Orlando Magic Position-by-Position Outlook
Center
The biggest question on the Orlando Magic roster undoubtedly is at the center spot. There seems to be a true position battle for the starting spot, a situation that is unlike anywhere on the roster.
Nikola Vucevic is the incumbent and likely starter. No one seems willing to complain about that considering the Magic’s expected dearth of offense.
Vucevic is as skilled as they come on the offensive end. He can work well in the post and step out and hit jumpers. He is one of the best passing big men in the league (at least, by assist rate) and is extremely versatile.
No player has been as consistent as Vucevic for the Magic in their starting lineup.
Where he struggles is on the defensive end. And considering this is the core of the Magic’s team now, it does raise questions.
Ibaka is the rim-protecting 4 he has always supposedly needed. So the excuses for Vucevic to struggle individually on defense or for the team to do so seems to be gone.
Orlando is expecting the team to take a big step forward and that includes Vucevic on the defensive end, however it comes. The pressure on Vucevic is immense to shore up his biggest weakness.
That pressure only got bigger when the Magic went out and signed Bismack Biyombo to a long-term contract.
Biyombo is the opposite of Vucevic. He is a player that is all defense — one of the best rim protectors in the league — and virtually no offense. By box score plus-minus, Biyombo’s offensive struggles outweighed his defensive brilliance. Biyombo only showed what he could do potentially in the Playoffs when Jonas Valanciunas went down with an injury.
There is opportunity here for Biyombo. And he should push Vucevic for starter’s minutes — with that salary, it would be disappointing for him not to.
Even if Biyombo never starts, his rim protecting off the bench is an immense luxury. The Magic should be able to have a rim protector on the floor at all times. That should make the Magic’s defense formidable for all 48 minutes of the game.
Vucevic and Biyombo should take most of the minutes at center. But Ibaka will certainly get some time at the 5 as a small-ball center for smaller lineups. And there are some suggestions Aaron Gordon could play some center in “death lineups.”
The only other option at center would be rookie Stephen Zimmerman.
The Magic’s second-round pick is not likely ready to see a NBA floor for meaningful minutes. He has plenty of skill and talent, but has to put on some weight and muscle to bang around with the bigger players the NBA will offer.
There you have it. Those are your 2017 Orlando Magic.
There will be a lot of questions to answer as the season gets set to begin. And they begin getting answered at Monday’s Media Day and then the first day of training camp Tuesday.
Next: Frank Vogel: Building chemistry a priority
Orlando Magic Daily will be back later today with full coverage of media day as the Magic season begins.