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Orlando Magic Rumors: Nikola Vucevic generating trade buzz

By Philip Rossman-Reich

PHILADELPHIA,PA - NOVEMBER 25 : Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic goes up for the dunk against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on November 25, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA,PA - NOVEMBER 25 : Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic goes up for the dunk against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on November 25, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Orlando Magic are sure to be active in the trade market now that it has opened up. Center Nikola Vucevic will again be at the center of those talks.

The NBA’s unofficial trading season opened up Friday, December 15. That is the day players who signed contracts over the summer are eligible for trade. Essentially, every player in the NBA was available to trade for the first time last Friday.

The run to the February 8 trade deadline is going to be a busy one. There are several major players expected to be available — Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan and Paul George chief among them with maybe Anthony Davis also entering the fray. The NBA presents lots of juicy rumors. But there are still more likely to be smaller moves made than any gigantic mid-season moves.

And not every team is going to be willing to invest the vast amount of assets it takes to go after one of those big fish. The all-in move is saved for a select group of teams.

The Orlando Magic are not likely to be one of those teams. President of basketball operations Jeff Weltman called this an evaluation year. And even with his team sinking down the standings after a strong start to the year, they will likely remain very patient.

But that does not mean the Magic are expected to stand still. They may not be in a hurry to make changes. But with the season already slipping away and the team clearly heading in a new direction, change will come eventually.

The trade discussion will again turn to some familiar faces. And players who may not be part of the Magic’s future will come into focus.

For much of the season, much of that debate has centered on Nikola Vucevic. The stalwart center is on a team-friendly contract — $12.3 million this year and $12.8 million next year — and he remains fairly productive.

It would seem as the trade market begins to pick up, Vucevic will be a player who has some value. As Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders reports, Vucevic is already picking up some interest around the league:

"With the Magic clearly going nowhere fast, Vučević is the name mentioned most in NBA circles as having value.The Magic’s message continues to be the same in trade talks. They will listen to offers and ideas but are not actively seeking change for change sake, accepting that this season was more about the newly installed front office understanding who and what they really had."

Vucevic has had a strong bounce-back season this year, returning to his near-All-Star numbers of a few years ago. He is averaging 17.7 points per game and 9.6 rebounds per game. He expanded his shooting repertoire to include 3-pointers, hitting on 36.1 percent of his shots on a little more than four attempts per game.

Of late, he is playing better defensively. But Vucevic still largely has a reputation as a poor defender. He is not a good rim protector. That has left him on the trade block it seems for the last several years. It always felt like there was a ceiling to the team with Vucevic as its center because of this inconsistency.

The Magic will certainly be active in the trade market. They have to be to begin reshaping the team and taking steps in the right direction. And that will inevitably mean making some moves in the short and long term.

The contract realities and the team’s direction will undoubtedly put Vucevic on the block again. Whether Orlando finds a deal it likes or someone makes a push for him will remain to be seen.

Next: Victor Oladipo dishes on time with Orlando Magic

The trade season is just getting warmed up.