Orlando Magic Starting 5 Breakdown: Victor Oladipo
By Luke Duffy
The Reality
Let’s slow down a little here. Oladipo can do plenty of things right, but he has yet to put it all together or look like the kind of player who can be a franchise cornerstone.
In fact, it was center Nikola Vucevic who quietly averaged a double-double (19.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game) last season and led this team on most nights. Oladipo slotted in as the second best player on the court, playing consistently on both ends.
Maybe that truly is his future here. In fact, maybe Mario Hezonja is the offensive stud in waiting that Oladipo is meant to complement so well. He brings the right attitude every night, so we know that even if he doesn’t pan out as this team’s go-to guy, he’ll still be effective in whatever role he provides. Getting to the line 4.4 times per contest (good for 36th in the league) is on the low side for a guy who gets six points every night through drives to the basket.
Oladipo did lead the team in minutes per game (35.7), so given that he’s out there for much of the contest and getting all those touches as well, is it wrong to expect more from him?
How he meshes with Payton will be key to success going forward as well. Neither are elite jump shooters, although if reports are to be believed Oladipo, is working diligently to change that. Even a small improvement in this area would pay dividends for his team, such as spacing the floor for others and drawing defenders further away from the basket to guard him.
Next: The Key Statistic