The Magic Insider

Magic Locker Room Not Happy After Orlando's NBA Trade Deadline Move

Orlando ducks the tax, the players are sad to see their teammate go. Now what?
Ryan Kaminski|
Jan 6, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (7) takes a shot over Orlando Magic guard Tyus Jones (2) during the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
Jan 6, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (7) takes a shot over Orlando Magic guard Tyus Jones (2) during the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

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Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic locker room wakes up to a surprise the morning of the trade deadline – their new teammate has been traded.

Now, the team will have to find the energy to play an NBA game the same night they come to this new reality, balancing the mental gymnastics of seeing one of your brothers in the trenches disappear, when half the time you're fighting for your brothers next to you.

Let's not overstate it; no person died here, just an idea.

The Magic sent Tyus Jones to Charlotte for cash considerations, and the league must've known Orlando was desperate to shed salary, because it cost Orlando two 2nd round picks just to dump the contract of a player they excitedly signed in free agency just six months ago.

How does the Magic Locker Room respond to shocking trade news with another NBA game to play that same night?

Bane Carter P&R
Feb 1, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane (3) dribbles around a screen from center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

"We are in a relationship business"

Basketball players are human beings, and the relationships side of the sport matter, even if the play on the court isn’t working out the way everyone hoped

This move did not work out the way Orlando hoped. With Mo Wagner missing most of the season, stars in and out of the lineup, a new coaching staff, playstyle, and rotating cast of characters, it's been hard for the team to find a rhythm when they don't know their role.

When I asked Tyus Jones this halfway through the season, he noted that his role had not really gotten any more clear as the season went on.

Still, someone had to be the odd man out for the team to duck the tax, so it's logical that Orlando gave up one of its lowest impact players in Tyus, especially with Magic Rookie Jase Richardson waiting in the wings.

I asked Orlando Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley how he and the locker room deal with the realities of the NBA, waking up to the cold side of the business with the shocking news that their teammate Tyus Jones had been traded in the middle of the night, and how the team handles still taking care of business with an immediate game that same night.

Jamahl said the locker room wasn't happy, but will find a way to respond:

The locker room was not happy.

There was no celebration to it; they missed the guy they had been with before.

But you also understand, I said this before we got Tyus, his connection to so many guys – he is a Duke guy, so there is Paolo and Wendell; he is from Minnesota, so he had the mentorship with Jalen; he played in Memphis with Des.

So those are long-lasting relationships that are not just about the court.

I have said it time and time again, and I believe it until I can not say it anymore – we are in the relationship business; and it is about people.

So when that happens, you feel for the person, and the husband, and the father first.

And then you talk about the court, knowing he still gets to play basketball, which is still a privilege. Because that is the business side of it, but we are also in the business of winning games.

So you have got to find a way to do that as well. The guys will find a way to respond tonight, and it goes back to the fundamental side of our defensive focus, and our effort and our energy as that ball gets tipped up.
Jamahl Mosley

Even though it didn't work out as planned, Magic fans wanted Tyus here for a long time, and are sad to see him go; everyone wanted Jones to slide right in as the steady hand of this team's second unit going forward.

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Ryan Kaminski
RYAN KAMINSKI

Ryan is a basketball scout data analyst who has been covering the Orlando Magic, NBA, and NBA Draft with a focus on roster building strategy, data analytics, film breakdowns, and player development since 2017. He is credentialed media for the Orlando Magic along with top high schools in Central Florida where he scouts talent in marquee matchups at Montverde Academy, IMG Academy, Oak Ridge, and the NBPA Top-100 Camp. He generates basketball data visualizations, formerly with The BBall Index. He has two B.A.s from Florida State University in Business Management and Business Marketing. Twitter/YouTube/Substack: @BeyondTheRK

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