Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is one of those 2024 free agents who can be moved after December 15.

And while his defense and leadership have been important ingredients in the Orlando Magic's strong start, the team is 23rd in the league in offense, with KCP averaging 8.2 points and Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner both out for the next several weeks.

Zach LaVine could give the Magic the kind of scoring punch they need (with or without the star forwards), and their abundance of rookie and otherwise affordable contracts makes them a suitor that can probably justify taking on his deal (which has a player option for $49 million in 2026-27). Whenever Banchero and Wagner are back, the 29-year-old can recede into a lesser role, while still helping the Magic pump up their three-point volume and giving those forwards a more reliable scorer to kick out to.

For the should-be-rebuilding Chicago Bulls, this is decent value for a player who's been a mainstay in the trade rumor mill for at least a year.

If the Bulls were going to get a first-round pick for LaVine, they probably already would have gotten it. He's a good player averaging 22.1 points and shooting 43.2 percent from deep this season, but his contract and sometimes shaky defense have scared off suitors.

This deal gives Chicago a second-round pick, a young wing with plenty of time to develop in Jett Howard and two tradeable contracts (KCP's deal has a $21.6 million player option in 2026-27, while Cole Anthony's has a $13.1 million team option the same season).