Breaking down possible trades for Nikola Vucevic
By Ryan Doyle
With all of the rumors that Nikola Vucevic may be on the trading block, there have been a lot of ideas floating around the web about possible trade scenarios involving the Orlando Magic’s center.
The moment the Orlando Magic agreed to a four-year, $70-million contract with center Bismack Biyombo many wondered what that meant for Nikola Vucevic’s future with the team. Will he be coming off the bench? Is Biyombo a $70-million backup?
As fans wait patiently for training camp for an answer, we found out what Vucevic thought about his future in Orlando. In an interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio on Thursday, Vucevic explained why he thinks the starting center position is his.
"“I think that I have proven that I am definitely a starter in this league and I believe to be one of the best centers in the league. I don’t think there’s any reason for me to come off the bench.”"
Vucevic is right, he is a starting-caliber NBA center. But that may not be his role with this particular Orlando Magic roster.
Throughout the offseason, Orlando has clearly shown the team wants to be a defensive powerhouse led by big rim protectors. Serge Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo are two guys that fit the mold, Vucevic is not.
During Biyombo’s introductory press conference, the Orlando Magic admitted Biyombo was their number one priority. It is unlikely Orlando would prioritize a backup center.
The writing is on the wall he may need to come off the bench in coach Frank Vogel’s rotation. Whether Vucevic will agree to that has yet to be seen. Even if Vucevic starts, the hefty investment the Magic made in Biyombo suggests the center position is accounted for long term.
All of these signs indicate Vucevic is not going to be the starter, even if the reality is there will be an open competition at the beginning of camp. That is still a downgrade from Vucevic’s stranglehold over the position.
It points to Nikola Vucevic becoming a hot commodity on the trade market, even if the Magic are not looking around right now.
If this situation were to present itself, the question becomes, what would the Magic get in return for Vucevic? There are multiple destinations Vucevic could land but which ones benefit the Magic the most?
There is a market for Vucevic as teams begin searching around for ways to fill out their rosters and free agency quieting down. The trade may not come today, it may not come before the season, but something will emerge and, with someone likely unhappy with their role, the time to cash in may be coming.
The following trade proposals have been gathered from various websites and team sites interested in Vucevic. All of the proposals give insight as to what Vucevic’s market would be if Orlando started to shop him around.
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