Magic Trade Nikola Vucevic to Bulls for Wendell Carter Jr., Draft Picks

Chicago will reportedly receive an All-Star center for young forward Wendell Carter Jr. and two first-round picks.

The Bulls acquired center Nikola Vucevic in a trade with the Magic on Thursday, in a move first reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and confirmed by the Bulls.

Chicago will send forwards Otto Porter and Wendell Carter Jr. to Orlando along with first-round picks in 2021 and 2023, per Wojnarowski. Forward Al Farouq Aminu will also go to Chicago in Thursday's deal. 

Here's the deal: The Bulls land Nikola Vucevic and Al Farouq Aminu for Otto Porter, Wendell Carter Jr., and two first-round picks. Huge addition for Chicago, who remains in pursuit of Lonzo Ball. The Magic are moving toward a rebuild now with Aaron Gordon deal on deck.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2021

Vucevic, 30, is in the midst of a career-best season in 2020-21. He is averaging 24.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game, shooting 40.6 percent from three in the process. Vucevic is a two-time All-Star in 10 NBA seasons.

Carter has struggled in 2020-21, though he's previously shown promise as a young frontcourt piece in Chicago. He was drafted by the Bulls with the No. 7 pick in the 2018 NBA draft. 

The Bulls are eyeing their first playoff appearance since 2017 this season. Chicago enters Thursday night No. 10 in the Eastern Conference at 19–24. Billy Donovan is in his first year as Chicago's head coach after the Bulls cycled through three coaches in a six-year span from 2014-20.