtown (fourth-worst in NBA). So enter Ross, who has been one of the NBA’s most reliable perimeter shooters over the past few seasons. Throughout his ten-year career with Toronto (2012-2017) and Orlando (2017-present), Ross has averaged 11.2 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1.3 APG, and 0.8 SPG while shooting 41.7% from the field, 36.1% from three-point range, and 83.9% from the charity stripe. Even as a sparkplug off the bench, Ross would pay dividends in Washington’s 2022-2023 playoff aspirations.
In order to acquire Ross, Washinton will likely have to trade a young player and future draft capital to Orlando. One candidate for Washington to trade would be Hachimura, who would have a diminished role behind Porziņģis, Kyle Kuzma, Barton, Ross, and Daniel Gafford in the frontcourt. In Orlando, however, Hachimura would have a clear role in the frontcourt as a slashing two-way forward. At 23 years old, Hachimura has already shown plenty of promise within his first three professional seasons, averaging 13.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 1.5 APG while shooting 47.7% from the field and 36.0% from three-point range. Hachimura is entering the final year of his four-year, $20.3 Million rookie contract, and is set to become a Restricted Free Agent in 2023-2024.
**For this trade to work, Washington would have to trade a minimum salary to Orlando to make the finances work, which is why Robinson is included in the trade.