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Orlando Magic Trade Grades: Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon deadline deals

By Max Mortenson

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ORLANDO, FL – FEBRUARY 19: Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic plays against the Golden State Warriors during the first half at Amway Center on February 19, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. 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. (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL – FEBRUARY 19: Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic plays against the Golden State Warriors during the first half at Amway Center on February 19, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. 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. (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images) /

Trade Grade: B

The Nikola Vucevic-to-Chicago deal was the first big news of the morning and began the quick series of moves from the Orlando Magic leading to the exchange of their veteran core for young talent and draft assets.

The Magic received a fairly good haul for their All-Star, even if more than two years remain on his team-friendly four-year, $100-million contract.

The return from the Chicago Bulls largely comes in the form of 21-year-old Wendell Carter, who has shown stretches of superb play, particularly on the defensive end of the floor, in his three seasons with the Bulls.

Carter Jr. is averaging 10.9 points and 7.8 rebounds in 24.7 minutes of action per game.

However, he has dealt with injuries throughout his young career, which makes him a slightly risky proposition to fill Vucevic’s shoes as the team’s starting center going forward.

Otto Porter was included in the deal for salary purposes, given he is owed $28 million in the final year of his backloaded contract. The expectation is that Porter Jr. will remain with the team until he enters unrestricted free agency this summer.

The big draw for the Magic in this deal is the two lightly-protected first-round picks from Chicago, scheduled for 2021 and 2023. Both picks are top-four protected.

Chicago is currently in 10th place in the East, with the 19th-best record in the NBA, which nearly guarantees the 2021 pick will convey under these terms to Orlando.

The trade also provides the Magic with substantial cap flexibility in 2022 and 2023, with an estimated $96 million in obligated salary remaining for next season. This leaves the Magic with around $16 million in room to fill out their roster around their young core of Jonathan Isaac, Markelle Fultz, and Chuma Okeke.

While sentimental, the loss of Vucevic cannot be understated. As Orlando’s biggest star since Dwight Howard, Nikola Vucevic became one of the franchise’s greatest players during his nine-year carer with the Magic.

His current campaign is the finest of his career: 24.5 points-per-game on 40.6-percent shooting from outside. And more importantly, Vucevic would have proved valuable in mentoring Orlando’s young core going forward.

The Magic will certainly miss Vucevic, but the opportunity to reset is a nominally better course towards competing for the future, even if both seem out of reach today.