Orlando Magic rumors: Nikola Vučević a cornerstone?

The Orlando Magic have had it rough since trading Dwight Howard, winning just 43 games over the past two season. They have, however, assembled a nice collection of young talent, including guard Victor Oladipo, forward Tobias Harris, their two 2014 first round picks, forward Aaron Gordon and point guard Elfrid Payton, and perhaps most importantly, center Nikola Vučević.

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John Zitzler of Basketball Insiders believes Vučević could be a franchise cornerstone.

"Of all the players listed here, Vucevic might be the most under the radar. Since joining the Magic after one season with the Sixers as part of the Dwight Howard blockbuster trade, Vucevic has given the team great production from the center spot. In his first year in Orlando, he averaged 13.1 points and 11.9 rebounds and followed that up this past season with 14.2 points an 11 rebounds. Vucevic battled injuries throughout the 2013-14 season, playing in only 57 games, but all signs point him being good to go to start this upcoming season. When fully healthy, Vucevic has shown to be one of the steadiest contributors for the young Magic. He will be an important piece as the team continues to develop their talented core. If Vucevic can stay healthy, he should be in line for another very productive season. At just 23 years old, Vucevic’s best basketball is likely still ahead of him and he could be a cornerstone for Orlando to build around going forward."

Vučević averaged 14.2 points, 11.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting 50.7% from the field and 76.6% from the free throw line last season. In his three-year career, he’s put up 11.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.8 steals per game while shooting 50.4% from the floor, 27.3% from downtown and 70.4% from the charity stripe.

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