The Orlando Magic cannot realistically trade Paolo Banchero this season. Given his recent struggles and the massive questions about his future, however, they might wish that they could - a reality that would have seemed unthinkable just a few short months ago.
This has not exactly been the season that the Magic expected. At the halfway point they are 22-18, in sixth-place in the Eastern Conference and looking up at the best teams in the league. There was real optimism that this was the year that things came together and the Magic rose to the top of the East and challenged for a return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2009.