Nikola Vucevic Trade Rumors: 5 Teams That Should Trade For Magic C
Honorable Mentions
Philadelphia 76ers:
After holding him out for a pair of games to either drum up trade interest or because there was actual trade interest, it’s no secret the Philadelphia 76ers have chosen Jahlil Okafor as the player to alleviate their logjam at center.
As the Sixers move toward being more competitive, Vucevic is a useful veteran who could help in the future without doing too much in the here and now to sabotage the value of Philly’s 2017 first round pick.
However, as much as the Magic would get younger at center with Okafor, if the whole point of trading Okafor is to free up more time at the 5-spot for the Sixers, why would they trade for another center? It’s a nice thought for Orlando, but not a likely one from Philly’s perspective.
Minnesota Timberwolves:
Ricky Rubio‘s name has popped up several times in NBA trade rumors, with the Minnesota Timberwolves viewing rookie Kris Dunn as their point guard of the future. With the Magic being so unsure of Elfrid Payton’s status as a franchise point guard, bringing in Rubio could make some sense.
The Wolves would get a proven bench scorer or someone who could supplant Gorgui Dieng in the starting lineup if they aren’t 100 percent certain he’s suited for a starter’s role on a playoff team yet.
However, Dunn is nowhere near ready to take over at the point, and even if he was, the Wolves have more pressing needs than adding another big to the mix, which means they could do better in a Rubio trade than this. As for Orlando, Rubio is a more proven commodity at the 1, but like Payton, his lack of a perimeter jumper would create the same problems on offense.
Phoenix Suns:
Alex Len‘s restricted free agency presents a dilemma for the Phoenix Suns, since they still don’t really know what he is. But this 23-year-old enigma could be of interest to the Magic, since he’s three years younger than Vucevic, and they’d be able to match all offers for him this summer.
P.J. Tucker would give the Magic a useful defensive wing, and though he’s an unrestricted free agent this summer, they could likely afford his price tag this summer. The Suns, meanwhile, would get a more proven center on a fair contract, helping them avoid Len’s free agency if they so choose.
However, the Suns love Tucker and may prefer to keep the younger big — restricted free agency and all. The Magic also may have problems committing to two players who will be free agents this summer, especially when they’d be giving up the best player in the deal.