Raptors Win Big, Magic Need to Fire GM
After a somewhat inconsequential trade made the other day by the Nuggets and Blazers, the Raptors and Magic finalized a more noteworthy deal in which the Orlando Magic traded Serge Ibaka and received Terrance Ross and a 2017 first round pick from the Toronto Raptors.
Many gave flack to the Orlando Magic during the 2016 NBA Draft when the Magic traded for Serge Ibaka, giving up Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova, and the draft rights to first round pick Domantas Sabonis in the process. Now, with the Magic trading Ibaka away just 8 months after acquiring him, the trade unsurprisingly appears to be a major fail for the organization.
Many questions arise from this trade: Are the Raptors now legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference? Did they give up too much? Does this trade made by the Magic make up for their draft day trade? All are answered below:
Are the Raptors Now Legitimate Contenders in the Eastern Conference?
Yes.
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The Raptors' desire to acquire a stretch four was as obvious as the fact that Phil Jackson wants Carmelo out of New York ASAP. After setting a franchise record for wins last season (56), the Raptors looked as if they were building off of their success from the year before by starting 22-8 in their first 30 games. The team however, has gone just 10-15 in their subsequent 25 games. Regardless of the fact that arguably their best player, DeMar Derozan, was injured for six of those 25 games in which the team went 2-4 without him, it was clear that something was missing. The team has been searching throughout the league for what almost every team seems to be searching for these days, a competent stretch-four. The Raptors couldn't play the pick-and-pop game due to the lack of shooting coming from their big men, and both Lowry and Derozan's ability to drive and kick were negated by the fact that they lacked good shooters on the outside.
By acquiring Serge Ibaka, the team has managed to kill two birds with one stone as Ibaka has transformed into one of the best shooting big men in the game. Of all power forwards in the NBA with at least 50% of their shots taken beyond 10 feet, Ibaka ranks 3rd in shooting percentage. Of all power forwards that have played at least 20 minutes per game and have attempted at least one 3 point attempt per game, Ibaka ranks 3rd in 3 point percentage as well. In fact, Ibaka has a higher 3 point percentage than Kristaps Porzingis and Kevin Durant while putting up similar amounts of attempts per game. Point being, the man is one of the best shooting power forwards in the game. The Raptors found a weakness in their team, and addressed it. With two all-stars in Lowry and Derozan, two very solid big men who compliment each other perfectly in Jonas Valanciunas and Serge Ibaka, defensive forward DeMarre Carroll, and solid guard backup play in Normal Powell and Cory Joseph, the Raptors have a conference title level team.
Did the Raptors Give Up Too Much in the Deal?
No chance.
Terrance Ross' play has stayed stagnant over the past couple seasons as he has remained as a player that can get hot from deep at times and possesses incredible athleticism. He was replaced however in the starting lineup by 2nd year pro Normal Powell who has proven to be a more valuable guard for the team as both a defender and all-around player. Ross was expendable for them and allowed the team to trade away a 10 million dollar annual contract in the process. The first rounder they gave up comes from the L.A. Clippers which is likely to be a high first round pick. In addition, the Raptors still maintain their first round pick for 2017.
Did the Magic Make Up for Their Draft Day Trade?
The Magic surprisingly got good value for a player that was clearly going to walk as a free agent at the end of the year (Ibaka). They add a first round pick, although it's a late one, and acquire a young shooting guard. Problem is, instead of having 5 big men that all play similar roles on the team in Vucevic, Ibaka, Biyombo, Gordon, and Green, now the team shifts to having way too many guards in Terrance Ross, Evan Fournier, Mario Hezonja, and Jodie Meeks. The Magic's trades involving Ibaka can be compared to a student's revised paper. Just like a student who receives a D+ for his or her paper, revises it, gets a B+, and gets a final grade of a C+, so too the Magic managed to salvage some benefit out of the Ibaka deal. They made an awful trade in the beginning, made up for it with a good value trade, but still average out to being worse off than they were before. Think about it, Ross is worse than Oladipo, and the first rounder this season is going to be around the same pick as Domantas Sabonis.
All I can say is this, we can all start forming our opinions on who will replace Magic GM Rob Hennigan very soon. After performing one of the most questionable trades in the past few seasons to acquire Serge, the team then decided to sign two additional big men in Bismack Biyombo and Jeff Green. The team chased after five big men despite the rest of the NBA adhering to the "small ball" tactic, which has proven to be more valuable. In addition to his questionable signings and trades over the off-season, one can only question the logic of all the other transactions he has performed over the past two years. The following chart displays all the players the Magic have traded away compared to the players and picks that they have received over the past two seasons. Players in italics were traded to the Magic only to then be traded away again in the future:
All in all, the Magic have managed to trade one of the better stretch fours in the game (Ibaka), a 24 year old do it all shooting guard (Oladipo), another 24 year old power forward with a great offensive game (Harris), a 23 year old starting small forward (Harkless), and one of the best catch and shoot bigs in the game (Frye) in the past two seasons. In return they have kept just two of the players in which they received in all of those trades (Jodie Meeks and Terrance Ross), while accumulating two 2020 2nd round picks and one late 1st round pick in this years draft.
Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Good work Mr. Hennigan.
What This Means for the Rest of the Year?
It's very simple: The Raptors won big, the Magic lost yet another trade, and the Cavaliers will still be the representatives in the Eastern Conference. The Eastern Conference Finals will be a bit more interesting to watch this season and the Magic will continue to stink.
