The Orlando Magic are willing to stand pat heading into the NBA Trade Deadline. Would it be the right move?
With the NBA Trade Deadline quickly approaching, and with the team struggling to remain within shouting distance of the 8th and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, it wouldn’t be surprising to see other contenders call the Orlando Magic to gauge the availability of a few of their players.
However, those contenders may not have much luck.
According to a report from ESPN (subscription required), the belief is that the Magic are willing to stand pat at the NBA Trade Deadline and bring back their core next season.
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Should the Orlando Magic run back their core next season?
That means players such as Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon, and Evan Fournier could be off the market – though, that could change if the team doesn’t plan on re-signing Fournier during the offseason when his contract expires.
Both Vucevic and Gordon would likely create quite the bidding war on the open market. Orlando, though, has stood hard on their stance of not moving any of those two players thus far. Question is, should that continue to be the Magic’s approach?
The Magic have made the playoffs each of the last two seasons, but have only won two combined games in those first-round series. You can make the case that Orlando hasn’t improved year over year, and has hit its ceiling with this current core.
Even if the Magic find a way to make the playoffs this year, they’re likely looking at another first-round playoff loss at the hands of a much-more talented Eastern Conference team.
In their defense, the biggest reason why the Magic would be willing to run back their core next season is due to the return of Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz, and the continued development of Cole Anthony.
The franchise would have to believe that this team healthy, along with Isaac and Fultz, would help this team be a top 5 or 6 team in the East. That’s the only argument that is strong enough to justify the Magic bringing their core back next season.
At least for the time being, it’s looking like the Magic are going to be quiet heading into the NBA Trade Deadline and the only player that might be available is Evan Fournier. Even then, though, that’s not a foregone conclusion.