Apr 15, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black (0) reacts after making a basket against the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Multiple Teams Attempted To Trade For Orlando Magic's Young Core

Originally posted on Orlando Magic on SI
By Andrew Cherico | Last updated Jun 17, 2025 8:42 AM ET

Before their blockbuster deal for guard Desmond Bane, the Orlando Magic prioritized building continuity. While stockpiling draft picks gave them the flexibility to pursue a major trade, several teams inquired about the availability of core rotational players during negotiations.

During an interview with Mike Bianchi on 96.9 The Game, Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said he received calls about the team’s core players, but emphasized keeping the group together remained a priority.

"AB [Anthony Black], Tristan[da Silva], Wendell [Carter Jr.], Jonathan [Isaac], Goga [Bitadze], like a lot of these guys, have value. We got calls on a lot of them," Weltman said. "To able to be able to keep our core together. Really come out with a very strong starting lineup, and still have growth and depth behind that team. It's going to be fun to watch us unfold. We have a little window where we get to see how that plays out a little bit, and in the meantime, we do expect ourselves to be a factor in the East."

Those four pieces helped keep the Magic afloat when Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs all missed time with injuries.

Black, 21, was frequently mentioned in trade speculation for an All-Star as a promising tall guard with high upside. Weltman was always unlikely to move him, valuing age and long-term developmental potential.

"We're going to have some hard decisions to make going forward," Weltman stated. "The beauty of it is that not only did we keep our core guys, but we're very high on some of our other players. And a lot of the other deals that we discussed involved core guys, or a combination of young guys."

"Some of the players that we were discussing didn't fit with the age profile," Weltman added. "I think to find a guy who fits exactly what we need at age 26, about to be 27, who's under contract for the next four years. They're just really hard to find."