Ranking Magic's Top Trade Targets After 2024 NBA Playoff Loss
The Orlando Magic had a good season.
The same unfortunately can't be said of their NBA playoff run.
Orlando lost its Eastern Conference first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games. The home team won each contest, underscoring how important it will be for the Magic to improve during the regular season in 2024-25 to land a more favorable seed.
Here is a look at some trade targets who could help the team find that improvement.
3. Malcolm Brogdon, Portland Trail Blazers
The Magic could certainly take a bigger swing—an option we'll explore later—than Malcolm Brogdon, a 31-year-old non-star who just posted some fairly forgettable marks (15.7 points and 5.5 assists) on a rebuilding Blazers team.
A lot of those big-ticket items would come attached with question marks, though. Does a discounted (in trade cost) deal for Zach LaVine make any sense if it bogs down the financial books? Would an aggressive move for Trae Young lead to the unraveling of this top-five defense? Would handing the offensive keys to Tyler Herro cure what ails this attack?
The Magic can't know the answer to any of those questions and finding them out would be a costly endeavor (in terms of salary, trade assets or both). Orlando, whose key contributors are almost all of the 25-and-under variety, might not feel ready to take that level of risk.
It could make sense, then, to make a relatively low-cost gamble on Brogdon to see what this group could do with an experienced, productive, sweet-shooting veteran leading the charge.
2. Dejounte Murray, Atlanta Hawks
While the Magic can, should and probably will think offense this summer, they may not want to tilt too far that direction with a one-way contributor like Trae Young.
Instead, they might prefer his backcourt mate (for now) Dejounte Murray, who is reportedly more highly regarded around the Association.
"People in the league just like Dejounte's game better," NBC Sports' Kurt Helin told Sportsnaut. "Where Trae Young doesn't defend, demands the ball ... there's a sense that you can't really build a true winner around him. You could with Dejounte."
Murray, an All-Defensive honoree in 2017-18, could help the Magic stay long and stingy while also upgrading their offense. The last time he served as a full-time floor general (with the 2021-22 San Antonio Spurs), he averaged 21.1 points on 46.2 percent shooting and 9.2 assists against 2.6 turnovers. He's also coming off the best perimeter shooting campaign of his career, averaging a personal-best 2.6 triples per outing with an above-average 36.3 percent splash rate.
1. Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers
Orlando's ideal addition would be someone who not only elevates the offense right now, but also grows alongside young building blocks Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero.
There aren't many young fire-ballers available, but Anfernee Simons is the one who should have the Magic's full attention. The 24-year-old is on the same developmental clock as their cornerstones, plus his lights-out shooting (3.4 threes per outing, 38.5 percent), ignitable scoring (career-high 22.6 points) and secondary playmaking (career-high 5.5 assists) would all be need-fillers.
Simons is more of a scorer than a table-setter, but that should be perfectly fine for the Magic. They already have a horde of capable playmakers, including Banchero, Wagner, Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs.
This all hinges on trade cost, but Orlando might have the right blend of draft assets, prospects and financial relief to interest Portland, particularly if the Blazers' brass are less than sold on Simons' long-term fit with Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe.