Orlando Magic Daily
Fansided

Forging the Future: What the Orlando Magic should do with Nikola Vucevic

By Zach Palmer

TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 23: Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic talks at the press conference after Game Five of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs against the Toronto Raptors on April 23, 2019 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 23: Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic talks at the press conference after Game Five of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs against the Toronto Raptors on April 23, 2019 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 6
Next
Nikola Vucevic, Mohamed Bamba, Orlando Magic
ORLANDO, FL – JANUARY 13: Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic high-fives Mo Bamba #5 of the Orlando Magic after the game against the Houston Rockets on January 13, 2019 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The future problem

Why should they let him go?

There is a multitude of reasons. But the easiest place to start is with the elephant in the room: Mohamed Bamba.

The Orlando Magic drafted Mohamed Bamba in June clearly as the center they wanted to build their defense around.

President of basketball operations Jeff Weltman and general manager John Hammond will tell you they drafted Mohamed Bamba simply because he was the best player left on their board. They have talked glowingly about his length and basketball IQ. He checks a lot of boxes of the typical Weltman draft pick.

Center was a clear focus in this post-heavy draft with several options the team could have pursued. They stuck with a player who was a project at the position, staking on his record physical attributes over a lot of other factors.

Bamba had an inconsistent rookie year. He looked like a raw first-year player who was still figuring out his body (it is not NBA-ready)  and figuring out the league. A few hiccups were expected.

Weltman said during the team’s exit interviews that Bamba’s development would not affect the team’s decision regarding Vucevic’s future. Especially with Bamba recovering from a fracture left tibia, Weltman said the plan is to let Bamba develop at his own pace. The team does not want to put Bamba in a position to fail and are not going to give him a role he cannot handle.

But that, of course, suggests they expect Bamba to take on a larger role at some point in the future. They will not force him into that role before he is ready. So the question is when will he be ready? And that is part of why committing to a four- or five-year deal to Vucevic makes little sense.

Clearly, Orlando believes Bamba fell to the team at the sixth overall pick. And the writing seems to be on the wall.

Does Vucevic’s excellent season change anything in that regard? Maybe, but I do not believe it should or will.