The Orlando Magic want to add a veteran presence to the team, even if it means parting ways with former No. 2 overall pick Victor Oladipo or recently re-signed Tobias Harris, according to Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
The Magic are under pressure to win, so they reportedly want veterans
Pressure is mounting for the Magic to make the playoffs for the first time since 2012, but to do so, they’ll need to part ways with young talent.
Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
The Orlando Magic haven't made the playoffs since 2012. Back then, they had Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson with Stan Van Gundy coaching from the bench. The roster has changed drastically since Howard jumped ship for the Los Angeles Lakers that summer, but young players picked up in drafts like Oladipo, Aaron Gordon and Elfrid Payton, along with Evan Fournier and Nikola Vucevic, have the Magic looking primed for the future. The organization wants to win now, though -- the Magic are under internal pressure to make the playoffs, according to TNT's David Aldridge.
According to Stein and Windhorst, the Magic are one of the teams vying for the Hawks' Jeff Teague.
At 23-29, the Magic are currently 11th in the East. They were 19-13 at the end of 2015, but 2016 has treated the Magic horribly. They’re only 4-16 in the new year, and a change does seem necessary if they want to turn their season around for a push to the playoffs.
Why making a big move makes sense for the Magic
If there is pressure within the organization to make the playoffs, a move is likely necessary. They’re currently 3.5 games out of the playoffs and, as mentioned above, are in free fall. Aside from back-to-back wins over the Hawks just before the All-Star break, nothing has gone right.
At 27, Jeff Teague isn’t an aging veteran. He has a lot of good years left in him and is coming off a season in which he led a 60-win team. His production is slightly down from last season, but he’s playing less as the Hawks have experimented with Dennis Schröder. It’s possible he could come into Orlando and help turn the team around.
The Magic have stockpiled young talent, but eventually you can have too much of it. Oladipo is an energetic scorer, but with him, Fournier, Payton and Mario Hezonja, how will the minutes be divided? Eventually the Magic will need to decide if their young core is worth keeping together or if adding a veteran is the move to make.
Orlando has assets to trade away for a proven player, they might as well do so now.
Why making a big move doesn’t make sense for the Magic
The Magic would have to part ways with an exciting, young player if they're going to add a veteran to the roster. They know what they're getting with someone like Teague, but Oladipo has a higher ceiling that's actually closer to Teague than one might think aside from Teague's shooting ability. Oladipo averages 14.3 points and 4.0 assists in 31 minutes per game while Teague averages 15.1 points and 5.5 assists per game. The Magic shouldn't trade for Teague, they should be looking out for a bigger name.
Parting ways with Oladipo or Harris -- who has the ability to do a little bit of everything -- means giving up on the hope that they’ll be difference makers themselves. It’s still very possible that they could be an integral part of a playoff team.
If the Magic are going to make a big move, it should be for difference maker. Teague is a very solid point guard, but the Magic have patiently built up a roster of young talent. Why make a drastic move now?
Likelihood the Magic will make a deal (6/10)
The Magic are still young, but this would be the fourth season in a row they failed to make the playoffs. The organization seems set on adding a veteran to push the team over the hump. The have the young assets to make a deal -- and it seems like they want to do so, but who will they get? Is Teague really the answer?
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