NBA Rumors: 3 Dream Trade Targets for Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic were manhandled by the defending champion Boston Celtics in the first round, losing the series in five games. And after having trouble scoring throughout the series, they were cut no slack by one Eastern Conference beat writer:

Orlando scored 100 points just once against the Celtics in the first round. And it was exactly 100. Just wretched. Yeesh. No team needs an offensive infusion more than the Magic. Can't take them seriously until it happens.
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) April 30, 2025

Chris Fedor pointed out that the Magic barely reached the 100-point mark just once in the series, and insists that the team "needs an offensive infusion" more than any other team around.

The Magic finished 27th in the league in offensive rating, and beyond Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, they have serious trouble putting the biscuit in the basket.

Given all of that, there are three dream trade targets that the Magic could be shooting for this offseason, per Zach Buckley in Bleacher Report. All of them would add a huge offensive kick to the team's backcourt.

The list starts start pretty unrealistic, but gets more plausible as we go through it.

Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers

Murray and Nikola Jokic form a one-two punch that has already won one NBA title for the Denver Nuggets, and they're hoping to compete for another one this year. It's unlikely Denver will part with the star guard, whose 4-year, $208M extension doesn't even kick in until next season.

However, there was a report in the Denver Post just earlier this month that the Nuggets "explored trades involving Jamal Murray last offseason and Porter during this season."

Ball has had his name in trade rumors recently, as many around the league are wondering if he has finally had enough of the losing in Charlotte and is ready to move on. Yes, this one seems more doable. Of course, any team acquiring Ball would have to take his significant injury history into account.

Orlando-born Anfernee Simons is an ideal trade target for the Magic

Simons is another potential acquisition that's even easier to see happening. The Trail Blazers are ready to go all-in with their backcourt of the future, Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. Simons just takes minutes and development away from them.

But what makes this one almost blatantly obvious is the fact that Simons is from the Orlando area, and even Jusuf Nurkic, his former Portland teammate, has pushed from the Magic to go out and get Simons, as Buckley notes:

"I think they are missing one player," Nurkić told reporters earlier this season. "I can't name it, but that's my little fella from Portland."