Why Raptors should make trade with Magic

Toronto and Orlando could become trade partners this season.

Toronto Raptors general manager Bobby Webster speaks to the media. | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The Toronto Raptors are figuring out how to navigate the trade waters ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline.

The Raptors could benefit from another backup centre with Jakob Poeltl and Sandro Mamukelashvili. A player that fits the bill is Orlando Magic big man Goga Bitadze.

Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze reacts after his score against the Philadelphia 76ers. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Could Bitadze fit with Raptors?

Bitadze is averaging 6.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game so far this season for the Orlando Magic. The seventh-year pro out of Georgia has conquered some ups and downs throughout his career, getting cut by the Indiana Pacers and starting again from scratch with the Magic while carving out a role for himself.

If Bitadze came to the Raptors, he would reunite with Mamukelashvili, who he played with on the Georgia men's basketball team this summer at Eurobasket.

"It was great, great thing for the country of Georgia," Bitadze said after the team's success at EuroBasket this summer. "I mean, nobody has ever done that in the history of how many years that it was, like 35 years that we started, you know, being on EuroBasket and competing on a high level.

"... The population is 3.5 million, like the whole Georgia. And for us, you know, being able to beat Spain, being able to beat France, it wasn't like a fluke, you know, that we just beat some no easier teams, and we made it out to group.

"... It was also great for me personally, I think it's you could get that extra confidence that you know you can play with the best as a national team level, as a team, and also individually as well. So it was great summer for me."

Bitadze could be on trade block

Bitadze could be a trade target for the Magic because they are getting Moe Wagner back from injury in the coming weeks. If Wagner is healthy, Bitadze's minutes will diminish or possibly vanish from the rotation.

The Magic could trade him to another team, but they would need to pay up in any deal. Bitadze still has under contract for this season and next with the Magic, and he is making roughly $8 million per season.

The Magic also really like Bitadze, so the Raptors might need to include draft picks with an expiring contract in Ochai Agbaji to make it work. It won't be easy to pry Bitadze away from the Magic, but it could be accomplished.