Breaking down the Orlando Magic’s congested frontcourt

Nikola Vucevic

Nikola Vucevic’s offensive acumen offers the team some intriguing possibilities, especially because of his effective midrange shot (he shot 50.3 percent from 15-19 feet last season). This threat can draw opposing bigs away from the low post and force perimeter defenders to come down low, potentially creating open shot opportunities and mismatches for the Magic guards.

Not only did a faster offense last season not hurt Vucevic’s ability to score down low (he remained in the top 10 in low post scoring), but we also got to see how versatile of a scorer he can be.

Vucevic runs the floor, hits midrange and pick-and-pop jumpers, scores on driving layups, sinks baseline hooks and nails turnaround shots. If he starts to shoot from outside at a higher volume (as should be expected), his offensive productivity could complement the defense Ibaka and Biyombo provide.

Vogel might also put him at the 5 with Aaron Gordon at the 4 for an uptempo “death lineup” look, and if his ability to stretch the floor does indeed create shots for the Magic wings and guards, they could see significant strides in team scoring ability.

Although he is not exactly an elite rim protector, he did improve his shot-blocking numbers last season. He might actually be a little underrated defensively because of his decision-making skill and overall versatility.

His offensive ability — and his reportedly growing range — makes him extremely valuable on that end. Someone will have to score.

Vucevic just has to prove he can defend any spot on the floor like Serge Ibaka can and improve his pick-and-roll defense.

Whether or not he can improve his defense will play a huge role in how successful the team can be.

Next: Bismack Biyombo