NBA trade rumors: Magic could interest Warriors in a David Lee deal, according to report
The Golden State Warriors expect that they’ll have to deal David Lee eventually, and the Orlando Magic could be a trade partner for the veteran forward.
The Golden State Warriors went after Dwight Howard last summer and are reportedly in the mix to chase after Kevin Love in a trade this summer. They know point guard Stephen Curry needs help, but to do so they'll need to clear cap space.
Veteran forward David Lee is the obvious odd-man out, and the San Jose Mercury News' Marcus Thompson reports that the Warriors are getting more antsy to trade Lee. The asking price for Lee is dropping.
The Orlando Magic might be a perfect trade partner. Though the Magic are in the midst of a rebuilding process, they have a hole at the power forward spot and have often turned to undersized Tobias Harris to play there. The Magic, in need of a little more credibility, could use Lee's double-double production and are also able to take on his $15 million owed to him this season and $15.5 million next season. His expiring deal could be worth something on the trade market in 2015-16 as well.
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Thompson surmises that the draft will tell a bit about what Orlando is thinking. If they draft a guard like Dante Exum or Marcus Smart with the fourth overall pick, it would keep the power forward slot wide open and make Arron Afflalo expendable. The Magic also own the 12th overall pick.
Afflalo would be enticing to the Warriors if they come to terms that they can't pay shooting guard Klay Thompson, whose rookie deal comes to an end after the 2014-15 season. On a $7.5 million per year deal with a player option in 2015-16, Afflalo is a valuable shooting guard considering his production.
