The Orlando Magic have revamped their roster over the past year after they traded All-Star center Nikola Vucevic and former No. 4 overall pick Aaron Gordon midway through the 2020-21 season. With those moves, along with trading Evan Fournier, Orlando made it clear they were headed for the tank. Doing so, they were able to land the 5th overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft.
They could not have asked for a better way to begin their rebuild than getting the chance to draft Gonzaga star Jalen Suggs with that pick after the Toronto Raptors opted to go for Scottie Barnes at No. 4. Suggs definitely has the potential to become the man that Orlando could build around and help turn the corner with for their franchise in the future.
Nevertheless, Orlando shouldn't count out the possibility of ramping up their rebuild through a trade. Every year, unhappy stars emerge as they grow tired of their respective situations with their current teams. As mentioned, the Magic have some young studs they could package. Aside from their own draft picks, they also acquired more picks from the Vucevic and Gordon trades this past season. These could be enticing assets they could use to land one of those unhappy campers who may want a change in scenery. With that, here are a couple of disgruntled stars the Orlando Magic could trade for.
1. Ben Simmons
It is now a well-known fact that Ben Simmons no longer wants to be with the Philadelphia 76ers. The dynamic, lengthy guard has reportedly soured on the franchise that selected him as the No. 1 overall pick back in 2016. Simmons reportedly has no plans to show up in training camp in the case that he is still a Sixer before the start of the season. In the same way, Philly has been trying hard to find a trade partner for Simmons. However, the asking price for the Australian is reportedly way too high.
In case Philadelphia lowers their price tag for Simmons, Orlando could get away with swindling the Sixers for the second straight time. The first time they did so was when they traded for Markelle Fultz on a bargain deal a couple of years ago. Though Fultz may be injured right now with a torn ACL, he showed some promise prior to going down and could still become a stud down the line.
Simmons' disappointing playoff runs, especially this most recent one in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks, is one of the main reasons why his trade value has gone down. In addition, his lack of and unwillingness to shoot has become a major concern and could sway away potential suitors. Still, it's hard to discount just how elite Simmons is on the other facets of his game.
As a defender, he's one of the best and most versatile in the NBA, having finished 2nd in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season. On offense, despite his shooting woes, Simmons is still one of the best dime-droppers and playmakers in the league. He is also an absolute dynamo in the open court with his ability to explode and finish at the rim.
It's no secret that Sixers fans are a tough group to please. By going to Orlando, Simmons could thrive with a change in scenery and less media and fanbase scrutiny.
2. Buddy Hield
Buddy Hield has had quite an unsettling tenure with the Sacramento Kings. Hield has long been the subject of trade rumors over the last couple of years. In fact, the 28-year old almost got dealt this past summer to the Los Angeles Lakers. Still, Hield figures to enter his sixth season as a King in the upcoming 2021-22 campaign.
It's been reported that Hield and Kings coach Luke Walton don't see eye-to-eye. Their reported rift began escalating after the 41-year old moved Hield to the bench during the 2019-20 season.
After taking Tyrese Haliburton and Davion Mitchell, two promising defensive guards, Hield's starting gig may be in jeopardy this season. If Walton opts to make the 6-foot-4 sniper their microwave scorer off the bench, he may not be receptive of the so-called demotion. With that, the Magic could become potential suitors should Hield explicitly demand out of Sacramento as a result of growing disappointment with his coach.
In Orlando, Hield would be a solid backcourt partner next to Jalen Suggs. He is a career 40.6 percent shooter from beyond the arc and is one of the best catch-and-shoot specialists in the league. In 2020-21, the Magic shot just 34.3 percent from long distance, which ranks as the 4th worst across the NBA. Adding the sweet-shooter would definitely help address one of Orlando's main weaknesses last season.
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