NBA trade deadline: Former No1 pick Fultz to Magic as Gasol heads to Raptors

Former No1 overall pick Markelle Fultz has a new home, going from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Orlando Magic according to multiple sources as the NBA’s trade deadline approaches.

Fultz is getting moved for Jonathan Simmons, as well as a 2020 first-round pick that Philadelphia used to own but was conveyed in other deals. The 76ers also get a second-round pick this year. Fultz has played in only 33 games since being taken No1 overall in the 2017 draft. Earlier reports said that the Sixers have also acquired James Ennis from the Houston Rockets in return for trade considerations to go alongside Tobias Harris, who they traded for on Tuesday night. Philadelphia will become the sixth club for the well-traveled Ennis, who averaged 7.4 points for the Rockets this season.

Elsewhere another contender in the East has strengthened its hand. Marc Gasol is going to the Toronto Raptors in a deal that also includes Jonas Valanciunias headed to the Memphis Grizzlies. ESPN, which first reported the deal, also said CJ Miles and Delon Wright will be included and going to Memphis. It is a power move for Toronto, as they look to improve their roster as they compete with Philadelphia and Milwaukee, among others, in the Eastern Conference. Gasol has been with the Grizzlies for his entire 11year NBA career, and was the league’s defensive player of the year in 2013. The 34-year-old is averaging 15.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and a career-high 4.7 assists this season.

Earlier, the Pelicans reportedly agreed to trade forward Nikola Mirotic to Milwaukee as part of a three-team deal that sends the Bucks’ Jason Smith and Detroit’s Stanley Johnson to New Orleans. The Pelicans also receive multiple second-round draft choices in the exchange. The 6ft 10in Mirotic, an adept three-point shooter, was acquired by New Orleans from Chicago last season

and was an instrumental part of the club rallying to make the playoffs and advance to the second round after the season-ending injury to DeMarcus Cousins. This season, Mirotic has played in just 32 of New Orleans’ 55 games because of injuries, but has averaged 16.7 points and 8.3 rebounds. The Bucks are top of the Eastern Conference and have the best record in the entire league at 40-13.