ORLANDO -- The Orlando Magic have acquired center Wendell Carter Jr., forward Otto Porter Jr. and two future first round draft picks from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for center Nikola Vučević and forward Al-Farouq Aminu, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today.
“Anytime you trade a player like Nikola (Vučević), it is a tough decision to make,” said Weltman. “’Vooch’ will go down as one of the best players to ever wear a Magic uniform and we can’t thank him enough for all the contributions he made to the organization, both on and off the court.”
“Wendell (Carter Jr.) is a talented, young player, who is just starting to blossom,” Weltman added. “We are excited not only to add him to our team, but to watch him continue to develop into the player we think he can become. We’re happy to welcome Wendell and Otto (Porter Jr.) to the Magic family.”
Carter Jr. (6’10”, 268, 4/16/99) has played in 32 games (25 starts) this season with Chicago, averaging 10.9 ppg., 7.8 rpg. and 2.2 apg. in 24.7 minpg., while shooting .512 (129-252) from the floor. He has led (or tied) the Bulls in rebounding 12 times and in assists twice. Carter Jr. has scored in double figures 18 times and 20+ points twice, including a season-high 23 points on Jan. 8 @ L.A. Lakers. He has pulled down 10+ rebounds nine times, including a career-high 17 rebounds on Jan. 6 @ Sacramento, and recorded a team-high seven double-doubles.
Originally selected in the first round (seventh overall) of the 2018 NBA Draft by Chicago, Carter Jr. has appeared in 119 career NBA regular season games (112 starts), all with the Bulls, averaging 10.8 ppg., 8.1 rpg. and 1.7 apg. in 26.5 minpg., while shooting .509 (492-966) from the floor. He was named to the U.S. Team for the 2020 NBA Rising Stars, but did not play due to injury.
Carter Jr. played and started in 37 games during his only collegiate season (2017-18) at Duke University, averaging 13.5 ppg., 9.1 rpg., 2.0 apg. and 2.05 blkpg. in 26.9 minpg., while shooting .561 (179-319) from the floor. He finished second all-time among Duke freshmen in rebounds (335), blocked shots (76) and double-doubles (16). Carter Jr. was a Second Team All-ACC selection and a unanimous pick to the ACC All-Freshman Team.
Carter Jr. will wear #34 with the Orlando Magic.
Porter Jr. (6”8”, 228, 6/3/93) has played in 25 games (six starts) this season with Chicago, averaging 9.9 ppg., 5.5 rpg. and 2.0 apg. in 21.6 minpg., while shooting .400 (38-95) from three-point range and .838 (31-37) from the free throw line. He has led (or tied) the Bulls in scoring once and in rebounding four times. Porter Jr. has scored in double figures 12 times and 20+ points twice, including a season-high 28 points on Dec. 31 @ Washington. He has pulled down 10+ rebounds twice and had two double-doubles.
Originally selected in the first round (third overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft by Washington, Porter Jr. has appeared in 438 career NBA regular season games (301 starts) with Washington and Chicago, averaging 11.0 ppg., 5.0 rpg., 1.5 apg. and 1.14 stlpg. in 26.5 minpg., while shooting .404 (589-1,459) from three-point range. He has also played in 31 career NBA playoff games (18 starts), averaging 10.0 ppg., 6.3 rpg., 1.6 apg. and 1.26 stlpg. in 29.8 minpg.
Porter Jr. will wear #22 with the Orlando Magic.
Vučević (7’0”, 260, 1024/90) played and started in all 44 games this season with Orlando, averaging 24.5 ppg., 11.8 rpg. and 3.8 apg. in 34.1 minpg., while shooting .406 (117-288) from three-point range and .827 (91-110) from the free throw line. Originally selected in the first round (16th overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft by Philadelphia, he has played in 642 career NBA regular season games (581 starts) with Philadelphia and Orlando, averaging 16.7 ppg., 10.3 rpg. and 2.6 apg. in 30.5 minpg., while shooting .497 (4,621-9,294) from the floor.
Vučević was acquired by Orlando on Aug. 10, 2012 as part of a four-team, 12-player trade. He played in 591 career games with the Magic (566 starts) from 2012-21, averaging 17.6 ppg., 10.8 rpg. and 2.8 apg. in 31.8 minpg., while shooting .499 (4,490-9,903) from the floor. Vučević leaves as the Magic’s all-time leader in field goals made (4,490) and ranks among the franchise’s all-time leaders in double-doubles (2nd, 354), rebounds (2nd, 6,381), points (3rd, 10,423), blocked shots (3rd, 550), games played (4th, 591), minutes played (4th, 18,791), steals (6th, 537) and assists (8th, 1,668). He was named an NBA All-Star in 2019 and 2021.
Aminu (6’9”, 220, 9/21/90) played in 17 games (14 starts) this season with Orlando, averaging 5.5 ppg., 5.4 rpg., 1.7 apg. and 1.00 stlpg. in 21.6 minpg. Originally selected in the first round (eighth overall) of the 2010 NBA Draft by the L.A. Clippers, he has played in 705 career NBA regular season games (445 starts) with the Clippers, New Orleans, Dallas, Portland and Orlando, averaging 7.6 ppg., 6.0 rpg. and 1.2 apg. in 25.0 minpg.