Post#299 » by MartinsIzAfraud » Thu Mar 25, 2021 6:02 pm
ESPN Grades are in
Orlando Magic: B+
From the Magic's perspective, dealing the franchise's best player in the post-Dwight Howard era (Vucevic was acquired as part of the four-team trade that sent Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers) is an acknowledgment that the roster as currently constructed wasn't heading anywhere. Hit hard by injuries, Orlando is 14th in the East at 15-29 despite an impressive pair of recent wins over the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns.
With starters Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac both coming back from ACL injuries next season and starter Evan Fournier (later dealt to Boston) a free agent, it was unclear the Magic would be much better in 2021-22. That being the case, now was probably the right time to move Vucevic near the peak of his value, shortly after his second All-Star appearance. Pending a possible trade of Aaron Gordon later Thursday, the Magic can begin building around a Fultz-Isaac core with additional draft capital.
The most interesting part of the deal from Orlando's standpoint is whether Carter can prove part of that young core. The Magic surely evaluated Carter intently ahead of the 2018 draft, when they instead selected Mo Bamba one pick earlier. That hasn't worked out with Bamba, whose development has been slowed by the lingering effects of contracting COVID-19 ahead of last summer's NBA restart. As Orlando changes focus, both young centers should get plenty of opportunity, allowing the Magic to determine whether it's worth extending either player this summer ahead of possible restricted free agency.
Unlike Bamba, who has had a tough time staying on the court, Carter hasn't been ineffective. The issue is at a position where production is so easy to find cheaply, Carter wasn't keeping up. In the context of the average center posting a .602 true shooting percentage, Carter's marks the past two seasons (.590, .578) are blah, especially since he's not being asked to create much of his own offense. Carter is only OK as a rim protector and hasn't yet consistently made good on his advertised versatility to switch defensively -- something Steve Clifford's defensive scheme is unlikely to ask him to do.
The sum conclusion at this stage of his career is Carter is more likely to settle in as the quality backup and fringe starter he's been thus far rather than an above-average starting center. That said, he won't turn 22 until next month, which is why my ESPN colleague Mike Schmitz highlighted him earlier this week as a young player who could benefit from a change of scenery.
As long as Orlando doesn't feel compelled to elevate Carter organizationally -- for example, by signing him to an aggressive extension to justify this trade -- getting a young center with potential and two first-round picks with upside seems like a positive return for Vucevic.
A scoring guard.. never heard of one.
