Serge Ibaka (Photo : Sam Greenwood | Getty Images Sport)
The NBA trade rumors continue and the Orlando Magic is one team that's ready to make a deal.
The Magic prioritized defense in the summer and they got two of the better defensive big men in the league, but they find themselves constantly running out of firepower.
In contrast the Houston Rockets are built like a Mike D'Antoni team with scoring and running being the top priority. As they have let go of Dwight Howard, they find themselves with a hole in the middle that young center Clint Capela could not fill.
With these two teams being polar opposites and not striking the balance that leads to success in the league, CSNNE had this scenario.
"Scoring is going to be a problem for Orlando, but if they're giving up a lot of points, too, winning will be even more difficult," as CSN stated.
Even newly installed Magic head coach Frank Vogel admits to some growing pains. "When you're trying to build something, it takes daily work, daily habits. We certainly have slipped on the defensive end," Vogel stated.
CSN's conclusion: "If there are two teams that could benefit from talking before the trade deadline to improve their fortunes, it's the Magic and Houston Rockets. One is heavy on defensive stoppers (Orlando) and the other on scorers (Houston)."
Actual trades may not be so simplistic but the logic is understandable. The teams are in different conferences and may be amenable to helping each other out.
For the Orlando Magic, the most interesting trade piece would be Serge Ibaka who was a former teammate of the Rockets' superstar James Harden. Ibaka can impact the game without needing the ball in his hands-just the type of player to complement The Beard.
The question is who can the Rockets offer to the Magic in return? Since Orlando needs scoring, players like Trevor Ariza or Eric Gordon can swing the Magic to give up Ibaka.
Since Serge is a free agent at the end of the season, the Magic may be forced to trade him. The Rockets probably have a better chance to re-sign him with Harden at the helm.
