The NBA trade deadline has come and gone for the 2024-25 season, but the offseason will soon arrive. This is expected to lead to plenty of NBA rumors about potential trade proposals in the coming months.
Bleacher Report's Dan Favale put together a list of the top potential trade candidates for every team, including the Orlando Magic.
After a surprise run last season, the Magic have been unable to live up to the preseason hype. There have been a few factors that have led to the Magic having a disappointing season, including injuries to key players like Jalen Suggs.
Mo Wagner also suffered a season-ending injury earlier in the year, and Suggs is currently sidelined with a knee injury. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner have each missed significant time during the season, but they're both back to help Orlando try to stack some wins.
Another reason for the Magic's disappointing season is the lack of shooting. Orlando signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a three-year, $66 million contract in the 2024 offseason to help in this department.
Caldwell-Pope is also a two-time NBA champion from his previous stints with the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers, adding some playoff experience to the roster. Yet, the Magic were hoping the veteran could add some much-needed shooting, but the former Nuggets guard is only hitting 32% of his shots from behind the 3-point line since arriving in Orlando.
This has led to some speculation about Caldwell-Pope being a potential trade candidate in the offseason, especially with his contract. Bleacher Report labeled Caldwell-Pope as the Magic's most likely trade candidate.
"The two years and $43.2 million left on his contract lack value accordingly," Favale wrote on Tuesday. "But his single-year salary ($21.6 million) is perfectly sized for making waves without having to take in extra money."
If the Magic think that they can find more shooting, Caldwell-Pope's contract could be used in a deal that works for the team acquiring championship experience. Orlando faces plenty of roster decisions in the coming months as the Magic front office aims to surround Banchero and Wagner with more help this NBA offseason.
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This story was originally published March 22, 2025 at 3:22 PM.