After a hot start to the 2023-24 season, the Orlando Magic are in the midst of a slump that has bumped them from as high as 2nd down to 8th in the Eastern Conference standings. Amidst their drop-off, the Magic are reportedly looking to make some moves ahead of the February trade deadline.
Center Wendell Carter Jr. has seen his name pop up in trade rumors over the last couple of weeks. Over the weekend, NBA insider Marc Stein reported that the Magic are also exploring what they could get in the trade market for former No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz.
Fultz seemed to have found a home in Orlando after a failed stint with the Philadelphia 76ers, the team that drafted him 1st overall in 2017. However, the 25-year-old has been saddled with injuries over the past few campaigns.
The point guard has only appeared in 10 games this season due to a knee injury. As a result of his injury issues, his production has also dropped. After playing 60 games and averaging career-bests of 14.0 points and 5.7 assists last season, Fultz is only tallying 8.0 points and 3.7 assists this year.
The Magic have a plethora of talented guards on their roster such as Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, and rookie Anthony Black. As such, this has made Fultz somewhat of an expendable asset. Likewise, Fultz, who is earning $17 million this season, is on an expiring deal. If he and the Magic cannot come to terms on a contract extension, they could make the most of his value by trading him ahead of the deadline.
Should Markelle Fultz be on the trade block, here are some potential destinations for the former No. 1 overall pick.
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs have a dire need for a point guard to pair with Victor Wembanyama. The Jeremy Sochan point guard experiment failed miserably. Thankfully for Spurs fans sake, the team has finally ended whatever that monstrosity of an experiment was. Tre Jones, who started 65 of his 68 appearances last season, has now started the last seven games. While that's a step in the right direction, San Antonio could still use an upgrade at point guard.
Enter Markelle Fultz, who isn't necessarily the best trade option out there. But he is an upgrade nonetheless. When healthy, Fultz has shown that he is capable of running a team. He showed that just last season when he put up productive numbers on solid efficiency. He made 51.4 percent of his field goals and only turned the ball over 2.3 times per contest.
The Spurs have 34 draft picks at their expense until 2030, with 15 of those picks coming in the first round. San Antonio could send some second rounders and include Doug McDermott in the deal. Magic fans won't necessarily like that McDermott and a few second rounders is the best they could do for the point guard.
But Fultz is on an expiring deal and this is a better return than they letting him walk away for nothing. Likewise, McDermott is 45.8 percent from beyond the arc on decent volume (3.7 attempts), so the Magic, which are the worst three-point shooting team in the league, could certainly use him as a sniper off the bench.
Philadelphia 76ers
Here's an intriguing thought: how about a Markelle Fultz reunion in Philadelphia? Sure, the Philadelphia 76ers fumbled the way they handled Fultz during his first two years with the franchise. But if exes can give each other a second chance, Fultz and the Sixers can as well.
Since arriving in Orlando, Fultz has developed into a solid floor general who can control the pace of the game and be a stabilizing presence in the backcourt. He is also capable of playing off-ball, which makes him a good fit alongside the two Sixers stars Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid.
Likewise, Fultz is also capable of putting pressure on the rim with his ability to attack the basket. The Sixers have a ton of capable shooters, including Embiid, who can open up the lane for him to drive to the cup or go for his mid-range jumpers in the middle of the lane, which he has mastered quite well.
Like with San Antonio's deal, the Sixers can send a package of Marcus Morris Sr. and a second-round pick or two to acquire their former No. 1 overall pick.
Morris doesn't carry the best reputation out there, but he could add some more toughness and forward depth to this young Magic squad. And while his production has dropped, he is still an efficient shooter from beyond the arc, which will help address Orlando's outside shooting woes. On the season, Morris is shooting 44.4 percent from three.
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