Why Magic Didn't Make Moves at Trade Deadline
ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic are past the trade deadline and the team looks identical to how it was beforehand.
The Magic had been relatively quiet in trade rumors. The biggest noise surrounded Wendell Carter Jr., but those rumblings have officially been debunked after the team didn't make a move at the deadline.
Part of the Magic's success this season has been due to the team's chemistry, which wasn't built overnight. Most of the players on the current roster have played together in the past. The results the team has had this season are a result of a years-long program that Jamahl Mosley began when he first arrived in 2021.
Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris (14) looks to pass against Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart (28) during the first quarter at Amway Center.
Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports
Since then, the Magic have slowly added to their core, building a roster filled with talent that the team isn't ready to say goodbye to ... and they shouldn't be ready.
While Paolo Banchero leads the way, everyone has their role to play and the team is finally growing comfortable enough together.
Injuries have been a major hindrance for the team's ceiling, but every player on the roster is currently healthy and available. (Knock on wood!)
The Magic's hard work in building this roster deserves to at least see whether this group would work if fully healthy. They've shown glimpses that they can figure things out if everyone is healthy and available, and they may have that opportunity.
If the Magic were to become a major buyer this deadline and acquire someone like Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray, the ceiling likely would still not pierce the top four in the East. As of now, with the Magic occupying the No. 8 seed, Orlando is expected to be a first-round exit. There likely isn't a path to go beyond that with the current state of affairs.
Of course, the Magic could pull off an upset in the playoffs, but they can do that with the core they have now.
And now, after the deadline has passed, this team will have a chance to truly prove the front office right by keeping them together.
The Magic return to the floor tomorrow night against the Chicago Bulls. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
