NBA trade rumors: Magic puts Nikola Vucevic on the trading block
7-foot centers who can consistently post double-doubles are a rare breed. So, when ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported that Orlando Magic's Nikola Vucevic has been placed on the trading block, a number of reports began popping up that he could be traded to the Sacramento Kings or the Boston Celtics.
Vucevic is in a funk right now. He has been struggling with his shot all season and he is shooting under 50 percent for the first time since his rookie season. Vucevic is a below-average defender as well, that is why the Magic prefers to start Bismack Biyombo over him.
Right now, DeMarcus Cousins needs all the help he can get if the Kings wants to challenge for a playoff spot in the Western Conference, and Vucevic can definitely lighten the load.
So, who will the Magic get in return if they trade Vucevic to the Kings? The answer is quite obvious — Rudy Gay. Gay's name has been mentioned in every trade rumor imaginable, so he's the obvious choice. Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders has also reported that the Magic has talked about acquiring Gay from the Kings. Bleacher Report has noted that the Magic may also ship Elfrid Payton to the Kings to acquire Gay.
Meanwhile, the Celtics is an obvious landing spot for Vucevic if the Magic opts to trade their center. With Vucevic on board, the Celtics can move Al Horford to the power forward spot, and he also gives them an additional option in the paint. It should be noted that Vucevic may be an upgrade on defense, but Amir Johnson is still a better defensive player.
Forbes contributor Brian Mazique also noted that Vucevic will be quite useful in the playoffs for the Celtics. "Boston has been depending heavily on Isaiah Thomas' offense in the fourth quarter to close out games. That's a formula that doesn't figure to be as effective in the postseason. If the team had a low-post presence like Vucevic to work high-low with Horford, it could make their offense more deadly down the stretch," he stated.
In return, the Celtics can offer the Magic a number of young players like Marcus Smart, James Young, Kelly Olynyk, or a future first-round pick.