Bradley Beal (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The Washington Wizards could explore trading for Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic once Bradley Beal becomes available to get dealt.
The Wizards are the topic of several trade talks in the league, with the team on course for a disappointing season. But there is still time for Washington to turn things around if they could improve their roster via trade before the February 2017 deadline.
Jabari Davis of Basketball Insiders suggested a deal that the Wizards could consider. In Davis' trade scenario, the Wizards would send Bradley Beal to the Orlando Magic for Nikola Vucevic, although a deal won't take place until after January 15, when some players signed this past summer can be traded.
"It wouldn't be able to take place until after January 15th due to a recently signed deal, but a deal centered around Bradley Beal for Nikola Vucevic (+ Jodie Meeks' expiring deal) could make sense for both teams once Beal can be moved," Davis wrote.
Beal just signed a five-year $127.1 million contract with the Wizards over the summer, which makes him a difficult piece to move. But barring any sort of injuries, Beal can contribute well on the offensive end for a team like the Magic, who rank 20th in the league in Offensive Rating.
On the other, moving Vucevic would open up time for Bismack Biyombo at the five spot. The Magic have insisted months ago they have no intentions of moving Vucevic, but his new role off the bench has sparked speculations of a potential move before the deadline.
Vucevic would provide the Wizards another big man, who can score and rebound at a high level. The 26-year-old center could play behind Marcin Gortat and serve a spark in the team's second unit, while Meeks' presence could also help improve Washington's bench.
It is hard to imagine the Wizards would trade Beal at this point, with the shooting guard playing arguably his best season in Washington. In 18 games, Beal is averaging All-Star numbers of 21.6 points a game, while shooting 44.7 percent from the field, including 42.7 from beyond the arc. Nevertheless, Beal could net the Wizards great value in return, and a deal with the Magic may include more than just Vucevic and Meeks.
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