Neither the Orlando Magic nor the Miami Heat are going anywhere this season. The two Florida-based NBA teams currently find themselves on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoff race.
So it stands to reason that both Orlando and Miami might start looking to the future. In this, some of their current players likely don’t fit into what their looking to build long term.
This doesn’t make it any less surprising that Orlando reportedly offered starting center Nikola Vucevic and a future first-round pick to Miami in exchange for high-priced point guard Goran Dragic.
We already know that Orlando has been interested in the Heat’s top guard. That much isn’t a surprise. But the fact that it would offer up the team’s starting center and what promises to be a valuable first-round pick makes no sense.
“Orlando, according to league sources, recently tried to engage Miami on a Goran Dragic deal in which the Magic were said to be offering center Nikola Vucevic and a future first-round pick.”
At nearly 31 years old, Dragic is seemingly on the downside of his career. He is averaging 19.6 points and 6.3 assists, but that has more to do with a larger role now that Chris Bosh remains sidelined and Dwyane Wade is on the Chicago Bulls. Being the leading scorer for a 14-30 team doesn’t necessarily equate to being considered a top-end player in today’s NBA.
As it is, Orlando already boasts a young point guard in Elfrid Payton who offers much more upside than Dragic.
The idea of trading Vucevic also seems to be counter-intuitive. Sure the veteran center is having a down season, but he offers much more value at a position considered to be at a premium around the Association. Here’s a guy that’s averaged nearly 19 points and 10 rebounds over the past two seasons. Surely, he could net more than an aging point guard.
It will definitely be interesting to see how this plays out leading up to next month’s trade deadline. But for now, it appears both Dragic and Vucevic are on the market.