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Report: Rival execs expect Magic to shop Fournier, Hezonja, Payton

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Action Images

The Orlando Magic are in a stunning free fall having lost 27 of their last 31 games, which means a fire sale is potentially imminent.

Rival executives expect the Magic to "aggressively hunt" for trades involving point guard Elfrid Payton, shooting guard Evan Fournier, and small forward Mario Hezonja, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times.

Had Nikola Vucevic not been dealing with a broken finger, he would also be on the move, Stein added.

All four players were holdovers from the previous management team run by Rob Hennigan, who expended high lottery picks on Payton and Hezonja while receiving Fournier and Vucevic through trade. They each had their moment and showed promise but failed to deliver any semblance of success for the Magic as a team.

Newly hired Magic president Jeff Weltman, who was hired away from the Toronto Raptors in the offseason, will likely look to start fresh for a franchise in Orlando that has been mostly rudderless since trading away Dwight Howard in 2012.

Fournier, a 25-year-old, is averaging 17.6 points and 2.9 assists while shooting 39 percent from deep. He's on a reasonable contract that sees him making $17 million for the next three seasons.

Payton missed time with injuries, but he has been solid for the most part. He's averaging 12.9 points with 6.6 assists per game while shooting a career-high 51.6 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from 3-point range. Payton will be a restricted free agent this summer.

Vucevic is a defensively suspect, but offensively versatile big, who is averaging 17.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. He's owed $12.5 million next season.

Finally, Hezonja is a former No. 5 pick that has never shown much consistency. He's averaging 6.8 points per game this season.

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