The Orlando Magic once looked like they had a very legitimate chance to make the playoffs this year but that was way back in 2015. Since the calendar turned the Magic are just 3-15 and it is clear that this team needs to make some changes if they want to take some of the steps they think they can. Right now what they can do is gauge the trade value for some of their players and that's exactly what they are doing with Tobias Harris, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.
Stein reports that the Magic aren't "outright shopping" Harris but they are also "not discouraging offers" for him either. This could likely be said about a lot of players at this time of the year with the deadline approaching but the Magic may be more willing to make a big move than most. Orlando has a lot of young talent but they are looking at deals in an effort to get "more seasoned," according to Yaron Weitzman of SB Nation.
In the NBA it is very good to have a lot of young talent but there is also such a thing as being too young and the Magic believe they are in that boat. If they can swap Harris for someone who has been around the block they might be willing to do so. The youth of the team isn't the only reason Harris might be available though, as the team also is very deep at the forward positions. Harris has the most trade value right now of their forwards and they see him as someone they can use to fill another need. If Harris were traded they still have Mario Hezonja, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier among others to eat up those minutes on the wings.
Harris just signed a four-year $64 million deal this offseason with the Magic so he is on the books for a very reasonable price in the long-term which may make him more attractive to potential trade partners. Harris is also still just 23 years old and although his numbers have taken a bit of a dip this season he has shown in his four plus seasons in the NBA that he could be a very good player in this league. Earlier in the season the Magic messed around with him at the power forward spot before moving him back to his natural small forward spot where he has been more effective.
As of right now it is unclear how likely it is that Harris gets dealt but a lot of that has to do with what kind of offers the Magic get for him. Orlando is likely looking for a pretty significant return for their 23-year-old forward but the fact that he has three more years left on his contract might make that a realistic possibility. A trade in the offseason might make more sense for the Magic in this case but don't rule out Harris or any of the other young guys being dealt by the Magic before the deadline after their dreadful start to 2016.
