Why Goga Bitadze Trade Might Not Happen For Magic

Orlando's big man has been in trade rumors for the past few weeks.

Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze looks on during the first half against the Washington Wizards. | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

The Orlando Magic are counting down the final hours before the trade deadline and have to figure out what the best path is moving forward.

The team is looking at possible trades for backup center Goga Bitadze, but the Magic value him highly and are asking for a lot in order for other teams to acquire him. He is under contract next season for just under $8 million, so he's on a bargain of a deal. The Magic won't just give him away for anything.

TSN Sports reporter Josh Lewenberg is reporting that the Magic are asking for a first-round pick in order to trade Bitadze, which might be too high of a price for other teams.

Raptors get their depth/insurance big. Had looked at several others including NOLA's Yves Missi, Brooklyn's Day'Ron Sharpe & Orlando's Goga Bitadze but asking price for those guys was a 1st-rounder. Instead, they use Lakers 2nd-rounder (from Miami in Davion Mitchell trade) on TJD https://t.co/XmrjiE7MEe

— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) February 5, 2026

Goga Bitadze Asking Price Revealed

Bitadze has been someone appearing on trade radars, especially after he was the only player on the Magic roster not checking in during the team's last loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder, when Orlando was blown out and trailing by double digits for a vast majority of the game.

Teams like the Toronto Raptors and San Antonio Spurs have been viewed as potential candidates to acquire Bitadze, but it appears as though the price to acquire him may be too much. A team like the Chicago Bulls could make sense for Bitadze because they need a center, but it's hard to imagine a trade coming into fruition with just hours before the deadline.

With the return of Moe Wagner to the lineup following his recovery from a torn ACL, the Magic have not used Bitadze on the floor as much as they were before. Bitadze has played in just 14 minutes over the last six games for the Magic and has only appeared in two of those contests, one of which was a home loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the other was a road loss against the San Antonio Spurs.

This doesn't mean the Magic won't trade Bitadze or lower their asking price, but it gives an idea as to why the team hasn't moved on from him yet despite the rumored interest from around the league.

The trade deadline is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET. Then, the Magic will prepare for a matchup against the Brooklyn Nets at 7 p.m. ET inside the Kia Center in Orlando. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.