Instant Grade: Magic Sign Nikola Vucevic

Nikola Vucevic Back With Magic

The move comes after it was reported that Moe Wagner was unlikely to come back to the team. Wagner signed a two-year, $19 million contract with the Brooklyn Nets. Vucevic now has the opportunity to take over as the team's backup center behind Wendell Carter Jr.

Signing Vucevic should give the Magic a boost of excitement from the fans and a capable backup big hoping to re-capture his magic that he had when he was in Orlando for the first time.

The Magic traded Vucevic when his value was at its highest, just over five years ago. The deal brought Carter to the Magic and the draft pick that ultimately was used to select Franz Wagner. The Vucevic trade has been viewed as a massive success for Orlando, and now they get to have their cake and eat it too.

Vucevic averaged a double-double as recently as the 2024-25 campaign, when he was with the Bulls, starting 72 of 73 games and averaging 18.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. This past season, he struggled, and his points and rebounds averages took a dip.

He was traded to the Boston Celtics in the middle of the season for Anfernee Simons, but injuries limited him to just 16 games with the team, averaging 9.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. That likely tanked his value in free agency, as he only received an offer worth just under $4 million. It's possible that he took a hometown discount to stay and return to the Magic, which is where he called home for a majority of his career in the league.

Vucevic turns 36 in late October, so the Magic can't ask for as much as he used to be able to give. As be the team's backup center, replacing Moe Wagner, the value on the deal is very strong for Orlando, making this one of the better free agency moves so far.