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2017 Orlando Magic Player Outlook: Nikola Vucevic

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Apr 1, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Milwaukee won 113-110. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Milwaukee won 113-110. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 12, 2014; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) drives to the basket as Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) defends during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 12, 2014; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) drives to the basket as Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) defends during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Overall Outlook

This is going to be a telling season for Nikola Vucevic. It will plot the course for much of his career.

Essentially Vucevic will answer whether he can be a starting center on a Playoff team in the modern NBA.

No doubt, Vucevic is one of the best offensive centers in the league. And he should continue to flourish on that end. He is looking to expand his game and his shooting. And with another mid-range shooter in Serge Ibaka, he should find some more space to work in the post.

Vucevic should benefit on that end from having some more help.

Defensively though is where Vucevic will have to prove himself in a way he has not before.

Vucevic is probably not as bad on defense as people perceive. But the Magic need an elite defense to succeed this season. That means adding some more rim protection and limiting pick-and-roll penetration.

Here, Serge Ibaka will help tremendously. Ibaka was the model for what everyone though would be the ideal power forward pairing for him on that end. Now the Magic have to see how that turns out.

If not, Orlando has his replacement putting pressure on him from the bench. The Bismack Biyombo signing was certainly a shot across Vucevic’s bough. The Magic are ready to move forward with a defensive mentality and have a player they paid a lot of money to coming off the bench to fill that.

Vucevic is likely the better overall player — just look at Biyombo’s box plus-minus on Basketball-Reference. His offense is truly very good.

Next: Reviewing opportunity in the backcourt

But he may not be exactly what the Magic need. And so this is the year for Vucevic to prove he is more than just a good player putting up stats on a bad team.