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Orlando Magic: Nikola Vucevic deserves so much better

ByLuke Duffy|
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 11: Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic attempts a shot against the Milwaukee Bucks at Amway Center on January 11, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 11: Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic attempts a shot against the Milwaukee Bucks at Amway Center on January 11, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images)

The Orlando Magic have suffered some devastating injuries that have caused them to regress again, which is the last thing Nikola Vucevic deserves.

Oh, what could have been. It already feels like a long time ago now, but the Orlando Magic started this season 6-2, were one of the surprise packages of the campaign, and looked in good shape to once again compete for a spot in the playoffs. Right from the off, they were contending with injuries as well, but thanks to an easier schedule to begin, they burst out of the gates.

Then the unthinkable happened, and Markelle Fultz went down with a torn ACL. So too did the Magic’s ability to be competitive in every game, as combined with less severe injuries to guys like Evan Fournier and Michael Carter-Williams, the depth that the organization had done a good job of creating was blown away.

Now the remainder of this season looks like it is going to be a brutal one, with a hammering against the Boston Celtics and a loss to the new-look Brooklyn Nets a bad way to start off a stretch of games away from home that clearly gets no easier. The franchise is headed for the NBA draft lottery again, and while next year’s class looks good, and Cole Anthony gets to learn on the job as a rookie point guard, it is hard not to feel bad for center Nikola Vucevic.

This is the guy who came over as part of the Dwight Howard deal in 2012, knew he was going to be a part of an extended rebuild, and set out to get better. He did this over time, to the point where he became known as an empty stats kind of player. Somebody you couldn’t win with, despite these same people ignoring some of the terrible rosters Vucevic was a part of.

Then in 2019, the payoff came, as the Magic made it back to the postseason for the first time since Vucevic joined. He was also an All-Star, put up huge numbers, and had changed people’s perception of him entirely. Now 30, this was supposed to be a gradual ascent for Vucevic and the Orlando Magic.

Instead the franchise have, despite their best efforts, gone in the wrong direction as a result of injuries. So far this season, Vucevic has been as good as ever. In that loss to the Nets he had one of the better games of his career, and that is saying a lot for a guy who has had some huge nights for the Magic.

This season he is averaging 22.8 points and 3.8 assists per night, both career highs. The 10.8 rebounds to go with it means that he is on course for the seventh double-double season average in nine years with the organization. Offensively he appears to have gone to another level as well, doing it all as those around him deal with injuries.

Shooting 42.7 percent from deep won’t last all year, but to be doing this on a career high 6.3 attempts from distance shows that Vucevic has unlocked that final part of his game. He’s still excellent around the rim, and has the footwork and soft touch (as his assist average shows) to do it all on that end. Yet nobody cares.

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People don’t care about the Orlando Magic at the best of times, but the combination of Fultz and Anthony had gotten some of the more hardcore fans talking. Instead we’re seeing takes like this on social media, which are just straight disrespectful to Vucevic. So now the franchise find themselves in a dilemma.

If they were to trade Vucevic, they would tank even more. Fans wouldn’t mind this, as they are destined to not be good this year anyway now. Vucevic only has two years left on his deal once this season is up too, but that’s the kind of contract security that other teams would like to have. The only issue is he’s making $25 million a year, a lot in a league with plenty of centers.

This is also what Vucevic deserves, having silently been the best version of himself for the Magic for so long now. Even defensively, when he used to be a complete liability, he is about league average most nights, while also being prone to some bad stretches. Offensively though the entire show revolves around him, and maybe that is enough for the big guy.

But if there was any way of getting him out of Orlando, and if Vucevic went to the front office and expressed a desire to leave, that would be worth exploring. As long as it was to the kind of situation where he had a chance to have a deep run in the playoffs. The Nets would obviously be a great location, even if financially it is highly unlikely, despite Kevin Durant being one of Vucevic’s few fans.

No matter what happens though, Nikola Vucevic does not deserve what is about to come next. Lots of losing while putting up huge numbers, at a time when he should be moving closer to challenging for a championship. It is what his talent level deserve. He would be the next in a list of talented centers to leave the Orlando Magic, only this time, he’d be leaving with the blessing of the fans. For the sake of Vucevic, either get him some high level help, or get him out of Florida.

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