NBA Rumors: Orlando Magic expected to shop coveted pieces like Terrence Ross, Gary Harris, and Mo Bamba
The Orlando Magic could enter a fire sale after an 8-20 start to the year. The Magic weren't expected to make a giant leap this season, despite the addition of No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero. They still have veteran players on the roster who could be on their way out.
According to Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus, the Magic could look to shop Terrence Ross, Gary Harris, and Mo Bamba. Here's what he wrote in his recent report:
"Among the league's worst teams, league sources believe the Detroit Pistons may be open to trading shooter Bojan Bogdanović, the Orlando Magic are expected to shop Gary Harris, Terrence Ross and Mo Bamba, and the San Antonio Spurs (Jakob Poeltl, Josh Richardson and Doug McDermott) and the Houston Rockets (Eric Gordon) may part with veterans."
The three players have garnered plenty of interest around the league since the Magic decided to take the rebuilding route midway through the 2020-21 NBA season.
With the Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson sweepstakes on the line, the Magic's patience with moving their key pieces could be a wise call. They could ask for multiple picks from potential suitors and continue on their path to reconstructing their roster around Banchero.
Looking at how Orlando Magic's three trade candidates have fared
The Orlando Magic's veterans may not be as valuable assets as the other rebuilding teams possess. However, they could be excellent roster additions in a smaller role and comparatively buy-low options for contenders.
Terrence Ross has been a coveted target. He brings 10 years' worth of experience to the table. Ross, unfortunately, hasn't played on a winning team during his career, but it could be a blessing in disguise. The 31-year-old could be hungrier to do well for competitive teams and pursue a championship.
He could provide an excellent scoring punch off the bench in limited playing time. Ross is a career 36.2% 3-point shooter, which is well above the league average. This year he has made 37.8% of his shots from the arc on 4.1 attempts. Ross isn't as impactful on defense, though, so he is likely to have a limited market.
Meanwhile, Gary Harris seems like the most enticing trade asset on the Orlando Magic. He has been frequently mentioned in the NBA rumor mill this past offseason. Harris is a solid two-way guard. He is also quite efficient with his shooting. In six games this year, he has averaged 10.3 points on 48/44/100 splits.
Harris would be an excellent addition to a contending team and is likely to have a bigger market. His career stats suggest he is a reliable and consistent 10-point-per-game scorer. However, trading for him could be a gamble, as Harris has been injury-prone.
The Orlando Magic had high hopes for Mo Bamba, and they expected him to don the starting center job for years to come. However, he didn't reach those levels. Nevertheless, Bamba's skillset makes him a coveted target. He is on the rise as one of the most efficient shooting big men in the NBA.
Bamba was in the spotlight this past offseason after the LA Lakers showed interest in him. He would've been an excellent fit alongside Anthony Davis. Bamba could be a solid fit for plenty of teams because of the spacing he provides. He enjoyed a career-best year last season, averaging 10.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks across 69 starts, shooting 38.1% from the arc on 4.0 attempts.