Orlando Magic: 2017-18 player grades for Nikola Vucevic
By Luke Duffy
Final grade
It was another year of more of the same from Nikola Vucevic, only this time it didn’t go down like it has in the past with fans. At this point, trading him seems the next logical step, and there is no doubt he could do a job for a playoff team off the bench.
The Magic allowed fewer points when Vucevic was on the court (106.5) than defensive-minded big man Biyombo (110.4). However, Vucevic’s defending was non-existent for large portions of his time on the court, so if anything, that speaks more to Biyombo’s deficiencies than anything else.
Other than that modest defensive improvement when compared to others on the team, missing so many games due to injury and not helping the team win more games go against him here.
Then again, 17 of the team’s 25 wins came when Vucevic was playing, so he was doing something right.
Unfortunately though it wasn’t enough, and it will come to define how Vucevic is remembered for his time in Orlando: good in places, not as influential as he should have been, but also lacking the proper support to help the Magic win more games. They could miss him when he’s gone, even though that schism feels like the next logical step.
Next: Full two-round 2018 NBA Mock Draft
Grade: C