The Washington Wizards aren't expected to make any major moves at the trade deadline, but one starter is plotting a potential exit.
Whether it's at this year's deadline, this offseason, or during next year, center Marcin Gortat wants to be traded to the Orlando Magic before he will retire at the conclusion of the 2018-19 season.
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“I would love to join the team for maybe two or three months, or maybe half a season at least,” Gortat told the Orlando Sentinel. "I’m going to be a old guy, so I don’t know if Orlando would be interested or not. But I would love to join the team back again just to wear the uniform, put the white and blue stripes again on me and be able to say I’m a Magic again and just come back home where I belong. That would definitely be a dream come true to do that for me. Whatever the team wants to do — play me, just be in the rotation or just be a bench player — I would definitely be there for the team.”
However, Wizards head coach Scott Brooks doesn't think Gortat's retirement - and desire to play for Orlando - will happen anytime soon.
“I think he’s not even 34 yet,” Brooks said. “So there’s still some basketball [left in him]. I don’t think he should be thinking about retirement yet.”
Gortat, 33, spent the first three and a half seasons of his career with the Magic and served as the backup center on the team that went to the 2009 NBA Finals.
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He is averaging 9.0 points and 8.1 rebounds per game this season.
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