Will Mo Bamba Be On The Move?
Drafted 6th overall in 2018, Mo Bamba never really saw a lot of playing time with the Magic until Nikola Vucevic was traded last season. In the final year of his rookie contract, Mo Bamba has been having a career-year, averaging career-highs in points (10.1), rebounds (8.4), blocks (2.1), field goals made (4.0) and three-pointers made (1.3).
Bamba is also averaging 28.1 minutes per game this season, which is about 13 minutes higher than the amount of minutes he saw last season.
The center position is a tough one to figure out in the NBA, as every team uses their big men differently based on rotations and “small-ball” approaches, but Mo Bamba has definitely proven his value to the rest of the league this season.
Being a lengthy rebounder and shot-blocker who can also step out on the perimeter and make some three-point shots here-and-there, Mo Bamba could be a young talent several teams target at the trade deadline.
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Since he is in the final year of his rookie contract, Bamba can easily be moved from a financial standpoint and the Magic could actually have interest in moving him. After signing Wendell Carter Jr. to a four-year extension worth upwards of $50M, the Magic now have both Carter Jr. and Jonathan Isaac tied down to long-term deals.
Isaac has not played since 2020 after suffering a torn ACL and meniscus in his left knee, but he is under contract through the 2024-25 season and is expected to return at some point closer to the All-Star break this year.
Do the Orlando Magic really want to keep Mo Bamba around long-term and be tied down to three long-term contracts to three frontcourt players? Bamba is more available on the trade market than many tend to realize and it should not be shocking to see the Magic want to bring back a draft pick or two for him this season.
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Once again, the Orlando Magic are going to be “open for business” at the trade deadline this season and we could see quite a few new faces coming into this organization in February.
