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5 recently traded players that are exceeding expectations

By Orestis Rantis

TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 05: Gary Trent Jr. #33 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles against Raul Neto #19 of the Washington Wizards in the first half of a game at Amalie Arena on April 05, 2021 in Tampa, 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 Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 05: Gary Trent Jr. #33 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles against Raul Neto #19 of the Washington Wizards in the first half of a game at Amalie Arena on April 05, 2021 in Tampa, 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 Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /
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NBA Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images /

Pleasant surprise No. 5: Wendell Carter Jr.

Following the departure of Nikola Vucevic, in a deal that involved…well, Wendell Carter Jr., the Orlando Magic had a pretty huge gap to fill at the starting center spot. They were presented with two options, Carter and Mo Bamba.

Instead, they ingeniously decided to start Khem Birch, the 28-year-old backup to Vucevic for these past few years. Bonus tanking points to the Orlando Magic, huh?

The Chicago Bulls initially selected Carter with the 7th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, in hopes of making him their franchise center. That experiment didn’t quite pan out, as he didn’t seem to fit the team’s offense and lack of defensive coverage.

Since moving to Orlando, Carter has been averaging a career-high 13.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game and is a much more improved defender, having just moved into the starting lineup. Carter was an apparent talent during his Duke days, and it’s nice to see him thrive on a new team.

The team’s long-term plans for the starting center spot remain unknown. Don’t forget that the Magic initially passed up on Carter to draft Bamba, who is nowadays barely stepping on the court for the team.

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