I'm not really sure what the public perception is on shut him down for the rest of the season.
Still, the Magic are committed to the seven-footer. Was it the right move, though?
The Main Act
Vucevic has become the main man in Orlando.
But he did that before he inked his name on the dotted line to become the Magic's highest-paid player.
Vucevic led the Magic in ESPN.com.)
| Player | Age | Points | Rebounds | nERD | nF Efficiency | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeAndre Jordan | 25 | 10.4 | 13.6 | 11.0 | 3.0 | $10,986,550 |
| Joakim Noah | 28 | 12.6 | 11.3 | 10.3 | 2.9 | $11,100,000 |
| Andre Drummond | 20 | 13.5 | 13.2 | 9.0 | 2.7 | $2,465,400 |
| DeMarcus Cousins | 23 | 22.7 | 11.7 | 6.1 | 2.1 | $4,916,974 |
| Dwight Howard | 28 | 18.3 | 12.2 | 6.0 | 2.0 | $20,513,178 |
| Andrew Bogut | 29 | 7.3 | 10.0 | 6.0 | 2.7 | $14,000,000 |
| Al Jefferson | 29 | 21.8 | 10.8 | 4.8 | 1.5 | $13,500,000 |
| Nikola Vucevic | 23 | 14.2 | 11.0 | 1.6 | 0.7 | $1,793,520 |
So, Vucevic doesn't quite compare to those players in terms of overall impact, evidenced by his nERD and nF efficiency.
However, those other 7 players would add at least 4.8 wins over .500 as starters on an average team. And they would provide a 1.5-point boost or more to a team as a starter.
Basically, all of those guys are good additions to their teams (and, theoretically, any team on which they would play). While Vucevic isn't quite on par with them, he was in a pretty rare club considering only seven centers averaged a double-double last year. If he does, in fact, improve his numbers and join this company, then the Magic will have granted him a pretty fair deal.
Can he get to that level, though? That's the question, of course. After all, Andre Drummond and DeMarcus Cousins had better seasons at or before age 23.
What about the other five guys? Well, here is how they fared during their age-23 seasons.
| Player | Season | MPG | Points | Rebounds | nERD | nF Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwight Howard | 2008-09 | 35.7 | 20.6 | 13.8 | 16.0 | 4.4 |
| DeAndre Jordan | 2011-12 | 27.2 | 7.4 | 8.3 | 5.4 | 1.9 |
| Joakim Noah | 2008-09 | 24.2 | 6.7 | 7.6 | 4.6 | 1.8 |
| Al Jefferson | 2007-08 | 35.6 | 21.0 | 11.1 | 3.3 | 0.9 |
| Nikola Vucevic | 2013-14 | 31.8 | 14.2 | 11.0 | 1.6 | 0.7 |
| Andrew Bogut | 2007-08 | 34.9 | 14.3 | 9.8 | -1.4 | -0.4 |
In terms of nERD and nF efficiency, Vucevic didn't vault to the top of the list, but he did have a fairly solid season at this age compared to the double-digit rebounders from 2013-14 when they were 23.
In terms of raw production, Vucevic looks pretty impressive, but he does not yet possess the defensive potential to have the overall impact that these other, high-volume rebounders exhibit either at age 23 or in the 2013-14 season - Bogut's 23-year-old campaign excluded.
A Good Deal for Both Parties?
With consecutive seasons of at least 11.0 rebounds per game, Vucevic has shown that he very may well be one of the most prolific rebounders in the NBA for the foreseeable future. And seeing that not all of those guys were miles ahead of Vucevic at age 23 is very promising for the Montenegrin big man.
At roughly $13.5 million for 4 years, the Magic have locked up a fantastic rebounder who can also put points on the board. Whether he improves or not remains to be seen, but this much is true.
On contract through age 27, Vucevic has time to develop into a more complete player whether that comes from an increased focus on defensive prowess or a heavier points-per-game average. Providing some of the best center numbers in the league already at under $2 million has allowed the Magic to reward Vucevic with a fair-yet-optimistic outlook for their new centerpiece.
Not every contract in the NBA makes sense, but this one seems to be ideal for both Vucevic and the Magic, who could be one of the most exciting franchises in the league by the time Vucevic's contract needs renewed.