Orlando Magic: Where Does Nikola Vucevic Rank Among NBA Centers?

Nikola Vucevic, right, behind did a more than adequate job of filling the shoes of Dwight Howard. Photo Credit: RMTip21, Flickr.com

Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic had a big season for the Orlando Magic in just his second NBA season. Despite his great season, it is a little too early to place Vucevic among the top five centers in the NBA. Let’s look at where Vucevic ranks among NBA centers.

Nikola Vucevic’s breakout season

Nikola Vucevic arrived in Orlando as part of the Dwight Howard trade. During training camp, it wasn’t a given that Vucevic would be the starting center for the Magic as he was battling against Gustavo Ayon for the starting gig. Ayon was acquired as part of a sign-and-trade deal with the New Orleans Hornets involving Ryan Anderson.

However, the battle was short-lived as Ayon suffered a sprained left thumb during the preseason, resulting in Vucevic getting the starting job–a job that Vucevic did not relinquish.

One of the many concerns after the departure of Dwight Howard was who could fill Howard’s unique abilities on the glass. Vucevic proved up to the task finishing right behind Howard as the No. 2 rebounder in the NBA, averaging 11.9 rebounds per game. Among the highlights for Vucevic were a pair of 20-plus rebounding games against the defending champion Miami Heat. It was during the Dec. 31 matchup against the Heat that showed what Vucevic was capable of offensively and on the boads.

Vucevic put up a very solid 20 points in the loss, but what Vucevic did rebounding-wise that night was record-breaking. Vucevic grabbed 29 rebounds against the Heat, breaking Shaquille O’Neal’s franchise single-game record for most rebounds.

Vucevic has also had a good season offensively, averaging 13.1 points per game.

Vucevic also has an offensive game that is predicated on versatility. Vucevic can go to work in the paint and finish with either hand or he can stretch the defense with his mid-range jumper. His ability to tip the ball in the basket on second-chance opportunities is another skill Vucevic possesses. The biggest asset to his rebounding is his long arms, which he uses to tip the ball away from opposing big men on the defensive and offensive glass.

Vucevic’s ability to grab double-doubles night in and night out were huge for an Orlando team that struggled to find an offensive identity. He finished No. 2 among centers (No. 3 overall) in double-double with 46, behind the aforementioned Howard and Golden State Warriors power forward David Lee.

However, Vucevic is not perfect; his defense left something to be desired. Although capable of being a decent shot blocker, averaging one block per game, Vucevic is usually late on defensive rotations. Another problem for Vucevic is his poor footwork and speed on defense. Orlando Magic coach Jacque Vaughn uses a system that involves lots of switching on pick-and-rolls. For example, if the Magic were playing the Heat and center Chris Bosh set an on-ball screen for James, Vucevic would switch and guard James, while Magic forward Maurice Harkless would guard Bosh. Vucevic cannot guard a player like James one-on-one, resulting in either a foul or an easy bucket for James. This was a problem throughout the season for the Magic and did not improve much throughout the season.

Rankings

Now the question is where does Vucevic belong among the best centers in the NBA. Let’s look and see where Vucevic fits in. (Since Andrew Bynum did not play this season he is not included in the rankings, if he were he would be No. 2 behind Howard).

1. Dwight Howard
2. Tyson Chandler
3. Brook Lopez
4. Marc Gasol
5. Joakim Noah
6. Tim Duncan
7. Al Horford
8. Al Jefferson
9. Nikola Vucevic
10. Roy Hibbert

Why is Vucevic No. 9?

Duncan, Horford and Jefferson are all ranked ahead of Vucevic because they all average more than 17 points per game compared to the 13.1 points Vucevic scores. Horford and Duncan are outstanding defensive players, which is a weakness for Vucevic at this point in his career. Duncan in particular is among the best shot blockers in the NBA averaging 2.65 blocks per game, which is No. 3 in the NBA. Horford is a good one-on-one defensive player and rarely misses rotation. In particular, Duncan and Horford get things done on both sides of the floor, while Vucevic still have room to improve on the defensive side of things.

Jefferson is not a great defensive player, but he is a solid rebounder, having grabbed an average of 9.9 rebounds per game.

If this was a list about best defensive centers then Hibbert would be in the top five, but when it comes to overall centers his rebounding leaves something to be desired considering his 7’3″ frame. Hibbert is averaging 11. 9 points per game and is No. 4 in the NBA in blocked shots with 2.61 blocks per game (right behind Duncan in the blocked shots category), but has hauled in a measly 8.3 rebounds per game compared to the 11.9 rebounds Vucevic pulled down this season. Vucevic edges out Hibbert because of scoring and rebounding.