Official 2025-2026 Magic Trade ideas thread

[outlawmarx]

But we need offense, right? Like I said, better individual player, yes. But the fit with Mo or Goga doesn't work IMO

They just added a player who has averaged 20.2 PPG on a .597 TS% over the last four seasons to help address the offense.

And the Isaac/Moritz fit from 23-24 was actually about as good as it gets.

+11.5 NET rating for that pairing in 598 minutes together that season.

I was talking bench. But I'm happy to be wrong about Isaac/Mo fit if that's true

[Rainwater]

Fans are really stretching to justify keeping Moritz while talking about moving JI or Goga, even though both had way more impact. The numbers on JI aren't even close, and Goga led the team in win shares. Moritz is solid, but acting like he's the one you absolutely have to keep just doesn’t add up

Moe was pretty much the 6th man last year. While JI and Goga collected a few DNPs for poor play or saw their playing time decline. If you are not even going to play them why keep them especially when you face salary cap issues and need help in other areas.

[Knightro]

Isaac in 23-24 could only manage 15 minutes per game, in 24-25 could only manager 15 minutes per game.

At $15M, he's not a guy you can keep for just 15 minutes anyway. If he had those stats while at least playing 25 minutes per game, I'd agree with ya, but at this point, his contract is a noose around Orlando's neck to rebuild our offense on the bench.

$15M is not a noose around anyone's neck. That's less than 10% of the cap this year and that percentage is going steadily going down in future seasons.

I just cannot stress to you enough how impactful a +10.9 NET rating is even in 16 minutes per game which is what Isaac played in 23-24.

And this wasn't like a "KCP plays all of his minutes next to one of the 10 best basketball player of all time in Jokic which artificially inflates his NET" or a "the Celtics entire rotation has great net ratings because they're a 60+ win team that kills people" situation either.

When Jonathan Isaac was on the court two years ago, the Magic's defensive rating was 102.1.

Yes it was only 16 minutes per game, but the Magic played defense in 23-24 when Isaac was on the court at a level that was better than any team has played defense statistically since 2016 for goodness sake.

[basketballRob]

I thought about drafting Fleming and keeping Isaac just to give him a trial run to see if he could replace Isaac's defense.

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using RealGM mobile app

[MagicTownBaller]

Isaac in 23-24 could only manage 15 minutes per game, in 24-25 could only manager 15 minutes per game.

At $15M, he's not a guy you can keep for just 15 minutes anyway. If he had those stats while at least playing 25 minutes per game, I'd agree with ya, but at this point, his contract is a noose around Orlando's neck to rebuild our offense on the bench.

$15M is not a noose around anyone's neck. That's less than 10% of the cap this year and that percentage is going steadily going down in future seasons.

I just cannot stress to you enough how impactful a +10.9 NET rating is even in 16 minutes per game which is what Isaac played in 23-24.

And this wasn't like a "KCP plays all of his minutes next to one of the 10 best basketball player of all time in Jokic which artificially inflates his NET" or a "the Celtics entire rotation has great net ratings because they're a 60+ win team that kills people" situation either.

When Jonathan Isaac was on the court two years ago, the Magic's defensive rating was 102.1.

Yes it was only 16 minutes per game, but the Magic played defense in 23-24 when Isaac was on the court at a level that was better than any team has played defense statistically since 2016 for goodness sake.

And that's the big "IF", if Isaac returns to form. To be fair, we don't even know what Isaac's form is at this point. We've only seen flashes and little bits and pieces but nothing spectacular to prove that he's worth keeping over getting more bench production.

[Knightro]

And that's the big "IF", if Isaac returns to form. To be fair, we don't even know what Isaac's form is at this point. We've only seen flashes and little bits and pieces but nothing spectacular to prove that he's worth keeping over getting more bench production.

Oh man, of course it's a HUGE if.

Isaac was so terrible offensively last year that it completely submarined anything he provided defensively.

And what he provided defensively wasn't nearly as good across the first half of last season as it was in 23-24 either. But, optimistically, it ticked back up to great in the 2nd half of the season as he started to shed the excess weight.

The way I see it...

His contract is what it is at this point. He's not a quality trade asset because of his play on the court. So I am willing to give him the first couple of months of this upcoming season to see how he looks. If he looks like he did in 23-24, he's worth the $15M he's being paid.

If he sucks again like he did in 24-25, then you can look to unload his contract in December/January/the deadline and his salary won't be any less valuable then compared to right now.

[dsg2021]

Fans are really stretching to justify keeping Moritz while talking about moving JI or Goga, even though both had way more impact. The numbers on JI aren't even close, and Goga led the team in win shares. Moritz is solid, but acting like he's the one you absolutely have to keep just doesn’t add up

I am the biggest JI fan here probably. And I would rank Mo just as untouchable as JI. He was top 4 in 6MOTY for some weeks and I think it got as high as top 2 right before his injury. He has offensive plays that I, frankly, have never seen from any other NBA Bigs, from All Stars to 3rd lineups. I want one, or both, of Goga and Wendell out for mostly cap space. Mosely does not like Goga on the floor even though Goga is a good Big.

https://www.reddit.com/r/OrlandoMagic/comments/1eas6ub/mavs_fan_here_is_mo_wagner_touchable_highlights/
In the first two plays of the clip, Mo manhandles Coby White on defense and then posterizes him. Then Mo takes the ball at the 3 line and drives in to posterize Wemby who is basically a top 10 player already.

[jonbob17]

Read on Twitter

Fascinating deal here.

I am not sure which side did worse.

New Orleans got younger and Id' say *slightly* better on the court for this upcoming season, but are they trying to compete this year? And was a cost of $40M on the 26-27 books worth the marginal on-court upgrade?

Washington cleared $40M off their books for 26-27, but what's actually the end goal there?

Free agency is mostly dead now anyway and are good veteran free agents going to willing go to play for a sub 20-win Wizards team that has 10 guys on rookie contracts next summer? I'm skeptical.

Thanks, i hadn't thought about the contracts, mostly just taking a jab at previous Magic fans unanswered prayers.

I'd say free agency is dead for the moment. I think teams are quickly going to reset the perception of contract value. Just giving anybody that is eligible the max is going to become tabu.

Right now I see a market inequality on restricted free agents, because of the lack of cap space (overspending). Look at Quentin Grimes, somebody that was on my Magic radar prior to the Bane Deal. It sounds like nobody is going to be able to offer him anything more than the MLE. The Sixers are going to get a steal even if its $18M a year....now that prediction is in ink watch him get 4/120

Maybe that's the goal of DC clearing space. They get to be the 2025 Brooklyn Nets of next offseason, even if it is just to accumulate picks by facilitating trades and taking cap space, or taking advantage of those who do make it to free agency and no one has any $ to spend because its been locked up in premature extensions.

[MartinsIzAfraud]

And that's the big "IF", if Isaac returns to form. To be fair, we don't even know what Isaac's form is at this point. We've only seen flashes and little bits and pieces but nothing spectacular to prove that he's worth keeping over getting more bench production.

Oh man, of course it's a HUGE if.

Isaac was so terrible offensively last year that it completely submarined anything he provided defensively.

And what he provided defensively wasn't nearly as good across the first half of last season as it was in 23-24 either. But, optimistically, it ticked back up to great in the 2nd half of the season as he started to shed the excess weight.

The way I see it...

His contract is what it is at this point. He's not a quality trade asset because of his play on the court. So I am willing to give him the first couple of months of this upcoming season to see how he looks. If he looks like he did in 23-24, he's worth the $15M he's being paid.

If he sucks again like he did in 24-25, then you can look to unload his contract in December/January/the deadline and his salary won't be any less valuable then compared to right now.

if he sucks again which is very likely, you've now wasted 1/2 a year and likely have dwindled your trade options to a few which likely aren't even attractive.

I think there's 3 scenarios and they all hinge on who is available at 25 between Jase, Fleming, Raynaud/other C. If I was a betting man... which I am, one of Goga/Isaac won't be here come opening night.

[basketballRob]

Will Riley is interesting if he can play SG. At his age, it'll probably take him a few years to be good.

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using RealGM mobile app

[MartinsIzAfraud]

Fans are really stretching to justify keeping Moritz while talking about moving JI or Goga, even though both had way more impact. The numbers on JI aren't even close, and Goga led the team in win shares. Moritz is solid, but acting like he's the one you absolutely have to keep just doesn’t add up

I am the biggest JI fan here probably. And I would rank Mo just as untouchable as JI. He was top 4 in 6MOTY for some weeks and I think it got as high as top 2 right before his injury. He has offensive plays that I, frankly, have never seen from any other NBA Bigs, from All Stars to 3rd lineups. I want one, or both, of Goga and Wendell out for mostly cap space. Mosely does not like Goga on the floor even though Goga is a good Big.

https://www.reddit.com/r/OrlandoMagic/comments/1eas6ub/mavs_fan_here_is_mo_wagner_touchable_highlights/
In the first two plays of the clip, Mo manhandles Coby White on defense and then posterizes him. Then Mo takes the ball at the 3 line and drives in to posterize Wemby who is basically a top 10 player already.

it also makes a ton of sense when you look at our bench, there's 0 guys who can get a bucket or even create. AB, JI, Goga, TDS, Houstan??

You don't make the Bane trade and then sit back and go ok we're set let's not address the bench now.

[Knightro]

if he sucks again which is very likely, you've now wasted 1/2 a year and likely have dwindled your trade options to a few which likely aren't even attractive.

I think there's 3 scenarios and they all hinge on who is available at 25 between Jase, Fleming, Raynaud/other C. If I was a betting man... which I am, one of Goga/Isaac won't be here come opening night.

But you'd have to convince me there are actually more attractive options for him right now beyond him as purely a matching salary for what you're saying to really matter.

I don't think coming off as bad of a year as he had that Isaac's value is anything beyond his $15M salary matching up with another contract.

And that won't change 6-7 months from now.

[Skybox]

I'd be actively shopping Goga now and actively monitoring Isaac's summer training...JI is just too potentially impactful vs trade value to just discard, imo

As part of a big move - sure...but I'm very content to give Isaac another year. Just such a versatile defensive freak - bouncing from stifling Lillard on the perimeter to meeting Centers at the rim- even in limited minutes, that's not an easy thing to replace. Why wouldn't his shooting come back (a bit) - the whole team forgot how to shoot last year-it was contagious to the point of clearly being systemic. I also really value Moe - but he just can't play without an Isaac.

I'd move WCJ for a Gafford-style C, but I'm also getting comfortable with the value that Mose puts on his switchability...for now. I just wish he was more consistent...I'd love him as a prominent reserve - that might make me more comfortable with the idea of losing Isaac (a strong starter at C and WCJ getting significant minutes backing up 4 and 5 -and playing with and complementing Moe).

[MartinsIzAfraud]

if he sucks again which is very likely, you've now wasted 1/2 a year and likely have dwindled your trade options to a few which likely aren't even attractive.

I think there's 3 scenarios and they all hinge on who is available at 25 between Jase, Fleming, Raynaud/other C. If I was a betting man... which I am, one of Goga/Isaac won't be here come opening night.

But you'd have to convince me there are actually more attractive options for him right now beyond him as purely a matching salary for what you're saying to really matter.

I don't think coming off as bad of a year as he had that Isaac's value is anything beyond his $15M salary matching up with another contract.

And that won't change 6-7 months from now.

I think if he follows it up with a stinker of 6-7 more months you're likely going to have to attach value vs right now possibly being able to just swap salaries. Hence my 3 scenario statement.. They could move Isaac for a guard ala Grayson Allen or Bodanovic or Kispert or Clarkson and then draft Fleming at 25. Is that a better move for Orlando considering the bench issue, cap room etc etc.

Again I'm not saying just dump him but we've got to make another move and I think Isaac at least has salary swap for better overall fit.

[jonbob17]

Fans are really stretching to justify keeping Moritz while talking about moving JI or Goga, even though both had way more impact. The numbers on JI aren't even close, and Goga led the team in win shares. Moritz is solid, but acting like he's the one you absolutely have to keep just doesn’t add up

I mean i am usually banging the advanced metrics more than anyone, but this might be one where they get it wrong. I strongly disagree that either Goga or JI impacted games more than Moe. Those defensive metrics love block %, and other rim protecting stats. Moe is decidedly not that. He is tough, and he has a motor. And FFS he averaged 25 points per 36 on 65% True Shooting. You just can't find that kind of production on the bench.

I love Goga, but he just doesn't fit Mosely's idealogy. He might be the best big on our team, but he can't find minutes. So what's the point? We get to brag about having the best 3rd/4th string center in the league

Now Moe's absence worries me. so does how he responds to his injury. But when Moe was on the court last year, I'd argue he was probably the 4th most impactful player on the magic, maybe even higher, depending on the opponent.

[RookieStar]

Serious question that might net me some stupid responses. But is there a limit on how far out you can trade your future 1st rd picks?

There is in the NFL, but I don't think there is in the NBA.

7 years I think...

[RookieStar]

Fans are really stretching to justify keeping Moritz while talking about moving JI or Goga, even though both had way more impact. The numbers on JI aren't even close, and Goga led the team in win shares. Moritz is solid, but acting like he's the one you absolutely have to keep just doesn’t add up

Letting Moe go, drafting Raynaud, and having the full MLE is the best move, but they won't do it.

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using RealGM mobile app

Aren't we going to contend next season? You really wanna trust a rookie no matter how old to anchor our bench big offensive production?

[VFX]

I've reiterated this a million times, but...

Orlando has 3 competent guards on the roster. Suggs, Bane, and AB (if you consider him one).
2 of those 3 guys are injury prone and will likely need someone off the bench to fill in for them.

NOW with that being said...under no circumstances do I think Jase Richardson or Walter Clayton should be the players to be coming in off the bench to take over starting roles to a team that is supposedly in contention right now.

You cannot convince me that having Paolo,Isaac, Caleb, and da Silva make sense on paper as dudes you are willingly paying as maximum depth at 1 (maybe 2) positions knowing the realities of back court rotation. The same can be said about paying 3 Centers (Moe will be back sooner than you think) with this in mind also.

That means likely that one of Isaac, Carter, or Goga are being moved for a guard(s) and Orlando is drafting their replacements. BPA doesn't make sense when we are talking about being 1 player removed from the rotation in the back court. Mosely isnt turning into Thibs in one offseason and the Magic are under cap constraints.

[anothermagicfan]

It's crazy to me that folks can talk about trading JI or Goga as a need especially talking about how bad JI was last year and not be just as serious about trading WCJ. Look at his play last year. And the always injured history of his isn't so great either.

I look at it like this- when WCJ is out I never feel like oh man if he was playing tonight we could've won. In fact it's usually like we play better alot of the time he's out. I don't even miss him being on the court when he's out. Now JI and Moe when they miss time it's like damned we could've really used JI defense tonight or we could've really used Mo scoring off the bench tonight.

On top of that after next season the same season as Paolo extension kicks in and we have 4 pretty expensive players WCJ contract is significantly more than JI, Mo and Goga.

I'm not saying there isn't a scenario where we don't also move 1 of those 3 as well but WCJ should be on the first train out of Orlando.

[basketballRob]

Fans are really stretching to justify keeping Moritz while talking about moving JI or Goga, even though both had way more impact. The numbers on JI aren't even close, and Goga led the team in win shares. Moritz is solid, but acting like he's the one you absolutely have to keep just doesn’t add up

Letting Moe go, drafting Raynaud, and having the full MLE is the best move, but they won't do it.

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using RealGM mobile app

Aren't we going to contend next season? You really wanna trust a rookie no matter how old to anchor our bench big offensive production?

He would be the 3rd center.

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using RealGM mobile app