Magic Best Positioned to Trade for NBA Star?
This upcoming season has all the making of a trajectory change for the Orlando Magic.
The past decade has seen a long rebuild in the City Beautiful, with more head coaches (six) than playoff appearances (two) to show for. But the final 57 games last season showcased a team ready to take the next step and become a consistent playoff team.
With a young nucleus and two lottery picks this month, the front office has a decision on whether to build through the draft or create a package to land a proven player.
"The Magic can make a monster offer, even without including Banchero or Franz Wagner, who could end up as the best player from their respective draft classes," The Athletic writes. "Many of the other hypothetical trade packages in this draft are contingent on picks so far out that analytics models will predict them to fall in the middle of the first round. The Magic can offer good ones right now: Nos. 6 and 11 in the June 22 draft and also can deal up to five more first-rounders, including four unprotected. No player would cost so much. And that’s before even getting to Wagner."
The Athletic ranked Orlando in the second best position - just under the Oklahoma City Thunder - to trade for a star with its collection of seven first-round draft picks over the next five years.
A trade for any All-Star caliber player would be a haul ... but a nucleus with Wagner, Banchero and an All-Star could instantly make the Magic an Eastern Conference contender.
You can follow Riley Sheppard on Twitter @RileyDSheppard.
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