The inevitable is coming for Nikola Vucevic, but not likely soon

Everyone senses Nikola Vucevic‘s time with the Orlando Magic is nearing an end. It feels inevitable. But he is not giving up the spot yet.

The Nikola Vucevic trade rumor has become a rite of passage every February. It has been something that has surrounded him for several years. Really since he signed his bargain of an extension in 2015, it felt like the Orlando Magic were waiting for the opportunity to trade him.

Even as he put in yeoman’s work as the best scorer and offensive option on a team trying to find its way.

Orlando likely had no illusion about what Vucevic was even when they acquired him. In fact, the Magic have overtly made moves to replace him. They acquired Serge Ibaka in the summer of 2016 and then signed Bismack Biyombo. It all seemed to point toward pushing Vucevic out.

But Vucevic never gave up the spot. No one took it from him as much as he held the spot down with his own play.

The drafting of Mohamed Bamba has changed that tenor. For the first time, Orlando used a high draft pick at Vucevic’s position. It seems like the writing is on the wall.

Indeed, in a profile of Mohamed Bamba for The Athletic, writer Michael Scotto seemed to suggest the Magic are open to trading Vucevic — a secret that is probably not a secret considering how Nikola Vucevic’s name has always popped up at the deadline the last few years.

With Vucevic’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, it indeed seems that the inevitable is going to happen if not at the trade deadline this year then certainly during the summer when he hits free agency.

But it is also clear the Magic are in no rush to find that deal. Despite acquiring Timofey Mozgov and having Khem Birch on the roster already, the Magic were in no rush to deal Nikola Vucevic off the roster in the summer. If the team really wanted to deal him, there had to be something they could find there.

Instead, it seems Vucevic is almost certain to start the year at center. Quite simply, despite fan protestations, he remains the team’s best and most consistent option.

Last year was another reliably solid year for Vucevic. He averaged 16.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. All this while adding a 3-point shot to his game and having his best passing season of his career with 3.4 assists per game and his first career triple-double.

Before his injury, Vucevic was showing some positive signs defensively. For the second straight year, he had a defensive box plus-minus better than 2.0 points per 100 possessions over the average player. And the Magic were a better defensive team with Vucevic on the floor after the All-Star Break.

True, Vucevic’s defense remains a major issue. He is not a great rim protector (he gave up 65.9 percent shooting at the rim according to Second Spectrum’s tracking statistics) and he is poor in the pick and roll (giving up 0.97 points per possession on pick and rolls according to the same tracking statistics).

If Vucevic were a better defensive player there may not be this hand-wringing over finding his replacement now for several years. Nor the thought or inevitability of moving on from him after six years with the team.

The bottom line remains, and this is true even with Bamba on the roster, Vucevic is the team’s best overall option at center. Both because of his offensive skills and what he can reliably bring defensively. Vucevic on most possessions can pass defensively, but he may not make a positive impact there.

Certainly not in the way the Magic believe Bamba can.

Eventually, Bamba will take over as the starting center. Whether it is at Game 41 or after the deadline or in December or whenever. The Magic will play him when they feel he is ready to take on that role. Bamba’s development is one of the most important things the Magic will manage this year.

It seems fairly clear with the team’s obsession with length and defensive ability that Vucevic does not fit the future vision for the team. Bamba fits that profile.

The question is when that will happen. Nobody will know until Bamba gets out on the floor.

Judging by how he played at Summer League, the Magic seem likely to be cautious with his development. They do not seem like they will give him more than he can handle.

At Summer League, Bamba averaged 8.7 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game and 2.3 blocks per game. He made a clear impact. But the Magic did not run many plays for him. And on top of that, he played in just 19.7 minutes per game. That is less than half of a Summer League game.

All signs point to the Magic bringing Bamba along slowly. Until he is ready, Nikola Vucevic will be the veteran leading the way at the position — even if players like Khem Birch might fit better and deserve their shot too.

Both Bamba and Vucevic, to their credit, seem to be excited to play together. Bamba said he was excited to learn from Vucevic and get as much information as he can from him. Vucevic said he is excited for what Bamba can do. And he said he hopes they can play together with each player’s ability to space the floor.

That might be taking things a step too far. But there are seemingly endless possibilities for Bamba.

They are not likely to happen immediately. And that makes Vucevic still valuable for the Magic.

It does seem the inevitable is coming and that it will happen in the next year. The Magic invested too much of an important asset not to groom him for the job.

But he is not there yet. And Vucevic will have his time to hold onto the position until the inevitable comes.