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NBA: Teams That Should Trade For Nikola Vucevic

By Maxwell Ogden

Apr 1, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Milwaukee won 113-110. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Milwaukee won 113-110. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 18, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) dunks the ball against the Portland Trail Blazers during the second half at Amway Center. The Magic won 102-94. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 18, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) dunks the ball against the Portland Trail Blazers during the second half at Amway Center. The Magic won 102-94. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Portland Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers could find a quality target in free agency. If not, then Portland should capitalize on its abundance of young assets by putting together a package deal for Nikola Vucevic.

Portland’s defense may not be the best we’ve ever seen, but it can thrive at a postseason-caliber level with a combination of Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum, and Vucevic.

Again, I’m quite aware of the issues Portland would run into on the defensive end of the floor. Neither, Lillard nor McCollum nor Vucevic are the most consistent of defensive players, and the latter isn’t the anchor whom the Trail Blazers conceivably need.

Portland made the playoffs with Mason Plumlee at center in 2015-16, however, and Vucevic offers many of the same strengths with superior production and a higher ceiling.

Vucevic’s lights-out midrange game would give the Trail Blazers a combination of three borderline—or legitimately—elite shooters. Lillard and McCollum are productive and efficient from beyond the arc, and Vucevic is lethal from midrange.

With a core of those three young players all simultaneously entering their prime, Portland could make even bigger waves in 2016-17 than it did in 2015-16.

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