The Orlando Magic have mostly kept their core intact after a frustrating 45-win season, but if the same kind of result shows up again, the front office may have to make some hard calls. And if that moment comes, there are a few contracts that could come into focus.
Jalen Suggs is the toughest name to untangle, because his value goes far beyond the box score. Orlando’s offense is often built on its defense, and Suggs is arguably the team’s most dynamic and disruptive defender.
Over his five-year career, he has averaged 1.4 steals per game and 2.8 stocks per 75 possessions. He’s the heartbeat of the group at the point of attack.
That’s exactly why moving him would be complicated. His contract is team-friendly, but the Magic’s books over the next few seasons muddy the picture.
His availability and postseason shortcomings over the last few years also factor into the conversation, along with the reality of the CBA pushing teams toward earlier decisions. Orlando doesn’t appear urgent to move him right now, but if he stays healthy over the next one or two seasons, his trade value should look much better.
Even so, at some point the Magic will need to consolidate, and Suggs may be the most realistic candidate.
Wendell Carter Jr. is another name that could surface if Orlando starts looking for long-term flexibility. Trading him would leave a real hole in the frontcourt, especially with Moe Wagner gone and Izaiyah Nelson injured. Carter also has two more years left on his contract beyond 2026-27, which makes him a more complicated piece to keep if the team isn’t planning to extend him.
The short-term alternative would be moving Goga Bitadze’s $7.6 million expiring contract, but that doesn’t sound like a path Orlando is exploring. If the Magic aren’t planning to trade Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero or Desmond Bane, then they need to open up future room somewhere else.
Carter makes sense in that conversation, especially since he becomes extension eligible in the summer of 2027. His last three seasons have produced 10.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, and while that doesn’t fully capture what he brings inside, the cap math gets tricky if Orlando is already allocating at least 14 percent of its cap to Banchero, Bane, Wagner and Suggs.
Anthony Black also belongs on the list, even after a strong season. He averaged 15.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 54.9 percent true shooting. He made real progress as a ballhandler, slasher and playmaker, and he handled a wave of injuries by starting 40 of the team’s 64 games.
But the same basic question applies here: if Orlando isn’t planning to pay him, then it should consider trading him. Black is extension eligible this summer and would become a restricted free agent next summer without a new deal. That kind of process can turn into a drawn-out headache for everyone involved, so if the Magic and Black are serious about staying together long term, that route would make more sense than letting it drift.
If Black is ever made available, he would instantly become one of Orlando’s most appealing trade chips. What he could bring back would depend on what else the Magic are willing to include, but there’s no doubt he took a clear step forward. The hope now is that it’s not the last one he takes heading into his age-23 season.
In Other News...
Magic Fans Just Got A Concerning Izaiyah Nelson Update
Orlandos Summer League start has been encouraging, with the Magic sitting at 3-1 and getting a boost from a group that already knows how to play together. Colin Castleton, Alex Morales, Lester Quinones and Phillip Wheeler all spent time together with the G Leagues Osceola Magic, and that familiarity has shown up in the way the roster has moved the ball and settled into games. TyTy Washington Jr. has also been part of the mix after spending last season with the Clippers, using the summer stage to keep himself in front of NBA decision-makers.
Izaiyah Nelsons status, though, is the note that hangs over the rest of the summer. The second-round pick recently had surgery to repair a fractured left ankle, a setback that comes just as the Magic are trying to build momentum around their young talent. With Sean Sweeney settling in as the new head coach and the organization also making changes in the front office, Orlando has plenty of moving parts right now, but Nelsons recovery will be one of the more closely watched developments for a team that has liked what it has seen from its young group so far. [Read more 🡒]
Jase Richardson Is Finally Giving Magic Fans A Reason To Believe
Jase Richardson keeps making the Summer League look a little less like a tune-up and a little more like a preview. He led Orlando to its third win in Las Vegas, finishing with 25 points, four assists and three steals in a 99-92 victory over Philadelphia, and the way he did it mattered as much as the numbers. Richardson shot efficiently, controlled the tempo and gave the Magic a steady presence in a game that could have gotten away from them.
Magic Summer League coach D.J. Bakker said Richardsons role has grown from what he handled during his rookie NBA season, when the opportunities were far more limited. Richardson also talked about what new coach Sean Sweeney wants from him, and the message is clear enough: defend hard, knock down shots and help create offense for others. For a player trying to carve out a bigger place in Orlandos plans, that kind of trust is the real storyline now. [Read more 🡒]