5 trades that Orlando Magic should consider
By Connor Learn
The Orlando Magic were expected to make the playoffs this season after a long drought. Jobs may be on the line, and the 11th place Magic may need to make a trade this season to shake things up.
The Orlando Magic hired 30-year-old general manager Rob Hennigan when they cleaned house in 2012. Hennigan was faced with the task of trading Dwight Howard and rebuilding the Magic in his wake.
In his four rebuilding seasons on the job, the Magic haven’t made a serious playoff push. During this offseason they spent a lot of money in free agency, which signaled that management wanted the Magic to win now.
Hennigan is working with the fourth different head coach of his Orlando tenure. Rumors that his job may be in jeopardy are fair, and it could be why the Magic made the moves that they made this offseason.
Trading Victor Oladipo and a first round pick for Serge Ibaka was a win-now move. Signing Bismack Biyombo, Evan Fournier, Jeff Green and D.J. Augustin for $201 million were win-now signings. And despite being 4-2 in their last six games, the Orlando Magic are 10-13 and outside of the Eastern Conference Playoff race.
If Rob Hennigan wants to secure his job, he will be making a trade or two this season in order to bolster Orlando’s roster. The Magic are second to last in the league in scoring and will need more offensive punch to get there.
They are 25th in point differential and will probably not make the playoffs with their existing roster. Whatever move Hannigan makes will be designed around propelling the Magic into the playoffs. Here are five trades that the Magic should make:
5. Nikola Vucevic and D.J. Augustin to the Indiana Pacers for Monta Ellis and Al Jefferson
Why this trade makes sense for the Magic:
When the Magic brought in Bismack Biyombo and Serge Ibaka this summer, 26-year-old center Nikola Vucevic’s future with the team came into question. He is a talented player surely, but his lack of rim protection doesn’t mesh well with what head coach Frank Vogel expects of his centers.
Once thought of as a franchise building piece, Vucevic has emerged as the player most likely to be traded this season. Orlando is paying Biyombo more money and wants to free up room to pay pending free agent Ibaka this summer. Hennigan will be searching the trade market for Nikola Vucevic.
The Orlando Magic would be getting better on offense in this deal. Al Jefferson is a center who has found a role as a bench scorer later in his career. The Magic have been using Vucevic in that way, and acquiring Jefferson would give them a big who actually wants to play that role.
The 31-year-old is under contract for the next two years, but only $4 million is guaranteed in 2018. Monta Ellis excels in the pick-and-roll game; a creator like him is necessary if Magic are going to play slowly and use a lot of set offense. This trade makes them better.
Why this trade makes sense for the Pacers:
Nikola Vucevic was the top asset the Magic received for trading Dwight Howard in 2012. He filled Howard’s center role immediately and has averaged an impressive 16.2 points and 10.7 boards across his four years in Orlando. The Montenegrin big excels both near the rim and spacing the floor, which makes him a clean fit next to most other bigs.
Myles Turner and Thad Young would both be able to play next to Vucevic cleanly on the offensive side. Vucevic is 260 pounds and could match up with centers that the 20-year-old Turner can’t bang with. In addition, Vucevic could help boost Indiana’s 22nd-ranked rebounding percentage. DJ Augustin would help fill salary in this trade and help replace Monta Ellis. This also makes the Pacers better.