NBA salary cap exercise: What player would every team amnesty?

Orlando Magic – Nikola Vucevic

This call got a little harder following the injury to Jonathan Isaac in the bubble but moving on from Vucevic at the number he makes still feels right. Nikola Vucevic has grown his game over recent years and is solid. But is solid worth $26 million, $24 million and $22 million over the next three seasons?

Orlando is the kind of team that has floated between the seven and 10 seed for years and is generally an average team. They are 12th in defensive rating and 22nd in offensive rating. This is not really a criticism of Vucevic, who clearly has a place in this league. The team just needs to commit to their youth movement, especially when you consider the commitment to size the team has made in the draft.

Isaac was the heir apparent as a modern big man but his injury status had muddied those waters significantly. But the team has $34.9 million committed to the position outside of Isaac next season. The bulk of this (74.4 percent to be exact) is owed to Vucevic. In a league going smaller paying this much to a center seems misplaced.

For a team in a market like Orlando every dollar matters and they would be wise to fill the team with wings to go along with their young big men. This would also help Markelle Fultz grow, something the franchise should be prioritizing.