You weren’t alone if you thought the Orlando Magic would improve this season. This young team was pegged to leap forward during the 2023-24 NBA season.
With that said, if you thought they’d be this good, you either live in the Disney area – or you’re lying. The Magic aren’t simply a competitive team.
As of now, they’re the second seed in the Eastern Conference. The Magic are one of the best teams in the NBA. With that in mind, don’t be surprised if they’re buyers instead of sellers at this year’s trade deadline.
What does Orlando need? Well, they could use a floor spacing guard. If that guard can make plays for himself and his teammates, that would be a bonus.
How about Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets?
NBA Trade Proposal: Orlando Magic Land Brooklyn Nets’ Spencer Dinwiddie
Brooklyn Nets Receive: F/C Jonathan Isaac, F Chuma Okeke
Orlando Magic Receive: G Spencer Dinwiddie
Magic fans deserve this. For a long time, this team’s outlook has been bleak. When they started this rebuild, they were coming off of an era when they’d missed the playoffs several times.
Arguably, the last iteration of the Magic didn’t stop rebuilding. The Nikola Vucevic era was a bleak one. At times, it felt like Orlando was treading water.
They’d make or miss the playoffs in any given season, but it never felt like they could win a series. The Magic got stuck on the mediocrity treadmill.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic Updates
It doesn’t seem like they’ll find themselves there again. The Magic aren’t just winning – they’re doing it with their young core.
Should they add a veteran like Dinwiddie into the mix?
Why The Orlando Magic Do The Deal
On some level, this is a messy acquisition for Orlando. This team’s backcourt situation is complicated. The Magic have a lot of talented young guards, but they don’t all necessarily fit together.
Granted, Markelle Fultz has missed most of the season so far. Replacing him in the rotation before he returns is suboptimal. Yet, the Magic could use some shooting in the backcourt.
That will be true even when Fultz returns. This deal may complicate their rotation, but it simplifies their offense. That’s a tradeoff worth making.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic Updates
Besides, Isaac and Okeke are each struggling to find 20 minutes a night. Okeke is effectively out of the rotation. Orlando aren’t giving up much to acquire Dinwiddie here from a win-now perspective.
Are the Nets getting enough back for him?
Why The Brooklyn Nets Do The Deal
All of the players in this deal are on expiring contracts. With that said, they won’t all have similar expectations about their next deals. Dinwiddie is the only proven producer in this group.
Meanwhile, the Nets are already expensive – they feel unlikely to pay him. So, they’re getting something in return for him instead. Why not take a flyer on Isaac?
He’s struggling to find a regular role on a wing-heavy Magic team, but he has flashed the All-Defensive upside we’ve seen in the past when he has seen the floor.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic Updates
If he gets injured? The Nets took a marginal risk and it didn’t payoff. On the other hand, if Isaac can finally stay healthy, they could have a long-term cornerstone here. For what it’s worth, a lot of people expected Isaac to be good.
