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Orlando Magic Rumors: Orlando Magic seeking established scorer

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Jan 2, 2017; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) drives to the basket defended by Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2017; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) drives to the basket defended by Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Orlando Magic continue to evaluate and search the trade market for improvements. A new report suggests they still chase a proven scorer.

There is now, perhaps, the promise of a high draft pick. After Saturday’s games, the Orlando Magic are now in line for the fifth-best Lottery odds. But the team, as representatives have said in several statements throughout the week, are not ready to pack in the season. Both general manager Rob Hennigan and coach Frank Vogel said they believe the team has enough to make a run.

Or maybe they still need a tweak or two — Hennigan said he believes the team is a tweak or two away from being a Playoff team.

With those visions still dancing around for the Magic, it is no surprise they are still looking for ways to improve the team. Perhaps that strategy will change if the losing streak continues.

Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports the Magic seem still to be pushing for the Playoff path for now and are looking for something a bit more proven. There does not seem to be a complete youthful rebuild on the way.

"Orlando, according to league sources, remains focused on acquiring a proven scorer on the wing before the Feb. 23 trade deadline if the ever-elusive right deal presents itself. ‎The corresponding expectation in league circles is that the Magic will try to move a big man to make that happen, with Nikola Vucevic continuing to rank as the most likely of Orlando’s bigs to depart because Serge Ibaka is headed for free agency in July (which complicates trading him) and with Bismack Biyombo only in the first year of a four-year, $68 million deal bound to put some teams off. Vucevic, by contrast, is a proven scorer and rebounder whose comparatively modest $11.8 million salary will presumably offset some of the defensive concerns in circulation. But sources say Boston’s talks with Orlando to date on the Vucevic front haven’t progressed past the exploratory stage …The Orlando Magic have made it well known they will be active when it comes to the trade deadline. The Playoff dreams are slipping away, but the future remains in focus and the Magic are not likely to want to wait much longer to get back into the Playoff race."

Finding that “proven” scorer has been a priority for a while now it would seem. That has been a pressing weakness for the team since the beginning of the season. Indeed, the Magic’s lack of creation or scoring has been a pressing problem throughout the season. The Magic are 29th in the league in offensive rating.

How long that desire lasts could depend on how long the Magic can legitimately claim they can make the Playoffs. The Miami Heat have won seven games in a row and have climbed from the cellar to tied with the Magic. So a win streak can change things fairly quickly.

It seems inevitable the Magic will make a trade at some point. Whether it is moving Serge Ibaka or doing a deal to improve the roster by injecting some scoring.

The Magic will have to clear up this front court logjam they have created. It has simply failed to gel.

And it would seem the going thought is to move Nikola Vucevic to do so. He is simply the easiest to move because of his team-friendly contract and his on-court production.

This weekend the rumor popped up that the Magic and the Boston Celtics had discussed a deal involving Nikola Vucevic. But Stein confirms it has not advanced passed exploratory stages.

It seems the Magic’s trade posture is to explore a lot of avenues, including finding a way to make a deal to save the season. The good news is the Magic seem determined to find the elusive right deal rather than simply rushing into a deal. There is still some thought to the team’s long-term future.

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But Stein’s report seems to suggest the Magic might be looking to make a deal quicker and sooner than the deadline if they feel it can change their Playoff prospects.