The Most Important Trade in Magic Franchise History

There have been many trades in the Orlando Magic's history as a franchise, but one stands out above the rest as the most significant.

On this day, 14 years ago, the Magic traded Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers in a four-team blockbuster that shook up the NBA.

Magic Still Benefitting From Dwight Howard Trade

At the time of the deal, the Magic looked like the biggest loser. They were giving up the best player in the deal, Howard, and they didn't get any one of substance in return. The Magic were clearly starting a rebuild, and they wanted future pieces to do that.

“A primary goal for our basketball team is to achieve sustainability while maintaining a long-term vision. We feel this deal puts us in a position to begin building in that direction,” general manager Rob Hennigan said in 2012.

“In addition to the six players joining our team, we will be in a position to maximize our salary cap flexibility in the near future, as well as utilize the multiple draft picks we have acquired going forward.

“Dwight Howard accomplished tremendous success on and off the court during his eight years in Orlando,” said Hennigan. “We wish him, Chris (Duhon), Earl (Clark) and Jason (Richardson) all the best in the future.”

Nikola Vucevic, who was a first-round pick by the Philadelphia 76ers, ended up being the most valuable piece of the trade. Vucevic spent nine seasons with the Magic from 2012-21 and made the All-Star team twice in his tenure. Meanwhile, the other teams had reasons to regret the trade.

The Lakers' experiment with Howard flopped after one season. The team failed to meet expectations, and they were the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference that season with Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, and Pau Gasol. Kobe and Pau were unable to coexist as a unit.

Howard ultimately signed with the Houston Rockets in free agency the next summer. Andre Iguodala helped the Nuggets reach the playoffs, but he also was only in the Mile High City for one season. He ended up signing with the Golden State Warriors, where he helped them win four championships in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022.

As for the Sixers, they were getting an exciting player in Bynum, who was an All-Star in 2012. Injuries significantly hurt his career, and he never suited up for the Sixers, sitting out the entire 2012-13 season before signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers the following summer.

How the Howard Trade Affects the Magic Today

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham dribbles defended by Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. and forward Franz Wagner. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Magic are still able to gain value from the Vucevic trade 14 years later. Not only is Vucevic back in the City Beautiful on a one-year contract, but trading him in 2021 to the Chicago Bulls helped transform the team's core for the future. This could be the honorable mention for the most significant trade in franchise history. The Magic sent Vucevic and Al-Farouq Aminu to the Chicago Bulls for Otto Porter Jr., Wendell Carter Jr. and two future first-round picks.

Carter, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, has been the Magic's starting center ever since he arrived in the Vucevic trade. The 2021 first-round pick awarded to the Magic was used to select Franz Wagner, who signed a max extension with the team once his rookie deal expired. The 2023 first-round pick was used to select Jett Howard, though he signed with the Dallas Mavericks after three disappointing seasons in Orlando.

It's not every day for a trade to happen that transforms multiple generations of a franchise, but that's exactly what the Howard blockbuster did.

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