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Where does Nikola Vucevic rank among All-Time Magic Centers?

By Brett David Roberts

Apr 8, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) falls during an NBA basketball game at Amway Center. The Orlando Magic beat the Chicago Bulls 105-103. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) falls during an NBA basketball game at Amway Center. The Orlando Magic beat the Chicago Bulls 105-103. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
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2. Dwight Howard

Apr 28, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) attempts to drive the ball around Dallas Mavericks center Amar
Apr 28, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) attempts to drive the ball around Dallas Mavericks center Amar /

Dwight Howard took the Orlando Magic to just its second NBA Finals appearance in franchise history, but he also held the franchise hostage with his contract and bad attitude for more than a season. The two are not quite reconciled yet.

Howard won the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award three times and became just the second franchise center in team history, but right now the wounds he left in his exit are too fresh.

The team is still rebuilding from Howard’s departure and has won just 68 games in three seasons since Howard took off to his questionable fate in Los Angeles.

It is really not the time to loft praise on Howard, and this slide just suffices to say he was here, he was very good and maybe many years from now it will seem less noxious to meditate on the disappointments of the 2009 NBA Finals, at that.  Howard spent the bulk of his career in Orlando, and Stan Van Gundy said the only thing keeping him from being a Hall of Famer was his short body of work.

Since Howard has gone on to decline since leaving Orlando, this may render him more of a fringe HOF-type talent, rather than the lock that the No. 1 player in this slideshow was, before he even suited up for his first NBA game.

Next: The most dominant talent to come through Orlando