The Orlando Magic are one of the more confusing teams to grasp in the entire NBA. They're putting together a solid season but with multiple stars injured at different points throughout the season, it is hard to identify how this team would look at full strength. They entered the season with high expectations and those expectations certainly have not been met.
Bleacher Report released an article, predicting what every NBA team would do if the trade deadline were today. For the Magic, the article's advice is to "trim salary".
"The Orlando Magic are going to be taxpayers in 2026-27 when Paolo Banchero's max extension kicks in, which means they'll take a look at ducking the tax for this year," the article wrote. "The main reason: Orlando should want to avoid starting the clock on the dreaded repeater tax until it's absolutely necessary. Because the Magic haven't paid the tax for over a decade, they can make next year the first season that counts toward that three-out-of-four window. All they have to do is shave about $5.6 million off of this year's books."
Even though the team is in a contending spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, they could still duck the tax and make the playoffs at the same time. There are multiple contracts on the roster that could get flipped to get Orlando to avoid the tax.
"Dumping Jett Howard, whose fourth-year option Orlando declined to pick up, would get them almost all the way there," the article added. "Jonathan Isaac, Tyus Jones or Goga Bitadze could find themselves on the block, with the bigs perhaps seeming more expendable with Moe Wagner's imminent return from a torn ACL. Orlando looks like a playoff team, which makes cutting money seem like a disappointing priority. But it's not like the Magic have played like contenders. Maybe avoiding the tax will be key to preserving the flexibility they need to reach that level next year and beyond."
Howard and Isaac seem like real trade candidates, whether as a salary dump or as a package for a legitimate piece for a playoff push. There are numerous wings on the trade block who could be dealt come Feb. While it may seem outrageous to be sellers with a winning record, ducking the tax may be the most important priority for the Magic this season.
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