Orlando Magic standout center Nikola Vucevic is like the rest of us. He hears the trade rumors.
But that doesn’t mean Vucevic wants to be traded.
“I’m happy where I am,” Vucevic told reporters when asked if he wished to play for a title contender. “When I re-signed with the Magic, I knew it was going to be a process and I knew we weren’t going to turn into a championship team right away.”
The Magic (13-23) sit in next-to-last place in the Eastern Conference one season after making the playoffs. Vucevic, 30, is averaging 24.6 points and 11.6 rebounds, continuing to be a force in all areas.
He has reportedly drawn interest from everyone from the Boston Celtics to Miami Heat to San Antonio Spurs.
“It’s unfortunate we’ve had all of these injuries,” he said. “I think we are headed in the right direction, but we have lost two very important players — Markelle Fultz and J.I. (Jonathan Isaac) — for the season.
“If we were healthier, our goals would be much different and we could achieve much more. But that’s just part of the journey. Unexpected things are going to happen.”
