Orlando Magic: It is finally time to let Nikola Vucevic go

With the recent rumors that the Orlando Magic are actively shopping center Nikola Vucevic, let’s look at why it will be the right move.

According to The Athletic’s Michael Scotto, the Orlando Magic are making incumbent starting center Nikola Vucevic open for trade talks. This has ben a constant rumor every single trade deadline and offseason since 2016, but this time it seems like it will stick. Before the drafting of Mohamed Bamba, the Magic didn’t have a reason to let Vucevic walk. However, it is now time to let him go.

Vucevic has been a cornerstone of the franchise since he was a part of the Dwight Howard trade in 2012. Back then, he was a 21-year-old coming off an inconsistent year with the Philadelphia 76ers. In Orlando, he turned into a walking double-double and truly was the Magic’s best player until last season.

During his tenure in Orlando, Vucevic has averaged 15.9 points and 10.3 rebounds per game on 50.3 percent shooting. This includes his best year as a member of the Magic in 2014-15, where he averaged 19.3 points and 10.9 rebounds per game on 52.3 percent shooting — a true All-Star snub that just shows how irrelevant the Magic were for most of this decade.

The question that was answered in recent seasons, with Vucevic being the cornerstone of the franchise, was that you cannot build a winning team around him. Yes, he is talented. Yes, he can score and rebound. Yes, he’s agile and still only 27.

However, he’s a complete liability on defense and the classic “good stats, bad team” guy. He shot the ball efficiently but tended to float towards the perimeter too much for a big man. He also does not fit the new Orlando mold of defense-first and long wingspans.

He’s been a divisive player in Orlando for some time now. With the talent this team now has in place to replace Vucevic, it’s time for the Magic to make a change.

This could be a positive move for everyone involved. On the Magic’s side, you get to develop Bamba and give him the necessary minutes it will take for his rawness to subside. Bamba will need to be thrown to the wolves this year to get better. In a season where the Magic aren’t expected to make many waves in the Eastern Conference, this might be a smart choice.

We still don’t know too much about his offensive game and if he’s more of a rim-runner or inside-out playmaker. It seems as though Bamba wants to be the latter. His shot form is fine, and he’s been practicing it a lot in the offseason, but his frame and length screams rim-runner. With more time he should be able to develop both facets of his offensive game and become a more complete player.

I’d be remiss in not mentioning the defensive potential this brings as well. I’ve written about how Bamba and Isaac need to be on the floor a lot together just based on how scary it would be on defense for opposing teams. Try getting a floater off in the lane against that wingspan, I dare you.

If Vucevic is in Orlando come opening day tip-off, Bamba will most likely be on the bench. Starting him from day one allows for Isaac and Bamba’s chemistry to grow immediately, as well as in camp if Vucevic is traded soon, and will allow for the interior defense to grow quickly.

Another way this could be beneficial for the Magic is that Vucevic is a very movable player. He’ll be 28 when the season starts and is coming off a season where he averaged 16.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.

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The Magic won’t get too much in the way of star players in this trade, but could they see a first round pick out of this? I don’t see why not. If they can’t finagle a first-rounder and maybe a bench player out of a trade, then this transaction will be a failure. All eyes are on the future in Orlando and adding more picks and young players is always beneficial.

For Vucevic, this could be a great move as well. He could potentially move to a team that is firmly within a “win now” mindset. For his career, Vucevic has only played in one playoff game for three minutes. This was in 2012 in Philadelphia.

Going on his eighth season in the league, Vucevic probably doesn’t want to be a part of another rebuild in Orlando. While the future is potentially bright in the Sunshine state, the Magic are most likely not contending for anything this year. Why wouldn’t you want to go to a team where the scoring pressure is taken off of you, but you can still succeed and win?

He is the perfect center for an established team that needs help inside. While his defense is sub-par, he is an elite scoring center. Teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans Pelicans or the Boston Celtics could all use 7’0” centers who can score.

Vucevic is in the final year of his deal and will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. Some teams might be hesitant to trade for a player they only get guaranteed for one season. However, Vucevic is on a team-friendly team for the output you get from him, and contenders might prefer a one-year rental that provides extra cap space this summer.

Vucevic is slated to make $12.8 million in 2018-19. For a 15 and 10 guy, that’s a steal, especially for a franchise in a winning position that would have a good chance at convincing Vucevic to stay or could simply afford to cut ties with him after the season’s over.

With the current youthful trend taking over in Orlando, the Nikola Vucevic era will most likely come to a close soon. He has been a great member of the team and was a victim of a team in turnaround for the last six seasons.

Bamba’s development as the Magic’s new rookie center seems to be at the forefront of priorities for this team this season. He was going to be the future regardless, and the hastening of this process will probably benefit all involved. Let’s hope that the Magic can turn a trade into another positive move for the future in getting a potential first round pick.