Orlando Magic: Predicting their opening night starting 5
By Luke Duffy
Center: Bismack Biyombo
Biyombo begins the season as our predicted starting center, for now. It’d be tough to pay somebody the kind of money he’s on and only ask for 20-plus minutes a night. This is the toughest call of all to make however, because Nikola Vucevic is a much better offensive big man than Biyombo.
He also had more defensive win shares last season (3.1) than Biyombo (2.1), the guy thought of as the elite rim protector on this team. Biyombo didn’t even blow Vucevic out of the water in total blocked shots (91 to 74) last season either, even if this is an one-dimensional way of tracking defensive influence on a team.
The decision to give Biyombo a four-year, $70 million contract after one great showing in the playoffs for the Toronto Raptors still appears to be a strange one.
The NBA expects big men to do more than just roll to the rim these days, and it’s why guys like Dwight Howard and Andre Drummond have seen their stock plummet.
Vucevic, to his credit, has adapted with the times, attempting 75 3-pointers last season and making 30 percent of them. You’re never going to get that from Biyombo, but he is a much better screen and roller who can finish around the basket.
It’s almost ironic that a team as poor as the Magic have been in recent years are spoiled with a choice at a position that has seen its importance shrink.
Both guys are capable starters, and the decision to bring Biyombo onboard would have made much more sense had Vucevic been traded. He’s in line to make $12.25 million this season, which is a reasonable deal for a player of his quality offensively.
If the team can move one of these two then they should, and as it stands Vucevic appears the easier of the two to ship out.
Not the best reason to give Biyombo the starting job, but it factors into him being in this position, though it is one that could easily change.