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https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/261723/Celtics-Hornets-Interested-In-Trading-For-Nikola-Vucevic

The Boston Celtics and Charlotte Hornets are among the teams with interest in trading for Nikola Vucevic of the Orlando Magic, sources tell The Athletic.

The Magic are not expected to trade Vucevic unless they're overwhelmed with an offer.

Vucevic is averaging 24.5 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 41.8 percent from 3-point range.

Vucevic re-signed with the Magic on a four-year, $100 million contract in 2019.

If the Hornets want VUC, They must give us Lamelo Ball or there's no trade
If the Celtics want VUC, They must give us Tatum or Brown along with Tacko and Pritchard.

I want to trade VUC but the asking price is high. If we trade him, it would have to be the Magic get the better deal.

The market seems intent on top players being traded for multiple draft picks and above average role players. No way they give up Lamelo or Tatum/Brown because the point is to add a star, not give one up.

I am not trading Vuc and if Celtics want him, they have to give us Jaylon Brown and Marcus Smart

If Vuc was 26, not 31 (which he will be in a week), I think we could fetch much more value. I can see why Boston would want him though, but I do not know what they would possibly give up.

It definitely seems more like we're sellers than buyers this season. Which is good. These injuries are too much to overcome and we have a chance at the highest pick in the draft this season. I say go for it.

There is no way the Hornets are trading Ball. lol

Just get some assets for Vuc and move on from him. He's not going to help us win a title. Look how Jerry West builds a title contender.


https://warriorswire.usatoday.com/2018/01/30/jerry-wests-blake-griffin-trade-invokes-memories-of-monta-ellis-deal/

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CPBalla2003 n da 863 wrote:There is no way the Hornets are trading Ball. lol

Ball is already better than any player on our team.

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basketballRob wrote:

CPBalla2003 n da 863 wrote:There is no way the Hornets are trading Ball. lol

Ball is already better than any player on our team.

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I wouldn't go that far. But, they are not trading someone who shows all the tools to be an All-NBA player for a 30+ Year Old Center. I been on board with Keeping Vooch and trade AG/Evan.

CPBalla2003 n da 863 wrote:

basketballRob wrote:

CPBalla2003 n da 863 wrote:There is no way the Hornets are trading Ball. lol

Ball is already better than any player on our team.

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I wouldn't go that far. But, they are not trading someone who shows all the tools to be an All-NBA player for a 30+ Year Old Center. I been on board with Keeping Vooch and trade AG/Evan.

I agree that they wouldn't trade Ball for Vuc. I don't think I can stand another year of Vuc.

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CPBalla2003 n da 863 wrote:There is no way the Hornets are trading Ball. lol

I don't care if someone says no way the Hornets trade him. From my view, Lamelo Ball is the only player on the Hornets I have interest. If the Hornets want VUC, They must trade Lamelo, The Hornets have no shot at VUC unless they give up Lamelo.

Hornets are alot more attractive cause their picks have a better chance of being higher and they have a bevy of young talent. Nobody on the Celtics interest me outside of Brown & Tatum who they wont move for Vuc. Ball is untouchable on the Hornets too.

A trade for PJ Washington, Cody Zeller (expiring), future 1st rounder would be something Orlando should pull the trigger on.

Hornets might have to throw in another player like Biyombo or need a 3rd team to help contracts match up, not sure about their trade exception situation.

The Magic’s focus should be acquiring young players on rookie contracts, draft picks, & expiring contracts. Giving us flexibility for future free agent signings, making trades for stars, and/or getting a steal in the draft.

The ceiling on this team as is constructed is at its peak and the window is closing on the players as age comes so we need to move them while they still have value and essentially start over with the younger core (Isaac, Fultz, Okeke, Anthony, Bamba) we have in place.

ogmagicfan wrote:Hornets are alot more attractive cause their picks have a better chance of being higher and they have a bevy of young talent. Nobody on the Celtics interest me outside of Brown & Tatum who they wont move for Vuc. Ball is untouchable on the Hornets too.

A trade for PJ Washington, Cody Zeller (expiring), future 1st rounder would be something Orlando should pull the trigger on.

Hornets might have to throw in another player like Biyombo or need a 3rd team to help contracts match up, not sure about their trade exception situation.

This. Either team is trading for Vooch to pair him with their top players. Vooch is a complimentary player on any other decent team, and a very good complimentary player but we're not getting another all-star caliber player for him. If we could somehow get Washington and Bridges from Charlotte, that would be a deal. I really appreciate Vooch for what he has done, but even if we somehow hit gold in the draft and get a Doncic-level talent, by the time they're really ready Vooch is 33-34. His value won't be higher than what it is right now. If there is a deal that gets us even a decent young player or two I go ahead and pull the trigger.

Vuc to Hornets for Washington/2 frp

so far the best I have heard is Vuc for Bridges, one of Monk/rozier, cody and a frp. hard to top that.

Vuc for the expiring contracts of Cody and Monk + 2021 first round pick (unprotected).

I’m a bit *blah* on this but if we really want to rebuild this gets us us cap space and another pick. We could use that pick on a player or package it to move up a spot or two if we fall in love in the top 5.

Both teams would need to add a unprotected frp if they are giving us scraps.

Vuc has two years left on his contract. I don't think Magic is going to trade him despite interest. Magic FO will always do what they do which is to wait

MagicFan101 wrote:Vuc for the expiring contracts of Cody and Monk + 2021 first round pick (unprotected).

This is the right line of thinking.

Right now the Hornets pick is 17th, but they'd be a LaMelo/Rozier/Vucevic injury or just a string of bad luck away from that pick landing like 10th.

And if the Magic actually want someone to be on the team next year, they could replace Monk with Bridges or some combination of the Martin twins, McDaniels and Graham.

As far as Boston goes, they can absorb Vucevic's entire salary with their Hayward TPE, but it's extremely likely that they would want to do whatever they could to avoid the luxury tax.

They are about $15.7M under the tax and Vucevic makes $26M. So it stands to reason that Boston would want to send the Magic at least 11-12M to give themselves a little wiggle room to possible chase guys on the buyout market.

A realistic Boston deal probably looks something like this...

Thompson + Langford + R. Williams + 2021 1st Round pick for Vucevic.

I'd be interested in getting Thompson because he's a guy the Magic would very likely be able to immediately flip to a playoff team.

Perhaps something like...

Thompson + Bacon to Toronto for McCaw's expiring, Johnson's expiring + T. Davis and Flynn (would have to be two trades legally)

Magic could waive McCaw and Johnson immediately plus let Fournier, Ennis and Birch all walk in free agency and go into the offseason with...

Ball Handlers: Fultz, Flynn, Anthony, MCW
Small Wings: Ross, T.Davis, Langford
Big Wings: Isaac, Okeke, Aminu
Bigs: R. Williams, Bamba

Plus the Magic's own top 5 lotto pick (which could be used on a starting SG) and the Celtics pick which be somewhere in the 20s to be used for depth anywhere.

Plus a little cap space to add a veteran as necessary.