Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic posts up against Charlotte Hornets' Spencer Hawes. (Photo : Getty Images)
Montenegrin center Nikola Vucevic is reportedly on the Orlando Magic's trading block this summer as the team is trying to balance their current frontcourt logjam after trading for Serge Ibaka and signing Bismack Biyombo in free-agency.
Bleacher Report noted that the Magic "may have had the most confusing offseason in the league this summer" after they traded their future All-Star Victor Oladipo, in-demand stretch four Ersan Ilyasova, and first-round selection Domantas Sabonis to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the veteran Ibaka last month and then signed unrestricted free agent Biyombo earlier this July to a massive four-year, $72 million deal that is worth an average of $18 million annually.
Ibaka is due $12.25 million next season as he is entering the final year of his four-year, $49.4 million deal with the Thunder.
After acquiring two big men, they then signed free agent forward Jeff Green to a one-year, $15 million deal, which came as a surprise to many since the former Memphis Grizzlies power forward is expected to play backup to Ibaka in Orlando. The move was said to be a perplexing one, because who would pay more for someone who will only act as a substitute.
With three bigs in significant contracts, rumors of an impending trade involving Vucevic naturally surfaced as, again, who would pay three new players such enormous salaries if the team is only planning to use them as bench players?
However, there were also reports last week saying that the Magic are in "no rush" to trade their promising young international center because he is the most adept inside scorer in the current squad even with the arrival of the three new bigs.
Fansided's Ryan Doyle recently cited a potential trade with the Portland Trail Blazers that would send Al-Farouq Aminu and Mason Plumlee to Orlando in exchange for Vucevic.
The trade is suggested to clear the impending logjam in head coach Frank Vogel's rotation next season as there is only so much minutes in a basketball game to help all of their young frontcourt players reach their full potential.
However, Doyle sees that the trade makes no sense again for the Magic and the Blazers "does not have a lot of draft picks" to include in the deal to make Orlando agree.
