Orlando Magic
Similar to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference, the Orlando Magic are a team that many are going to expect to make a jump in the Eastern Conference. After Paolo Banchero won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award this season, the Magic should be viewed as one of the teams that are “up next” in the conference. And if they were to add a player like Khris Middleton in free agency, it would only reinforce that belief.
Middleton to Orlando works on several levels. Orlando needs some stability in the backcourt and adding a scorer as prolific as Middleton would only continue to open up things for Banchero in the inside and on the wing. The big question is whether Middleton is the splash that the Magic should want to make during the offseason.
They’ve already been linked to a potential Fred VanVleet pursuit. And if perhaps things fall apart on that front, maybe they’d be willing to make Middleton a priority if he hits the open free agency market.
Orlando had a 12-win increase from last season to this year. Adding Middleton should get them into playoff contention next season.