Why Magic should make the call for this young Bucks guard

Last week, the Milwaukee Bucks dealt two-time MVP and 10-time All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, shaking up the rest of the East and, honestly, the league as a whole.

The Magic's name was floated for Antetokounmpo, but they were never really in the hunt due to their unwillingness to swap Paolo Banchero (or Franz Wagner). As a result, Antetokounmpo will reside ~4 hours south.

That shouldn't stop Orlando from conversing with Milwaukee, however -- specifically for guard Ryan Rollins. According to Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes, Rollins should be the top trade option for the Magic to consider this offseason.

"The Orlando Magic need to get cheaper and add shooting, which isn't going to be easy," Hughes wrote. "[Ryan Rollins] is on a dirt-cheap deal and played like an upper middle-class starter last season. [Jalen Suggs] is a better player on balance because of his defense, but the Magic need help on the other end and haven't been able to count on his availability."

Why Magic must make call for Ryan Rollins, even if a deal materializing is unlikely:

While the Bucks acquired second-year guard Kasparas Jakucionis in the six-player Giannis blockbuster, and drafted Brayden Burries with the No. 10 overall pick, there always exists the possibility that Rollins still isn't on the table as they enter this transformative rebuild phase.

But that shouldn't stop the Magic from exploring, at the very least.

Rollins, who turns 24-years-old this week, exploded for a career year last season. He averaged 17.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.5 steals on 47.2 percent shooting and 40.6 percent from 3-point range. He showed glimpses the season prior, but took charge last year amid Damian Lillard's departure and Antetokounmpo's lingering calf injury.

Though the mechanics of any hypothetical deal between Milwaukee and Orlando is where the headaches begin to set it.

Rollins is on the hook for $4 million this year with a $4 million player option next summer; essentially, he'll be playing 2026-27 on an expiring contract.

Orlando is in a far more precarious position. After saving $6.5 million on its cap sheet by waiving Jonathan Isaac, Orlando remains $2.8 million above the first apron and $9.9 million below the second.

If the Magic were really frothing at the mouth for Rollins, perhaps they'd be more willing to eat one of Myles Turner ($26.6M), Kyle Kuzma ($20.5M) or Tyler Herro ($33M), with the latter two being expiring (and extension eligible) contracts. But that is still a lot to ask if the sacrificial lamb is Jalen Suggs.

At the end of the day, it takes two to tango, and there isn't any word on the Magic's interest in Rollins. With free agency in just over 48 hours, perhaps Orlando will be able to find cheap shooting -- which it desperately needs.

But it's worth a phone call, no matter how unlikely!

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