2019 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far
Nikola Vucevic: 4 years, $100 million (Orlando Magic)
Orlando and Nikola Vucevic, as first reported Friday by @NYTSports, have reached agreement on a four-year deal worth an estimated $100 million, league sources say
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 30, 2019
The Orlando Magic tasted the playoffs for the first time in seven years, so it’s understandable they’d want to hold onto that success and try to build on that momentum. However, there’s a case to be made Nikola Vucevic isn’t going to get much better from here after a career year, and for those watching the team’s first round playoff exit, it was pretty clear he’s not capable of being “the guy” for a legitimate playoff team.
Although the Magic were able to steal a game from the eventual NBA champs in the first round, Vucevic was completely bottled up in that series. Orlando was a playoff team by name, but only finished two games above .500 overall. Vooch earned a well-deserved first All-Star selection, but he’ll turn 29 before the next season starts and will now be paid an average of $25 million over the next four years.
Again, this isn’t a “bad” move by the Magic, since retaining Vucevic keeps them relevant. He’s also not on an albatross of a contract, which makes him movable down the line. However, with such a crowded frontcourt that already includes Aaron Gordon, Mohamed Bamba, Jonathan Isaac and Khem Birch, it’s worth wondering if it might’ve been better to take a step back in service of the future, rather than spend this kind of money to preserve the linchpin of an average team.
Grade: B-