Orlando Magic, Possible landing spot for Butler

As the trade deadline approaches, the Orlando Magic continue to be mentioned as potential trade partners in just about every rumor. The latest is a rehash from this past offseason involving Jimmy Butler.

The Orlando Magic have openly been in the market for an offensive threat who can put the team on his back when necessary. Jimmy Butler fits that description easily.

Averaging 25.2 points per game this season, Butler most recently dropped 42 points in a win over the Toronto Raptors just five days after scoring 52 points to lead the Chicago Bulls over the Charlotte Hornets.

Gerald Bourget of Hoops Habit put together a list of potential Jimmy Butler destinations and proposed a deal centered around Aaron Gordon. The proposed trade seems like a bit much at first glance, but maybe worth a shot.

Bulls get F Aaron Gordon
C Nikola Vucevic
G Elfrid Payton

That’d be quite a ransom for Butler, but with so many talented players included, hopefully the Magic could get away with not including a future first round draft pick.

For the Bulls, they’d get their starting point guard for the future in Payton, though they’d have to hope he develops a reliable perimeter jumper. Gordon could take over the starting 4-spot and finally play his true position, while Vucevic could continue providing his scoring punch off the bench.

This deal seems heavily slanted toward the Bulls.

On the negative side of this trade, the Magic lose three of what figured to be its core moving forward (Evan Fournier being a fourth). The franchise has a history of giving up on players a tad bit soon, many times watching those players become All-Stars or key contributors on other rosters.

Recently, Aaron Gordon has shown All-Star potential. His offensive game has finally adjusted to the responsibilities of a small forward, while his defense is still tenacious. Giving up Gordon in any trade will be a tough sell to Magic fans. But if a proven All-Star is to come to Orlando, Gordon most likely will be on the way out.

Elfrid Payton and Nikola Vucevic have been rumored to be on the trading block since late December. Both players have elevated their game a bit. Payton has gotten more comfortable with his jump shot and has had a few very impressive outings on the offensive end.

Vucevic has always been consistent on offense and his defensive presence has increased under Frank Vogel.

After just half a season under Vogel it would be difficult to see the Magic trade away this trio. Especially since the Magic brought in Vogel with the belief he would be able to develop this young team the way he did in Indiana.

Playing under four different coaches in three seasons, some might say that Gordon, Payton and Vucevic have not had the consistency needed to truly reach their potential. But how long can the Orlando Magic wait?

If the Magic were to go through with this trade they would receive an All-Star who is under contract through 2020.

The NBA is a star-driven league. The Magic have not had an All-star since Dwight Howard‘s departure. Butler has the offensive game to carry a team and also plays great on the defensive end.

Stars win games in the NBA. This trade would definitely move the Magic closer to the playoffs this season and set them up for the future.

Other potential free agents can look at the Magic with a proven scorer in Butler and be more willing to make Orlando their home. The Magic have four expiring contracts this summer on top of a rising cap. Having Butler locked up along with great pieces like Bismack Biyombo, D.J. Augustin and Evan Fournier is a very attractive situation.

With Butler on the roster, bringing Serge Ibaka back may be a little easier, getting a meeting with other top free agents may be easier. But it is not guaranteed.

The Magic have been in win-now mode since the offseason and have made some moves that seem confusing. While this deal with Chicago might be a bit much, if the Magic want to win now, they have to consider pulling the trigger or investigating this path further.