Why Magic Should Trade for Clippers' Ivica Zubac
After a season that showed promising improvement for a franchise stuck in the NBA basement, the Orlando Magic could now find itself in position to make moves that help vault the team back into postseason contention once again.
But despite all the craze that the start of free agency has brought around the league, Orlando is reportedly set to stay quiet after agreeing to a deal with veteran shooter Joe Ingles on Friday.
"Orlando has indicated it is not going to be a big spender with the team’s $21.9 million in cap space," sources told Yahoo! Sports.
Should this prove to be true, it would make a potential trade increasingly more likely for the Magic, and an interesting target reportedly just became available.
Per Yahoo! Sports, the Los Angeles Clippers are making center Ivica Zubac available in trade talks. The 26-year-old has established himself into one of the more quality big men in the league based on his availability and productivity. He averaged a career-high in points (10.8), rebounds (9.9) and minutes (28.5) last season while starting all 76 games he played in.
The Magic already has an established frontcourt duo of Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr., who represent the future of the franchise. And though Zubac has started all 152 games he's appeared in over the last two seasons, he would could prove to be a lethal addition off the bench for Orlando while closing out games alongside Banchero and Carter Jr. when necessary.
Of course, Zubac's solid production and availability would warrant a decent trade haul from Orlando. The Magic owns a pair of 2024 second-round picks that could be included in a deal combined with a young piece like guard Jalen Suggs, though this is just an idea. Orlando already has Cole Anthony, Markelle Fultz and Gary Harris leading a strong backcourt, making Suggs potentially expendable.
For Orlando, adding Zubac to the fold via trade would likely go as an under-the-radar move should it come to fruition, but one that could prove valuable to the Magic's hopes of making it back to the playoffs.
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