More opportunity may come for Nikola Vucevic off bench

The question of whether to start Nikola Vucevic or not is one that will last into training camp this year. His best opportunity may come off the bench.

The offseason acquisition of former Toronto Raptor Bismack Biyombo created multiple trade rumors nationally. It called into question Nikola Vucevic’s role with the team moving forward.

Would the Orlando Magic’s center for the past four years retain his starting position or would he come off the bench, sending the Magic’s new $17-million to a reserve role? This is a question best left to settle on the court in training camp. Vucevic though firmly believes he will be the starter come opening night (or the first night Biyombo is eligible to play since he is suspended for the first game).

Orlando has one of the top scoring centers in the NBA, and it is possible he could come off of the bench in 2017.

Nikola Vucevic averaged 18.2 points per game, 8.9 rebounds per game, 2.8 assists per game and1.0 blocks per game in 2016. His numbers rank in the top four for starting NBA centers. The Minnesota Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns, Sacramento Kings’ DeMarcus Cousins and Brooklyn Nets’ Brook Lopez were the only centers who scored more points per game than Vucevic last year.

And as the rising star enters his sixth year, he is hearing everything from people praising his offensive arsenal to trade rumors because of a key offseason acquisition, Bismack Biyombo.

Biyombo signed a $72-million contract that will put pressure on coach Frank Vogel to play him and spread the minutes around. Eventually there will be egos hurt and pressure to pay a major long-term investment the team made.

Frank Vogel had to be licking his chops about the possibility of signing a defensive-minded center like Biyombo after Rob Hennigan traded Victor Oladipo to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Serge Ibaka.

The two elite defenders in Orlando would mirror Vogel’s former Indiana Pacers teams that featured David West and Roy Hibbert.

Although Hibbert only averaged 12.8 points per game in his best year offensively for the Pacers in 2012, he was a better option on offense than Biyombo and clearly a better defender than Vucevic. Hibbert averaged 2.0 blocks per game for Indiana in 2012 as well.

If Vogel does decide to bring Vucevic off the bench, it would not be the first time he plays a reserve role for the Magic. In fact, Vucevic has had some success playing a reserve role.

Vucevic suffered multiple injuries during the 2016 season. Once he suffered a bone bruise after banging knees with Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard in November. He also suffered a strained groin in March that caused him to miss 13 games.

Scott Skiles brought Vucevic off of the bench initially after recovering from each injury to manage his minutes, unlike most coaches do to a top scoring center.

It gave the Magic, and potential suitors for that matter, the opportunity to watch Vucevic’s performance coming off of an injury against an opponent’s reserves, and what he can potentially bring off of a bench to a team.

Vucevic played in five games as a reserve in 2016, averaging 20.8 points per game on 62.3 field goal percentage and adding 8.0 rebounds per game. Those numbers rank higher than the NBA Sixth Man of the Year winner, Jamal Crawford. Crawford averaged 14.2 points per game coming off of the Los Angeles Clippers’ bench.

If Vucevic does play a reserve role in 2017 at any point, that would be a nice punch off the bench from just one player, a bench surrounded by veteran leadership. A bench with 3-point shooting as a specialty. He clearly thrived against weaker competition as the Magic defense soared with Dewayne Dedmon, a shot-blocking bi, in the starting lineup.

Vogel could almost run Stan Van Gundy’s Orlando Magic offense off the bench, with shooting surrounding the talented scoring center in the paint. Obviously Vucevic is not the athlete Dwight Howard is, but he is more offensively polished from a shooting skill set. Even Howard admitted Vucevic could do it all, according to John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com.

Vucevic would be surrounded by better 3-point shooters at the point guard and small forward position from the bench like Mario Hezonja, Jodie Meeks, D.J. Augustin or C.J. Watson, compared to the starters, Elfrid Payton and Aaron Gordon.

The bench would feature Vucevic, and Vogel would have to develop a totally different offensive scheme than he would with Vucevic starting.

The bench offense would consist of isolation post ups and pick and pops for Vucevic, while the starting offense would be attempting to score off of its defense without a proven go-to scorer.

Vogel said he will feature Gordon at the small forward this season and wants to use him like how he used Paul George in Indiana. That would be ideal with Vucevic coming off the bench because that would free up more shots for Gordon. Although certainly, Gordon could use the spacing that comes from Vucevic’s mid-range shooting ability.

If Gordon has improved to the point he can be featured in the offense more, Vucevic will not be taking as many shots as he has the last couple of seasons. Vucevic averaged 16.1 shot attempts per game in 2016. That would surely have to go down to feature other players more on offense.

Or maybe Vucevic does get the same shot attempts since he would be the featured bench player and Oladipo, who averaged 13.5 shot attempts per game is no longer in Orlando. Those shot attempts have to go somewhere. Vucevic will get his share whether he starts or comes off the bench.

The loss of Oladipo will open up shots and minutes for Mario Hezonja, who only averaged 17.9 minutes per game in 2016 as a rookie. Maybe Hezonja develops quicker if Vogel has Vucevic on the bench or playing alongside him with the second unit?

There are simply a lot of shots to go around and it is hard to find the right balance for the team to succeed this year while continuing to grow the roster for the future.

Maybe Vucevic coming off of the bench would be the best for this newly constructed team to develop?

Next: Nikola Vucevic is working on adding 3-point shot

Whatever scenario Vogel uses Vucevic should be in the best interest to benefit the Magic to take the necessary step toward a playoff berth in the 2017 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs.