Report: Magic have expressed interest in Dragic
Goran Dragic's name is going to be bantered about more and more as we draw closer to the Feb. 23 trade deadline, with several teams already inquiring about his availability.
One of those teams is the Orlando Magic, who have reportedly already reached out to the Miami Heat, league sources told ESPN's Zach Lowe.
Miami gave up a hefty sum just to acquire Dragic in the first place, parting ways with four players (Norris Cole, Danny Granger, Justin Hamilton, and Shawne Williams) and two draft picks, so they won't simply give up on their starting point guard without expecting a reasonable return on that investment.
Related - Report: Heat's asking price too high in Dragic trade talks
Magic guard Elfrid Payton appears to be running on borrowed time with the organization, as it was reported last month that Orlando was "down" on the 22-year-old and searching for an upgrade at the position, which could come in the form of Dragic should a deal be struck.
The 30-year-old Slovenian is signed on through the 2018-19 campaign, with a player option worth a touch over $19 million the following year - a reasonable contract when factoring in the league's changing financial climate.
He's currently averaging 19 points on 45.5 percent shooting, 6.5 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 0.9 steals with a player efficiency rating of 17.4 through 32 games for the 11-29 Heat, who dwell near the bottom of the Eastern Conference in 14th place.