If you had told Orlando Magic fans before the start of the season that Nikola Vucevic was going to be averaging 24.6 points, 11.6 rebounds and was going to knock down 41-percent of his threes by the All-Star break, few would have expected or anticipated the team would be sitting 14th in the Eastern Conference with the fourth-worst record in the entire NBA.
Unfortunately, Nikola Vucevic’s incredible stat-line and performances on the court only tell half of the story.
Injuries have decimated the Magic to the extent that Steve Clifford has, on occasion, been forced to use a rotation of just eight players. Vucevic has carried the load offensively, playing the best basketball of his career on a lackluster, under-manned Orlando team.
It is no surprise other teams are reportedly showing interest in acquiring the big man. The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports that both the Boston Celtics and Charlotte Hornets would like to trade for Vucevic, who is now in his ninth year with the Magic. The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor has also added the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs to that list.
The sharks are circling as teams are trying to get the Magic to sell and hit the reset button. The Magic are at least listening, even if every report has suggested the Magic will be asking for a lot to budge off Vucevic.
The NBA trade deadline is approaching and the Orlando Magic are listening to every offer, including on their big man, Nikola Vucevic. While they are surely asking a lot, there are a few deals that could make sense.
Trading the team’s first All-Star since Dwight Howard would be a monumental decision for the front office to make and would signal a significant change in strategy.
Since Jeff Weltman’s appointment as president of basketball operations, there has been little activity in the trade market so it would certainly come as a surprise to see the team’s best player exit.
Vucevic’s importance to Orlando is undeniable, but in the team’s current predicament there is no player who can be considered completely untouchable. The Magic front office must listen to any interest in its players, even if the proposals turn out not to be right for the team.
At this point, Evan Fournier is probably the only player that the franchise should be actively shopping due to his contract expiring at the end of the season.
The team is heading toward change. But there is no need to rush into anything at this point especially when it comes to the only All-Star on the roster.
That being said, there could be some intriguing offers on the table which see Vucevic move on — particularly involving the Hornets and Spurs. Both teams have plenty to tempt the Magic into a blockbuster trade, unlike the Celtics and Heat who would likely list the players it would take to do a deal as untradeable.
Orlando should rightfully be demanding a lot in any Vucevic trade scenario and they are reportedly doing so, with Kevin O’Connor also stating that “the price would be high” for the 30-year-old.
Here’s four hypothetical deals that should at least get the front office listening…
This deal is geared heavily towards the future, with two exciting young players and two draft picks certainly a tempting proposition for Orlando to consider.
LaMarcus Aldridge’s contract, which expires at the end of the season, makes a deal with San Antonio far easier given that it matches up almost perfectly with that of Nikola Vucevic’s. Now in his 15th season as an NBA player, he would provide Steve Clifford with plenty of experience at the center position while taking less pressure off Mohamed Bamba so he can continue to develop.
Having Aldridge act as a short-term replacement in Vucevic’s absence is a big bonus and allows a deal to go ahead, but the real prize for the Magic concerns what would come with the former second overall pick.
The Spurs have plenty of young talent to offer, but also plenty of draft picks.
If it is the latter Orlando is primarily interested in, then this deal provides that. The Spurs are currently on course to be a low-to-mid playoff team this year, giving them a pick in the 2021 draft that is in either the late teens or early 20s.
It is not hugely exciting, but the reported strength of this year’s draft class means the Magic could at least draft an effective rotation player for the future alongside their own high (hopefully) pick.
San Antonio Spurs
Future picks certainly come with a lot of uncertainty. If the Spurs are able to trade for Vucevic, it puts the emphasis much more on the now rather than the future. They would have to give up a decent part of their future to get the All-Star in the first place. But doing this deal without giving up high-level young prospects like Dejounte Murray, Keldon Johnson or Derrick White would be a huge win.
The Spurs would be much more competitive in the short-term with that group plus veterans in DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic, at least for the rest of the season. San Antonio currently sits at seventh in the Western Conference. This would solidify the team’s playoff standing.
Picks and Aldridge alone would not be enough, for the Magic however.
Offering up a rookie with tons of potential in Devin Vassell certainly sweetens the deal a lot. Many Magic fans hoped he would fall or that the team would trade up to take the former Florida State wing but it was not to be as he was selected 11th overall by the Spurs.
He has not had an enormous impact so far, averaging 5.5 points, but has shown glimpses of being a really good player in the future. He is a confident three-point shooter, making 39.7-percent of his attempts, and also plays good defense. He is the biggest prize in this deal.
Throw in Luka Samanic, another reliable shooter that can stretch the floor from the 4, and there is plenty here for the future.
Nonetheless, this deal still involves a great deal of uncertainty and could backfire. If the front office is looking for something safer, this next proposal would be better.
Again, LaMarcus Aldridge’s hefty contract can form the basis of a deal between the Orlando Magic and San Antonio Spurs. But instead of draft picks forming a big part of any agreement, the Magic could instead demand more valuable, better players coming back.
Keldon Johnson has been excellent for the Spurs this year. He is averaging 14.1 points per game, he is shooting 47.2-percent from the field and he plays with tremendous energy and hustle on the defensive end too. He is still a work in progress, but Johnson is already playing at a high two-way level and has so many years ahead of him to grow.
San Antonio would be extremely reluctant to lose him, but the team will have to make enormous sacrifices if it really wants to get Nikola Vucevic.
Another player the Magic could look to acquire is the former 18th pick Lonnie Walker IV, a third-year shooting guard who is currently averaging 11.3 points per game.
The Spurs have done a superb job drafting late in the first round and Walker has continued to improve during his time in the league. He is taking way more threes this season, resulting in a dip in shooting percentage from deep to 35.8-percent. But he possesses excellent speed and agility which allows him to get to the rim and finish.
Walker, like Johnson, is another player who can both contribute plenty right away but also continue to get better given that he is only 22. Add in Luka Samanic again and the Magic are getting a hefty return for Nikola Vucevic, though still no one that can currently play at his level, which might be a sticking point.
Trading Vucevic to the Spurs would mean having to accept that no one currently as good is coming back despite the possibility they might be getting someone (or more than one player) who can play at, or at least near, his ability in the future.
For San Antonio, a decision would have to be made over whether they are ready to part with so many promising young players that have developed so well in order to get a better player in the short-term.
This is a decision the Charlotte Hornets would also have to make . . .
It has been a while since fans of the Charlotte Hornets have had a reason to be hopeful. But the arrival of LaMelo Ball has sparked a wave of optimism that reportedly has Michael Jordan’s franchise searching for ways to add to what they already have.
Their interest in Nikola Vucevic makes complete sense. The East has been weak this season and there is a real opportunity for the team to make the postseason and be competitive in the next few years with LaMelo Ball already playing at a high level and Gordon Hayward also looking like his old self. Center is really the biggest piece the team is missing — and Cody Zeller’s contract is expiring.
A big three including Vucevic gives them an enormous edge over their competition, including the Magic. This is a move that directly strengthens a rival and weakens the Magic in the short-term at the same time. In short, it’s extremely high risk.
But Charlotte does have a lot it can offer the Magic in a Vucevic trade. Most notably, Terry Rozier.
The 26-year-old has thrived since joining the Hornets after leaving the Boston Celtics. He is averaging 20.5 points per game and is shooting an incredible 43.9-percent on 7.7 attempts per game from 3-point range this season.
Rozier would be an excellent addition but there are difficulties around how he would fit in.
Rozier is a player who needs to be starting games. But with Cole Anthony progressing well before his injury and Markelle Fultz returning next season, it would be difficult to justify starting him at the one spot.
The Magic also had cap room when he was a free agent two years ago. They were among the teams many thought would chase him. But the team sat out that potential union.
He has played a lot of shooting guard for Charlotte but is very undersized for that position, though we have seen two point-guard lineups work for other teams like the Toronto Raptors.
Charlotte Hornets
Orlando will clearly ask for a lot in any Nikola Vucevic trade, so the additions of Miles Bridges and P.J. Washington would at least give the front office something to think about. Charlotte would likely prefer throwing Zeller in there instead. But Orlando should press for at least one of those two young players.
Bridges is playing fewer minutes this season following the addition of Hayward but is still averaging a respectable 10 points per game. He has caught the eye with some monster dunks this season, largely thanks to the assistance of his team-mate LaMelo Ball, and is also comfortable shooting from three-point range.
Washington’s versatility and ability to stretch the floor from the 4 and contribute on the defensive end makes him an extremely useful player. Both he and Bridges have plenty of time left to improve and have the potential to be really good NBA players.
None of these players could come to Orlando and do what Vucevic is currently doing. But the combination of an excellent combo guard in Rozier and two up-and-coming, versatile forwards in Washington and Bridges is an intriguing prospect.
If the Magic do not feel the Hornets’ best young players suit the team, however, there might be an opportunity to secure plenty of future draft picks instead.
If Nikola Vucevic is to be traded, which still seems unlikely at this point, then the front office could instead opt for more picks in return as opposed to higher quality players. The Charlotte Hornets have so many options to throw at the Orlando Magic for Vucevic, including lots of future draft picks.
The All-Star center would immediately strengthen Charlotte during the next couple of seasons. Gordon Hayward is tied down for the future and LaMelo Ball will only continue to get better, meaning the return on picks over that duration of time might not be all that high.
The Hornets could get anywhere from a late lottery pick to one late in the teens or early in the 20s this year, such is the unpredictability and closeness of the Eastern Conference. Adding Vucevic increases the chances of it being somewhere nearer the latter.
But no one knows where Charlotte will be in a few year’s time. This deal could prove to be masterful or disastrous, depending on where those picks land. It would make sense for Orlando to get a safer return of more proven players, but high-risk can often come with high reward.
Much like the first San Antonio Spurs trade in this article, it is much more focused on the more distant future as opposed to now.
Cody Zeller is an expiring contract and would provide a short-term replacement at the center position, while Devonte’ Graham also becomes a restricted free agent this offseason. Graham might be inefficient, but his ability to score along with his low salary makes him a worthwhile addition.
Along with the inclusion of P.J. Washington, this deal has its merits but ultimately comes with a lot of risk.
There are a ton of different combinations that Charlotte could suggest to the Magic for Vucevic and these are just a couple of possibilities. But again, ultimately no one that is tradeable on the team will do what the center has been doing for the Magic this year.
Trading Vucevic would be a monumental shift in focus for Orlando. Vucevic has led the team offensively and his role has increased even further this year. His presence and experience would be an enormous miss.
But with his game at an all-time high and teams lining up for him, the opportunity is there for some sort of reset involving a big return on Vooch
.Seeing him on a healthier team next season is an exciting thought but there are certainly options the Magic can discuss, particularly with the Spurs and Hornets.