Another trade has come through before the NBA trade deadline, this time between the Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic. With the Bulls in 10th place and making a playoff push, they acquire Nikola Vucevic and Al Farouq-Aminu from the Magic. On the other hand, Orland walks away with Otto Porter, Wendell Carter Jr., and two first-round picks (2021 and 2023), per Adrian Wojnarowski.
Chicago seems to have improved their starting lineup, but gave up some depth and future draft picks to do so. Meanwhile, the Magic gain a solid amount of depth and two draft picks, however, they had to give up their star center to do so.
The Bulls are sending the Magic 2021 and 2023 first-round picks in the deal, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2021
For the Chicago Bulls, it seems as though the entire organization is tired of being at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. With Zach LaVine balling out and Coby White looking like a serious future piece in the making, Chicago went out of their way and acquired Nikola Vucevic via trade. He's one of the best centers in the league, currently averaging 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game this year.
This is a massive acquisition for the Chicago Bulls as they now have three legitimate players in the starting lineup they can rely on. White and LaVine are shaping into one of the better backcourts in the NBA, but now with the addition of Vucevic, Chicago can now keep up with some of the top teams in the NBA. Furthermore, Al Farouq-Aminu is an underrated player that is capable of playing the power forward and small forward positions.
This is a solid trade that gives the Bulls some much-needed star power to make a playoff push this year and beyond. Vooch's contract is a huge factor in this, as the star center is locked up for two more years after this season at a declining annual salary.
As for the Magic, it appears they are finally embracing the full rebuild. However, they did acquire some solid pieces to build around for their future. Otto Porter is a decent small forward, averaging 9.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. He's not someone that lights up the scoreboard but is a nice rotational player for the Magic. Wendell Carter Jr. is much more of a traditional center, averaging 10.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. He's another player that has the potential of being a great rotational player for this Orlando team.
The main thing the Magic should be most excited about acquiring though are the two first-round picks. They now have extra draft selections to hopefully find some superstars in future drafts. The 2021 first-round pick could be a huge payoff, as next year's draft class is shaping up to be a solid group. The 2023 first-round pick will either be a solid draft pick for Orlando, or a potential trade piece down the road. After adding a couple of rotational players and future first-round draft selections, Orlando Magic fans should feel happy with the deal.
TRADE GRADES
Chicago Bulls – (A)
Orlando Magic – (A-)
The Bulls edge the Magic in the trade grade simply because they received a star center in Nikola Vucevic. What he brings to the table vastly improves the Bulls team and increases their chances of making the playoffs this year by quite a bit. With the Magic embracing the rebuild, they do walk away with some nice pieces to build around. The two first-round selections are huge for this organization going forward.
Although the Bulls receive a higher grade, the Magic did a great job in acquiring what they need to improve down the road. This could very well end up a huge win-win for both sides.
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