Monday morning, Jack Winter started Basketball Insiders’ newest series titled Trade Targets, where he looked at the best players that could potentially be on the trade market when the fateful Feb. 7 deadline arrives. Today, we take a look at the Northwest Division. Before we get to it, we need to set the stage. With
Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac is expected to miss at least eight weeks secondary to a severe knee sprain and bone bruise. It all began as a routine fastbreak for Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac. The lanky 6-foot-11 defensive menace out of Florida State gathered a loose ball and attempted to bypass his defender, Bradley
Injuries are never something that NBA teams want to deal with, but they’re an unfortunate part of the game — ask any franchise, they’ll agree. But when NBA teams get hit with injuries, it usually opens up opportunities and playing time for other players to step up and contribute. The Washington Wizards are currently in
ORLANDO, FL – AUGUST 11: Mike Conley of the Utah Jazz speaks with the media during the Boys Jr. NBA Global Championship on August 11, 2019 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting
ORLANDO, FL – DECEMBER 11: Dwight Howard #39 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket against the Orlando Magic on December 11, 2019 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions
Orlando Magic forward Al-Farouq Aminu has a torn meniscus in his knee. But why isn’t the versatile defender undergoing surgery right away? ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Sunday morning that the Orlando Magic’s Al-Farouq Aminu has a torn meniscus in his right knee and it is unknown at this time when he will return. Aminu, who
Before the season, Basketball Insiders pinpointed five statistics that could be worth watching in the 2019-20 season. These statistics each helped tell the story of last season and could be vital in determining the standings of the current campaign. A month into the season, here’s an update on how those five statistics, and the impact
The NBA season is still very young, but some disappointing starts are just that – disappointing. Meaning that they can exist on their own without knowing the end result. Certain players and teams around the league surprised us with their unexpectedly strong play, and others have left us scratching our heads and wondering what’s went
Markelle Fultz’s first two NBA seasons were defined by injury and a seemingly lost ability to shoot. But early into his third season, he’s showing new life as a member of the Orlando Magic. In July 1966, Bob Dylan, in the immediate aftermath of releasing three of the greatest records in the history of popular
Almost to a fault at times, making a comparison is so easy when it comes to the NBA. Whether if it’s comparing teams or players, we always like to think someone or something reminds us of Team X or Player X. This season is still in its infant stages, yet we’re already seeing reminded of
Here we go again! Last year, this writer dove into what the association was like ten years before the incoming season. Now here we are again. We’re traveling back to the year 2010. Back when the iPad was first sweeping the nation, the economy was still in the toilet, and the Toy Story trilogy had
As it stands right now, the Eastern Conference is wide open. It definitely has its favorites, like the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers. But even they have their question marks. There are teams who could be at that level, or possibly higher should things break their way, like the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers. But,
Carsen Edwards gets annoyed when people spell his name wrong. Maybe after Tuesday night’s shooting clinic in Cleveland, that won’t happen anymore. In the first half of the Boston Celtics’ preseason finale, the 5-foot-11 rookie had four points, was in foul trouble and just looked out of rhythm after he got bumped in the head
Markelle Fultz is back in the public eye with the announcement he’s healthy and ready for Opening Night. What’s really been going on these past two years? After months spent mostly working out in private anonymity, everyone’s favorite enigma, Markelle Fultz, was back in the public eye this week, with the announcement that he was
With the 2019-20 NBA season less than a month away, we’re exploring the most interesting players for each team in the Southeast Division. We’re now less than a month away from the start of the 2019-20 NBA season. Coming off one of the most interesting offseasons in recent memory, it feels like an appropriate time
The Orlando Magic are picking up Markelle Fultz’s team option for the 2020-21 season, but given where they’re at, it’s a worthwhile risk. For most No. 1 overall draft picks, having your fourth-year team option picked up is pretty standard protocol. For Markelle Fultz, it was anything but guaranteed. With that being said, the Orlando
When Philadelphia started this whole “process,” the endgame in mind was bringing in multiple franchise cornerstones with high lottery picks that the franchise hoped would come. From 2013 to 2017, this yielded mixed results. The Sixers had a few disasters along the way, but time was on their side, and they even made up for
The Magic finally made their way back to the NBA playoffs. But, as the dust settles on the offseason, is it clear what they’re building toward? After a seven-year absence, the Orlando Magic returned to the playoffs this past season and, before their first home game, the man on stilts hadn’t yet been brought down
After a whirlwind month of action, the basketball-watching world has approached the most boring month of the year in the NBA — so looking over each and every team’s offseason is more imperative than ever. In this edition of “Grading the Offseason”, we’re taking a peek at the suddenly-erratic Minnesota Timberwolves. Remember when the Timberwolves
Over the next couple of weeks, Basketball Insiders is grading all 30 NBA teams on their offseasons — additions, subtractions, draft picks, trades, etc — and their potential headed into the 2019-20 campaign. Between today and autumn, franchises will be tasked with figuring out how their roster pieces, both new and old, might mesh together
In case you haven’t been following along, Basketball Insiders has been running a new series called “Grading the Offseason.” So far, we’ve visited the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Chicago Bulls and the New York Knicks. This go-round, we take a look at the baby Hawks that reside in the ATL. Things are looking up in Hotlanta.
The Orlando Magic invested a lot at center the past two seasons, creating a logjam that could make Mo Bamba available — and extremely enticing. The four-year, $100 million contract that 28-year-old big man Nikola Vucevic will sign with the Magic cements Orlando’s focus on the now and makes 2018 No. 6 overall pick Mo
The Orlando Magic took a flier on Markelle Fultz at the trade deadline, but they still have no idea when the former No. 1 overall pick will suit up for them. An ongoing right shoulder injury has limited Markelle Fultz to 33 games since being drafted No. 1 overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2017.
The 2019 NBA Draft started off with more trade activity than expected as most experts even predicted a record-breaking night as far as trades were concerned. With many big-name stars on the move pre-draft, rumors galore and the pending free agency period, all 30 teams were looking to maneuver in a way that best suited
Houston, we have a problem. Yeah, it’s an overdone cliche, but when is it not fitting to tie that quote into any problems going on in the Houston area? For the Rockets, it appears that things are not all too peachy at the moment. Despite both another MVP-caliber performance by James Harden and another hard-fought
Previewing the first-round series between the Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic with shot charts, assist maps, offensive style charts and expected win probabilities. Shot charts In the first season without DeMar DeRozan and Dwane Casey, the new-look Toronto Raptors have ripped off another excellent season, finishing with 58 wins. Following an increasing trend from the
The Raptors took no chances with fate sneaking up on them, emphatically finishing off the Magic in Game 5. Game 1 in this series brought the Raptors a home loss, a disappointing scoreless performance from Kyle Lowry, and a host of bad memories from their last few playoff washouts. From the tip of Game 2,
The Orlando Magic went toe-to-toe with Toronto Raptors and used a late push to steal Game 1 on the road. After Pascal Siakam made a driving shot and gave Toronto a six-point lead with just under six minutes left in the fourth quarter, Inpredictable’s live win probability model gave the Magic just a 9.7 percent
After a slow start, the Raptors regained their focus defensively and closed the game in dominating fashion, blowing out Orlando and moving one step closer to advancing in their pursuit of a title. Things looked promising for the Magic early on in Sunday’s Game 4 in Orlando. Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon were hitting shots,
TORONTO, CANADA – APRIL 16: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors handles the ball against the Orlando Magic during Game Two of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on April 16, 2019 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or