The Orlando Magic have been a solid team, holding a 30-25 record, +0.8 point differential and +1 net rating on the season. The Magic are only a half game behind the Indiana Pacers for the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Orlando has been patient in their approach during this rebuild and have been awarded with stellar play from their young core, including an All-Star appearance for Paolo Banchero. The Magic continuing their steady approach and standing pat at the 2024 NBA trade deadline wasn't necessarily a surprise.
However, it might have been a mistake to not address more shooting and perimeter creation.
Shooting
The Magic have gotten by this season off the strength of their defense. They currently boast the league's fifth-best defense according to NBA.com, which makes sense with all the size they have in their frontcourt. But that size does come at a cost: three-point shooting.
As a team, the Magic rank 28th in the league in three-point shooting percentage (34.8%). Only the decimated Memphis Grizzlies and tanking San Antonio Spurs shoot it worse from distance than Orlando.
The Magic have only three players on their roster who shoot it from three at a clip above 35% and play at least 15 minutes per game. Two of those players are actually in their frontcourt: Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. Another is Jalen Suggs, who is enjoying a big bounce-back season this year.
The other is Anthony Black, their sixth overall draft pick from the University of Arkansas who has gone in and out of Orlando's rotation and did not even have the reputation of a shooter entering the league.
Plenty of shooters got dealt at the trade deadline. Buddy Hield got traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for salary filler and three second-round picks. Doug McDermott got sent back to the Indiana Pacers for just one second-round pick. Orlando is littered with length and defensive versatility. They can cover for a poor defender who can shoot the lights out of the ball.
It would've been nice to see them go after a player of that archetype. They have hopes that Jett Howard, another rookie they drafted in the lottery this season, could be that guy, but he hasn't played much at all this season.
Perimeter Creation
Orlando also needs some guards who can simply get themselves a bucket. Banchero has solidified himself as the offensive engine for this team, but he could use a guard to make life easier for him.
The Magic have four players who play at least 10 minutes per game and have a usage rate above 20%. Only one of those players is a guard: Cole Anthony. Anthony's production has dipped a bit this season too. His effective field goal percentage of 48.8% is below league average and much below the 51.6% mark he posted a year ago.
There were plenty of guards within this archetype that were available at the trade deadline. Floor general types like Monte Morris and Tyus Jones were rumored to be in trade talks by the Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards; Morris ended up getting dealt to Minnesota but Jones stayed put.
Scorers like Malcolm Brogdon and Bones Hyland were also supposedly on the table by their respective clubs (Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Clippers), but both stayed put at the deadline.
It makes sense for the Magic to stay put and keep their chips in order for when a better offer comes their way. That might happen in the summer. But those are holes on their current roster that they could've addressed to help them climb into the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference and avoid the Play-In.
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