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Early Trade Proposal Brings Veteran Shooter to Magic for Vucevic, Isaac
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- Early Trade Proposal Brings Veteran Shooter to Magic for Vucevic, Isaac
(© Mike Watters-Imagn Images)
In the early days of the 2026-27 NBA season, the Orlando Magic find themselves in a difficult position.
The Magic currently sit at 2-5, and not only are injuries an issue once again, but Orlando is also underperforming once again as a 3-point shooting team. At the time of writing, the Magic are 18th in the league in three-point percentage (34.3%).
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There have been flashes of improvement, but overall, they have not been good enough.
The Magic need to get better from the perimeter, and the eventual return of Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs from injuries will not necessarily remedy the issue. The season is still very young, and a lot can happen between now and February's NBA Trade Deadline.
But if Orlando does not start improving from beyond the arc soon, it may be time to look into getting a player who can deliver on a more consistent basis in that area of the game.
Could Max Strus help?
It is not realistic to expect President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman and the front office to make a seismic trade, but they could go and get a proven role player who is battle-tested in the postseason. That player could be Los Angeles Clippers guard Max Strus.
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Currently, the Clippers are 1-6, and as they are coming off a scandalous offseason in which they were punished for cap circumvention involving Kawhi Leonard, the future is looking grim as well. Los Angeles is not a winning team, and therefore, holding on to a player like Strus may not be worth it, especially since he is in the final year of a four-year, $62.2 million deal.
So, what could a trade for Strus look like?
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Clippers receive: Nikola Vucevic and Jonathan Isaac.
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Magic receive: Max Strus.
The idea of moving off Vucevic may upset some Magic fans, and I am not proposing that the team do that yet. He is a veteran who brings valuable experience to the locker room, and there is a mutual love that exists between him and the fan base.
It's what made his signing the most significant of the offseason for Orlando, but the on-court product has been nearly nonexistent. Vucevic has been incredibly limited in his role, averaging just 9.6 minutes per game and also averaging 3.1 points and three rebounds.
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At age 36, he is not the player he once was, especially in a reserve role, but the Magic could certainly use more from him. If Vucevic's role and production do not grow, Orlando should consider moving on from him.
Isaac, however, is a player the Magic must part ways with. He is hurt once again and has yet to make his season debut due to a knee injury.
Injuries and inconsistencies have defined Isaac's career, yet the front office chose to bring him back on a one-year deal. It's hard to say whether the Clippers or any team in the NBA would be willing to trade for Isaac, but in Los Angeles's case, there's not much to lose or gain from it other than parting ways with Strus.
Strus is a career 36.9% 3-point shooter who is also capable of bringing the ball up the floor and having a high motor. He could fit Orlando's culture and help bring some life to the 3-point offense and the type of drive-and-kick opportunities that the offense under coach Sean Sweeney is trying to pursue.
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It will be interesting to see what happens in the coming months, but the Magic need to find some answers, and they may not be on the roster currently.
