The Dallas Mavericks could be among the potential landing spots for Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic, who has been tipped as one of the players needing to get traded.
Many believe Nikola Vucevic would lose his starting role with the Magic after the team shored up their frontcourt during the offseason, but the 26-year-old center was able to keep his place in the rotation early in the season.
However, Vucevic is on a scoring slump this season, only averaging 10.9 points a game, his lowest since the Magic acquired him. According to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel, Bismack BIyombo and Serge Ibaka eating up some of Vucevic's playing time may have caused the latter to lose some of his confidence scoring for the Magic.
"To be sure, Vucevic's place on the team changed dramatically after the team traded for power forward Serge Ibaka and signed center Bismack Biyombo over the summer. Those additions have reduced Vucevic's minutes and perhaps have jolted his confidence," Robbins wrote.
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There are no indications the Magic would consider trading Vucevic at this point, but according to Adam Fromal of Bleacher Report, it would be "best" for the Magic to address the logjam at the frontcourt and send Vucevic to a team like the Dallas Mavericks.
"It would be best for everyone if they broke up the logjam: Allow Bismack Biyombo to take on a bigger role while trusting Stephen Zimmerman with a spot in the rotation. Let Vucevic thrive as a featured scoring option on a team that needs a distinct offensive boost-the Dallas Mavericks may well be the best destination, even after Dirk Nowitzki is healthy," Fromal wrote.
Vucevic would provide the Mavs a scoring center, who can help space the floor for the team's shooters. Adding an offensive threat inside the paint would also allow Dirk Nowitzki to play his natural position at the four spot and utilize his outside game.
In Fromal's trade scenario, the Magic would send Vucevic to the Mavs for Devin Harris, Justin Anderson, J.J. Barea and a second-round pick. Such move would add depth to the Magic's backcourt, but would also create a logjam at the shooting guard position.
It remains to be seen whether the Magic would consider trading Vucevic, but it could be a possibility if he continues to underperform.