NBA Rumor: Magic's Wendell Carter Jr. 'Potential Trade Candidate' Ahead of Deadline
Sixth-year Orlando Magic big man Wendell Carter Jr. has had a rough draw when it comes to injury luck this season. After returning from a broken hand on Dec. 20 – an injury that forced him to miss 20 games – Carter played in eight of nine games before missing the last four with knee tendonitis.
To make things worse for Carter, it appears he has lost his starting position to fifth-year center out of the country of Georgia, Goga Bitadze. Carter has started in 246 of his 273 career games, so this is fairly new territory for him. With less than one month remaining until the Feb. 8 trade deadline, Carter has now come up in trade rumors as a name to keep an eye on.
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According to Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer, Carter could have a change of scenery in the next three weeks if the right trade partner presents itself.
“Wendell Carter continues to be a name that a lot of league executives talk about as a potential trade candidate this February being that Goga Bitadze has done a phenomenal job starting for Orlando," Fischer said.
There are several teams that could use some reserve big-man insurance, but the Dallas Mavericks might be at the top of that list. The Mavs are 23-16 on the season, but they're only 4-6 when 19-year-old rookie sensation Dereck Lively II misses games. Dwight Powell and Richaun Holmes might be fine in smaller roles, but they aren't suited to be starters when Lively has to miss time. Carter, on the other hand, would be.
If the Orlando and Dallas front offices want to talk business, there are two players that fit Carter's $12 million salary for a one-for-one trade: Holmes and Maxi Kleber. The Magic might require some draft compensation to take on Holmes, but depending on how Kleber looks physically as he makes his way back from missing the last two months with a toe injury, perhaps a straight-up deal could be had there.
This is all just speculative, of course, but it's at least worth noting that Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley had a great relationship with Kleber when he was a Mavs assistant coach from 2014-2021. Stay tuned to The Magic Insider in the coming weeks for all the latest trade rumors and reports that surface.
