The summer months are when all NBA fans and writers become creative and come up with possible trade scenarios. Lately, the Magic have been mentioned in a lot of those.
With a young core to build around and plenty of cap space to spend, they are an interesting player in any competition for sought-after contributors. Paul George, Klay Thompson, Malik Monk, Tyus Jones…the list of players envisioned to potentially join the Magic in any way just keeps growing.
This latest mock trade by Bleacher Report adds another point guard to the list.
Magic land aging point guard in Bleacher Report mock trade
Not too long ago, Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey came up with a mock trade to send Kevin Durant back to the Golden State Warriors. As long as Stephen Curry is on the roster, the Warriors need to find a way to build a competitive team around him. Losing to the Sacramento Kings in the Play-In Tournament is simply not enough.
Meanwhile, the Suns’ big three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal did not meet expectations either. It would be tough to find a deal that works between just the Warriors and the Suns, though. So, in this proposed trade, the Magic are brought in as a third team, landing veteran point guard Chris Paul.
Here is the complete trade, as outlined by Bleacher Report:
Suns receive: Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, Kevon Looney, Caleb Houstan, a 2025 first-round pick from Orlando (via Denver), a 2026 first-round pick from the Warriors, a 2028 first-round pick from the Warriors
Magic receive: Chris Paul, Gary Payton II, 2028 second-round pick from the Suns (via Boston)
Warriors receive: Kevin Durant, Jett Howard
Breaking down the mock trade
This is a big trade, so let’s break it down from Orlando’s perspective. The Magic would lose Jett Howard, Caleb Houstan, and a 2025 first-round pick owed to them by the Denver Nuggets. In return, they would bring in Chris Paul, Gary Payton II, and a future second-round pick.
Let’s start with what and who this deal would bring to Orlando. Chris Paul has had a long and successful career as one of the best point guards of his generation. There is no doubt about that. By now, he is almost 40, however, and his production has dropped off.
Theoretically, the Magic need a table-setter like Paul—someone who can organize the offense and get the ball to the right players. That is something Paul can still do. Even in his 19th NBA season, the veteran still averaged 6.8 assists per game.
The question is just how much longer he can continue to do it.
The Magic are a young team with a bright future, and now is the time to spend and build the team for the future. Paul could address one of their biggest issues right now, but not in the long term. At best, Paul could bridge the gap until the Magic find or develop their point guard of the future.
Plus, Gary Payton II would fit the team’s defensive identity well, but he is not much of a floor-stretcher or a playmaker. The highest mark of three-pointers per game he has averaged over his career so far is 1.7. That is not enough to make opponents respect him from beyond the arc. He also only averages 1.1 assists per game for his career. Thus, he would not help much with the issues the Magic struggled with most in the playoffs.
Giving up Jett Howard and Caleb Houstan doesn’t seem like much. The Magic barely even had playing time for them available last season. It is never ideal to give up on young prospects before you know what kind of players they can be, however.
All in all, this mock trade is not all that ideal for the Magic. They definitely need to address their starting point guard spot, but a younger, more dynamic player than Paul, who could potentially be with the team long-term, would be a more fitting option.
If no one else is available, the veteran could be a solid fallback choice, as outlined by Bailey, but the Magic should explore other options first. Obviously—and understandably so—the Magic were not the focal point of this trade idea, which is geared more toward the idea of reuniting Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant for one last run.
