2017 Orlando Magic Player Outlook: Nikola Vucevic

Offensive sacrifice

Everyone on the Orlando Magic the last few years has had to face this question at some point or another: Is this player just putting up good numbers on a bad team?

After all, someone had to score for those Magic teams even if they were just winning 20-plus games per year.

Tobias Harris faced that question as he entered free agency. Victor Oladipo faced that question as the Magic prepared to enter this offseason — and then eventually moved on from him.

That question now turns to Nikola Vucevic.

Vucevic was nearly an All Star in 2015. But for the same reason Arron Afflalo did not make the All-Star team in 2014, his team was simply not successful enough to get the All-Star nod. There really was not much of an argument to put Vucevic on that team — or this year’s team even with the team improving.

Vucevic can put up numbers. He is a double-double machine for the Magic. But at a certain point that production has to be directed toward his team winning.

Vucevic is a skilled passer — one of the best big-men passers in the league. The Magic can certainly use that skill and run some more offense through him. He had the highest usage rate on the team last year. But he still needs to be more effective.

It may not mean Vucevic’s scoring increases much. It may not mean Vucevic’s role changes very much. He just has to do what his team needs him to do.

Adding Serge Ibaka should make it easier for him to favor his jump shot. So long as he does some post work to free up Ibaka on the perimeter. He should find a good pair in Serge Ibaka offensively.

Defensively, though, Vucevic has to commit more attention and energy. He must do whatever he physically can do to make this team the best defensive team he can be.

That will be the biggest takeaway for him and his team to have some success.