The Worst Draft And Trade Mistakes In Orlando Magic History

Since 1989-90, the Orlando Magic have been one of the most interesting and peculiar franchises in the NBA. During these 35 seasons, the Magic are unfortunately one of the few NBA franchises who have been unable to capture an NBA championship despite two Finals appearances and 16 total playoff appearances.

While there are plenty of reasons why the Magic have remained without an NBA title, one of the biggest reasons is poor decision-making by the front office regarding their draft selections and deals made via trade. Just as we have done recently with the Washington Wizards and New York Knicks, it is time to dig through the franchise’s history and reveal the biggest mistakes the team has made that have prevented them from earning that elusive NBA championship.

The Worst Draft Mistakes In Orlando Magic History

2001 NBA Draft

Orlando Magic Selected: Steven Hunter, 15th Overall Pick

Better Available Pick: Zach Randolph (19th Overall Pick)

Believe it or not, the Magic had their fair share of success during the 1990s, landing franchise legends like Shaquille O’Neal, Nick Anderson, and Dennis Scott via the NBA Draft. Their first big mistake would come in 2001 when they held multiple first-round picks. The first selection they made was with the 15th pick in the 2001 NBA draft, taking Steven Hunter, a big man from DePaul University.

Hunter would spend the first three seasons of his nine-year NBA career with Orlando where he averaged just 3.5 points and 2.5 rebounds per game in 145 games played. Hunter would go on to play the remainder of his career with the Suns, Sixers, Nuggets, and Grizzlies before retiring in 2010.

The Magic would have been far better off if they had just taken a chance on Michigan State product Zach Randolph if they needed a difference-making big man for the future. Throughout his 17-year career, Randolph would become a franchise legend in Portland and Memphis, earning two All-Star appearances and an All-NBA team selection in 2011. Randolph averaged 16.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game for his career as well, far more decorated than Hunter ever thought of being in the NBA.

2002 NBA Draft

Orlando Magic Selected: Curtis Borchardt, 18th Overall Pick

Better Available Pick: Tayshaun Prince (23rd Overall Pick)

Having a place in the bottom half of the NBA draft usually means that the team is trending in the right direction. In the early 2000s, the Magic had a decent squad led by Tracy McGrady. With their 18th pick in the NBA Draft, the Magic decided on Curtis Borchardt who they immediately sent to Utah in exchange for Ryan Humphrey and Jamal Sampson.

The trade would end up being a wash with Sampson never even suiting up for the Magic while Humphrey played just 35 games for the team, averaging 1.8 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. The Magic did not get lucky as many teams do toward the end of the first round of the draft, and that’s because all of that luck was spent on the Pistons just a few picks later.

With their 23rd pick, Detroit would select Tayshaun Prince, a lengthy and extremely intelligent defensive wing. Just two seasons after being drafted, Prince would help the Pistons capture the 2004 NBA championship with his incredible athletic ability and propensity to slow down the most elite scorers in the game. He may have never been an All-Star but four All-Defensive Team selections and an NBA title say all you need to know about what Orlando missed out on.

2005 NBA Draft

Orlando Magic Selected: Fran Vasquez, 11th Overall Pick

Better Available Pick: Danny Granger (17th Overall Pick)

With the 11th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, the Magic decided on Fran Vasquez, a 6’10’’ big man out of Spain. Despite his high draft standing, Vasquez would never even play a game in the NBA much to the chagrin of Orlando Magic fans everywhere. Vasquez was expected to be a formidable partner to Dwight Howard in Orlando’s frontcourt but opted instead to remain in Spain for the remainder of his professional career.

Although he was not a frontcourt player, a chance on Danny Granger with this pick would have been a much better outcome for the Magic. By 2009, Granger would become an All-Star and the NBA’s Most Improved Player, averaging 25.8 points per game. After a few more productive seasons above or around 20.0 points per game, injuries would begin to pile up for Granger and he would retire by the end of 2014-15.

Still, could you imagine a prime Granger on that 2009 Orlando team that went head-to-head with Kobe’s Lakers in the NBA Finals?

2015 NBA Draft

Orlando Magic Selected: Mario Hezonja, 5th Overall Pick

Better Available Pick: Devin Booker (15h Overall Pick)

To be fair, 14 teams completely missed drafting Devin Booker in the 2015 NBA draft. It just looks a little worse for the Orlando Magic when you consider their pick with the 5th selection. That’s because their selection would be used on Mario Hezonja, a 6’8’’ forward out of Croatia. Hezonja had high expectations but failed to live up to them, playing three seasons in Orlando and averaging just 6.9 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.

Hezonja’s last season in the NBA would come in 2020. Meanwhile, Devin Booker, who slid to 15th coming out of Kentucky, has gone on to become the best shooting guard in the NBA for the Phoenix Suns. In the last nine-plus seasons, Booker has become a true three-level scorer who has appeared in an NBA Finals, earned three All-Star selections, and one All-NBA Team selection in 2022.

Booker has been a 25.0 point per game scorer every season since 2019 and would have been a splendid sight to see along with their young core who has been wildly successful to start the 2023-24 season.

2018 NBA Draft

Orlando Magic Selected: Mo Bamba, 6th Overall Pick

Better Available Pick: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (11th Overall Pick)

Many NBA fans and media members alike had extremely high hopes for Mo Bamba when he was selected sixth overall by the Orlando Magic in 2018. Bamba was a 7-footer out of Texas who displayed a solid offensive repertoire and defensive mindset. Things would not work out that way for Bamba as he spent four and a half seasons in Orlando averaging 7.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game while missing extended time with injuries.

I do not know that many people saw the potential in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander coming out of Kentucky that same year, but they certainly see it now. Over the last six seasons, Gilgeous-Alexander has transformed into one of the best guards in the NBA and a legitimate MVP candidate so far in 2023-24. In the last two seasons, he has averaged over 31.0 points per game for the Thunder and earned his first All-Star and All-NBA Team selection while catapulting the team into legitimate title contention.

The Worst Trade Mistakes In Orlando Magic History

2000 Trade Between The Orlando Magic And The Detroit Pistons

Orlando Magic Received: Grant Hill

Detroit Pistons Received: Ben Wallace, Chucky Atkins

At first glance, the Orlando Magic taking a chance to acquire Grant Hill in 2000 wasn’t much of a mistake. That is until you realize what they had to give up to get him in an experiment that saw Hill quickly deteriorate and Ben Wallace go on to become one of the best centers of the 2000s decade.

Hill arrived in Orlando with high expectations alongside generational talent Tracy McGrady. He would be an All-Star in his first season with the team despite playing just four games. Hill would not play over 30 games with the team until four seasons in, and by that time, he was a complete shell of his former self with Detroit early in his career averaging just 15.6 points per game in his final four seasons with the team.

Ben Wallace would take a few seasons to get acclimated to Detroit but once he did, he was a difference-maker of the highest caliber. Wallace would earn Defensive Player of the Year honors four times in five seasons from 2002 through 2006 and All-Star selections every year from 2003 through 2006. He was the most feared interior defender in the league and anchored the Pistons defense to an NBA championship in 2004. Who knows? Maybe a duo of T-Mac and Wallace could have gotten Orlando out of the first round of the playoffs at least.

2016 Trade Between The Orlando Magic And The Oklahoma City Thunder

Orlando Magic Received: Serge Ibaka

Oklahoma City Thunder Received: Domantas Sabonis, Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova

During the 2016 offseason, it was clear the Orlando Magic were going to be active from draft night forward attempting to rebuild their team. After selecting Domantas Sabonis with the 11th overall pick, they quickly flipped Sabonis along with Victor Oladipo and Ersan Ilyasova to the Thunder in exchange for Serge Ibaka.

Ibaka’s time in Orlando would be short-lived as he played just 56 games with the team before they sent him to Toronto in a deal for Terrence Ross and a first-round pick. Ibaka would help the Raptors win an NBA title in 2019, and even worse, Oladipo and Sabonis thrived elsewhere. After one season with the Thunder, Oladipo would have All-Star seasons in 2018 and 2019 while also winning Most Improved Player, All-NBA, and All-Defensive Team honors.

Over the last five seasons with the OPacers and Kings, Sabonis has been one of the top centers in the NBA, earning three All-Star selections, an All-NBA Team selection, and a rebounding title. With the Kings in 2023-24, Sabonis is still among the elite big men in the game and is looking to lead the Kings back to the playoffs for the second straight season after they missed the postseason in the previous 17 years.

2016 Trade Between The Orlando Magic And The Detroit Pistons

Orlando Magic Received: Brando Jennings, Ersan Ilyasova

Detroit Pistons Received: Tobias Harris

The first domino to fall for the Magic in their 2016 rebuild was the deal that sent Tobias Harris out of town and landed them both Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova. Harris wasn’t yet the player we know him as today but was well on his way there, averaging 15.6 points and 7.0 rebounds in three-plus seasons with the team.

In the deal, the Magic received a skeleton version of Brandon Jennings who played just 25 games with the team and averaged 7.0 points and 4.0 assists per game. Ilyasova also played just 22 games with the Magic averaging 8.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game before being dealt on draft night in the Serge Ibaka trade.

Harris would go on to be one of the better forwards in the NBA over the next nine years despite having one of the worst contracts in the NBA given to him by the 76ers. Since his trade from Orlando, Harris has averaged 17.5 points and 6.4 rebounds on 48.3% shooting. Although he hasn’t been an All-Star, Harris’ production was much better than both of Orlando’s trade assets combined.

2021 Trade Between The Orlando Magic And The Denver Nuggets

Orlando Magic Received: R.J. Hampton, Gary Harris, 2025 First-Round Draft Pick

Denver Nuggets Received: Aaron Gordon, Gary Clark

The Orlando Magic began their modern-day rebuild during the 2020-21 season. After already trading center Nikola Vucevic to the Bulls in exchange for Wendell Carter Jr., the Magic decided to move on from another member of their frontcourt in exchange for a couple of young wings to bolster their lineup.

Those young guards were Gary Harris and R.J. Hampton. Harris remains with the Magic through 2023-24, averaging 7.1 points per game in 22.8 minutes per game off the bench. As for Hampton, his time with Orlando came to an end fairly quickly, appearing in 115 games, making 15 starts, and averaging just 8.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game.

In the meantime, Aaron Gordon has elevated his game to entirely new heights since arriving in Denver. Gordon has become one of the more prominent defenders in the game which was never as evident as it was during the 2023 NBA playoffs. Gordon defended the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Anthony Edwards en route to helping the Nuggets capture their first championship in franchise history.