NBA Draft Rumors: Magic Trade Up to No. 3 with Blazers?

The Orlando Magic and Portland Trail Blazers could make great trade partners in this year's NBA Draft.

Jeremy Brener | May 18, 2023

In this story:

Orlando Magic

ORLANDO - With two picks in the top-11 of the NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic could make some moves.

Given the team's current roster construction, it makes sense for the Magic to consolidate the two picks into one and trade both to go and grab a higher pick, which could ultimately solidify Orlando's placement as a playoff contender.

Among the teams looking to trade ahead of the Magic in the NBA Draft is the Portland Trail Blazers, the holder of the No. 3 pick. Yahoo Sports believes that the Blazers could be open for a deal.

"The Blazers hold the hottest commodity," Yahoo Sports writes. Charlotte jumping to the second pick, up from the fourth-best odds, brings an interesting dilemma and what some league personnel consider a suboptimal fit between Henderson and incumbent All-Star guard LaMelo Ball. That could very well lead the Hornets to choose (Brandon) Miller instead, which could allow Portland to hold a bidding war for teams hoping to acquire Henderson's services."

Arguably the most compelling package among the teams looking to trade up comes from the Magic, which could offer the No. 6 and 11 (among other assets) to land the third pick.

"There are several teams picking below Portland (Houston Rockets at No. 4, Orlando Magic at No. 6, Washington Wizards at No. 8, Utah Jazz at No. 9) that should have interest in Henderson joining their backcourt," Bleacher Report writes.

The Magic currently employs Markelle Fultz as its starting point guard, and while he is coming off the best season of his career, Henderson provides a higher ceiling. His explosive ability could provide a strong complement to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner as he facilitates the offense.

If the opportunity were to present itself, Orlando would have to make a difficult decision, but it should at least garner some consideration in the front office.

You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Magic? Click Here.

Follow The Magic Insider on Facebook.

Follow The Magic Insider on Twitter.

Want even more Orlando Magic news? Check out the SI.com team page here.

Published May 18, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.