Orlando Magic: Wilson Chandler The Answer
The Orlando Magic need to start planning for their immediate future and it starts with Wilson Chandler.
With the NBA All-Star break looming, the Orlando Magic have to start planning for next season.
This year has not gone as they would have liked, with a serious push for the playoffs never getting off the ground.
This despite several veteran additions, such as Serge Ibaka and Jeff Green. But at 19-32 (and 2-8 over their last 10 games), it’s time to see where this team can improve moving forward.
One key area is scoring and offensive play, with the Magic currently 27th in points scored per game and 28th in three-point percentage.
Clearly then something needs to be done here, and it’s unlikely their next draft pick will be able to provide this straight away.
Which is why the team should look at trading for the disgruntled Wilson Chandler, whose days with the Denver Nuggets appear to be numbered.
Jan 17, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Louis Williams (23) drives against Denver Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler (21) during the second half of a NBA basketball game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The best part about any potential deal done here, is that the Magic likely would not have to give up much to acquire his services.
Before exploring what the team would need to give up, it’s important to look at what Chandler could do if he landed in Orlando.
So far this season he’s averaging 15.4 points per game, which you may be surprised to hear is a career high for him.
So too are his 6.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists a night (although that technically ties a previous career high).
They are only basic numbers, but already we’re off to a positive start here. Despite Nikola Jokic getting all of the plaudits, and rightly so, Chandler is doing his bit for the team.
He is doing this in 30.2 minutes of game time each night, his lowest output in three seasons. Despite this, his effective field goal percentage of 50.7 is higher than his career average (49.7).
So he is showing efficiency in his offensive output, and it doesn’t stop there.
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For the season he’s shooting 35 percent from three point range, the second-best mark of his career so far.
This despite taking 4.3 long range efforts per game, a number that was as high as 5.7 two seasons ago.
With the Magic averaging 33.4 percent from deep this season (only the Oklahoma City Thunder and Chicago Bulls have been worse), they are crying out for some help here.
So this is one way that a marriage between player and team could be beneficial for both. Chandler would have the green light to shoot, and become a key offensive player for the team.
In fact, he could be everything the team hoped Jeff Green would be, but he has failed to provide nothing more than occasional flashes this season.
From the perspective of the team however, it goes beyond Chandler’s ability to shoot the basketball. He would fit well with the roster they currently have as well.
Chandler has spent most of his career as a small forward, but can play the power forward position (he’s a nifty 6’8″).
Although still only 21 years of age, Aaron Gordon has spent much of his young career as a power forward, but has been deployed at the other forward spot for most of this season.
If both guys played on the same team, they could share the duties between them and would be a difficult duo for opponents to slow down.
This is even more true as Gordon continues to improve his outside jumper, something we’ve clearly seen get better this season.
Defensively the two playing together would have a lot to be desired, but isn’t that what Bismack Biyombo was brought in for?
To hold down the fort in the paint and provide stability at the back while his teammates did all of the offensive work?
They’d be an interesting pairing, and even if the team still felt Gordon had the potential to be a big time player for them, Chandler could back him up off the bench.
After all, he’s only started 13 of the 44 games he’s played this season, however that may be part of the reason he wants out of Denver.
The key to any potential move however, is the fact Chandler himself doesn’t want to be with his current team.
For that reason, perhaps offering the Nuggets Serge Ibaka and Green could be enough to tempt them to part with Chandler?
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Throwing in a second-round pick may sweeten the deal even further. This hinges on a couple of factors of course.
Both Ibaka and Green are unrestricted free agents this summer, meaning they could both walk from Denver.
It’s also not like the Nuggets have any monster contracts on their books and the need for expiring contracts in the NBA is at an all-time low.
Still, pairing Ibaka with Jokic is worth looking at and may convince Ibaka to stick around with a fringe playoff outfit.
It’s unlikely they would want to keep Green around, but why not see if he could come off the bench and do a passable impression of a happier Chandler?
For the Magic, with Ibaka at least, they run the risk of losing him for nothing this summer anyway, so why not see what they get for him?
Remember, the team gave up Victor Oladipo and Damontas Sabonis in order to acquire him last summer, and right now that’s looking like a trade that did not pay off.
Wilson Chandler doesn’t fix all of the problems the Orlando Magic have right now. But what he would represent is a proven offensive player, something the team really needs.
At the cost of Serge Ibaka and Jeff Green (as well as a potential draft pick), why wouldn’t they pull the trigger on this deal and see what happens?
It can’t get much worse.