The Orlando Magic have been having one of the best turn-arounds this season. After a cold start, Orlando has been on a hot streak, winning seven of their last 10 games. The offense is starting to put the pieces together but the team has been strong defensively. However, if Orlando wants to be a legitimate contender in a competitive Eastern Conference, they may have to make a significant trade prior to the deadline in Feb.
Bleacher Report published an article, highlighting one representative from every NBA team who is most likely to be traded. The Magic's player: forward Jonathan Isaac.
"Jonathan Isaac hasn't averaged more than 16.0 minutes per game since 2019-20," the article wrote. "At 28 and playing even fewer minutes this season than last, it's now impossible to imagine the defensively excellent Isaac ever being a rotation factor again. The Orlando Magic understood this potential outcome when they signed him to an extension that runs through 2028-29, and they guaranteed just $8 million of a potential $45 million in salary over the deal's final three years."
The Isaac contract situation is a bit more complicated because the Magic have multiple options other than simply trading his salary.
"With the second apron being a real concern next season, the Magic could just cut Isaac after this year, pay him $8 million and move on," the article added. "Or, they could find a team that values the potential savings even more, trade Isaac for a $15-20 million player who could actually feature in the rotation and figure out some other way to cut costs down the road. Considering Orlando telegraphed its win-now posture by trading five first-round assets for Desmond Bane over the summer, another present-focused move involving Isaac seems plausible."
Other than Isaac, the Magic have a few expiring contracts including Tyus Jones and Moritz Wagner. All three players are just under thirty years old and could be used in a trade. It seems unlikely the Magic part with any of their younger talent who have been extended such as Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner or Jalen Suggs. However, younger players with potential such as Anthony Black or Jett Howard could have interest from other teams prior to the trade deadline. Black has been impressive recently and Howard seems like a more likely candidate to be traded with Jase Richardson waiting in the wings.
Even with those contract situations, Isaac's defensive strength along with his cheap contract guarantees make him the most likely to be moved come deadline day.