NBA Free Agency: Best Landing Spots For Andrew Nicholson
By Justin Rowan
Andrew Nicholson, the 19th overall pick of the 2012 draft, has seen his time with the Orlando Magic likely come to an end. A look at some of the best landing spots for him as NBA free agency is set to open.
The value of the stretch 4 in today’s NBA has never been higher.
A player that can rebound, play some defense and create spacing in the lane at the power forward position is a highly sought after trait, yet the Orlando Magic and Andrew Nicholson never seemed able to get on the same page throughout his tenure with the team.
Nicholson, like other young players, struggled to get consistent minutes under Scott Skiles, who left the team after the season over differences with management over the direction of the team.
While he only averaged 6.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 15 minutes a game, he shot 47.1 percent from the floor and 36 percent from three. His per 36 numbers of 16.8 and 7.3 rebounds per game show that he was productive in the few minutes he had.
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But with the addition of Serge Ibaka and the presence of Aaron Gordon, the Magic simply do not have room to develop the 26 year old Nicholson. On Tuesday, ESPN’s Zach Lowe reported that the Magic will not extend the qualifying offer to Nicholson:
Apologies if this has been reported, but Magic NOT planning to extend a qualifying offer for Andrew Nicholson, sources say. Unrestricted FA
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) June 28, 2016
Nicholson is an interesting free agent because he is on one of the lower tiers of this free agency class, but has been productive to this point. He likely will be available for bargain prices and is in need of an opportunity. So with that in mind, let’s look at some of the best landing spots for him.
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