The Orlando Magic have to be happy about the direction that they are headed in. After starting the 2022-23 NBA season 5-20, they played better than .500 basketball for the remainder of the season. Young players gelling and developing, along with getting healthy, played a major part in things turning around.
Before a four-game losing streak occurred to end the season, Orlando had been on a 29-24 stretch. That would have easily put them in the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference over the course of an entire campaign, as the NBA Play-In Tournament should be an attainable goal for next season.
This offseason, the Magic will be a team many people are keeping an eye on. They have a treasure trove of assets in the form of young, high-upside players and draft capital. If they want to make a move to speed up their rebuild, they have the means to do so.
Reigning Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are the pillars of the franchise. Jalen Suggs was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, while Markelle Fultz, Cole Anthony and Wendell Carter Jr. have also provided positive performances.
Had the Magic had some NBA Lottery luck, they would have been easily the biggest winners of the offseason. Instead, that distinction went to the San Antonio Spurs, who landed the No. 1 pick and the right to select uber-prospect, Victor Wembanyama.
Over at ESPN, their NBA insiders put together some hypothetical trade ideas centered around acquiring the right to pick Wembanyama. It would be shocking if the Spurs actually entertained trade offers, let alone made one. But, it was an interesting exercise.
One of the teams that were used was the Magic, which could put together a compelling package, according to Andrew Lopez. His hypothetical trade package is Banchero, Suggs and two first-round picks, Nos. 6 and 11 in the 2023 NBA Draft.
That kind of haul would probably bring the Spurs to the table at the very least. Any time four lottery selections are put on the table, it will pique the interest of a franchise. Banchero showcased last season he is a capable No. 1 option and isn’t even scratching the surface of his potential yet.
The foundation of an exciting, deep, young roster would be in place with Banchero and Suggs, along with two more lottery picks, joining Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, Malaki Branham, Jeremy Sochan, Blake Wesley and Zach Collins. There is some intrigue in that, but saying it trumps the potential of Wembanyama joining that group is impossible to say.
The odds of the Spurs actually trading the No. 1 pick is virtually zero. While that package that Lopez put together from the Magic is an appealing one overall, passing on the chance to select Wembanyama is not something San Antonio likely plans to do.
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