This Report Doesn’t Bode Well For Celtics-Nikola Vucevic Trade

The Boston Celtics, among many, reportedly want Nikola Vucevic.

But what if the Orlando Magic don’t want to give him up? That’s a possibility, it seems.

Vucevic is one of the top available players said to be available this offseason. A walking double-double who is one of the best perimeter-shooting big men, Vucevic instantly would give a contending team a jolt.

But according to Yahoo! Sports’ Keith Smith, Vucevic is “not really available.”

Vucevic is on a relatively inexpensive contract given his caliber of player, and he’s signed through the 2022-23 season. This season, the 30-year-old All-Star is averaging 24.6 points with 11.6 rebounds per game. The point total is a career high, while he’s hit the 12 rebounds per game mark in the past.

While the Celtics could fit him under the cap thanks to the massive trade exception they got from the Gordon Hayward sign-and-trade, the cost might be prohibitive. We took a shot last week at guessing what Orlando might want in a deal for Vucevic, and it was steep.

But a few weeks still remain until the March 25 trade deadline. Things could change, but if the Magic really think this year is an aberration, then you could understand why they might be reticent to move a franchise cornerstone.