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Orlando Magic: Nikola Vucevic Receives Massive Extension

By Gerald Bourguet

Oct 10, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) backs in on Indiana Pacers center Ian Mahinmi (28) in the third quarter of the game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Orlando Magic beat the Indiana Pacers by the score of 96-93. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 10, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) backs in on Indiana Pacers center Ian Mahinmi (28) in the third quarter of the game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Orlando Magic beat the Indiana Pacers by the score of 96-93. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Orlando Magic have spent the last few years assembling a young nucleus to rebuild in the post-Dwight Howard era. According to Yahoo! Sports’ Marc J. Spears, the front office is really buying into their potential, particularly that of 23-year-old center Nikola Vucevic:

Vucevic joins Kyrie Irving, Markieff Morris, Marcus Morris, Kawhi Leonard and Kenneth Faried as 2011 draft picks eligible for a contract extension to get paid this summer. After posting a career-high 14.2 points to go with 11.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game, Vucevic’s ceiling was too high to risk letting him become a restricted free agent next summer.

The deal doesn’t put Orlando in a terrible place, especially since they had to overpay guys like Channing Frye and Ben Gordon this summer just to reach the salary floor. Still, $53 million over four years is a TON of money to dish out for a mostly unproven center like Vucevic, even if he is a regular double-double machine.

However, Vucevic has shown a ton of promise through three NBA seasons, and the Magic were wise to nab him from the Philadelphia 76ers in the infamous Dwight Howard trade. He’s a very underrated, highly skilled center who fills a need with this young, on-the-rise Magic squad. He hasn’t quite become a consistent shot-blocker or post defender just yet, but he’s still very young and the flashes of potential have definitely been there.

In his first season in Orlando, Vucevic hovered around a double-double and peaked in April, averaging and impressive 18.5 points, 15.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per game for the month. He shot nearly 51 percent from the floor that month. In his second season with the Magic, Vucevic wasn’t quite the same rebounding behemoth in a slow start to the year, but he once again peaked near the end of the season, averaging 15.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in March.

Between the Magic’s flexible salary cap situation, Vucevic’s potential and the incoming NBA TV deal, four years and $53 million suddenly doesn’t seem so bad. It also bodes well for guys like Kemba Walker, Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler and Jonas Valanciunas, who are eligible for contract extensions and in the same boat as far as promising young players who haven’t quite proven their true value just yet.

According to Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski, the Magic will now focus on coming to a deal on a contract extension for Tobias Harris. The two sides remain far apart on an agreement, however.

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