The recent rumors regarding free agency involve two centers who won titles together in college.
Joakim Noah and Al Horford were part of the back-to-back college champions Florida Gators in 2006 and 2007, coached by Billy Donovan, now the coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In their second championship game, the Gators played against Greg Oden and Mike Conley at Ohio State. All of these players were picked in the top 10 of the 2007 NBA Draft and except for Oden, comprise some of the biggest names in this year's free agency.
Now, the Orlando Magic is banking on their connection to the state of Florida, among other things, to convince them to sign with their team, according to Sean Deveney of Sporting News.
"The Magic's strategy, a source told Sporting News recently, will involve luring former Florida Gators back to Central Florida," Deveney said. "That means former Gator champs Joakim Noah and Al Horford, but also includes Mavericks small forward Chandler Parsons, who will be a free agent this summer, too."
Noah is a defensive center that was the anchor of the Chicago Bulls defense under former coach Tom Thibodeau. Horford has been the Atlanta Hawks most consistent player for his entire career. Bringing both of them in one team creates a very potent frontcourt.
Horford has played center with the Hawks when necessary (team has injured or no center) and recently, in small ball set-ups, but power forward has been his natural position. Noah would be a perfect complement for him (as he was in Florida).
However, the Magic does have a center in Nik Vucevic. While he is a consistent double-double performer, most pundits feel that his stats do not equate his value to the team.
It is for this reason that Vucevic was always seen as an asset and GM Rob Hennigan considers him as a tool to get what he really wants: a superstar veteran who could be the leader of his young team. The Magic was rumored to have included him in a package for Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline, which both teams denied.
As the Orlando Sentinel reported, that trade may not be revisited anymore after today's Derrick Rose trade. Aside from the fact that trading Rose means they're not trading Butler, the Bulls also acquired center Robin Lopez in return.
"Chicago's acquisition of Lopez likely also means the Bulls have no need for one of the Magic's best trade assets, center Nikola Vucevic," reporter Josh Robbins stated.