The Orlando Magic were one win away from a second-round appearance in their first season back in the Playoffs after four years. Paolo Banchero has elevated this team to a Playoff threat, with Jamahl Mosley doing an excellent job as head coach. The team added Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to make a push for contention this season, indicating that Magic's days at the bottom of the lottery are over for now.
The Hawks have been trending in the opposite direction, rectifying their roster problem by trading Dejounte Murray for picks and an assortment of players . The team doesn't look to be in a position to contend and could move on from maligned point guard Trae Young. The Magic will have to pay a steep price but get the firepower to emerge as a top-four team in the East.
Trade Details
Orlando Magic Receive: Trae Young
Atlanta Hawks Receive: Cole Anthony, Anthony Black, Jett Howard, Moritz Wagner, 2025 First-Round Pick (ORL), 2026 First-Round Pick Swap (ORL), 2027 First-Round Pick (ORL)
This trade can't be executed before October 4 due to Wagner's recently signed restriction, but would be a huge upgrade for the Magic heading into the season. Young would super-charge their offense with Paolo Banchero as a phenomenal big-man pairing. The Hawks commit to rebuilding and acquiring various young assets and picks.
The Magic Add The Offensive Creativity They Need
The Magic flamed out of the Playoffs due to a problem that plagued them the entire season. Offense. The Magic had a 113.4 offensive rating last season, which placed them in the bottom 10 in the NBA, and was the worst among the 16 Playoff teams. Their offseason moves aren't indicating the team taking a step towards adding much-needed offensive creativity, with KCP the only major signing. He's a 3-and-D swingman, so the Magic need a major on-ball offensive weapon who can further unlock the talents of Banchero and Franz Wagner.
Young averaged 25.7 points and 10.8 assists last season, proving himself as one of the best offensive players in the NBA. The Hawks haven't been able to utilize his offensive production, with his lack of defensive ability being heavily criticized. The Magic already have formidable defense built into their lineup which could shield Young's weaknesses, with some of the league's best perimeter defenders in Jalen Suggs, KCP, and Jonathan Isaac.
The outgoing players can be a tricky situation to deal with due to their potential. Black was a top-10 pick last year and Howard was selected 11th. The Magic believe in these players and giving them away like this could hurt the future of the franchise, as they're also sending the first-round pick rights for the next three drafts as well. If Young's locker room reputation follows him to Orlando and hurts the future of the team, this price could haunt them. However, they have all the ingredients to transform themselves into major threats in the East.
The Hawks Load Up On Young Talent Ahead Of A Stacked Draft
The Trae Young era has led to three years of failure since their 2021 Eastern Conference Finals appearance, proving that the team is struggling to build around him. Moving Dejounte Murray won't magically eliminate the holes in the Hawks roster. They've already acquired a talented young guard in Dyson Daniels from the Pelicans, with this deal helping them to commit to a tanking season.
Anthony Black and Daniels would make a scary defensive backcourt, especially with Quin Snyder as their coach. He had a reputation as a defensive coach before joining the Hawks, with these young and hungry players helping him re-establish a defensive identity. Black averaged 4.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists last season, unable to break into the Magic's rotation consistently. The same happened with Jett Howard, who's a talented young shooter.
Cole Anthony and Moritz Wagner are ready-made players, with Cole 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists last season and Wagner averaging 10.9 points and 4.3 rebounds. The Hawks could keep Anthony on the final year of his expiring contract or move him to give more minutes to a backcourt of Daniels, Black, and Kobe Bufkin. Wagner is young enough to stay on the Hawks, but they'd prioritize the development of Onyeka Okongwu after looking for suitors for Clint Capela.
A Risky Win-Win?
The Hawks can start to move forward with their franchise after a few years of underachievement under multiple head coaches with Young. He's a phenomenal player, which is why he nets a return of three lottery picks from the last three seasons along with multiple future picks. The Magic are the only team that would possibly pay a price like this because they have the defensive structure in place to help Young be an offensive machine on their squad.
The Magic take a huge risk with the picks and players they give up, but the team is well-equipped for success through the picks they've handed out. Banchero is entering the third year of his rookie deal and should be on the franchise for at least another five seasons, with Wagner already committed to a long-term contract. Young is under contract till 2026 at the earliest, meaning the Magic can keep their core together while pushing for contention in the short term.
If the deal doesn't work out, the Magic can replenish their picks while still having a franchise cornerstone like Banchero along with solid foundational pieces like Wagner and Suggs around him. This is a risky and mostly unrealistic trade offer, but this is the kind of major move the Magic might find themselves needing to make if their offensive struggles continue deep into this season as well.
Related: Ranking NBA Trade Candidates In 5 Different Tiers
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