Nearly TWO MONTHS removed from the last played NBA basketball game and I think what the Orlando Magic front office should do once the quarantine is lifted on all NBA movements and activities.

The Orlando Magic have thus far proven to be a middle of the pack team in the NBA eastern conference. Before the season started, I would've bet against that; I just knew this team would be a top-tier team in the Eastern Conference.

Many fans have expressed on social media the desire to move All-Star Center Nikole Vucevic or to trade the primary offensive creator Evan Fournier. The consensus theory is that the Orlando Magic will be Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac’s team in the near future and the front office needs to start building around their future stars now.

Let's analyze some possibilities

Trading Vucevic

The first move that comes to mind would be for an interior defensive presence. At the stoppage of the 2019-20 season, Mo Bamba was the better interior defender on the team, all while only averaging around 15 minutes a game. Vucevic is not known as a defensive anchor and when watching the film on how he defends pick and roll actions it is easy to spot his shortcomings. With rumblings coming out of Salt Lake City about a rift between Rudy Gobert and his teammates, namely Donavan Mitchell, due to Gobert's mishandling of his COVID-19 diagnosis which possibly contributed to Mitchells later diagnosis. The hope is that the combination of Jeff Weltman and John Hammond finds a way to trade one All-Star center for another.

Rudy would bring a much needed defensive intensity that Vucevic just doesn’t bring, while Gobert's defensive aptness is much needed in Orlando, so is Offensive production, and unfortunately, Rudy would not be the offensive producer that Vucevic is. Gobert is much more athletic than Vucevic which will allow Markelle and Jonathan Isaac to push the tempo offensively instead of having to set up for a play in the half-court, which is where Nikola thrives. Of course, there will have to be fillers in the trade, such as swapping draft picks and possibly the movement of a few role players, which could include either DJ Augustin or Wes Iwundu.

Resigning Evan Fournier

If Weltman and Hammond decide to part ways with Vucevic, I believe it will mean a doubling down on Magic Frenchman, Evan Fourier. There is no denying the bond Evan and Rudy have, just follow Evan on twitter throughout the season. And if you missed the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, then you might have missed the connection between the two Frenchmen on the court.

Fournier is a good NBA player. Evan would be a great second or third scoring option on any other team. But just like Fultz, Evan needs the floor space. Being able to add a few more shooters from either the Draft or Free Agency will be very beneficial to Evan's production and the future of his success.

There is no question that Evan is one of the leaders on this team. He has that “this is my team” mentality. I know it’s just social media, but Evan seems to always have the time to defend a teammate whenever someone attacks his squad. The Magic should keep Fournier on contract. And if the front office is able to trade Vucevic, I am sure we will see Evan Fournier re-signing.

What to do with AG

Besides Jonathan Isaac, Aaron Gordon has the highest trade value on the team. AG has become a household name especially after the robbery that was his two Slam Dunk contest appearances, which many refer to as some of the greatest appearances in the contest's history. AG is a six-year NBA vet and he’s only 24 years old. The upside with AG is huge. The Magic probably shouldn't part ways with AG, but for this franchise to thrive it is important to begin building around J.I. and Markelle.

AG has been playing out of position his entire career in Orlando. He needs to be on a team that needs an athletic forward who would be great in pick and roll situations and who would use him as a third or fourth option. A possible suitor could be the Brooklyn Net. Brooklyn has a lot of guards whose minutes will disappear with the integration of Kevin Durant to the team. Any combination of Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert, Joe Harris for AG, and another trade filler, again possibly D.J. or Iwundu could be a win-win for both parties.

There are a lot of moves Jeff Weltman and John Hammond can make before the 2020-21 NBA season. During this pause in the action, you must think that John and Jeff are brainstorming over how to position the Orlando Magic to make the next leap in becoming a constant playoff team. It will be essential if trades are to happen, to acquire picks for the 2021-2023 NBA draft classes.

Finding the perfect scenarios for the Magic will be tricky, but this city is ready for deep Playoffs contention.

Feel free to let us know what trades you'd like to see.

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