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The Los Angeles Lakers have finally started to find the rhythm after starting with a mediocre 4-4 record. Still, there’s a beneficial swap the organization could make to remain on an upward trajectory.
It would probably be in the Lakers’ best interest to move on from a below-average contributor and acquire an improving Orlando Magic center.
“Mo Wagner has been having a solid season with the Magic, averaging 12.6 points and 4.4 rebounds while playing a key bench role,” Fadeaway World’s Fran Leiva wrote Monday.
"He’s a guy who can hit threes, provide hustle, and fill in gaps wherever needed. The Magic are stacked in the frontcourt, though, with Wendell Carter Jr. locked in as the starter and Goga Bitadze giving solid minutes. With all that depth, Wagner might be the odd man out when it comes to playing time.”
“This kind of move could work out for both sides. Wagner brings versatility and shooting to any lineup, and his ability to stretch the floor makes him valuable in today’s game. The Magic, meanwhile, would get some guard depth and future assets while clearing up the logjam in their frontcourt.”
“Wagner’s the kind of player who might not make headlines, but he could quietly be the piece that makes a big difference when rotations tighten up later in the season.”
According to Leiva's trade proposal, the Lakers would send Gabe Vincent, a 2025 second-round pick (via the Los Angeles Clippers), a 2030 second-round pick, and a 2031 second-round pick to the Magic for Wagner.
While Wagner’s younger brother, Franz, has been the Magic’s star player since Paolo Banchero went down with a torn oblique injury in October, the 2018 first-round pick's been a serviceable role asset for Jamahl Mosley’s club.
Wagner has notched 10+ points on at least 40% field goal shooting in six of his last seven outings.
Wagner’s offensive game is still a work in progress, but he continues to flash potential in a Magic uniform.
The Berlin, Germany native is a quick-twitch big man who doesn't utilize wasted movements and dribbles.
For example, if a defender elects to lean on Wagner in an unstable manner, the 6-foot-11 center will quickly spin around that opponent and finish at the rim.
Vincent, on the other hand, has been an unfortunate liability for the Lakers through 13 games. The 6-foot-2 guard averages 2.9 points on 27.8% field goal shooting and 17.6% three-point shooting.
As a veteran presence who knows what it takes to reach the NBA finals, Vincent was expected to provide the Lakers with consistent offensive production.
Instead, the Santa Barbara native has been a massive disappointment during his first season in Los Angeles.
While it’s still early in the year, trading Vincent and three future draft picks to the Magic for Wagner may be the best option for the Lakers.
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