2018 Orlando Magic Player Outlook: Nikola Vucevic
By Ryan Doyle
Nikola Vucevic made strides on defense last season. But now he has to put it all together. As the longest-tenured player on the team, Vucevic will continue to be a major contributor.
One step forward and two steps back. That was the story for Nikola Vucevic in 2017.
Known for being an offense-first center, Vucevic had something of a transformation last season. Under coach Frank Vogel, Nikola Vucevic was able to develop on the defensive end.
For much of the season, Vucevic’s future was a major debate for the Orlando Magic fan base. There were many that felt he should remain in Orlando as a franchise building block, while others felt he had reached his ceiling and would be a better trade chip. It has always seemed trade rumors followed Vucevic because of his imperfect skill set and team-friendly contract.
With trade rumors swirling, Vucevic continued to push through a tough campaign. He could not find his rhythm offensively and the Magic continued to struggle. Vucevic averaged 14.6 points per game and 10.4 rebounds per game. His scoring was the lowest since his first two years in Orlando. His field goal percentage dipped to 46.8 percent as he took more jumpers than ever.
Although Vucevic did not make the leap that many projected, not all the blame can be on him. Orlando’s roster put him in a bad position. Playing next to forward Serge Ibaka, Nikola Vucevic was pushed farther from the basket, making his game more predicated on making jump shots.
The odd roster construction made it hard for Vucevic to carve a role. It took until Ibaka’s departure at the trade deadline for Vucevic to find some sort of groove.
Still, the improvement on defense was enough to keep Vucevic as the starting center for the majority of the season. Frank Vogel tried to slide Bismack Biyombo into the starting role, but Biyombo was unable to provide any production offensively.
Limited physically, Vucevic became a smarter defender. He put himself in better positioning and used his big frame to cause his matchup to adjust his shot in mid-air. Thanks to Vogel, Vucevic worked on his strengths on defense rather than try to be someone he is not.
Of course, there is still work to do on that side of the ball. But it appears defense will not be a major flaw in Vucevic’s game in the future.
The question now will be Vucevic’s return to form on offense. Will he be able to average 16-plus points per game? Or has he lost his touch?