There are moments in the life cycle of every NBA franchise when courage must overcome comfort and when boldness must break the bonds of the slow, careful grind of development.

For the Orlando Magic, that moment may be now.

The Magic, fresh off another first-round exit in the postseason and still in search of playoff relevance, are at a clear inflection point.

They are no longer the league’s most lovable project, admired for their patience and draft-night savvy. They are a team with postseason expectations and a ticking clock tied to the growth curve of budding superstar Paolo Banchero. Which is why they would be derelict in their duty — irresponsible, even — if they didn’t at least investigate the possibility of trading for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo , who, for the first time in his career, is reportedly exploring the possibility of leaving Milwaukee.

No, this isn’t some silly fantasy basketball scenario. It’s not some ridiculous trade proposition fans plug into the ESPN trade machine to see if the salaries match up. It’s an idea rooted in history, logic, and most importantly — relationships. If there’s any team in the NBA that has a real, organic foundation on which to build a pursuit of Giannis, it’s the Magic.

You see, the Magic’s management team didn’t just scout Giannis a dozen years ago. They discovered him.

Back in 2013, when Giannis was a raw teenager playing in second-division gyms in Greece, it was then-Milwaukee Bucks general manager John Hammond and his top assistant Jeff Weltman who saw something no one else could quite quantify. They took a wild swing at pick No. 15. They believed in the long-limbed prospect with the quiet eyes and freakish potential. They brought his family over to the United States. They nurtured him when he was lost and alone in a foreign land.

“John Hammond drafted me, believed in me, believed in my family, brought them over here,” Giannis said on the night Milwaukee won the 2021 NBA Championship. “He made me feel comfortable. He made me feel like I was his son when I was homesick and alone in the hotel.”

That quote still matters. Loyalty still matters. Giannis is wired differently than most superstars. And in an NBA era where players routinely jump ship chasing super-teams and short-term boosts, Giannis has stayed grounded in relationships, trust, and a belief in doing things the right way.

Hammond is now the senior advisor of the Magic’s basketball operations. Weltman, the man who once rode shotgun with Hammond in the decision to draft Giannis, is now the Magic’s president of basketball operations.

Let’s be clear: acquiring Giannis wouldn’t be easy. Nor would it be painless. It would require breaking up the carefully built core that has turned the Magic into one of the league’s most promising young teams. Then again, the league is filled with promising young teams (see Oklahoma City, Indiana, Minnesota, Detroit, Houston, Memphis, et al). To make any serious trade proposal for a two-time MVP who is still just 30 years old and coming off a season in which he averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists on 60% shooting, the Magic would have to part with Franz Wagner.

And probably Jalen Suggs, too.

That would hurt. Wagner is a potential All-Star and one of the best two-way forwards in the game under the age of 25. Suggs has become a defensive tone-setter and locker room leader whose toughness sets the tone for the rest of the roster. But here’s the thing: nobody wins championships without taking risks. There are no guarantees the Magic ever win a title with Banchero, Wagner and Suggs as their nucleus. None.

But Giannis and Paolo together? That could change everything.

That would immediately form one of the most devastating frontcourt duos in the NBA. Giannis is still in the heart of his prime and remains a force of nature. Paolo is ascending at an alarming rate, already showing flashes of offensive polish and leadership far beyond his years. Put them on the same floor, coached by Jamahl Mosley and surrounded by the right complementary pieces, and the Magic could be instant contenders.

Not five years from now.

Not after another developmental step.

Now.

That may sound like a departure from the Magic’s patient, long-term philosophy. But it’s not as drastic a shift as it seems. In fact, it’s aligned with what Weltman himself said after the team’s first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Celtics.

“We’re ready to turn the page on our rebuild and enter the next stage of our team and look through a more win-now lens,” Weltman said. “… Let’s put our foot on the gas and go. … Nothing is off the table for us.”

That’s not just GM-speak.

That’s an invitation for Giannis to trade in his Bucks antlers for some mouse ears and come on down to the Magic Kingdom.

And it comes at a time when, for the first time in his career, Giannis is openly questioning his long-term fit in Milwaukee. According to ESPN, he is “open-minded” about exploring whether his best shot at winning more championships lies outside of Milwaukee.

He’s still under contract, but the Bucks have been eliminated from the first round of the playoffs for three consecutive seasons and are facing serious cap and roster-building limitations. Damian Lillard, his aging high-profile co-star, is recovering from a serious Achilles tendon injury and is expected to miss all of next season. The Bucks have few draft assets left to retool and few movable contracts.

Meanwhile, the Magic have flexibility, cap space and, most importantly, players Milwaukee would actually want in a trade. If the Bucks are forced to make the unthinkable decision to trade their franchise icon, Orlando is one of the few teams that can make a competitive offer and still have a championship foundation left afterward.

And unlike many other potential suitors, the Magic can offer Giannis something no other team can: familiarity, trust, continuity in leadership. A front office that made him feel like family once before and would surely do it again.

I get it. It’s easy to romanticize the idea of growing organically. Of watching Banchero, Wagner and Suggs grow up and reach their collective ceiling together. But guess what? Sometimes the ceiling isn’t as high as the window you open when a generational player becomes available. And that’s what Giannis is.

He’s not just a box-score marvel. He’s a culture setter. He works like a second-round pick who never forgot the odds he beat to get here. He competes like he’s still trying to earn his first contract. He leads with humility and fire. Pair him with a young star like Paolo and put him in a championship-starved city like Orlando, and Giannis has the same blank canvas he had in Milwaukee — and a chance to paint his greatness all over again.

Yes, it’s a bit of a risk. Yes, the price would be steep. And, no, there are no guarantees.

But the Orlando Magic didn’t draft Paolo Banchero at No. 1 just to make the second round of the playoffs. They didn’t spend a decade in the wilderness of the NBA lottery just to be “promising.”

They want to win it all.

And there may be no better time to go all-in than now.

It’s time for Jeff Weltman and John Hammond to pick up the phone and make the call.

All those years ago, they once discovered the greatness of Giannis.

Maybe it’s time to rediscover it now — and reinvent the Orlando Magic in the process.

They once saw what Giannis would become.

Now they must decide what the Magic will become.